Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Layla
I sla had a few updates on wedding plans, so we all agreed to meet over at Aria’s for snacks, wine and sister time. I, for one, was thrilled that I was going to have my sisters all to myself for the evening. Of course, the timing could have been better. Now that Nash and I had decided to step out of the friendship borders and dive a little deeper into a relationship, I wouldn’t have minded hanging out with him this evening. But then, taking it slow was probably the better option. It gave me time to absorb the idea and come up with a strategic plan to not entirely alienate my best friend. Since the relationship was still in such an early (very early as in not really started) stage, I knew it was best not to mention it at all to Emily. If things progressed, and something inside me seriously hoped they would, then I’d break it to her gently. I just wasn’t sure how to manage that yet, but I’d worry about that problem when I slammed right up against it.
Ava and I reached the house at the same time. We hugged and headed inside. Isla was setting out chips and guacamole. The blender buzzed with margaritas as Aria dipped glass rims in salt. There was a platter of tamales and tacos in the middle of Aria’s table.
Ella was slicing lime wedges and placing them on the salted glasses.
Ava picked up a chip and dipped it in a bowl of salsa. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting this kind of spread. Aria said snacks, so I was prepared for pretzels and wine.”
Isla handed me the first margarita. “It’s a theme I’m experimenting with for the wedding reception. I was thinking of a whole buffet of Mexican food. Everyone loves tacos and chips. People could build their own tostadas, and we could serve several variations of margaritas.”
I sipped the drink. “Hmm, I say we take a vote, and mine is yes. Love the idea. People always serve all that stuffy food at receptions—tiny roasted pigeons sitting next to three braised carrots.”
Isla laughed. “I believe they call them squabs because they’re still babies and yes, you’re right. I’ve gone to a lot of weddings where the food wasn’t the least bit enticing. I haven’t discussed this new idea with Luke, but he’s always game to try anything.”
Aria smiled as she handed her a margarita. “You mean anything that will set his snooty mom’s hair on fire? Something tells me she’s more the baby pigeon type.”
Isla raised a brow at her.
“What? We might as well call ‘em what they are instead of sugarcoating it with a weird name like squab ,” Aria said. “But back to the main point—what about the infamous Mrs. Greyson?” We started filling our plates. “What did Luke think of the Whisper Cove idea?”
“He loved it. The infamous Mrs. Greyson has not been consulted about it yet,” Isla said. “It’s almost a waste of time to even consider the cove because she’s never going to approve.”
“That’s her problem,” Ava said.
“Yes, but having her at the wedding with a terrible, grouchy, disapproving look on her face is going to ruin the whole day. And trust me, Margaret Greyson’s presence is not one you can easily ignore. She’s like this big, obtrusive—” Isla paused to find the right word.
“Thorn?” Ella offered.
“Yes, that’s it. She’s like this big, obtrusive thorn that will stand there in the center of everyone making faces at everything and letting people know, in no uncertain terms, that she doesn’t approve of any of it, bride included,” she added with a waver in her voice that caught all of our attention immediately.
As if choreographed, we all set our plates and drinks down and surrounded her for a group hug, something we’d gotten down to an art over the years. We gently circled her and each other with our arms and let Isla have a few moments to sniffle it out.
“I’m fine,” she said after a deep breath. We all lowered our arms but still surrounded her. “I’m just tired. Business has been crazy, and I’m still looking for a baker to help out, but there aren’t many applicants, and the ones I’ve spoken to on the phone have been lacking in—well, everything.”
“You’re too much of a perfectionist,” Ella said. “Hire someone and then you can shape them into the baker you were hoping for.”
“But there’s more to this than not finding an assistant,” Aria said with a serious brow. We always counted on her to play the role of parent in these situations, and she wasn’t wasting time stepping into those shoes.
“You’re right,” Isla said.
Aria put up a finger. “Hold that thought.” She motioned to the food.
We picked up our plates and glasses and headed out to the small front room to find our places on the sofa and on the floor sitting around the coffee table. Once we’d settled in and gotten comfortable, Isla took a sip of margarita—for fortification, it seemed. The suspense was killing us. Or maybe it was just me.
“Has something happened between you and Luke?” I blurted. I’d been working with her all week and hadn’t noticed a thing. I supposed I’d selfishly been too overwhelmed with my own problems.
“No, Luke is wonderful. We’ve never been happier. I still have to pinch myself occasionally to make sure this is all real. It’s not Luke at all, and I love Rachel and Hazel, but his parents—they’re so hard to like. Is that terrible to say?”
“Not at all,” Aria said. “And since they live eight hours away, you won’t have to see them much.”
