Chapter 13
“This looks amazing.” Layla stood on the podium and moved from side to side, studying her reflection in the full-length mirror
the following Tuesday afternoon. She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It definitely resembles my mom’s gown.”
She met her aunt’s gaze in the mirror. “Don’t you agree, Aunt Trudy?”
The older woman sniffed. “Yes, you look lovely.” She turned toward Dakota. “You do fantastic work.”
Dakota tapped her chin. “The beading isn’t quite right, and I don’t like the ruffles on the train.” She shook her head. “We’re
not there yet, but the fit is better.” She circled the dress, pinning here and there and making mental notes about what still
needed to be altered.
For the past five days, Dakota had been working late at the shop, trying to get Layla’s dress ready for the fitting. She hadn’t seen Hudson since he’d helped her find Trouble, and she hated to admit she missed him. He hadn’t come to the rink Friday or Saturday, but Parker had. And although she had enjoyed her time with Parker, she found herself scanning the crowd for Hudson.
As Dakota pinned the hem, she considered asking Layla and Trudy how Hudson was doing. But she decided it was best not to bring
him up at all. She needed to just get over him.
Easier said than done.
“Okay, that’s it for now. You can get changed. I’ll work on it some more and have you come back for another fitting.” Dakota
helped Layla off the podium before Layla and her aunt disappeared into a dressing room.
She busied herself with straightening the dressing area until Layla returned with the gown on a hanger.
Trudy wiped her eyes and touched Dakota’s hand. “The gown is turning out perfectly. I was just telling Layla that her mother
would’ve loved it. In fact, she looks just like Daphne with that gown on. It takes me back to her parents’ wedding day.”
Layla sniffed. “Oh, stop it. You’re going to make me cry, Aunt Trudy.”
Dakota felt her own emotions welling up. “I’m so happy you like it. I’m sure that with some more work it will look even better.”
She turned and hung the hanger on a hook.
Layla consulted her watch. “My friends and Shane’s sister should be here soon to look at their dresses,” she said. “I told
them they can wear any style they want as long as each gown is light blue.” Dakota noticed that though Layla was discussing
the details of her wedding, she hadn’t really smiled. She got the feeling that something was bothering the bride-to-be.
“Wonderful.” Dakota beckoned her toward the racks of bridesmaids’ dresses. “Let’s look at the options I have. And if they don’t find what they want here, we can always check out the online catalogs, and I can order what they like.”
Soon Layla’s friends Gina and Sheila arrived, along with Shane’s younger sister, Melody. Together they searched the racks
for dresses they each liked. Dakota took care of fittings for each of the dresses before Layla convinced her aunt to look
for a dress of her own. After Trudy settled on a simple dark-blue gown, Dakota rang her and the bridesmaids up before thanking
them.
After Layla’s friends and Shane’s sister had left the shop, Layla and Trudy lingered behind. Layla perused the jewelry case,
and Trudy stood by the counter, her lips turned downward. Something definitely was up, and Dakota couldn’t help but worry
about them.
“Can I help you find something?” Dakota asked Layla.
“I was thinking about getting Shane a special pair of cufflinks for the wedding.”
Dakota unlocked the case and lined up a few different pairs. “These are my most popular.”
“I like these.” Layla picked up a pair of pearl cufflinks.
Dakota rang them up, and Layla handed her a card.
“Did I tell you we’re going to the Outer Banks for our honeymoon?” Layla asked.
Dakota gave her a receipt. “You didn’t! I love the beaches there.”
“I do too. But I haven’t been there since I was a teenager.” Layla signed the receipt and took her copy. “We’re going out
to Nags Head. Have you ever been there?”
“I went with my family a long time ago. We had so much fun.”
“Shane found a nice hotel on the beach. I just can’t wait until the wedding is here and all of the details are handled.” Layla
leaned forward on the counter. “Did I tell you we’re having the reception at the country club?”
Dakota shook her head.
“I thought it would be way out of our price range, but my brother is paying for it all. He’s insisting. He says Mom and Dad
would’ve wanted him to pay for it since they can’t. Shane and I want to contribute, but Hud is being really stubborn about
it—says it’s his job to take care of things. I’m sure you remember how bossy my brother can be.” She made a face like she
was tasting something sour. “He’s really being a jerk.”
