Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
THE NEXT MONTH PASSED in a flurry of activity. Zoey and Cooper decided that the most efficient way to meet all the new family members was to invite them to the wedding. That grew the numbers and sent their wedding planner scrambling to find rooms for everyone. While the summer season was winding down in the middle of August, Lake in the Clouds was enjoying a strong tourist season.
Genevieve was excited that all four of her children planned to attend their cousin’s wedding. The decision had been made to ditch the once-removed thing. Zoey’s mother’s sister and her family planned to attend. Becca was the mother of three children, so Zoey’s family had grown significantly.
After spending a week with Cooper in Boston as he began his research project, Zoey flew to Houston, where she met Helen. They made the short trip down to Galveston, where Helen looked at beach houses in the neighborhood where Adam owned a home.
Zoey had warned her grandmother that if she decided to buy a place near Houston, she needed to prepare for Adam’s tendency to get lost in his research and forget things like dinner dates. Helen returned from the trip with the interesting tidbit that Zoey was exploring professional options that would take her out of the hospital emergency room with Cooper’s full support.
“She’s giving up the flower shop idea?” Genevieve asked her sister when they met for lunch following Helen’s return from Texas.
“Yes.” Helen passed Genevieve a tablet containing photos she’d taken on her trip. “That was never a serious desire. It was a depository for all her unhappiness. I believe she’s coming to the conclusion that she’ll be happier joining a pediatric practice and getting to work making babies with Cooper.”
“You’ll be a great-grandmother!” Genevieve crowed, scrolling to the photo app.
“I am a great grandmother. Just ask Zoey.”
The sisters were distracted from their catching-up when Lindsay Higgins walked into Cloudwiches. “Uh-oh,” Helen murmured in warning. “Trouble incoming.”
Genevieve straightened and braced herself. Then, spying Lindsay, she relaxed. Helen had been away during this month’s book club meeting. Genevieve had not yet had the opportunity to share the latest. Lindsay approached their table wearing a scowl that was at odds with the twinkle in her eyes. “Well, Genevieve, I hope you’re happy.” She pointed to her eyes and added, “These bags are all your fault.”
Genevieve chortled gleefully, which obviously shocked her sister. Speaking to Gage’s daughter, she said, “I take it you started Kill Me Once Again ?”
“Started and finished. At ten after three this morning.”
“I warned you,” Genevieve said with a laugh. She motioned toward an empty chair at their table. “Would you like to join us?”
“No, thanks. I’m meeting Frank for lunch. I just wanted to stop by and thank you for the recommendation. I’m going to stock that novel in the store from now on.” Then she turned an apologetic smile toward Helen. “Hi, Helen. Welcome home. We missed you at book club last week.”
“Thank you. I’m glad to be back.”
Lindsay spied her husband, waved, and excused herself. Helen arched a questioning brow toward Genevieve, who said, “She and I have had a breakthrough of sorts. It happened during the Christmas market, but with everything else that went down then, I never had the opportunity to share.”
“Well, spill the tea now, sister.”
“She and I had a heart-to-heart discussion. I can’t say too much without betraying Lindsay’s confidence. Suffice to say she’s going through a very difficult time, and I am totally sympathetic to her troubles.”
Helen gave Genevieve a long look. And because the sisters knew each other so well, Helen put two-and-two together. “Hormones? Does she have… oh. She and Frank have been married for some time. Fertility treatments? That can mess with a woman’s emotions big time.”
Genevieve made a zipping motion over her lips, then reached for the menu, saying, “Dessert. I think I’m going to order dessert today. Want to split a piece of chocolate cake?”
Helen nodded her acceptance of the subject change but refused dessert. “I can’t eat chocolate cake. I’ve got to get my zipper zipped on Saturday. Speaking of Saturday, has Willow figured out where to put all the extra flowers?”
Grinning, Genevieve nodded and signaled to the waiter. After ordering her cake—with two extra forks because she, too, knew her sister—she addressed the question. It turned out that Zoey’s aunt Becca and her husband made their living as floral wholesalers, and they wanted to provide flowers—a whole lot of flowers—in memory of Zoey’s mother. “Yes. She’s filling the patio with flowers to frame Zoey when she comes out to take Adam’s arm to descend the steps.”
“That’s perfect.” Helen clapped her hands together. “It’s a metaphor.”
