Chapter 18
FIONA MOORE
“We need long stems - at least a foot long, even if you have to sacrifice some lower blooms,” I explained as I handed Moe a small bucket half-filled with water. “Cut the stem at an angle and take off all the leaves.”
“Ma’am! Yes, ma’am!” Serana said with a mock salute.
“The best time to harvest is just before sunrise. Once we get these cut, I’ll drive them over to Wild Flowers and deliver them to Cora.”
“Isn’t she cutting it a little close?”
“I’m sure she’s already finished with all the other things, and these flowers are for the tables.
She didn’t have room to store them all, so we decided to wait until this morning to harvest,” I explained as we walked down the gravel path that led to the section we’d specifically planted for Bella’s wedding.
I looked out over the rows and was taken aback at the early morning beauty.
With my voice barely above a whisper, I said, “Oh my gosh. Look at that.”
There was still dew on most of the flowers, and with the soft light coming up from the east, each flower seemed to sparkle.
“If I didn’t hate the world right now, I’d think that looked magical,” Moe admitted before she yawned loudly. “And another thing . . .”
“Here she goes!” Serana moaned.
“Does anyone else hate coming out here to cut? I can’t stand it. We worked our asses off to get these things to grow from seeds to now, and it kind of hurts my heart to have to rip into them.”
“You mean, it would hurt your heart if you had one,” Shivon teased.
“I understand what you’re saying, but this is what we grew them for,” I reminded them.
“I can’t wait to see how Cora puts them together for the ceremony,” Serana announced.
Shivon giggled in excitement before she said, “I can’t believe we’re invited!”
“Of course she invited us! Why wouldn’t she?” Shiloh asked.
“Because we’re a bunch of ex-cons who are basically providing a service for her by growing flowers for her wedding. We’re not friends she sits and gabs with,” Shivon answered.
“When she was here the other day, didn’t she sit and chat for like fifteen minutes?” Moe asked. “I distinctly remember Rain getting on her ass because she was throwing them off schedule.”
“She did,” Shivon answered softly. “I can’t even remember what we were talking about, but she just sat there like we were old friends.”
“And that’s exactly why she invited us to the wedding.
Bella’s just like that,” I said knowingly since I had talked to Bella dozens of times when she called the office to check progress or speak to Zoey.
“The Queens don’t care where we’ve been, just where we’re going and that we’re staying on the right track to get there. ”
“You’re right,” Shivon admitted. She looked out over the field and said, “As much as I hate to sacrifice all of this beauty, it will be worth it to see everyone else get to enjoy it.”
“I never really thought of it that way,” Moe admitted. “Right now, it’s just ours, but tonight, everyone will get to appreciate all the hard work we put in, and they’ll see that Zoey’s delicate flowers have a purpose.”
“Damn right, we do!” Shivon agreed.
“Let’s do this, ladies!” I said encouragingly. “As we’re enjoying ourselves at the wedding this evening, we can bask in the praise every time we hear someone comment on how beautiful the flowers are.”
◆◆◆
CORA DEAN
I looked up from my clipboard and counted the boutonnieres on the table - each of them in a clear, clam-shell package that would protect them until it was time to pin them onto the lapels.
I checked the name on each against the names on my list and then added the four extras just in case something happened to one I’d made for someone in the wedding party.
I moved down the table and checked the corsage I’d made for Lena Conner and then the two I’d created for Mrs. Robono and Bernadette Russo, the mother and stepmother of the groom.
I had taken care to make each of them unique and equally beautiful.
I’d even checked with the ladies to see what they planned to wear so the flowers would complement their outfits.
“Are you double-checking the list?” my business partner, Taylor, asked.
“I know you already did it, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“That’s why we make a great team.”
“Did you finish the flower girl baskets?” I asked her.
“Yes, and I made two extra flower crowns in case something happens to the ones in their hair before pictures.”
“Good call. I haven’t spent much time around them, but I’ve heard some stories. My guess is that even though the tales are not nearly as wild as some kids we know, it’s probably just because they haven’t had enough opportunity.”
“All we have left to load up are these things on the table,” Taylor said as she set an empty box on a stool near me. “Everything else is in the van.”
“Including the flowers Janis will need for the cake?”
“Yep.”
“And the flowers Fiona delivered for the tables?”
“Also yes.”