“Layla, you don’t seem like yourself today,” Dakota hedged. “Is everything all right?”
When Layla sniffed and shook her head, Dakota came around the counter. “What can I do to help?”
“Can you tell my brother to stop being such a jerk?” Layla wiped her eyes.
Trudy kneaded her niece’s shoulder, her expression grave. “I can’t stand seeing you two on the outs.”
“What happened?” Dakota asked.
“Hud has always bossed me around, but this time he’s taken it too far.” Her expression darkened while she explained that he
had been against the wedding from the start. Then she detailed how he’d grilled her and Shane at dinner in front of Shane’s
family. “He refuses to admit that he’s in the wrong. He thinks he’s better than Shane. He looks down on him, and I’m over
it. He refuses to acknowledge that I’m happy and I know what I’m doing. All he wants is to talk me out of it.” Her lower lip
trembled, and Dakota’s heart wrenched.
“I’m so sorry to hear this,” Dakota said. “I know how much you mean to your brother, so he may not realize how bullheaded
he’s being.”
“That’s no excuse. I can’t let him come between my fiancé and me.”
Trudy shouldered her purse. “You and Hudson need to work this out, Layla. He’s your only brother.” Then she fixed a smile on her face. “Thank you, Dakota.” She addressed her niece again. “Honey, time to get back to work.”
“Call me when you’re ready for me to come back in for another fitting,” Layla said. “The gown is my dream come true. Thank
you.”
The boutique phone started to ring, and Layla waved goodbye. “I’ll let you get that,” she called before she and Trudy walked
out to the street.
Dakota picked up the phone. “Thank you for calling Fairytale Bridal. This is Dakota. How may I help you?”
As the caller spoke, Dakota glanced down at the counter and realized that Layla had forgotten to take the cufflinks. After
she spoke with the customer and made an appointment for the woman, she pulled out her cell phone and shot off a text to Layla.
Hi! You forgot Shane’s cufflinks.
A moment later, text bubbles appeared.
Oh no. I’ll have to come back for them later this week. I’ll see when I can get off work early one day. Thanks!
Dakota studied the cufflinks and contemplated Layla’s story about her disagreement with Hudson. Maybe Dakota could find a
way to help them work through their differences. They were siblings, after all, and she knew how much Layla meant to Hudson.
He always said he was determined to find a successful career so he could take care of her and Trudy. It had to be killing
him that they weren’t talking, but she also knew how stubborn he was.
She grew more and more determined to fix this. She just wasn’t sure how to do it.
She set the cufflinks under the counter just as Skye danced into the boutique.
“Auntie! Gunner asked me to the prom!” She swept across the room and hugged Dakota.
“Sweetie, that’s fantastic.” Dakota steered her niece over to the bridesmaids’ gowns. “Why don’t you pick out a dress?”
Skye grinned. “You know I want pink.”
“I bet I have the perfect one.”
***
“I need to head out a little early this afternoon,” Hudson told Gavin as they stood in what would become the large dining
area of the restaurant. The framing had been completed over a week ago, and now the plumbers and electricians were busy at
the site. He enjoyed the work. It felt good to use his hands. As a bonus, he was proving to his sister that he wasn’t too
good for a blue-collar job. On the other hand, he couldn’t help but think about how he could improve the company’s software
and make their processes easier. He was going to keep pondering that in his spare time. “I need to take care of some business.”
Gavin tapped his pen on his clipboard. “Sounds good to me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Hudson nodded to the crew members on his way to his SUV. He’d been planning this for days. He’d called Robertsons’ Landscaping
to find out where Shane was working, and he was going there to talk to Shane alone, man to man.
He merged his SUV onto Main Street and checked the clock on the dashboard. It was almost five o’clock. Shane should get off
work soon.
Hudson drove over to Glenn Avenue and then turned onto Hillcrest Avenue. His thoughts raced with what he would say to his
future brother-in-law. Surely Shane knew how he and Layla were rushing into marriage, and he would agree that it was time
to slow down. They could postpone the wedding for a year or possibly three.