This was an idea Genevieve couldn’t follow. “How so?”
“It’ll be her flower shop. She’s leaving the unhappiness behind and marching up the aisle toward her future.”
Genevieve rolled her eyes. “Or else it’ll be one more beautiful spot to take photographs.”
It proved to be exactly that. On Saturday, a radiant Zoey stood at the top of the steps on her father’s arm, surrounded by pale pink and white roses. Standing in the front row, Helen reached into the row behind her and grabbed hold of Genevieve’s hand. “Oh, Sissy.”
It was an old nickname for Genevieve, one she hadn’t used in decades. Hearing it brought a lump to Genevieve’s throat.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Helen murmured. “Can you believe this? My family!”
“I know.”
The ceremony went off without a hitch beneath a flower-covered arbor right at sunset, as beautiful a sunset as they’d seen all summer. Afterward, at Helen’s request, Genevieve stayed near her sister as they were introduced to dozens of people, mostly from Texas, but also a fair number of family and friends of the groom there from Michigan. Genevieve found Cooper’s parents to be delightful. She was so glad for Cooper and his entire family that his father had healed to the extent that he could make the trip.
As the cocktail hour drew to a close, Genevieve found her way to the table reserved for her immediate family. That was when she realized that for this family wedding, for the first time ever, her sister wouldn’t be sharing Genevieve’s. Helen had her own family table. Genevieve clapped her hand against her heart. “Wow. This is bittersweet.”
“What’s bittersweet?” asked her son Jake as he came up behind her and slipped his arm around her waist.
Genevieve smiled up at her eldest. “Helen won’t be sitting at our table tonight.”
“Well, now. I hadn’t thought of that.” His gaze settled on Helen, who stood with Adam, talking to some guests whom Genevieve didn’t know. “How cool is that? We’re a two-table family now. And that’s before all our babies are born. I have to tell you that the Texas contingent of the family is thrilled to have Zoey, Cooper, and Adam in the neighborhood. And I’ve never seen Auntie so happy.”
“I second that notion,” Genevieve’s son Lucas agreed as he joined the conversation. “She’s shining brighter than a spotlight.”
Genevieve’s youngest child, her daughter Brooke, said, “Zoey reminds me of Auntie. She’s sharp as a tack.”
“I still can’t get over how much she looks like Willow,” Lucas observed. Then, sensing his sister’s approach, he added, “Of course, Zoey’s a lot prettier than Willow.”
“You’re a jerk, bro,” Willow said, unfazed by the teasing. “So, how do you all think everything’s going?”
“Perfect,” Genevieve said with confidence. “It’s the prettiest wedding we’ve done, for sure.”
Willow nodded. “I think so, too. The food is delicious. They are getting ready to serve it now.”
“Good, because I’m starving.” Lucas chose a seat and sat down.
Willow looked at her mother. “Where are our dates? I get twenty minutes to sit down and enjoy the meal with our family.”
“Well, cocktail hour got a little boring for Drew and Emma,” Genevieve replied. “Gage proposed a rock-skipping contest on the lake before dinner. They tapped Noah to be the referee. I’ll go tell them it’s time to eat.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Willow noticed Cooper’s mother waving to her, so she hurried off to help.
Genevieve made her way to the lake, where she rounded up her peeps and herded them back to the dinner tables. As usual, during a Prentice family meal, the conversation was chaotic and fun. It didn’t escape Genevieve’s notice that Gage fit right in. In fact, her children all acted like he belonged there.
He does belong here , whispered her heart. Genevieve didn’t hear the usual arguments rising up against the idea.
The evening progressed with the traditional speeches, toasts, and dances. Helen and Genevieve held hands as they watched Adam and Zoey waltz to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” Helen said, “My heart is so full right now.”
“I know, hon. He’s such a handsome man, your Adam. It’s a shame he’s never remarried.”
“I know. I’ve been thinking about that. Maybe we should put finding Adam a bride on our project list.”
Genevieve laughed, not certain if her sister was being serious or not. She was saved from responding when the father-daughter dance ended, and applause erupted. The bride and her father walked over to stand beside Helen and Genevieve while Cooper danced with his mother. Genevieve took the opportunity to give Zoey a hug. “That was a beautiful moment. It was our family’s lucky day when Celeste Blessing recommended our lodge for your wedding venue.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Zoey replied. “I like to think we’d have found each other eventually, but this made it happen faster.”