“I am so nervous,” I admitted.
“I understand, but we don’t have a reason to be nervous. Yes, this is the largest wedding we’ve ever done, but everything is gorgeous.”
“I am excited about what this could do for Wild Flowers, but I’m also worried because this is Bella’s wedding. I really want her to be happy with the flowers on her big day.”
“I get it. It’s personal because we adore her, but it’s also business. We were paid to provide a service, and we’ve kicked ass doing it!”
“Hell yes!”
“Let’s go get this set up so we can have a little extra time to relax before we watch our friend get married.”
◆◆◆
JANIS GRISSOM
“How am I doing on time?”
Serana looked at her watch and smiled before she said, “We’re ahead of schedule by twenty minutes. I just saw Cora and Taylor drive up, so we can start on the flowers as soon as you’re ready.”
I looked out over the meeting hall that I’d been to countless times since I was a kid and was amazed at how it had been transformed.
More tables and chairs had been brought in, all of them covered in white linen cloth.
Each table had different colors of material artfully draped in the center that matched the bridesmaids’ dresses and would coordinate with the flowers that Cora would be arranging on each table.
I turned back to the table where I’d assembled the five-tier cake.
I was still amazed that it had made it to the venue without any issues.
Of course, my team had plenty of practice, but it was almost inevitable that something would go wrong, especially since Bella had insisted on icing rather than fondant, a choice I wholeheartedly agreed with for both looks and taste.
“Oh, Janis! It’s beautiful!” Cora exclaimed as she walked closer to the table. She had a large flat box in her hands that she put down on the folding table I’d been using for my supplies before she said, “It’s gorgeous even before the flowers.”
“Show me what you’ve got!”
“We have dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, peonies, and even a few stunning sunflowers that fit the color scheme.”
“I’ve been visiting Zoey’s at least twice a week just willing certain flowers to grow,” I admitted as I waited impatiently for Cora to open the box.
When she did, I gasped at the gorgeous array Cora and I had to choose from as we worked together to decorate the large cake.
I felt tears fill my eyes as I looked at my friend and said, “This is going to make Bella so happy.”
“I know,” Cora agreed as she sniffed back tears of her own. She cleared her throat before she said, “Enough of that! We’ve got to get to work so you can go get dressed.”
“Ugh! Don’t remind me. I am not looking forward to having to get all gussied up and have everyone looking at me.”
“You’ll be beautiful, and it won’t be nearly as bad as you think. Besides, you know it will make Bella happy.”
“Apparently, I’ve gone soft.”
“I promise not to tell anyone.”
◆◆◆
DIXIE DEAN
“I wish all the venues we catered had this setup,” I admitted as I turned the oven temperature down so we could use it to keep the appetizers warm. I slid eight covered trays inside and wondered again if I should have made more.
When I looked around at the other trays of finger foods that would be served at the reception, I was reassured that I’d made more than enough.
It wasn’t my mission to fill bellies tonight.
I was just giving them something to nibble on while they waited for the wedding party to finish with the photographer so the reception could begin.
Of course, I would serve dinner once everyone was seated, but I didn’t have to worry about that part of this event since Bella’s brother’s company had supplied everything.
As if he knew I’d been thinking about him, Dylan Conner backed through the swinging doors, pulling a cart stacked with large thermal tubs that he used to transport his food to events.
I knew he hated that he wasn’t going to be the one in charge of serving and understood where he was coming from, but that didn’t mean I was going to let him give me any shit.
I didn’t even have time to say, “Hello!” before he started peppering me with questions.
“Do you have enough waitstaff for this?”
“Yes.”
“Are they experienced? If they’re not, then they’ll just fuck everything up. Who is going to be serving the food? I need to talk to them about portion control so we don’t run out fifteen guests in.”
“If you made enough food, then why are you worried about that?” I asked just to irritate him.
“I know what I’m doing!”
“So do I, and so do my employees,” I reminded him.
“This would have been so much easier if she’d just let me do it, but she insists that I have to be on stage with her for some reason.”
“Because you’re her brother and best friend, and she wants you with her while she makes the biggest leap of her life.”
Dylan frowned before he said, “I still can’t believe she’s going to marry that fucker.”
“I thought you liked Matteo!”
“I don’t want to kill him, but I’d like him more if he’d move his ass to Texas.”
“She loves New York.”