Chapter 8
“It’s getting real, Hannah!” Tory squeaked as the bride-to-be met them all at their booth at the Clucky Spud, looking appropriately tanned and blown out, with glammed-up nails for her wedding in three days.
They’d decided to hold a special KNO, not on the first Saturday of the month, but on a regular old Wednesday night. It was the only time before the rehearsal dinner and before August’s parents’ famous friends descended on Silver Plum like seagulls near the picnic tables at the zoo.
And honestly? Those famous actors and directors probably thought this slice of small-town Americana was the zoo, what with the blue-collar work ethic, cousins upon cousins related in a complicated family tree no one exactly understood, and the one stoplight on Main.
Hannah fanned her face, the giddiness slipping slowly from her bright brown eyes brimming with tears.
“Ugh! I cannot cry. I just got my lashes filled.” After a steadying breath and sympathetic sighs from her friends, she sat down.
“I can’t believe it’s happening. Everything’s changing. It’s so…weird.”
Anjali sprang into action. This was her territory of expertise.
She wedged in between Hannah and Ruby and flicked a tear off Hannah’s face.
“Look. You’re stressed. Anyone in your position would be feeling a whole crap ton of feelings right now.
Of course change is hard. Even good change, which is what this is. ”
Hannah nodded and swallowed hard. “I…I also worry about August.”
Tory narrowed her eyes and rubbed her pregnant belly that was just starting to poke out. “What did he do?”
“Nothing. Except he’s been distant. And…
I don’t know. He was against marriage before we met.
He had no plans or desires to marry and settle down.
But then after his parents got back together and after we fell in love, I was convinced he’d changed.
That he wanted this.” She sniffed and then rolled her eyes before blowing her nose.
“Now I’m worried he’s regretting his decision.
” She slumped a little, stress lines forming on her forehead.
Ruby hollered for Dellynn, the owner of the diner. “We need a large glass of Coke and some of your baked mac and cheese. Please?”
Mabel’s insides turned over. It was just natural nerves getting the best of Hannah, wasn’t it? August wasn’t a KNO original; he was only brought into the circle because he and Mack were good friends and because he and Hannah fell in love.
A few years older than the rest of them, August had been quiet and kept to himself. Mabel knew him to be an honorable person totally smitten with her friend. Still, there was always a very slim chance he’d back out. Stranger things had happened.
“Where are the guys?” Mabel asked.
“They’d taken August to Rexburg for some guy time, but then a fire call came in. That’s the last I’ve heard,” Tory said.
They ordered, and Hannah only took a couple of bites of her mac and cheese. “Does anyone want to finish this?” She eyed her favorite Clucky Spud dish with the disgust that only a pre-wedding jittered bride could do.
“I’ll happily oblige,” Mabel said, reaching for the crock in front of Hannah. Stress eating? Quite possibly. Did she care? Nope. Not right now.
Halfway through the meal, Zane slumped into the booth on the opposite side of Mabel, hesitating for a moment when he noticed her there.
His hair was damp and, even from where she sat, he smelled like fresh shampoo, and he had that look she’d come to understand.
He’d just fought a fire; that much was clear.
Except his chocolate-brown eyes weren’t quite right.
The area surrounding his left one was puffy and pink.
“What happened to your eye?” Mabel asked at the same time Tory asked, “Fire?”
Zane nodded at Tory. “Up on the east bench. Very small. We got it nipped in the bud pretty quick.”
“Mack says he’s on his way now,” Cady said, balancing Henry on her lap while she checked her phone.
Zane yawned. “They should be here soon.”
So he was going to not look her in the eye now, huh? Annoyance flamed within her. “What happened, Zane?” She pointed to her eye and then his, raising her brows.
He glanced at her and then studied the menu, frowning. “It’s not that bad. I’ve had worse.”
That wasn’t what she was asking, but maybe he didn’t want to talk about it. Maybe the black eye happened while fighting the fire when he tripped on a hose or something. In any case, it looked like it hurt.
“Do they know what started it?” Anjali asked while rooting around her side salad with her fork.
Zane put the menu down and scrubbed his face, wincing as if he’d touched his sore eye.
Oh, so he would put his menu down for Anj but not Mabel? Hm.
“Lightning. Those brush fires, man.” He shook his head before picking up his menu again. Obviously, he wasn’t in the mood to talk, and Mabel must have been the only one to notice or care because everyone moved on to the topic of the hour, the big wedding.
