Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
P aige came out of her photo studio up the street and headed toward Bella’s. Amy waited for her to arrive before she headed inside.
“Do you know what this is about?” Paige asked when she was crossing the street.
Amy shrugged. “I have no idea. But Bella made it sound urgent, didn’t she?”
“She certainly did. But I didn’t have any clients this afternoon. I usually keep the middle of the week open for other work.”
Amy wondered if that’s why she’d called the meeting in the first place. She’d known everybody would be available. Inside, she found Bella and Simone.
“Ladies, take a seat, and let’s get started.” Bella glanced toward the door with a furtive glance.
When Cassie wasn’t here and didn’t seem to be expected, Amy wondered what was going on.
“And before you ask, Cassie hasn’t been invited because we’re going to talk about her.”
A collective gasp sounded in the room. “And no, we’re not spreading gossip. I just want to talk about something Cassie recently said. The rest of you were there, too, but maybe it didn’t stick in your mind like it did in mine.”
Amy took a seat in one of the comfortable upholstered chairs the brides and family used when they came to shop for a wedding dress.
Bella sat down in the chair next to her and leaned forward. “I think we all know Cassie wants to get married.”
The four of them nodded.
“We also know that her almost-wedding last year was a fiasco.”
Amy had been told the story on more than one occasion. Cassie had discovered her groom in a room kissing a bridesmaid he’d passed off as a cousin. She’d run from the ceremony on a motorcycle and had ended up in Two Hearts. And that’s when the town started turning around. She’d brought a wedding here and then another and another.
Bella continued. “Do you remember a couple of days ago when I asked her if she was ready to get married, and Cassie got a dreamy smile?”
Amy remembered this conversation. “Of course.”
“Me, too,” Paige added.
Simone interrupted. “I followed up by asking if she’d started planning it. The woman is a planning genius.”
They all leaned back in their chairs. Cassie’s reply had been strong. I love Greg and want to plan the wedding. But every time I try, I think of the last time, and I just can’t do it.
Amy’s journalist mind remembered every detail. They’d fled next door to Simone’s house after pulling Scott into the proposal and sat around visiting for a while. “I replied with, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if you could just show up on your wedding day and not have to plan anything?’” It had been an offhand remark without a moment of consideration afterward.
Cassie had responded with a grin and the words, “That’s a great idea.”
After laughing, they’d moved on to other conversation.
Bella leaped to her feet. “That’s it! I knew I remembered it right.” She rubbed the base of her spine and paced back and forth. “So I had this crazy idea. I can help my closest friend achieve her dream of marrying the man she loves.”
Amy waited to see how Bella thought this could happen without the wedding planner planning it because she couldn’t picture it.
“I have all Cassie’s measurements. I’m sure nothing has changed. She looks the same as she did last year.”
Silence reigned, as apparently Amy wasn’t the only one who couldn’t figure out what that meant for the wedding.
Bella stopped her pacing. “Don’t you see? I can make her a wedding dress. I did it before. I know exactly what her measurements are. I checked, and I even have the original muslin I made that was pinned and fitted to her at the first fitting.”
Simone said, “For those of you who haven’t known Bella as long as I have, these custom wedding dresses are first done in plain, simple muslin fabric. That’s fitted to the customer, so the expensive fabric isn’t ruined if there are significant changes. So she has an exact pattern to work with.”
That was smart, but Amy still couldn’t see the plan. “But that just gets her a dress. How do we do everything else? And aren’t weddings expensive?” Amy thought about her own bank account. It couldn’t fund much beyond a meal at the diner, so paying for part of a wedding reception was out.
Simone smiled. “I think I see where you’re going with this. Cassie has brought me so much business over the years that I would happily donate a wedding cake. And she has tasted enough of them when she’s brought in her brides that I know the flavors she prefers. She’s even mentioned her favorite cake decor numerous times.”
Bella clapped her hands with glee. “That gives us a dress and a cake.”
Paige sighed. “But it doesn’t give us food or a place to hold the reception. A ceremony at the church would be lovely and free, so that’s easy. Oh, and she needs flowers and invitations.”
