Chapter Fourteen
“Come on, Rose,” Lanie pleaded as she leaned against Rose’s kitchen counter. “Come with us tonight. Steven’s probably going to bed early. There’s no sense going over there to play nursemaid.”
Rose bristled at the implication she was playing at caring for her fiancé. Her skills were worth more than babysitting or handling his medications, no matter what her future sister-in-law might have thought. Lanie had stopped by to go over some wedding details, but her true purpose appeared to be convincing Rose to go out that night. Crossing her arms, she leveled Lanie with a glare.
“Oh, don’t give me that look,” Lanie said. “I didn’t mean anything negative by that. I’m just saying Steven is doing better. Besides, he’s got the home care aides coming by to help him as well.” She flipped her blond hair over her shoulder. “Stop searching for an excuse to hide, and allow yourself to have a little fun.”
“I have fun,” Rose protested. Though she couldn’t help finding the situation a little ironic. Just a few months ago, she had been the one trying to convince Lanie to go out. How the tides had turned.
Lanie raised an eyebrow, seeming to read her mind. “Yeah? And when was the last time you went out on the town?”
“Probably for the Memorial Day parade,” Rose admitted as she rinsed off the last plate and put it in the drying rack.
“Exactly.” Lanie smirked. “So, find something hot to wear and be ready in twenty.” Without waiting for a response, Lanie spun on her heel and rushed out the front door.
Rose considered bolting it, but she suspected Lanie wouldn’t give up that easily. In truth, Rose probably deserved that treatment since she’d done the same thing when Lanie had wanted to wallow. What’s that saying? Turnabout’s fair play or… something? With a resigned sigh, she flung open her closet to find something to wear.
Flipping through her clothes, she settled on a yellow sundress. The humidity had been ramping up in the last several days, and she could only hope for a thunderstorm to bring them some relief.
Once dressed, she applied her makeup, keeping it light. No sense in going overboard when she was likely to sweat it all off anyway. She brushed her hair back and twisted it against her head before securing it with two sticks.
A moment later, Lanie banged on the front door, and Rose rolled her eyes at her reflection. But she hurried to answer the door before Lanie broke it down. Her neighbors wouldn’t appreciate that, not to mention her landlord. As much as she loved her condo, there were advantages to going forward with the wedding and moving in with Steven. The single-family home provided more space and privacy than her current accommodations. And it had plenty of room for a growing family.
When Rose wrenched open the door, Lanie’s eyes drifted down her body. Playing along, Rose struck a pose. Though she wasn’t in the mood to go out, she could fake it with the best of them.
“You look perfect.” Lanie grabbed her hand. “Now, let’s go!”
Rose allowed herself to be led to Lanie’s car. Well, really, the car she’d inherited from her mother. Nate sat in the passenger seat, and he gave Rose a big smile as she approached.
“You got roped into this too?” Rose asked as she slid into the backseat.
“Lanie’s very persuasive,” Nate replied.
“Hey, now.” Lanie climbed into the driver’s seat and glared at Rose in the rearview mirror. “Don’t act like I’m some awful bully. I’m just making sure everyone I love has a good time.”
“And we appreciate you for it.” Nate rested his hand on her knee and gave it a squeeze.
“All right, you two lovebirds. Stop canoodling and let’s go,” Rose said, though her heart panged a little at the sight. Steven should have been with them, and in another world, he would be. But it would be a while before he was well enough to go out like that again.
When they arrived at Bea’s, Trudy and Toccara were waiting for them. Both wore light-colored sundresses that contrasted nicely with their ebony skin. Rose greeted them each with a hug before turning to the newest member of the group, Steven’s law clerk, Michael.
“Hi.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Rose, Steven’s fiancée.”
“I recognized you from your photos,” Michael said, bypassing her hand and pulling her into a hug. “I feel like I already know you.”
Her body stiffened, not used to such close contact with a complete stranger, and he quickly released her with an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, that was a bit forward.”
She waved her hand. “It’s fine. Just caught me by surprise is all.”
Discreetly, she tried to assess him. He was younger than she’d expected, closer to Lanie’s age than her own. But he seemed friendly, and Lanie had told her how impressed she was with his credentials. Perhaps he was the answer to Rose’s prayers. At the very least, he might relieve some of the burden on Steven, allowing him more time to heal.
“So, how do you like the office so far?” she asked.
“It’s great! Everyone has been nice, and I’m excited to dive in to the cases Steven’s assigned me.”
Rose smiled, and the tension in her shoulders ebbed away. While she wished Steven would have taken on a real partner, she could be grateful for the assistance Michael provided in the short term. And maybe he would stick around beyond the summer.
Lanie grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door. “I’m starving. Let’s eat!”
The diner was packed, and it took a minute to find a place for them all to sit. As they made their way to the back, Rose caught the owner’s eye. Bea’s white hair was in a hairnet, and she flashed a grin, signaling that she would stop by their table later.
As they settled into their seats, Lanie immediately started flipping through the jukebox beside her. Everyone else picked up their menus. Rose followed suit, though she wasn’t hungry. Lately, she hadn’t had much of an appetite, between her worries about the wedding and her concern for Steven.