“Yes. Time is too precious to waste.”
The mother-son dance ended, and while the crowd applauded, Adam winked at Zoey, and she joined Cooper on the dance floor and motioned for the DJ to hand over the microphone. She said, “Cooper and I want to again thank you all for joining us on this special night. Right now, we’d like to do something a little different. Most of you who have joined us tonight know about the miracle our family experienced this summer. For those of you who don’t know, the CliffsNotes version is that my father found his birth mother, and it’s been a joyous event in our family. To mark the occasion, Cooper and I want to have a second mother-son dance at our wedding. Dad?”
Adam smiled tenderly at Helen and held out a hand to her. “Mum?”
“Oh,” Genevieve said, the moment bringing shivers to her skin. Then, when the first bars of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” sounded—Helen’s favorite song in the world—Genevieve steepled her hands over her mouth and repeated, “Oh. Oh, Helen.”
Tears poured down her cheeks as she watched her sister have what had to be one of the top moments of her life.
In the middle of the song, she felt a hand on the small of her back. She glanced away from the dance floor long enough to smile up at Gage. “Did you know about this?”
“Nope. She sure looks happy, though, doesn’t she?”
“I’m surprised her feet aren’t a foot above the dance floor. What a beautiful moment for Helen.”
When the song ended, mother and son embraced each other, and then the bride and groom. Glancing around, Genevieve saw that hers weren’t the only cheeks sporting tear tracks.
The DJ kicked off the dance party with an upbeat tune as Adam escorted Helen off the dance floor. Genevieve met her, and the sisters embraced. “Did you see that?” Helen asked. “Can you believe that?”
“It was wonderful.”
“I’m never complaining about your going to see Simon and Garfunkel in concert without me ever again. This was a million times better than any concert.”
“I totally agree!” Genevieve hugged her sister hard and added, “And, hey, no more complaints? Win-win for me.”
At that point, Helen was swarmed with well-wishers, and Gage whisked Genevieve out onto the dance floor. For the next hour, she danced until her feet hurt. She was standing off to one side, sipping on a glass of water that Jake had brought her after they’d danced to a Frank Sinatra tune, watching Gage dance with six-year-old Emma. Once again, she found herself blinking back tears.
Gage Throckmorton was a wonderful man. He had a huge heart and a strong, constant, steadfast spirit. His word was gold.
His love was real.
Genevieve knew she could count on Gage Throckmorton. She could trust him.
His love was real.
He must have felt her gaze. At that moment, he looked up from her granddaughter’s face and met her stare. With a twinkle in his eyes, he gave her a wink.
His love was real… and so was hers. Genevieve caught her breath and, for the first time, admitted to the emotion swelling in her heart. Love. It’s love.
She’d fallen in love with Gage.
With the realization, inevitably, fear fluttered through her.
Been there, done this, it hadn’t ended well.
Oh my. What was she going to do?
The dance ended, and Gage escorted a beaming Emma back to her mother and Noah, then returned to his date. As he arrived, the DJ cued up Frank Sinatra’s “All My Tomorrows.”
“Aah, he’s playing our song,” Gage said. “Dance with me?”
Genevieve’s smile was just a little shaky as she beamed up at him and let him lead her onto the dance floor. His arm came around her, and he held her close. When he spoke against her ear, the deep timbre of his voice sent shivers running up her spine.
“Really nice wedding, Genevieve.”
“I know. Willow did an awesome job.”
“This is my third, you know.”
“Third what?” Genevieve asked, despite knowing the answer.
“Prentice family wedding. Jake’s, Willow’s, and now Zoey’s. They come along like clockwork, don’t they?”
“Hmm,” Genevieve responded. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his broad shoulder.
“Wonder who will be next?” He nuzzled her ear.
“Lucas brought a date,” she suggested. The desire to tease him surprisingly overcame her fear of the subject under discussion.
He chuckled softly. “That woman is firmly in the friend zone.”
Genevieve lifted her head and glanced up at him. “Seriously? How do you know?”
“She told me while you were dancing with Lucas.”
Genevieve sighed. “That boy.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a couple of those, too. We have to let them live their own lives, Genevieve. Just like we have to live ours. I’m putting a capital letter on that L , by the way.”