When he reached the end of Hillcrest, he turned onto Van Dien and saw Shane’s faded gray and red Dodge pickup. Another older maroon Ford pickup truck was parked next to it in front of one of the sprawling colonials on the ritzier side of town.
Hudson nosed his SUV behind the truck and killed the engine. Then he settled back in his seat and waited for Shane to come
out to his vehicle. When his phone rang, he found Darren’s number on the screen.
“Hey,” Hudson said. “What’s up?”
“I haven’t heard from you in a while. What’s going on in Flowering Grove?”
“Would you believe I’m back working in construction?”
“Construction?” Darren asked. “Doing what?”
“My buddy Gavin owns a construction company, and they’re building a new restaurant. I helped with the framing, and now we’re
supervising the plumbers and electricians.”
“You’re telling me you’re doing manual labor when you could be running a company? Why would you do that?”
Hudson turned toward the house, looking for any sign of Shane. “Gavin needs help, so I’m helping.”
“There’s nothing else going on?”
The image of Dakota filled his mind, along with the memory of holding her in his arms, enjoying the feel of her warm body
against his on the night her cat disappeared. He hadn’t seen her since then, but he’d dreamed about that encounter nearly
every night since it happened.
“No. I’m actually enjoying the work, and having lunch at my old haunts is a blast. Have you ever had Carolina barbecue? If not, you need to come down here and eat at the Barbecue Pit. It’s the best. In fact, it’s known all over the state. And to be honest, I really don’t miss the craziness of the city or the traffic.” When Darren was silent, Hudson checked to see if the call had dropped. “You still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. I guess you haven’t thought about Bahrain, LA, or London.”
Hudson brushed his hand over the stubble on his jaw. “I got your email, and I’ve been thinking about the options.”
“I’m going to need to let Jerry know pretty soon.”
Hudson looked up and saw Shane coming down the driveway, walking beside a stocky guy who appeared to be in his early forties.
“Listen, can I call you back later?”
“Sure, man.”
“Talk to you soon.” Hudson disconnected the call and climbed out of the SUV.
Shane said something to the other man and then started toward his truck. When his gaze tangled with Hudson’s, his brow furrowed
and his steps slowed.
“Hey.” Hudson waved to him, and Shane continued toward him, his expression stoic. “Got time for coffee?”
Shane ran his tongue over his teeth and shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Okay.” Hudson leaned against his SUV’s fender. “We can talk here then.”
“About what?”
Hudson leveled his gaze with the younger man. “Are you prepared to take care of my sister?”
Shane swept his hands down his dusty jeans and then gave him a black look. “Me and Layla are prepared to take care of each other .”
“I know you got in a lot of trouble in high school. How do I know that you’ve grown up since then?”
“That was a long time ago,” Shane said. “I learned my lesson and got my life together. I got clean, earned my GED, and learned a trade.” He gestured toward the lawn and gardens behind him. “I’ve received nothing but praise from my boss and my customers, including your aunt.”
Hudson nodded. “That’s good to know. Have you and my sister ever had to work through an argument?” he asked.
Shane gave him a cool stare.
“Are you two truly ready to be on your own? Neither of you has ever lived away from home. Can you even do laundry or cook?”
Shane’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Together we do just fine.”
Hudson rubbed the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t impressed at all. Shane wasn’t prepared for this. He just had to figure out
how to derail this mess before it happened.
“You and Layla are too young and immature for marriage.”
Shane’s expression turned menacing. Though several moments ticked by, they remained silent, at a stalemate. This was not going
the way Hudson had planned at all.
“Anything else you want to ask me, or is this interrogation over?” Shane seethed. He pulled his keys out of his pocket, and
they jangled in his hand.
“Yes—”
But Shane was already walking away.
Jerk. Hudson climbed into his SUV and slammed the door. Now both Layla and Shane weren’t talking to him. How could he make them
see reason when they were both so stubborn?
Fine. If they wanted to ruin their lives, he would let them.
***
Hudson glanced over at his aunt beside him in his SUV the following evening while driving her to her weekly bingo game. “What
do you really think about Layla’s engagement?”
