Chapter 24 #2
Silently, she nods before gesturing for Jake to open the double mahogany doors.
All the air escapes my lungs, and my mouth drops open. I can’t process what I’m seeing. How a room that is typically wall-to-wall mahogany with a row of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the golf course has been transformed into a fairytale garden.
“It’s…it’s gorgeous,” I whisper, my eyes darting around the room, attempting to take it all in.
Twinkle lights intertwined with tulle cover the ceiling, creating the illusion of soft clouds.
High-top tables have multicolored rose centerpieces cascading down the sides in a waterfall.
An entire wall is covered in white roses with Kate and Brian spelled out in the most spellbinding pink roses.
Countless other floral arrangements in various heights are sprinkled throughout the room, leaving no doubt that we’re in the midst of a magical flower paradise, not the ballroom of a small-town country club.
Jake chuckles, leading me farther into the room. “What do you think, Kate? Not what you had in mind for your engagement party?”
Awestruck, I stand in the middle of the room, slowly spinning to see everything. “It’s absolutely breathtaking. Beyond my wildest dreams,” I say softly, tears brimming in my eyes.
“Why don’t you and Jake take a few minutes to look around before guests arrive? I’m going to speak with the catering team,” my mom says, slowly walking toward the food tables.
“Wow. This is… I can’t… I didn’t expect it to be like this.” My hand covers my mouth, careful not to mess up my lipstick. How did my mom possibly do this while in rehab? She’s always been detail-oriented, but this is another level of creativity I didn’t know she had. “I can’t believe she did this.”
“She wanted to do something special for you. Celebrate you in a way that is worthy of you.”
“It’s just… None of this seems like her.”
“She had help. Remember?” Jake shrugs, glancing around the room again.
I nod, unable to fathom who she knows who could deliver something this magnificent. It’s definitely none of her friends in town. This is the type of event planning you read about in magazines or see on TV. Nothing like this exists in Southmount. Who could have helped her?
I gasp, my hand flies back to my mouth in utter shock.
It couldn’t be. It doesn’t make any sense, but he did mention a surprise he’s been working on with my mom for weeks.
Is that why he’s been so distant lately?
Afraid he’ll accidentally blurt out something about the party he’s been helping my mom plan? Did Brian do this for me? For us?
Exhaling deeply, a small amount of the tension in my muscles fades away.
Although he’s not coming to the party, he seems to have surprisingly participated in the planning.
I have to give him some credit. It may not wash away the extreme hurt or my lingering concerns, but it makes being here feel slightly better.
“Eek, Kate!” Chelsi shrieks, running across the room and throwing her arms around me.
She squeezes me tight for a few seconds before releasing me and quickly glancing at all the details in the room, her mouth slightly open.
“Holy shit. This is fucking exquisite. I’m completely underdressed.
Why didn’t you tell me this was giving magical garden fairytale vibes?
As your maid of honor, I need to know this shit. ”
I laugh hard, holding my hand against my chest. “I had no idea it was going to be like this. And you look fantastic, as always.”
“Oh, this old thing,” Chelsi replies, twirling in her navy-blue velvet mini-dress and brown leather boots, the epitome of her eclectic style.
“I agree with Kate. You look great, Chelsi. It’s good to see you again,” Jake says, joining us in the middle of the room.
“Likewise. Where’s Brian? I thought he’d be here by now,” Chelsi replies, checking her watch.
Jake makes eye contact with me, silently questioning how I want to handle this. We’ve game-planned the story for explaining Brian’s absence to other guests, but Chelsi’s different. She’s not going to easily accept Brian’s excuse. I swallow hard, nodding at Jake. I’ve got this.
Jake lifts his chin back at me. “I’m going to check with your mom to see whether she needs anything before everyone starts arriving.” He leaves, giving me the space I need to fill Chelsi in on this morning’s drama.
“That motherfucker!” Chelsi exclaims, her face bright red, like she’s about to burst with anger. “I can’t believe he would pull this shit.”
“Shhh. Keep it down, Chelsi.” I take her by the wrist, pulling her into a corner of the room, far away from the entrance where guests could arrive any minute. “I am furious at Brian, too. Couldn’t believe he would miss our engagement party. But it’s not like he wasn’t involved.”
Her eyebrows arch in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“He’s been working on a surprise with my mom for weeks. It was all of this,” I answer, gesturing to everything in the room.
Her brow furrows. “He helped plan this? Are you sure? This doesn’t seem like something he would do.”
She’s not wrong. Brian’s an accountant; creativity is not his strong suit. “Pretty sure. He mentioned wishing he could be there when I got the surprise. What else could it be, besides this party?”
“Huh.” Chelsi taps a finger against her lower lip as she looks around the room one more time. “Never would’ve guessed it.”
“I assume he hired a planner in Chicago to do most of the heavy lifting. It doesn’t erase his behavior or the fact he’s not here, but it at least shows me he’s willing to put some effort into our relationship. Gives me hope that we can work through our problems.”
Chelsi nods, doubt still written on her face.
I’m about to rattle off reasons why I’m remaining optimistic when guests start pouring into the room.
One thing you quickly learn in a small town is that pretty much everyone will arrive on time.
And they’ll likely stay for the entire party, even if it’s an open house, designed for guests to come and go as they please.
The next few hours are a blur as I play hostess with my mom, graciously greeting every guest and retelling my engagement story over and over.
Jake is by my side for most of the afternoon, keeping my mom and me fed and hydrated.
He also shuts down any questions about Brian’s absence, defending the importance of Brian’s job and sharing how he can relate to having a career that forces you to miss out on important life moments to be successful.
Everything about this party is utter perfection. From the mind-blowing decorations to the assortment of my absolute favorite foods, to having everyone I love in the same room. Nothing can beat the high I’m riding and my excitement about what’s to come in my life.