Chapter 6
Rhonan
Wedding Plans & A Run-In
“Daddy! Can I play Candy Land?” We’ve barely walked through the doors of Hart Winery, and Ellis is already asking to play her favorite game. Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate, but right now? I just need a second to sit.
Joanne clears her throat. “We can absolutely play, Ellis. Come on, let’s go find a table.”
I catch Joanne’s eye and mouth, “Thank you.”
Nodding, she leads my daughter into the main tasting room and straight to the little game area my mother insisted on including when she and my father opened the place.
This room holds more of my memories than almost anywhere else.
I can still hear my mother’s voice sometimes, explaining the flavor notes of our wine to customers as they swirled their glasses. I can still see Laney and me chasing each other around the tables, hiding behind the large wine barrels topped with thick wooden slabs.
And I can still see the night I walked in with Sarah on my arm and told my dad we were engaged.
It’s that memory that chooses to haunt me at this moment.
A slap on my back pulls me from my thoughts almost immediately. “You look like shit,” Fletcher says as he hangs his arm around my neck and walks with me over to the bar that spans the entire length of the main wall in the room.
“Nice to see you too, Fletch,” I grumble as I take a seat at the bar and Fletcher follows my lead.
My sister comes up behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing his cheek before turning to me. “You okay, Rhonan?”
“Just exhausted,” I breathe out. “The past two shifts have been insane, so let’s just say I’m thankful for a few days off.”
Laney lifts her eyebrows. “Well, if you want some help getting rid of those bags under your eyes, I have this new eye cream you should definitely try.”
“Speaking of which, please don’t talk about that shit in front of Ellis, all right? I don’t need my daughter getting a complex about her face at five.”
Laney eyes me curiously. “She brought that up?”
“Yeah, for the same reason you just did. Apparently, my eye bags are noticeable even to my daughter.”
“Well, she must have overheard me talking about it to Dilynne because I certainly wouldn’t have said anything like that directly to her.
” She sounds offended. “But I’m telling you, this stuff is amazing.
I’m selling out of it at the salon, and I can’t wait to see our wedding photos because I know for certain these bags will be virtually non-existent,” she says, pointing to her face. “Can’t you already see a difference?”
“No, Laney. I don’t study your eye bags.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Dilynne agrees with me.”
“What do I agree with?” Dilynne asks as she comes up to us, glass of wine already in hand.
“I was telling Rhonan about the eye cream we’ve been using…”
Her eyes light up. “Oh shit. Yes, Rhonan…” She pauses, tilting her head side to side as she assesses my face. “You could definitely use some of this stuff.”
I turn my attention to Fletcher. “Please talk to me about anything besides eye cream.”
“We could talk about the wedding,” he says. “Since that is the reason why we’re all here.”
Dilynne raises her glass to her lips. “Yes, please. I have some thoughts.”
Laney inhales deeply. “Why am I not surprised?”
When my sister scheduled this meeting with me, Dilynne—her best friend and maid of honor—and Fletcher, I anticipated being given a list of responsibilities for the big day.
I did not count on being ridiculed for the bags under my eyes.
But then Henley, Elodie, and Elliot all walk through the entrance to the tasting room and suddenly, I realize the entire wedding party is here.
“Sorry we’re a bit late. It was hard leaving Remy with Carol and Nick,” Elodie says, hugging Dilynne and then Laney before reaching back for Henley’s hand.
“Aw, how is my little niece doing?” Dilynne asks.
Elodie smiles just like she does anytime anyone brings up Henley’s daughter, who is quickly becoming her own at this point.
“She’s great. Crawling and picking herself up, and so close to walking.
But she’s also in this clingy stage right now and screams if she notices you leave the room.
Henley and I had to sneak out of the house. ”
I nod, smiling at the memories of my own daughter at that age. “I remember when Ellis did that. Joanne and I had a system down pat.”
Henley squeezes my shoulder. “It sucks, but we’re here.”
I remember the night Henley walked into this same room with a baby carrier and a diaper bag, revealing to all of us that he had a child he had known nothing about. I also remember going home with him that night and walking him through his first night with his daughter.
My dad did that with me when I left the hospital with Ellis.
I never thought I’d have to be that person for one of my friends, but when the time came, I was grateful I could be.
Now, I look at the man he’s become—a loving, confident father who’s devoted to the woman he loves. A version of him I wondered if he would ever figure out.
I’m happy for him, but sometimes watching him in this new life and role makes me yearn for the life that was robbed from me.