Bella frowned and sat down hard in the chair. “You’re as much of a planner as she is.”
The bell over Bella’s door rang. “That should be Michelle. She had to finish her shift at the diner.”
Instead of Michelle, Mrs. Brantley joined them. She stopped when she came upon the group. “I came by to ask Bella a question, but it looks as if I’ve interrupted something more serious.”
Bella stared up at her for a moment, and Amy could tell she was processing what she was going to say. “I should have thought to invite you. But you have to know that what we’re discussing is a secret and cannot be mentioned.”
Mrs. Brantley grinned in a way that made her look like a teenager and sat in the empty chair to Amy’s right. “Bring me up to date.”
Bella filled her in on what they had so far.
Mrs. Brantley took out a notepad. “I think Cassie always uses the same tent company. Maybe they’d donate a tent along with the setup and take down. I could ask them.”
Paige shrugged. “I have no idea who they are.”
Bella said, “I do. We had that bridal event last year, and I have all the contacts from that.”
Amy spoke up. “I’d like to help. Is there anything I can do?”
She felt all eyes on her.
Mrs. Brantley went down the list on her notepad. “You have the cake, the dress, and the photographer.” She looked over at Paige. “I’m sorry. I put you down for photos without even asking.”
Paige smiled. “That’s because you knew I’d do it.”
“And if you need a second photographer on site, Paige, I’m sure my wonderful new husband James would help.”
Paige beamed at the offer. “I love learning from him. He’s been so kind about sharing his decades of wedding photography experience, so I’ll happily take you up on the offer.”
“That leaves us without flowers, tables, portable bathrooms, invitations, and probably other things I haven’t thought of yet.” Bella looked around at them with a defeated expression. “In my mind, this would work because we had so many things just among us. Now—” She shrugged.
Mrs. Brantley made a tsk-tsk sound. “Don’t give up so easily. It’s a good thing I dropped by. I think we can do it all. Cassie has worked with most of these vendors for a long time. She has an excellent reputation with them. I’ve been there when they’ve come out with their equipment, and they’re always smiling and happy to see her. She’s kind and pays on time every time.”
“How does this help us?” Simone asked.
“I think we can get them to do her wedding for free.”
They all sat back and stared at her.
Paige said, “But that’s a lot of expenses for them. They have to bring everything out from the city.”
The door chimed, and a woman called out, “It’s Michelle. I was finally able to get away.” She appeared around a rack of dresses. “Thank you for inviting me. What’s going on?”
Bella filled her in.
As she took a seat, Michelle said, “Maybe it’s easier than you guys think. I helped with that festival last fall.”
Mrs. Brantley made a snorting sound that had them all sit up in their seats. “My dear, you ran that whole thing. You did an amazing job. And the town certainly benefited financially from your efforts.”
Michelle blushed. “Well, I was going to say that it’s about the same amount of work. Couldn’t we hold the reception in Cherry and Levi’s barn? Do you think that’s the wrong place for Cassie? I know she’s done a bunch of receptions there.”
Bella spoke up first. “I love it. And you know what, we can talk to her florist because I know that Henri absolutely adores Cassie. I believe he would help with this.”
Mrs. Brantley nodded. “Agreed. As to the tables, we could have a few of the guys drive into the city and pick them up. I bet we could talk her vendor into that.”
Amy considered everything they’d said. “And I can do the invitations.”
Mrs. Brantley patted her arm. “My dear, that would be far too expensive for you to take on.”
“I have an idea. What if we only mail invitations to a select few? I’m pretty sure I can get the company that prints the newspaper to print up a few invitations for me for little to no cost. I have good graphic design skills because of my work. And if there’s a program I don’t know how to do, Scott can help me.” As soon as his name left her mouth, she wanted to call it back.
Every one of the women stared at her and smiled knowingly.
Simone cleared her throat. “Are you spending time with Scott? I know the two of you were in the bakery the other day, but you said you had just taken over on the tour.” Her eyes twinkled with delight as she asked the question.