After the server took their orders, Lanie began laying out the plan for the evening. Once they finished dinner, they would head over to Seabreeze for karaoke and drinks.
Rose couldn’t help smiling at the way the tables had turned. The last time she and Lanie had gone to Seabreeze, she was trying to cheer up Lanie, who had spent most of the evening making eyes at Nate.
“Are you going to sing this time?” Lanie asked, giving Rose a pointed look.
“I’m not much of a singer.”
“Is anyone at karaoke?” Michael joked.
Rose opened her mouth to respond when she caught sight of a familiar face. Her stomach churned, and she swallowed the bile rising in her throat. Carissa, her wedding planner, was heading their way. Rose should have known she couldn’t avoid her forever.
“Rose!” Carissa’s gaze swept over the table before settling on Rose. “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve, uh, had to work a few double shifts lately.”
Carissa clicked her tongue. “We have a lot of work still to do for the wedding, you know.” She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. “Since I have you here, why don’t we set up an appointment?”
Sweat gathered on Rose’s upper lip, and she shot Lanie a pleading look, hoping she would intervene. She was Rose’s maid of honor, after all. Lanie took the hint and turned to Carissa.
“Hey, Carissa, I’m glad we ran into you. I’ve been meaning to ask if you would be available to handle my wedding.”
Nate blinked. “You have? I thought we were going to—ouch!” He reached under the table, presumably to rub the shin Lanie had just kicked. Rose bit her lip to hide her smile.
Lanie patted his hand in apology. “We haven’t decided on a date yet, but we were thinking late fall, early winter.”
“Let me check my schedule,” Carissa said, and she seemed to forget Rose was there. “Is tomorrow too soon?”
“Tomorrow’s great!” Lanie cleared her throat. “And Rose has her hands full taking care of Steven. But as her maid of honor, I’m happy to go over anything pertinent with you at our meeting.”
“Is that okay with you, Rose?” Carissa tucked a lock of graying hair behind her ear.
“Yup, that works for me. Lanie knows my vision better than I do.”
“Then that’s settled.” Carissa gave Rose one last assessing look. “But I do want to chat with you at some point. Give me a call when things slow down.”
“You bet!” Rose promised, though it sounded hollow, even to her. She had no idea when anything in her life would slow down.
When Carissa was gone, Nate frowned at Lanie. “What was that all about? I thought we were going to do everything ourselves.”
“Rose needed a save.” She shrugged. “And besides, it can’t hurt to pick the brain of a wedding planner. It’s not like we know much about weddings.” She gestured to Rose. “What I’ve learned so far has been through trial and error while helping Rose and my brother.”
“Fair,” Nate agreed. “But you didn’t have to kick me.”
She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
Envy needled in Rose’s belly at the ease of their interaction. It used to be that way for her and Steven, but lately, everything was a struggle. The accident had exacerbated the problem. She couldn’t help wondering if they would ever find their way back to that level of contentedness again.
The rest of the dinner passed without incident. Rose barely touched her salad, her stomach too tied up in knots. She’d planned to go on a diet anyway to look her best for the wedding. At least her growing anxiety was good for something.
When they filed out of the restaurant, she followed Lanie and Nate to the car. Part of her wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the evening at home, but she didn’t want to disappoint Lanie. So she did her best to pretend she was having fun.
Unfortunately, Lanie saw right through it. “Jeez, Rose. We’re going to a bar, not a funeral. Would it kill you to smile?”
Rose bared her teeth before sliding into the back seat, which caused both Lanie and Nate to laugh.
“If that’s her smile, maybe we’d be better served by her pout,” Nate said as he climbed into the passenger seat. “It’s way less scary.”
Even Rose had to laugh. She’d never considered herself someone who could intimidate people, though sometimes she could make Steven apprehensive, especially if she said words like we need to talk.
“I’m sorry,” she said, and she meant it. “I don’t want to bring down the mood of the evening.”
“The point of tonight”—Lanie fixed her eyes on Rose’s in the rearview—“was to raise your spirits. If I’m failing at that, I need to either try harder or change tactics.” She glanced at Nate before returning her gaze to Rose. “Look, if you don’t want to go to Seabreeze, I’m not going to force you. But I’m also not taking you back to your condo. And I’m definitely not dropping you off with my brother.” Rose opened her mouth to protest, but Lanie cut her off. “We both know you need a break.”
That shut her up, and she nodded. “I can’t promise I’ll be much company, but you’re right.” Pushing as much enthusiasm into her voice as she could muster, she continued, “Let’s go to Seabreeze!”
“That’s the spirit.” Nate turned around in his seat and gave her a smile.
The packed bar did little to build her enthusiasm. They found a booth near the back of the bar, far enough from the stage that they could tune out the singers if they wanted to. The outlandish tropical décor was gaudy but somehow fitting. Lanie and Nate went to grab a round of drinks, leaving the rest of them to make small talk.
“How’s your baby?” Rose asked Trudy.
