23. Madeleine #2
“But you’re doing good work in Stonehaven,” Blake said. “You’ve talked about it all month.”
“I don’t know. Being here, with Luci and Jack … and Rhett … I’ve been reminded of how I used to be.”
“Yeah?” I asked. “Like how?”
“That I used to laugh. I was fun, remember, Luci?” Holly asked.
“No one was more fun than you,” Luci said. “I saw that girl at the talent show.”
Holly smiled. “We were such idiots back then. But I was madly in love with him.”
“We were idiots,” Luci said. “But I miss those kids. Even though life beat us up, we had one another. And yes, we did have fun. Even though I was the pet.”
“We all adored you,” Holly said.
“Until I was fourteen, I thought my name was Jack’s Little Sister,” Luci said, laughing.
“That’s not true,” Holly said. “Is it?”
“Not all the way true, but pretty close,” Luci said.
“I forgot how Rhett could …” Holly trailed off.
“How Rhett could what?” Ivy asked.
“How he could make me laugh,” Holly said. “He might not seem that way now, but he was always the one up for a fun time. The rest of us were more reserved. Rhett was the one cheering us all on, convincing us to take risks. Telling us we could do or be whatever it was we wanted.”
“That’s true,” Luci said. “He was the one who told me I could be a doctor. I didn’t fully believe it at the time, but some part of me must have because I had the courage to apply to medical school.”
“And worked your butt off for years,” Holly said.
“He was always that way,” Holly continued. “He could see people’s potential and how they could use their talents to make the world better.”
“That’s you too,” Luci said. “All the work you’ve put into Stonehaven—it’s your calling, isn’t it?”
Holly frowned. “I’m not so sure any more.”
“What do you mean?” Luci asked.
“I don’t know. Questioning my life choices and all that,” Holly said.
“It’s Montana,” I said. “It’s turned everything upside down.”
“I always wondered about you and Rhett,” Holly said to me.
“Me and Rhett?” I asked, surprised. “God, no. We don’t have that kind of chemistry. He’s like my brother. We’re very alike, which wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing.”
“I used to feel jealous,” Holly said. “Every time I came to one of the shows or visited Luci and hung out with the gang, I’d go home thinking—prepare yourself. Those two will be together by the time I see them again.”
“Well, you were wrong about that,” I said. “Turns out it was Knox all this time.”
“I knew it,” Ivy said. “If I could just get you two together in an environment outside of work.” She turned to Blake. “I had a feeling they were the perfect match, and I was right.”
“Don’t sound so smug,” I said.
“It’s hard to always be right,” Ivy said.
“What’s it been like between the two of you?” Blake asked Holly. “Any old sparks?”
“You could say so, yeah,” Holly said. “Way too many sparks. But just like Grant and Luci, we agreed whatever happens in Montana stays in Montana. Whatever this is, it will be over when we go back to our opposite lives.” Holly downed the rest of her champagne.
“We’re like a forest fire together. Burns way too hot and someone’s going to get hurt. Most likely, me.”
“When I was little, I thought you two would get married,” Luci said. “And we’d all live in a mansion together.”
“You had the mansion part right,” I said. “Rhett’s done well for himself.”
Holly poured herself more champagne. “Meanwhile, I stayed behind and tried to use my talents to make the world better. But I’ve been wondering lately—have I made any difference at all? Not to mention I’m dead broke all the time.”
“Doing good doesn’t buy nice shoes,” Luci said, nodding.
“I know. I have so much debt from medical school. I make a pittance at the clinic, which is how I designed it, so it’s not like I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.
But when I look at Ivy and Madeleine—just their clothes alone and I feel jealous. So I feel you.”
“You say the word, both of you, any time, and I’ll take you shopping,” Ivy said. “Madeleine, on the other hand, is already supporting two other people besides herself.”
I flushed, embarrassed, as all eyes turned to me. “Charlie’s almost through law school. Then I’ll be flush.”
“Depends,” Ivy said.
“On what?” I asked.
“Maybe you’ll marry Knox and never have to worry about money again,” Ivy said.
“I make my own money,” I said, bristling.
“I know you do,” Ivy said. “I’m just saying—maybe things are about to change for you.”
I waited for the choking feeling and the urge to flee that usually came with that kind of statement. It didn’t come. Instead, I had an image of standing next to Knox in front of a preacher.
