Chapter 4
“You girls need to remember that not having a honeymoon is the price you’ll have to pay for not having a proper wedding. I’ve always wanted to be a maid of honor for one of you girls. I could throw a really good bachelorette party, and yes, I’m hinting. Since Luna didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and there’s no official maid of honor, I will take the responsibility of planning a bachelorette party.” Bernie said in between blowing bubbles on the bride and groom as they drove away in Remy’s pickup truck.
Ophelia shivered at the thought of a party Bernie would throw and decided that when and if she got married, she and her fellow would go to Las Vegas and have an Elvis impersonator do the honors in a drive-thru chapel. “Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and they want to be there for Vera and Mama,” she said, trying to steer the conversation in another direction.
It did not work.
“Someday when they are as old as I am, they’ll wish they’d gone to an island with lots of pretty water and a sandy beach to make some wonderful memories,” Bernie said with a long sigh. “Maybe go skinny-dippin’ in the water with the fishes and make wild passionate love in the sand under a full moon.”
“That’s a pretty picture,” Tertia said. “But Ursula wanted to be married and start a family more than she wanted a big wedding and a honeymoon.”
“All right, all right!” Bernie said with a second sigh. “I suppose a baby coming along in a few months will make up for it.”
“Yes, it will,” Mary Jane said and turned to face Ophelia. “Would you stay behind and box up all the centerpieces?”
“Sure,” Ophelia agreed. “Should I unload them in the barn with all the Christmas stuff?”
“That would be great,” Mary Jane said. “One down, one to go.”
Bernie raised an eyebrow and finally smiled. “Maybe three to go.”
“Bring ’em on,” Mary Jane said with a nod. “I just need a day or two to rest in between the ceremonies. Who’s next after that, Aunt Bernie?”
Ophelia threw up both palms. “Not me.”
“Or me,” Bo said as she passed by on her way to her vehicle. “I’m close to being ready to throw in the country-music towel and come home, but I’ll need time to adjust before I even think about settling down.”
Tertia joined them and swatted a few bubbles that still floated in the air. “Or me! When, and if, I find someone, I’ll tell y’all that I’m married the day after I drag my fiancée to the courthouse, and I don’t even want a reception. All of this”—she waved her hand around to take in everything—“is not for me.”
“Never say never.” Bernie chuckled.
Tertia shook her head. “I might not say never, but I will say that I’ve got too much to do to even think about a boyfriend for a long time. I won’t even realize that I’ve quit teaching until it’s time to go back to classes in the fall. That’s when I might get serious about looking for a job.”
Ophelia nodded in agreement. “And we’ve got to concentrate on Luna’s wedding, not on all the rest of us.”
Joe Clay slipped his arm around Mary Jane’s shoulders and pulled her close to his side. “Are you ready to go home, darlin’? I was thinking that we could go out for Mother’s Day dinner tomorrow. This has been a big day for all of us.”
“No, sir!” Tertia argued.
“We always make dinner for Mama on Mother’s Day,” Ophelia protested. “Back when we first moved to the Paradise, we made grilled cheese sandwiches and served them with potato chips.”
“And ice cream and cookies for dessert,” Tertia added.
Mary Jane looped her arm into Joe Clay’s. “I’ve always loved seeing what you girls come up with for my special day. Speaking of food, please bring home all the leftovers from this party, and we’ll have them for supper tonight.”
“Will do.” Ophelia sat down on the top step of the porch. Her truck was left sitting all alone when the dust from the gravel parking lot had settled. A sensation that she couldn’t put into words told her that Jake had come out of the building long before he sat down beside her. “We were so busy at the reception that we never got our dance, but I believe you owe me one.”
“Bo has left so we don’t have any music,” Ophelia reminded him.
He pulled his phone from his hip pocket, laid it on the porch, and stood up with an outstretched hand toward her. “I’ve always got music.”
She put her hand in his and let him help her up. “I hope it’s a slow one, because I’m too tired for anything fast, and I’m barefoot.”
“Oh, darlin’ lady,” Jake whispered. “A dance with a lady as beautiful as you should always be slow. And I promise I’ll keep you on the little stretch of soft grass I’ve babied to keep growing here around the porch.”
His warm breath against her neck and his Texas brogue mixed together sent all kinds of heat waves through her body. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his body, and she caught a whiff of his cologne—something woodsy with a hint of vanilla.
The moment the guitar music started, Ophelia recognized the song“When I See You,” by Aaron Watson. She had listened to it over and over again when it first hit all the country music charts. Someday, some guy would tell her that when he first looked at her, he could see everything he ever wanted, just like the lyrics said.
“Why did you choose this song?” she asked.
“I didn’t really choose it for this dance,” he answered. “It’s the first one on my playlist because I like it so much. The words remind me that there’s a lady out there waiting for me, and when she finds me, everything will be all right. That, by the way, is the second song on my playlist.”
She leaned back and looked up at him. “What is?”
“‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,’ by Kenny Chesney,” he answered.
“Oh,” she said with a grin and then laid her cheek back against his cheek. “Do you believe that?”
“I do,” Jake answered, “with all my heart and soul. How about you?”
“I believe that everything happens for a reason,” Ophelia agreed as the next song started, and Jake kept dancing with her.
After the third song, he took a step back and turned off the music. He brought her hand to his lips and brushed a soft kiss across the knuckles. “Thank you for the dances. May they be the first of many that we share.”
“I bet you say that to all the women,” she teased.
He dropped her hand and shook his head. “Only the beautiful ones with red hair who have agreed to work for me.”
“And how many is that?” Ophelia asked.
“Including you, that would be one,” Jake said. “I’ve managed both the front and back of the winery since I opened the doors. You will be the first lady I’ve worked with.”
“Do you think throwing another person in an all-male mix will work?” Ophelia asked.
“I hope so,” Jake answered. “Could we just visit for a little while before we go back inside and gather up all the stuff? Weekends are pretty lonely, and it’s such a lovely day to be outside.”
Ophelia backed up a step and sat back down on the porch. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“When I first get up, I’ll call my mother and tell her happy Mother’s Day since I can’t be there for her holiday this year,” he answered. “Then I’ll probably watch whatever ball game is on television.”
“You could go to church with us and then have Mother’s Day dinner at the Paradise,” Ophelia offered, even though she knew that Aunt Bernie would make more of the invitation than just friendship.
“I would love that,” Jake agreed with a nod. “Will your whole family be there? Would they mind if I took a few pictures to send to my mama? She and Dad keep planning to make a visit up here, but something seems to always come up, and she would love to see that I’ve made some friends.”
“We always take pictures for Mama’s albums, so feel free to take however many you want,” Ophelia answered. “You can even tell her that you had dinner in a brothel.”
“I’ve already told her about the Paradise, and she would love to see pictures,” Jake said. “Shall I meet you at the church? Is it the one in Spanish Fort, or do y’all go to another one?”
“Why don’t you just pick me up at the house about ten thirty, and we’ll go from there?” Ophelia asked. “And yes, it is the one here in town.”
“Why, Ophelia Simmons, are you asking me for a date?” Jake flirted.
“Nope,” she answered, but sucking on a lemon couldn’t have wiped the smile off her face, “but I’m askin’ you to go to church with the family and then come to Sunday dinner as my new boss and hopefully my friend.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “That will do for a start.”
Ophelia had never believed in love at first sight—maybe lust at first sight a few times. What if what she felt was nothing more than a flash in the pan of hot lust? If that was the case, then she’d have to get over it. No way would she have a booty-type relationship with her boss. If that happened, she couldn’t even imagine the awkwardness between them when it ended.