“I know. It’s just that—you know—they’re his parents, and I’ll be marrying him knowing full well that his mother doesn’t approve of the match.”
“You know what?” I said confidently. “She might not approve of it right now, but once she gets to know you, our wonderful Isla, she’ll realize she was wrong and change her opinion.”
Isla laughed. “First of all, Margaret Greyson is never wrong, at least not in her own mind. And I don’t think she’ll ever learn to like me.” Isla gave herself a little shake. “You know what? My pity party is over. I’m marrying the most wonderful man in the world, and this wedding is going to be what we want. So, with that in mind—it looks like we’re going to have a small ceremony on the cove and”—Isla looked hopefully at Aria—“if the owner of the Whisper Cove Café approves, I thought it would be the perfect place for our reception.”
Aria’s eyes rounded with excitement. “Yes, of course, you can have your reception in the café. What about food? We don’t have much Mexican food on the menu.”
Isla smiled sweetly. “I’ve sort of been conspiring with a certain person about cooking up a feast for the reception.”
“So, you and Dex have been planning all this behind my back?” Aria tried to sound angry and insulted, but she was too excited about the prospect of hosting the reception. “Well then, I guess that settles it. Whisper Cove Café is officially the reception destination.”
I clapped first, and everyone else followed. I lifted my glass for a toast. “To Nonna, the wedding guest who’ll be there in spirit.”
“To Nonna!” we cheered. We sipped our drinks and paused the conversation to taste some of the delicious food.
Ella nodded. “Hmm, much tastier than baby pigeon.”
We all laughed and then the conversation turned away from the wedding and more toward everyday topics. I badly wanted to mention my new possible relationship with our handsome neighbor, but I decided it was best to keep it under wraps for now. After all, it could very well end up going nowhere. That thought dampened my spirits, which, in turn, made me worry that I was already heading toward heartbreak, and we hadn’t even started yet.
Ella thought she was being discreet when she leaned closer to me for her question. “Any more roses?”
My sister, Aria, had the hearing of a jackrabbit. “Roses? Who got roses?”
All focus turned to me. I shot Ella a glare. She shrugged and smiled briefly in response. “Uh, it wasn’t roses. It was a rose, a single stem. Someone left it on my bicycle seat when the bike was parked outside the cottage.”
Curious looks instantly turned to concern. “Was it Dustin?” Isla asked.
“I’m not positive, but I think so. I think it was his last-ditch effort to get back together.”
Ava put down her glass. “Are you considering that?”
I gave a fervent shake of my head. “Gosh no, never in a million years.”
“Maybe we need to send Dex to talk to him,” Aria said.
“No, please.” I shot another scowl at Ella for starting this topic. “I would never bother Dex with something so trivial, and frankly, I don’t think it’s fair that we expect him to always be the—” I paused, and as usual Ella filled in the gap.
“Henchman?” Ella asked.
I looked at her. “Really? That’s a word?” I waved my hand toward her. “What she said. It’s not fair to Dex. I love that he’s so protective over all of us, but this is something I can handle myself. Dustin was just more heartbroken than I expected after such a short time together. And with that—topic switch. I need to hear what’s happening in everyone’s relationship since I’m the sister on the outer edge of true love’s bliss.”
Everyone looked at each other to see who might start or have something interesting but not too personal to tell.
“Rhett told me he loved me,” Ella blurted awkwardly. She quickly picked up a chip and shoved it in her mouth, so she wouldn’t have to expand.
“Oh my gosh, El, that’s wonderful,” Isla said. “The important thing is—how did you react?”
Ella’s cheeks flooded with a blush. “It wasn’t how I envisioned it or how I would have written it in a novel. I stood there and stared at him for a long time because my mind just couldn’t accept that I heard the words right. Then Rhett fidgeted and looked embarrassed. We were standing in his kitchen waiting for our frozen lasagna to heat. Then he said, ‘Guess you weren’t ready to hear that’ and he turned to check the oven. Once I realized I hadn’t imagined or misheard him, I teared up and threw myself into his arms. At some point with my sniffles and my face smashed into his chest, I blubbered out the words ‘I love you, too.’”
Isla lifted her glass. “Here’s to saying ‘I love you.’”
We joined in and then I set my glass down. “I want that,” I said. “To hear ‘I love you’ from someone who means it and someone who means something to you.” I leaned over and hugged Ella. “I’m happy for you, El. He’s the best, and you deserve nothing less.”
Ella hugged me back. “Thank you, and it will happen for you, too.”
We got back to eating and laughing and gossiping and all the things I missed whenever we weren’t together. It was never going to be the same now that they’d all found partners, but the connections between us were as strong as ever. No matter what happened in my life, my sisters were always there to help me celebrate or pick up the pieces.