A capital L . She returned her head to his shoulder and spoke softly, “I hear you, Gage.”
He heard her, too. He pressed a kiss against her head and asked, “Do you? Do you really?”
She waited the entire length of a chorus to respond. While they danced, a million memories fluttered through her mind. Life. So many ups and downs. So many twists and turns. Her heart pounded as she lifted her head and gazed up into his intense stare. “I have to make a trip to Texas.”
“Come again?”
“There’s something I need to do before I can change my lowercase l to a capital. That said, I have two things I need to say to you.”
Interest lit his eyes. “Let’s hear ’em.”
She stepped back out of his arms, took hold of his hand, and tugged him off the dance floor. She wanted privacy for this. “Come with me.”
Being part-owner of Reflections Inn at Mirror Lake meant she knew all the nooks and crannies available even when the inn was bursting at its seams with guests. Of course, there were dozens of outdoor places she could take him, but she wanted to see his face, and moonlight wasn’t enough.
A few minutes later, she pushed open a door to a small outbuilding. The lights automatically flickered on. “The laundry? You brought me to the laundry?”
“The fragrance of dryer lint and fabric softener do it for me. Besides, I’ve spent a good chunk of my life in laundry rooms. It’s real life, and that’s a good reminder where you’re concerned. Because you, Gage Throckmorton, are in many ways a fantasy.”
His lips twitched. “I am, huh? Do you mean like Gandalf? Dumbledore? Bilbo Baggins?”
Genevieve giggled like a schoolgirl. “Feeling literary tonight, are you, cowboy? Alas, you’re not right off the pages of books. I’ve said since the first day I saw you that you stepped right out of the television screen. You’re Yellowstone ’s John Dutton—without all the wickedness.”
“Hey, I’m a little wicked. You just haven’t seen that part of me yet because we’re not sleeping together.”
Coquettishly, Genevieve said, “I’ll look forward to it.”
He arched a brow and slid his arms around her waist. “What are telling me, Genevieve?”
She reached up and stroked her fingers through his thick, silver hair at his temples. “I’m telling you that I love you. It frightens me more than a little bit, but I’ve gone and done it. I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“About damned time.” He brought his mouth down to hers and kissed her like a man who’d won a hard-fought victory. It was sweet. It was steamy. It was perfect. When he ended the kiss and lifted his head, he asked, “So, are you gonna marry me?”
Genevieve tilted her head. “I’m going to assume that’s a question and not a proposal. My answer to your question brings us to the second thing I need to say to you. I need to take that quick trip with my sister that I mentioned earlier, but when I get back, I’ll be ready to be romanced.”
“Romance, huh?”
“Yep. Just because it’s our second time around doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have romance.”
Gage nodded thoughtfully. “I can do romance.”
“I’m counting on it.”
Before Genevieve could say more, a booming sound distracted her. “The fireworks have begun. We’d better get back, or we might miss the send-off.”
She turned and started for the laundry room door, but Gage snagged her hand and pulled her back into his arms. “Honey, you just told me you loved me. I’ve got your fireworks right here.”
Gage’s mouth captured Genevieve’s once again.
Standing in front of one of the double sinks in Genevieve’s en suite bathroom a little after midnight, Helen rubbed night cream onto her face. Her gaze met that of her sister’s in the mirror. Genevieve was cleaning her face with a makeup remover wipe. “Look at my feet, would you, Genevieve? Are they touching the ground yet?”
Genevieve glanced down. “I dunno. I might see about six inches of distance between you and the tile.”
“Hmm. I’m thinking it’s more like a foot.”
Tonight, having divvied up available beds like musical chairs for family, both new and old, the sisters were sharing a bathroom and Genevieve’s king-sized bed, chatting about the wedding while they got ready to go to sleep. Helen noted the glow about her sister. Under other circumstances, she probably would have asked about it. Tonight, however, she was wrapped up in herself.
So she didn’t ask. Instead, she crawled into bed and plumped up her feather pillows. Genevieve asked, “I usually sleep with the windows open in the summertime. That work for you?”
“Absolutely. I do the same thing. It reminds me of home. Only cooler and comfortable.” Helen stretched to turn off the bedside light. “Good night, Genevieve.”
“Good night.” Genevieve switched off her light. “It was a good night, wasn’t it?”
“The best.”