“Well, if that doesn’t sound like a loaded question, then I don’t know what does,” his aunt quipped.
“I had a talk with Shane last night, and he’s not ready for this. I don’t think he can make Layla happy.”
“Don’t you think your sister needs to decide who and what can make her happy?”
Hudson shook his head. His aunt was missing his point.
When he slowed to a stop at a red light, Aunt Trudy leaned over and patted his arm. “Hudson, I know Dakota broke your heart—”
“This isn’t about me and Dakota. It’s about Layla making a huge mistake. I’m just being practical. Layla and Shane are still
kids.”
“They’re adults , Hudson.” Trudy tilted her head and studied him. “I know you think you’re supposed to be her father, but you’re not and that
was never your job. She might marry Shane and realize she made a terrible mistake. If so, then she’ll work through it.”
He motored through the intersection and down Goffle Road. “But divorce is not something to be taken lightly, Aunt Trudy. Some
of my friends have been through it, and it’s an emotional and financial nightmare.”
Aunt Trudy nodded. “I understand that, and if she needs our help, we’ll be there for her. But have you considered that she
might also be wildly happy and build a wonderful life with Shane?”
Hudson scowled.
“Happiness is possible,” his aunt sang. “And it’s time you found some for yourself.”
A country music song, road noise, and the hum of the engine filled the vehicle as they drove in silence for a few moments.
Hudson gave his aunt a sideways glance. “Are Layla and I the reason you never married? Were we a hindrance to your happiness?”
“No, sweetheart. You and Layla are my happiness.”
“What about love?” he asked. “Did you ever want to get married?”
A wistful expression tinged his aunt’s face. “I missed my chance at love, and sometimes I wonder what could have been.”
“What do you mean?” As far as Hudson knew, his aunt had never dated.
“His name was Eddie. He was handsome—tall like you but with blond hair and gray eyes. We met when we were teenagers and dated
for years.” She sighed and glanced out the windshield as if her past love were standing there. “He proposed to me, but my
father didn’t approve.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t care for Eddie’s family. There was some old dispute about land or something else my father wouldn’t let go. Eddie
tried to convince me to run away with him, but I refused to disobey my father.” Her expression was serene. “There are days
when I wonder what would have happened if we had eloped. Would we have been happy and built a family of our own together?”
She shrugged. “That was a long time ago. I heard that he married and moved to Bristol. I hope he has a happy life like I do.
I’m grateful for my little family with you and Layla.”
She touched Hudson’s elbow. “But, sweetheart, don’t let love pass you by. If you find your true love, hold on to her with
all of your might, because love is a precious thing.”
Hudson let her advice settle over him as he reeled from the news that his aunt had once been in love.
After a few minutes, he steered into the parking lot of the bingo hall. “Here we are. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“Oh no you don’t. You’re coming with me.”
He groaned. “Please don’t make me.”
“We haven’t spent much time together. I think I deserve time with my favorite nephew.”
“I’m your only nephew.”
“And that makes you my favorite. Now, let’s go play some bingo. All the ladies will get a kick out of seeing you. It’s been a long time, you know.”
He parked the car, then opened her door and helped her out of the vehicle. He took her arm and led her into the hall, where
a gaggle of gray-haired ladies rushed over.
“Trudy, is this handsome fellow that nephew of yours?”
“I don’t remember him being so tall.”
“Sonny, are you married yet? If not, then you need to meet my granddaughter, Nicole. She’s twenty-nine, and she’s a pediatrician.”
“As a matter of fact, Agnes, he isn’t married.” Aunt Trudy had the nerve to grin. “But he needs to get married and give me
some great-nieces and great-nephews. Maybe we should introduce them.”
“Well then,” Agnes began, “let’s make a date to get them together.”
Hudson sighed. This evening couldn’t end soon enough.
***
After several torturous games of bingo and more matchmaking offers than he could count, Hudson drove Aunt Trudy home. He parked
in the driveway behind Layla’s sedan and walked his aunt to the door.
“Well, that was fun,” his aunt said.
Hudson shook his head.
“Are you coming in?”
He shook his head. “I need to get home.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”
Then he loped to his SUV and drove toward the empty Airbnb.