Turning to Fletcher and Laney, Henley asks, “What did we miss?”
“You haven’t missed anything yet,” Laney replies. “But we do need to move over to a larger table so we can all sit together.”
That’s when my father appears from the back of the winery. “Well, look who’s here!” He veers straight to my sister, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head, before reaching out to shake Fletcher’s hand. “Are the bride and groom ready to talk wedding details?”
Laney scoffs. “Dad, I have seen and helped with countless weddings at this place over the years. I know how this works.”
“Yes, but you’re the bride now, which means you’re not working your own wedding. Let Anabelle do her job,” he says, referring to the wedding planner who’s been working at the winery for over a decade now.
“You’re telling Laney not to act like the control freak that she is,” I interject, reaching for my glass of wine that Tom set by me earlier. “I think we can all agree that isn’t going to happen,” I add, taking down the cabernet like it’s the lifeline I need right now.
Spoiler alert: it is—especially if I’m going to get through this evening.
My eyes drift over to Ellis and Joanne playing Candy Land, making sure they’re both still there. That they’re safe.
Old habits and fears never die.
Fletcher stands up from his stool and pulls my sister into his side. “Hey, that’s my fiancée that you’re talking about.”
Rolling my eyes, I stand as well. “Oh, trust me, I haven’t forgotten.” Henley laughs, and I shoot him a look. “You still think this is funny, huh?”
He shrugs. “I mean, none of us saw this coming, but I think it’s hilarious that it still bothers you.”
I shake my head, lifting my glass toward Elliot. “Bet you wouldn’t find it funny if you found out Elliot and Dilynne were seeing each other behind your back.”
Dilynne chokes on her wine and Elliot looks like someone just told him dinosaurs are still alive.
“Jesus, warn a person before you insinuate something that vile,” Dilynne says once she’s regained her composure.
“You’ve lost your goddamn mind if you think that would ever happen,” Elliot adds.
Dilynne’s razor-sharp gaze lands on Elliot. “You could do a hell of a lot worse, Grumpzilla. Oh wait! You have,” she says, clearly referring to his ex-fiancée.
Fletcher covers his mouth with his hand, hiding his smile while Elliot looks like smoke might start pouring out of his ears.
“Trust me, Dil. You’d have to be the last woman on earth left for me to even think about making you mine.”
“That’s comforting,” she says sweetly. “Since I’d never belong to a man, nor would I let him call me his.” Her placating smile is so sharp it could cut glass.
Laney slices her hand through the space between them. “I think I speak for everyone here when I say please let this go so we can focus on the wedding.”
Elliot and Dilynne are locked in a stare-down, but Dilynne breaks first. “Fine.”
Elliot runs a hand through his hair. “George? You got any whiskey around here?”
My dad meets Elliot’s gaze, chuckling. “Whiskey isn’t going to solve your problem, son.”
“What problem?”
“The one you refuse to see.” My dad shakes his head just as Ellis comes running up to him.
“Papa!”
He lifts her into his arms and rubs their noses together. “Ellis, girl. I’ve missed you. Did you grow?”
“I don’t think so,” my daughter replies, but my father glances over at me.
I shrug. “I still can’t believe she’s five.”
He nods. “Oh, I remember vividly how fast it goes.” Turning his attention back to Ellis, he says, “Are you done with your game of Candy Land?”
Ellis nods. “Yup. And I won!”
Joanne comes up to us. “She did. Beat me good.”
My dad bops Ellis on the nose. “Nice. Well, do you want to come with me and help me in my office? I have some papers that I need organized.”
“Yes! I love orgamazation!”
“It’s or-gan-i-za-tion.” My dad’s attempt to correct her is feeble as he walks off and she keeps saying the word incorrectly.
Everyone starts moving over to the bigger table, conversation reforming in pieces. I let myself breathe again, watching Ellis disappear with my dad. She’s safe.
“Do you want me to stay?” Joanne asks me before I take my seat at the table.
I place my hand on her shoulder. “No, I think we’ll be good. My dad will keep her preoccupied, and when I’m done with the wedding shit, I’m gonna take Ellis to the playground.”
Joanne nods, hoisting her purse up higher on her shoulder. “Sounds good. See you at home.”
She heads for the exit, and I turn back to the table, where my sister is addressing everyone.
“All right, we need to talk about a few things since the wedding is only two months away,” Laney says as I take a seat beside Fletcher. He, Laney, and Dilynne are all on the same side as me, and Henley, Elodie, and Elliot are facing us.