“Crawling all over everything,” Trudy said with a tired smile, but the pride in her voice was unmistakable. “He’s also pulling up on tables. I expect it won’t be long before he takes his first step.”
“That’s exciting!”
“Exciting is one word for it,” Trudy quipped. “But it also means we need to double-check our babyproofing.” She waved a hand. “Anyway, I came out tonight to escape the baby brain. Tell me all about your wedding planning.”
Ugh—the one topic Rose had hoped to avoid. “Everything’s booked, but we’re struggling a bit financially.”
Why did I say that?The last thing she needed was for word of their money troubles to spread throughout Cedar Haven.
“I imagine it’s been tight with the opening of the firm.” Toccara placed a hand on Rose’s arm. “Start-up costs are a nightmare.”
Rose blinked, then she remembered Toccara had her own business as well. It made sense that she understood what most people didn’t. And her friend was right—the start-up costs had been a huge drain on their finances.
“We’ll make do,” Rose said brightly, trying to brush away the cloud that hung over her whenever the question of finances came up.
“He’s certainly got a robust clientele,” Michael piped up. “I’m impressed he was handling the caseload by himself before he hired me. It’s a lot for one person to take on, even with his capable paralegal.”
A brick settled in the pit of Rose’s stomach. She’d known Steven was working with a lot of clients. It helped that he was the only law firm in the tiny town. The last attorney had retired several years ago, and most folks had been forced to venture several towns over to find someone reputable. As much as she wondered if moving there had been a mistake, she recognized the lucrative business opportunity it offered Steven. If only it hadn’t been at the cost of his health.
“I’ve tried to convince him to take on a partner, but he said he can’t afford it.” She felt disloyal saying the words out loud, especially in front of his new employee, but maybe it would sway Michael to decide to stay.
“Even if that person could buy their way in?” Michael’s face held a strange expression, one she couldn’t quite interpret.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Toccara tilted her head as she assessed Michael. “Know someone who has that kind of capital?”
Rose’s gaze moved back and forth between the two as they had some sort of silent conversation. After a moment, Michael nodded.
“I might, but I’ll talk to Steven directly. Don’t want my new boss to think I’m doing something underhanded.”
Toccara’s face broke into a smile. “I can’t imagine anyone accusing you of that.” She bit her lip as if she couldn’t believe she’d just said that.
But Michael took it as encouragement. “Say, we’re at karaoke. What do you think about singing a duet?”
She demurred. “I don’t sing.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.” He raised his eyebrows. “But I’d love to see you prove me wrong.”
“You’re on.”
They hopped up and rushed to the stage just as Lanie and Nate returned with two trays full of drinks. As they set the trays down, Lanie turned to Rose with a quizzical expression.
“What was that about?”
“Looks like those two turned this into their first date,” Trudy said with a laugh.
“That was fast.” Lanie grinned. “Maybe Steven won’t have to worry about those DC law firms stealing Michael away after all.” She took a sip of her drink. “What else did we miss?”
“Rose was describing her and Steven’s financial situation.” Trudy leaned forward. “But I might have a solution to your problem.”
Rose frowned. “Oh?”
“What would you say to a fundraiser?”
Lanie’s eyes lit up. “Yes! That’s a great idea. We raised so much money for the school system after the one you hosted in January. I’m sure we can do the same now.”
Heart in her throat, Rose raised her hand. “Wait, I don’t want the whole town to know my business.”
“Everyone’s already heard about Steven’s accident. I don’t think anyone would be shocked to learn you’re facing other struggles.” Trudy shrugged. “Besides, after everything you’ve done for the town since you arrived, nobody would blink an eye at the idea of helping you and Steven have your dream wedding.”
Rose bit her lip. It wasn’t just about the money, though. Despite his reassurances, Steven still wasn’t taking his health seriously. The last time Rose had seen him, the dark circles under his eyes had grown more prominent.
“Come on, Rose.” Lanie bumped her shoulder. “You keep saying you want to reduce Steven’s stress. Knowing the wedding is paid for would go a long way toward doing that.”
“Don’t pressure her,” Nate said. When Rose glanced at him in surprise, he gave her a sympathetic smile. If anyone else could understand how it felt to be railroaded by a McAllister, it would be him.
“I’m not!” Lanie insisted. “I’m nudging her in the right direction.”
Nate rolled his eyes at Rose, and she giggled. She appreciated having someone else on her side for once.
“Talk to Steven,” Trudy said. “See what he thinks, and if it sounds like something you want to move forward with, let me know. I’d be happy to help with it.”
“Me too,” Lanie added.
Rose gave a noncommittal nod. It wouldn’t hurt to at least discuss it with Steven. Though she hated the idea of charity, Trudy had a point. Both Rose and Steven had done a lot since coming to Cedar Haven. She had helped with several fundraisers, and Steven had done some pro bono work for townsfolk who couldn’t afford legal assistance.
And maybe they could use some of the money raised to help Steven with his law practice. If he was willing to accept help with his business, then she could compromise and accept assistance with the wedding.