“I’ve been helping him with—” she remembered Mrs. Brantley was right beside her “—having things to do while he’s in town. He seems to get bored easily. But he’s a genius with a computer.” Trying to direct them back to the invitations, she said, “We could send digital invitations to everyone else. We would need to get email addresses, but we’d have to get mailing addresses if we were doing it the other way. It’s probably the same amount of work.”
Mrs. Brantley started to make sounds of an objection when Bella chimed in. “I have received some of those for events, and they can be gorgeous. The person clicks on a button, and it opens up an envelope and shows a pretty invitation. Amy, I think this is wonderful.” She looked back down at her list. “We have a venue, invitations, flowers, and the possibility of getting the tables we need. We still need the tablecloths and everything that goes with that. And food.”
“I know I’m already doing the cake, but Nick and I can provide the food too. I know food for a group won’t be cheap, but we’ll consider it our gift to Cassie.”
Paige said, “You’re already giving her a wedding cake.”
Simone chewed on her lip. “I’m just not sure of another way to do this piece of the wedding.”
Michelle, who had been quiet after her initial comments, said, “Do they need a sit-down meal, or can it be more like appetizers? Maybe some people in town could help make food if it was just appetizers.”
Mrs. Brantley frowned. “I’m trying to decide if Cassie would appreciate a potluck wedding reception. I know her mother wouldn’t approve.”
Bella grinned. “That would almost be enough reason for Cassie to want potluck. She loves her mother, but her mother can be contrary. And I know that Cassie is excited whenever someone drops off a meal. Nick’s mom found out she loves her chicken salad, so she brings some every month or so.”
“Let’s revisit the food later. Other than that, I think we’ve covered everything big. We can do this wedding.” Mrs. Brantley tapped her pen on her pad. “The big question is the date.”
Amy said, “If we’re using Cherry and Levi’s farm, we need to make sure there’s no other wedding happening that weekend. How can we do that?”
“I usually make the cakes. There’s a wedding this weekend with a reception out there. And one the following weekend.” Simone frowned. “We probably want more time than that, anyway.”
“I think the minimum lead time is three weeks. I have to make the dress, and we need to contact and book the vendors. Does everyone agree?” Bella asked.
Simone nodded. “I agree. That’s really rushing it, but the longer we leave this hanging out there, the more likely someone will accidentally tell Cassie.”
Mrs. Brantley made a note. “In that case, it looks like nothing is scheduled three weekends from now.”
An incoming text sounded on Bella’s, Simone’s, and Paige’s phones.
Paige swiped to see it. “This is hard to believe. Cassie just messaged that she booked a wedding that weekend—at Cherry and Levi’s farm—and the couple will call me to book photography.”
“Same here, but for a dress,” said Bella.
“And a cake,” Simone added.
An idea came to Amy. “This might be a problem with any Saturday we choose. Maybe it would be better to have it on a weekday right before a wedding. The vendors would already be bringing everything. They probably wouldn’t mind leaving the tent and all the extras here for a couple more days.”
Mrs. Brantley clapped her hands. “Perfect. Three weeks from now, on a Thursday?”
Bella tapped her phone. “That works for me.”
The others agreed.
“They’ll need time off for a honeymoon, but I guess that will have to wait until after the wedding on the following Saturday. That isn’t ideal, but it will work. And what about everything else on Cassie’s schedule?”
Bella drummed her fingers on the chair’s arm. “A honeymoon means that Greg needs time off. The bigger thing is that we have to somehow prevent Cassie from scheduling anything during that next week. Appointments could probably be moved, but weddings can’t. How do we do that?”
“That is a bit of a conundrum,” Mrs. Brantley said. “I’ve noticed that she likes to accommodate brides and will squeeze them in with very little notice if there’s an opening. As you mentioned, her vendors are happy to work with her as needed.”
Amy thought about it. “Greg.”
Everyone turned to look at her.
Mrs. Brantley smiled. “Of course, my dear. My son needs to be told he’s getting married. I know he’ll be thrilled. Besides, he’s going to need a suit, and we don’t have his measurements.”
“Good point,” Bella said. “I always think of what the bride is wearing, but I sometimes forget that the man has to show up looking good too. He can tell Cassie he has a surprise for her the weekend they need off for their honeymoon.”