Helen closed her eyes and began reliving snapshots of the evening. In her mind’s eye, she pictured Zoey gazing up into Cooper’s face as she repeated her wedding vows.
From out of the darkness, Genevieve said, “You’ve reminded me of home. I’ll never forget those summer nights when we’d lie in bed sweating like dogs because the folks wouldn’t turn on the air conditioner yet. We felt like having a party when May fifteenth rolled around, and they allowed the switch to be flipped.”
Helen said, “I’m old enough to remember when they rolled back the start date from June first to the middle of May. I think the boys were threatening to fill up a plastic swimming pool with ice and put it in the living room.”
“You know, Dad was a successful attorney,” Genevieve pointed out. “He didn’t have to be so tightfisted.”
“Dad was a child of the Depression. It’s how he rolled.”
Genevieve allowed silence to settle for a minute before she began again. “Home was never the same after you left. A light went out of the house. Life went out of the house.”
“It didn’t have to be that way,” Helen replied, a touch of bitterness in her tone.
“No, it didn’t.” Genevieve recalled the pall that had hung over the family home in the months and first few years after Helen had gone to live with their aunt and uncle. She’d missed her sister so much.
But life had gone on. She’d grown up. Fell in love. Got married, had children, and was widowed. Raised her kids. Lived her life. And Helen’s life had gone on. She’d aced college and law school and established an extremely successful legal career. There had been failed marriages and tragic miscarriages, but Helen claimed to have had a happy life.
And now, tonight… tonight, her life had been perfect.
Genevieve turned her head toward her sister and asked, “Do you think you can ever forgive him?”
“Dad?”
“Yes.”
The silence dragged on so long that Genevieve began to think that Helen wouldn’t respond. Finally, though, she let out a long sigh. “I don’t want to forgive him. What he did was absolutely, positively horrible. And yet… oh, Genevieve. Look at how William’s turned out. My Adam William.”
“I know.”
“It was a perfect night.”
“It was that.” Genevieve smiled into the darkness and said, “I told Gage that I love him.”
“Well, it’s about damned time. So, when’s the wedding? Not too long, I hope. We’re not getting any younger.”
“He hasn’t officially proposed. I told him tonight I have something I need to do first. I’m hoping you will go with me.”
Helen sat up in bed and switched on the light. “Go with you where? I hope you’re not going to say one last sisters’ trip, because I’m making a rule right here and now. I don’t care whether you are married and I’m living in Texas or not. We are still taking our sisters’ trips together. That’s nonnegotiable.”
“You’re moving to Texas? I knew you would.”
“You did? You’re not upset?”
Genevieve shrugged. “Well, I’m a little sad, but that’s selfish of me, so I’m trying not to be upset.”
“I’m only going for six months out of the year,” Helen explained. “I’m going to resign from the mayor’s office next month. Nicole is ready to step up and do the job until the next election. I bought a beach house.”
“Really!” Genevieve gazed at her with delight. “In Galveston near Adam’s?”
“Yes.”
“That’s great. You’ve always loved the beach. Maybe we can go on down, and you can show it to me after I complete my task.”
“What task?” Helen demanded. “And again, where are we going?”
“Home.” Genevieve’s throat closed up with emotion. “I have to go home and visit David’s grave. I have to get his blessing.”
“Oh, Genevieve.” Helen chided her with a look. “Of course you have David’s blessing. He loved you. He would never have wanted you to be alone this long.”
“Nevertheless, it’s something I have to do. Will you go with me, please, Helen?”
“Of course I’ll go.” Helen patted her hand. “When are we leaving?”
“All my crowd will be gone by Tuesday. Adam and the newlyweds, too. Right?”
“Right.”
“So, how about we leave Wednesday morning?”
“Works for me. I’ll make arrangements at the office. Now, will you finally be quiet and let me get some sleep? I’m crashing.” Helen switched off the light and rolled over, placing her back toward Genevieve.
With a smile on her face, Genevieve closed her eyes. Harkening back to a popular TV drama of the ’70s and how she and her sister used to say good night when they shared a bedroom, she said, “Good night, John-Boy.”
“Good night, Elizabeth.”
Then Genevieve started to giggle. “Did you know there’s a nightclub in Florida and a restaurant in Chicago named Good Night John Boy?”
Helen hit her with a pillow.