“Just how many of the guests are you and August going to actually know?” Ruby asked Hannah, who’d just snaked a slice of bell pepper from Anjali’s salad.
Hannah shrugged. “Who knows? Victoria feels bad about things growing so out of control, but when you invite one Hollywood friend, it just grows exponentially.”
“That’s why you get married in Jamaica,” Ruby said, pointing to Anjali.
“Honestly? I don’t mind,” Hannah said. “We’ve been engaged long enough.” A smile played about her lips, the first one all night. “In my heart of hearts, I’ve always sort of wanted a big wedding.”
“You’re getting it, ball gown and all.” Mabel couldn’t stop the flick of her gaze to Zane. She had sort of hoped he wouldn’t even show up. It would have been easier to enjoy herself if she didn’t have to be on Zane alert the whole night.
“My dress is pretty dreamy.” Hannah sighed. The women of KNO had accompanied her to her last fitting at an exclusive boutique in Salt Lake City, and she’d totally rocked the heavy sleeveless brocade gown with a sweetheart neckline and hoop skirts.
Anjali reached out to squeeze Hannah’s hand. “Your relationship is dreamy too. Maybe August is pulling away because of the stress of the wedding. This is a lot to take in. Especially for an introvert like him.”
Ruby nodded. “And it’s being held at his home, the one he’s been restoring for years. That’s got to make him feel even more vulnerable. Plus all the people he doesn’t know…”
“I’m guessing his pulling away has everything to do with all this external stuff and not the relationship.” Anjali shrugged. “But I also think you should talk to him about it.”
“Is August being weird?” Zane asked, the fatigue on his face pulling his features down.
Hannah’s gaze flicked to his and then back to the table. “He’s just been extra quiet.” After a moment, she glanced back up at him, questions in her eyes.
Zane shook his head. “I know him as well as anyone at this table does—except for you, of course—and he’s still into you and this wedding. I can promise you that.”
“Did he say something to you?” Hannah asked.
“No. But he didn’t have to. He’s been counting down the days for months. I remember him saying at the firehouse things like, ‘Eight more days until I marry Hannah.’ The guy is whipped. Trust me; he’s not having second thoughts.”
Mabel’s heart swelled. Zane was making the effort to help Hannah, despite looking like a punching bag.
Hannah offered a small smile. “Okay. Thanks, Zane.” She let out a breath. “I’ll still talk to him about it, but it’s nice to hear that.”
Mack, Weston, and Liam came after the food had been served. Mack clapped Zane on the shoulder. He, too, looked somber. “The shiner is looking even shinier now that you’ve cleaned up.” Mack bent down to kiss Cady and take Henry from her.
“I ordered you guys some Cowboy Spuds,” Cady told them.
Ruby swallowed a bite of her Cobb salad and pointed her fork at Zane. “Yeah, you never did say what happened to your eye.”
Bless you, Ruby.
Zane scowled and slumped further into his seat.
“You didn’t tell them?” Liam asked, nudging Zane’s shoulder with the back of his hand.
“Wait,” Mack interrupted. “Before you tell the story, I’ve got to let Marlene know if the payroll needs to shift for next month.” He typed on his phone, frowning. “Have you decided yet?”
Zane looked at Mabel, his expression hooded.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to her,” Zane said, his eyes still boring into hers.
Talk to me? Mack! What have you done now?
“That’s nice of you to want to get her opinion, but, Zane, we’ve got to get moving on this right away, and no offense to Mabel, but this is me signing off on this.” Mack rubbed the bridge of his nose. “She doesn’t have to approve of it.”
“Approve of what?” Mabel asked, her breath stilling.
There was a pause in the air, as if Mack was letting Zane handle this, even when it was clear this was Mack’s doing. Whatever it was.
Finally, Zane answered. “Mack’s asked me to work on a project for the water tower.”
Tory laughed. “What does he want you to do, build it with your own two hands?” She pointed to his forearms.
Yes, of course Mabel noticed they’d only grown in size and definition since The Incident Part Deux. His waffle-print shirt, the color of oatmeal with the sleeves pulled up to his elbows, showcased that fact very nicely.
“That will be later.” Mack lifted one side of his mouth in a pretend grin. The serious expression he wore wasn’t like him at all. “This is a windshield survey of our watershed.”
