Chapter 7
Astrid
Kelly pulled onto a quiet side street, and through my window, I had a perfect view of the town square.
At its center, a fountain sprayed sparkling arcs of water, droplets shimmering like tiny sparks in the morning sun.
Cobblestone paths curved around quaint shops, dotted with townsfolk chatting in groups, coffee cups in hand.
I stepped out of the car, squinting as the sunlight hit me full force. Shielding my eyes, I blinked hard behind my glasses. Directly across from me stood Aunt Dee’s Bakery & Café.
“Day one, Kel,” I said as she shut the car door, “and I’m already standing exactly where you warned me not to.”
Amy had called first thing this morning, insisting we meet at Aunt Dee’s to discuss wedding plans before driving over to the venue together.
Every part of me wanted to say no, to suggest literally anywhere else, but honestly, what choice did I have?
I’d barely picked up the keys to my new place, much less unpacked, and inviting her to Kelly’s house like I owned the place wasn’t exactly an option.
“Trust me, Azzie. It’s exactly the kind of disaster you’re imagining, but in the best possible way.” Kelly rounded the front of the car. “Aunt Dee’s word spreads faster than the local news. By evening, the whole town will know you’re a wedding planner. You scored yourself some publicity.”
“My job gets free promotion, and my personal life gets a full investigation. What a bargain,” I laughed, though a knot of unease tightened in my stomach.
Being their next topic of discussion wasn’t exactly on my bucket list, but I wanted to see if this infamous gossip squad was actually as scary as Kelly made them sound.
Kelly pushed the door open. The smell of fresh bread and strong coffee curled around me.
“Kelly!” came a voice sweeter than buttercream frosting.
A short, plump woman broke off her conversation she’d been having, her round face lighting up as she hurried over.
Her gaze flicked briefly to me—a quick, curious once-over before landing back on Kelly.
“Long time no see. Found another place to satisfy your sweet tooth?”
“There is no one who can bake my favorite lemon tarts other than Aunt Dee,” Kelly said. It was less of a casual comment, more an obvious hint.
So she was Gossip Queen One of Orange Falls.
Aunt Dee waved a hand, half-dismissing Kelly’s praise. “You flatter me too much, dear.” But the glint in her eyes said she wasn’t entirely against the attention. “I hear you went all the way to the city just to bring back a wedding planner for Amy.”
Kelly gave my hand a small squeeze, the silent— brace yourself, she knows.
Aunt Dee’s gaze slid to me, eyes bright with curiosity. “That must make you the one everyone’s talking about.”
Before I could even open my mouth, another voice jumped in.
“She’s the wedding planner?” A woman, probably be in her forties, rushed over.
Oh boy. The gossip train had officially left the station, full steam ahead and no brakes. Conversations quieted, chairs shifted, people turned—some subtly, others with open curiosity until every gaze in the room landed on me.
And then, before I could blink, people began closing in from all directions.
“What’s your name?” asked a woman with short steel-gray hair.
“Astrid.” I gave her a polite smile, already knowing my name alone wasn’t about to scratch the surface of their curiosity.
“So, you're from the city? Bet things move a lot faster there,” asked a teenage girl with short auburn hair. “I’m heading to LA for college this fall. I’m literally counting down the days. I'm Joanna, by the way.”
I offered her a small smile. “Nice to meet you, Joanna. And yeah, the city moves fast. LA’s great. I’ve visited a few times. Traffic’s a nightmare, but you’ll never get bored.”
“Oh, honey, welcome to Orange Falls!” another woman cut in eagerly. “I’m Emma. My daughter runs the best bridal boutique in town—bridesmaid dresses, emergency alterations, you name it. Anything you need, really. Her shop’s just two streets over.”
Now that’s what I call top-tier mom marketing, right in front of a wedding planner, no less.
“I’ll definitely keep that in mind,” Dress fittings could be chaotic, especially with last-minute emergencies.
“Are you just here for one wedding or are you planning to settle in?” Emma asked.
“She’s settling here permanently,” Kelly sounded a little too enthusiastic.
I didn’t correct her. Permanently wasn’t exactly the word I’d chose. I was just here, for now.
“Have you found a place yet?”
I blinked. Did all small-town introductions feel like getting grilled for a job interview?
“If you’re looking, I know someone renting,” she continued cheerfully. “Cute house, big porch, just down the street from the old post office.”
“She doesn’t want to live next to Bill Patterson,” Aunt Dee cut in with a scoff. “He blasts his radio on the porch every morning. Same country songs every single day.”
“How about Martha’s old place?” Emma suggested.
Aunt Dee wrinkled her nose. “And spend the whole year fixing leaks?”
“I found a place,” I interrupted. “Mary’s. The grey house with the rose bushes out front.”
Aunt Dee exchanged a glance with Emma, then nodded approvingly, as if her judgment was the official seal of approval.
The door opened, and a man with salt-and-pepper hair stepped in, eyes flicking curiously over the gathered crowd. “What’s everyone gossiping about?” His gaze landed squarely on me. “New face?”
“Amy’s wedding planner, Simpson,” Aunt Dee announced, sounding exactly like she'd personally hired me herself.
He raised a brow. “Thought her wedding planner backed out.”
“Oh, she did, and what a disaster that was.” Aunt Dee huffed, planting her hands firmly on her hips.
“I warned Amy. Told her to pick Linda Morris, someone who actually knows how things run around here. But no, she chose some big-city planner who promised a wedding to top all weddings in Orange Falls. And, of course, the second a better offer came along, the planner jumped ship.”
“Mm…hmm.” Emma nodded.
“That one’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Simpson agreed.
I wasn’t sure if Aunt Dee was more offended by the planner backing out or Amy ignoring her advice.
The door opened again. For a second, I braced myself, expecting another town’s folk dropping by for a fresh round of gossip, but this time it was Amy.
“Amy! Come in, come in!” Aunt Dee chirped, her voice shifting seamlessly from town gossip to sugary-sweet hostess. “We were just talking about how lucky you are—finding a wedding planner and all.”
I stared, speechless at this sudden shift. Hadn’t she literally just been bitching about Amy’s choice of wedding planner a minute ago? Now she was acting like her biggest supporter.
“Thank you, Aunt Dee,” Amy said, visibly relieved. “It’s been... a lot. All thanks to Kelly, and of course to Astrid for jumping in at the last minute. I was this close to losing my mind, but now it finally feels like things are coming together.”
“Oh, don’t even worry about it. Astrid’s got this,” Aunt Dee went on, reassuring Amy with the confidence of someone who’d seen me plan a hundred weddings.
Honestly, this woman could sell sand in the desert.