“A big event he’s scheduled,” Michelle offered. “Something that can’t be moved. And it would be completely true because he’ll probably have plane tickets for them.”
Mrs. Brantley grinned. “This is wonderful and devious. I will be so happy to have Cassie as my daughter-in-law. I already feel she’s that in my heart, but now it will be official.”
As they stood to leave, Paige told Amy, “I just need a couple more minutes with the photos for the newspaper. By the time you get back to your office, I’ll probably have them to you.” She leaned closer and dropped her voice. “The ones with the two of you hugging and the cow butting in are absolutely adorable.”
Amy stopped where she was, and Paige kept going. She’d almost, almost , been able to forget that awesome hug. She knew many of the other women in this group had moved to town because of the man they were in love with, but she had no intentions of falling. And Scott had a very full life and family in Illinois.
Amy thought about him too much as she walked back to her newspaper office. Once there, she sorted through the photos Paige had sent, each one more disturbing than the next. They weren’t of a crime scene.
They were just the promised proposal photos with Scott. After dreaming for such a long time that Logan would propose and he hadn’t, she now had photographic proof that a proposal including her could happen.
She needed to post at least one of these on her social media and her website. And she could put another in the newspaper. Her discomfort with the situation grew as she flipped through the pictures. Since she’d been at this for over a half hour, she decided it was time to get up and pack up for the day. This would all be waiting for her tomorrow.
Remembering that her refrigerator was dangerously low on food she actually wanted to eat, she headed south to the grocery store. She got a cart and pushed it around, stopping at the vegetables and choosing things that looked good. Her brother was many things. Kind. Generous. And she’d been told handsome. It was difficult for a sister to know that because she thought all her siblings were amazing. But he also was a junk food addict.
She’d managed to carve out a cupboard for herself that included things like oatmeal, cereals that didn’t have sugar in them, nuts, and pasta that wasn’t white flour. The other cupboards in the kitchen contained her brother’s abundant supply of chips, pre-made meals with a laundry list of difficult- to-pronounce ingredients, and other items she tried to avoid. The lettuces and herbs caught her attention as she wheeled past. She knew rabbits loved lettuce and some herbs too. When she’d gone through her stage of wanting a rabbit, she’d done research.
Amy brought up her phone to double-check and make sure she remembered correctly and that no new research showed otherwise. Then she decided to buy some green leaf lettuce and some parsley for Nosey the rabbit. She may have never gotten her own rabbit, but maybe she’d make up for it by visiting one. Especially one that belonged to an older woman who clearly loved having company.
She had second thoughts when she pulled up in front of the house. They’d only met the one time when her rabbit was loose, so maybe Mrs. Robinson was only happy to have them around because they’d returned her pet.
Amy got out of the car with the rabbit treat bag in hand. Nosey would appreciate the gift. Simone had once mentioned that she dropped off meals and herbs to Mrs. Robinson when she had a chance. The herbs part had seemed odd, but now Amy understood.
And maybe she’d get to pet the rabbit.
Once she rang the bell, Mrs. Robinson called out from inside, “Come in! It’s open.”
For a moment, Amy wanted to caution her, but then she remembered that they were in a small town that seemed pretty safe. There were probably still people here who didn’t lock their doors. She wasn’t one of them, though, due to years of living in places that weren’t as safe.
When she opened the door, she found Mrs. Robinson in her recliner.
The old lady put her hands on her cheeks. “Oh, my goodness! Did you stop by just to visit me?”
Amy made a note to visit as often as she could. This woman was obviously starved for company. But then, who wouldn’t be if you were home alone all day?
“I hope you don’t mind that I dropped by to visit with you and Nosey.”
Amy held up the bag of produce. “I bought some treats for Nosey. Some green leaf lettuce and parsley.”
Mrs. Robinson, her face alight with joy, said, “You already know he loves parsley, but lettuce is another favorite. You instinctively chose his favorite things.” She looked over to her left. “Isn’t that right, sweetie!”
Since there was no reply, Amy was sure she’d been talking to the rabbit. “Can I give him a bite?”