“Maybe things already have,” I said. “In fact, hypothetical here—what if we married right here on the ranch? New Years Eve? Would that steal your thunder, Ivy?”
“Are you kidding?” Ivy asked, practically shrieking. “I’d love it.”
“Kind of fast,” Luci said. “Isn’t it?”
“They’ve known each other for ten years,” Ivy said.
“And when you know, you know,” I said, flushing.
“I’m happy for you,” Luci said. “But don’t you want your own wedding? A dress. The whole thing?”
I hesitated before answering, thinking it through. “You know what, I do want my own wedding. Maybe a spring wedding in Nashville?”
“Whatever you want,” Ivy said. “I’ll help you.”
“Me too,” Luci said.
I turned to Blake. “What about you? Anyone special in your life?”
Blake seemed startled that the camera, so to speak, was on her. Her cheeks turned a bright red. “Oh, well, nothing really. I mean, no one back in L.A.”
“But here?” Ivy asked, eyes dancing.
Blake turned toward her. “You know, Ivy James, I’m starting to wonder if you’re not a secret matchmaker.”
“Me? Who would I matchmake?” Ivy asked, all innocence.
“You’re so full of it,” I said. “You put Knox and me together all month.”
“I didn’t think about it, but you did the same with Grant and me,” Luci said.
“I’ve been with Beck a lot,” Blake said softly. So softly I wasn’t even sure I heard her right. “He’s, quite simply, a beautiful person. We have a lot in common, actually. It feels as if we’ve known each other years instead of twenty-four days.”
“That much was kind of obvious from the talent show,” Holly said.
Blake flushed a deeper shade of red. “I just wanted him to know that someone sees him.”
“You see him,” Ivy said. “Which makes me super happy. He’s very special to me. And to Jack, obviously. We’ve felt his loneliness at times, even though he never says anything about it.”
“Like Luci and Holly said, I’ll be sorry to see the month end,” Blake said. “I’m going to miss him.”
“I don’t mean to sound patronizing, ladies,” Ivy said. “But there are these new fangled machines called airplanes. Oh, and phones too. You can even talk via video these days.”
No one laughed except for me.
The hair and makeup women finished us up, then gathered their brushes, wands, and kits and headed out, leaving the five of us to help one another into our dresses.
“Let’s get our bride into her dress first,” I said.
I took the masterpiece off its hanger and held it so Ivy could step inside.
Her dress was ivory, fitted through the bodice and hips, then flaring low into a full skirt with a long scalloped-edged lace train.
Subtle beading caught the light, reminding me of the stars we’d fallen in love with not too many nights before.
We tugged the bodice into place, and I went to work on the long row of covered buttons up the back.
Meanwhile, Holly spread out the lace train.
The stylist had placed a small pearl-and-crystal comb at the crown of Ivy’s head, placed just right into an elaborate chignon, with tendrils left loose around her face.
Just above the chignon, we tucked a cathedral-length single-tier ivory tulle veil, scattered with tiny pearls throughout that pooled past the train.
We all stepped back to admire our bride.
Ivy grinned. “I clean up pretty good, y’all. Where are my boots?”
I brought over the pair of white, sparkly cowgirl boots she’d chosen. Luci and Holly lifted the skirt so that Ivy could step into them.
For a moment, I just stood there, admiring my best friend. She was like something out of another better world.
“You look perfect,” I said, fighting the sting at the backs of my eyes.
“Yes, gorgeous,” Luci said. “My brother won’t know what to do when he sees you.”
“Not bad for a girl from Juniper Creek, Tennessee,” Ivy said. “If I do say so myself.”
“All right, we need to stay on schedule,” I said. “The rest of us should get into our dresses.”
For the next few minutes, we scurried around, helping one another into our gowns, while Ivy sat watching the whole thing, sipping a glass of bubbly.
Holly had chosen a structured wine-red gown, sleeveless with a high neckline, a ruched bodice, and a dramatic chiffon slit in the skirt that moved when she walked.
“Stunning,” Ivy called out from her perch.
Luci’s was made from a deep wine satin, with a halter that tied at the nape and left her back bare. A draped cowl at the neck and a high slit in the skirt made it seem like liquid silk.
“Please say you like it,” Luci said. “Because it cost me a fortune.”
“I love it,” Ivy said. “Super sexy.”
“Sexy?” Luci sounded skeptical.