“Watershed? As in the land area around here?” Tory asked.
“Yes. The land area that surrounds our lake. The windshield survey records data about our watershed."
“The project you asked me to work on.” Mabel’s voice was quiet, and it wasn’t a question.
“Yes, and no offense because you’re in freaking nursing school, but you haven’t had a chance to work much on it, and I figured it would help if you had someone. It’s a many-hands-make-light-work kind of thing.”
“He asked me to help. To take turns. One of us will drive and the other will input the data.” There was a questioning storm in Zane’s eyes.
It was true that Mack had asked her a couple of months before, as head of the water authority, to complete the windshield survey.
It was also true she’d only gotten done with the basic framework of the project.
She hadn’t actually gone out driving and inputting the data.
He had every right to hire Zane to speed things along.
But she wasn’t an idiot. This play of Mack’s stunk like an old chicken cutlet tray left in the garbage can for a week.
He’d hired Zane because, like all of KNO, he was bent on getting them together.
She wouldn’t be surprised if baby Henry’s first words were, “Zane and Mabel.” Or maybe “Zabel” for short.
Which she had to admit was kind of cute.
She shook her head to clear it. The back of her neck had become slick with sweat. Those meddling KNO kids! Zane had rejected her years ago. Being forced to spend time with him was unfair.
“Obviously, you’ll have to coordinate your schedules. But this way it can go twice as fast. Hopefully, we can submit the watershed report to the state and start reconstructing the tower by the spring, fingers crossed.”
“When Zane will build it with his own two hands.” A smirking laugh escaped Mabel.
“Right,” Zane said, rolling his eyes. He was probably just as upset as she was about this. She was moving on with her life—they both were. Their friends needed to learn to respect that.
“You guys, I did actually want to say something about this watershed project.” Mack’s brow furrowed, and Cady’s did too.
“This is kind of a serious thing. So maybe we can get your thoughts on it, but”—a rapid sigh escaped him—“the well we drilled has helped our flow percentages quite a bit, but with the lake’s levels lowering every year, we’ve got to do more. ”
“It’s lowering every year because of what?” Tory asked. “Drought? Global warming?”
“All the above,” Mack said. “The snowpack was at a record low last winter, and things aren’t looking good. Restoring the water tower is crucial.”
“You haven’t mentioned Bartlett, Mack.” Cady scrunched up her mouth and grabbed Henry’s little fist as he reached for Mack’s gravy-covered potato.
“Oh great. What have they done now?” Parker sighed. For a non-native Silver Plummer, he’d jumped on the “We hate Bartlett” bandwagon pretty early on.
“They’re petitioning for a percentage of our water again.”
There were cries of protest around the table. But Mack held out a hand. “I haven’t agreed to anything, but the way they’re doing it, I might not have any say in the matter this time around.”
The finer points of where Bartlett could take their petition were discussed for a while, as were some of the ins and outs of this issue that had now taken years to try to solve.
“So, what are we looking at, Mack?” Anjali asked. “Is this as bad as it seems?”
Mack blinked a couple of times, his gaze on the table in front of him, his Cowboy Spuds untouched.
“I’ve spoken with the department of public health, and they’ve said it’s possible we’ll get the grant for the water tower.
I’m meeting with a state-appointed hydrologist next week to talk alternate sources, but, guys, this grant application using the windshield survey has to work. ”
“So you’re saying the fate of the entire town is on Mabel’s and Zane’s shoulders?” Liam said, a bit of bite under the teasing.
“Ooooooh,” the rest of the table responded.
“No pressure or anything.” Zane’s voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes on the floor.
The silence grew, and everybody started eating again. After a couple of minutes, Ruby threw her hands in the air. “I’ll change the subject. Zane, you still haven’t told us how you got the black eye.”
Zane cleared his throat and took a long drink of water.
He set the glass down and wiped his mouth with his napkin.
He stared at Mabel. “You know our little emergency room friend? From the other day? He jumped me in the parking lot out of nowhere and gave me this.” He motioned with his hand to his eye, anger resurfacing.
Wait. What? “He came back? When? What happened?”
“Well.” August appeared in the doorway of the restaurant and made eye contact with Hannah as a contented smile spread across his face.
He walked over to the table, leaned in, and gave Hannah a kiss that could launch a thousand ships.
Then he turned back to the group. “Let’s just say you should see the other guy. ”