Mrs. Robinson nodded. Amy knelt beside the rabbit, moving slowly since he didn’t know her. She pulled a rabbit-sized piece—or at least what she thought might be a rabbit-sized piece—of lettuce out of the bag and set it in front of him. He checked it out for a moment, gobbled it up, and looked at her.
“He likes you.”
Amy thought a rabbit would like everybody who fed them.
“He doesn’t like everyone. He’s never been in love with my son.” She sighed. “Whenever he visits, Nosey spends all day in his own room. It’s almost as if he can tell that Cameron owns dogs, and Nosey doesn’t get along with dogs.”
Amy sat on the floor in front of the rabbit. “Can I feed him a few more bites?”
“Certainly. Nosey’s good at knowing when to stop. If he doesn’t want anymore—” She shrugged. “He just won’t eat it. Or he’ll walk away. I guess I should say hop.” The older woman laughed. Mrs. Robinson’s mobility might be challenged, but her mind was clearly sharp.
“Does your son come to visit often?”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Amy thought perhaps she shouldn’t have asked. If they didn’t get along, it might be a sore spot.
“As often as he can. He lives in Houston. There weren’t any opportunities for young people when he lived here, so he went off to Texas, and he’s done quite well for himself.”
Mrs. Robinson spoke about him with true love and affection. “His children are long-grown and have children of their own. Some even have grandchildren.” She beamed. “I have four great-grandchildren.”
Amy handed the rabbit some of the parsley. That went down even faster than the lettuce.
“He keeps asking me to come live with him.” She looked down at her rabbit and sighed. “I’d love to. He even has a section of the house that he said could be mine. A bedroom that has its own little sitting area and an attached bathroom. I’ve stayed there a few times when he’s taken me to visit, but it’s been a while. I don’t get around as easily as I used to.”
Amy wanted to help her in some way. But maybe being kind to the rabbit was enough. As Amy sat there, the bunny drew closer and closer to her, finally getting up and hopping around to sit beside her, leaning on her leg. When that happened, Mrs. Robinson gasped. Amy looked up with shock. “Did I do something wrong? Do you want me to move away from Nosey?”
“No, my dear. You’ve done exactly the right thing.” She stared Amy in the eye with a serious expression. “Tell me about yourself. You said your name is Amy?”
“Yes, ma’am. I was born here in Two Hearts. But my father passed away when I was a kid.”
“What’s your last name?”
“I was born a Barton.”
“I know your people! Are you kin to Nick?”
“Yes, ma’am. We’re cousins. My name is Marchant now, though. My mother remarried, and my stepfather adopted all of us. He was in the military, so we left town.”
“And you’re just visiting?”
“No, I’m staying. I bought the Two Hearts Times . I’m doing my best to bring it back to life.” When the rabbit moved away, Amy stood. “I’m sure I’ve taken up too much of your time. I’d better go home and get dinner going.”
“Will you be back to visit Nosey again?”
Amy perked up. “Would you mind?”
“You visit as often as you like, young lady. Do you have a young man in your life?”
Only someone her age would word it quite that way, but Amy found it endearing. She thought of Scott immediately. “I don’t.”
“What about that handsome young man I saw with you the day you helped save my Nosey?”
“He’s a . . . friend.” Oddly enough, he did seem to be a friend, even though they’d just met.
“A pretty girl like you should have a beau. But you can stop by whenever you want. It’s nice to have company. That lovely Simone and Nick visit sometimes. She told me the other day that she was very busy right now with cakes for weddings and a baby shower.”
“I’ll bet she brings you cake samples, doesn’t she?”
Mrs. Robinson’s eyes twinkled. “That she does. I only allow myself small bites because the doctor wants me to take good care of myself. But she does make a fine cake.” She leaned in conspiratorially as she said those words.
Amy replied, “She certainly does. I’d take one of Simone’s cakes over almost anyone else’s.”
After saying goodbye, Amy went out the door, being careful not to let the rabbit out. When she had stood, he’d hopped back into his rabbit bed. Just petting his silky fur had made her long for one of her own. Once she had her own place to live in, maybe she’d get one.