A Simple Wedding

by Leigh Duncan

  “No. I was just joking. Let’s see what it looks like out there.” The gown’s more conservative lines made it easier to think about parading in front of the three-way mirror.

  Though she told herself Nick had forfeited the right to voice an opinion by rejecting her the night before, she cast a surreptitious glance in his direction as she stepped from the curtained area. She smothered a smile when he sat at attention. She negotiated the step onto the dais while she pretended not to notice how his eyes tracked her every move.

  “It is a sweet dress. I like this part.” She ran her fingers lightly over the lace-covered bodice. Moving down, she fluffed out the full skirt. Delicate appliqués climbed halfway up the gauzy material. Speaking more to herself than anyone else, she pointed to the hem. “But, honestly, I think it’s a little bit much.”

  “Really? You could dance all night in that one.” Nick remained perched on the edge of the cushions.

  “She’s right,” put in Cheri. “This gown fits you perfectly, but the skirt overpowers your frame. I’d suggest something that shows off your figure just a bit more, and I have just the thing. It’s another Olsen. Brand-new. It came in yesterday, and it’s one of my favorites. I think you’ll love it.”

  Jenny shifted her weight from one foot to the other. It couldn’t hurt to try on just one more gown, could it? She lifted the billowing skirts to mid-calf and stepped off the dais. “Okay, but this will have to be the last one. I really have a full schedule today.”

  Once again, Cheri wasted no time in helping her trade one gown for another. In minutes, Jenny stood before the mirror in the dressing room while the shop owner fastened the final clasp.

  “Oh,” she cried, seeing her reflection. Off-the-shoulder sleeves led to a modest scooped neck decorated by scalloped edging that reminded her of the day she and Nick had spent at the beach. The close-fitting bodice softly cupped her curves. Below it, a wide satin belt circled her waist. Decorative lace dripped down to form points in a flaring skirt. From top to bottom, the dress was sheer perfection.

  “I thought you’d like it.” Tiny crows’ feet at the corners of Cheri’s eyes crinkled as she smiled smugly. “Shall we?” She held the dressing room door open.

  “That’s it. That’s the one.” In case she hadn’t noticed how he slowly rose to his feet while she glided across the carpet, Nick’s hoarse whisper left no doubt of what he thought about the dress.

  “You think so?” Jenny spun in a circle. “I love it,” she cried as the skirt flared out. “I feel like I’m walking in a cloud.”

  “It’s as perfect as icing on a cake.” Nick nodded thoughtfully.

  Jenny chortled. Only a baker would draw the comparison, but he was right. The dress was everything she’d ever wanted in her wedding gown and more.

  Cheri hovered. “It wouldn’t need a single alteration. We could press and steam it and deliver it straight to the Captain’s Cottage.”

  Except I’m not the one who’s getting married.

  Regret swooped in and stole the joy right out of moment. Jenny’s stomach twisted painfully. She splayed her fingers across the layers of chiffon. “Oh, I’m not buying this.” She let the rich fabric of the skirt sift through her fingers. “I’m getting the first one I tried on.”

  “But…” As if he’d had the wind taken out of his sails, Nick sank onto the cushions.

  “You are?” Cheri’s brows knitted. “You just said you loved this gown. Why wouldn’t you get the one you like the best?”

  Jenny swallowed. Like so many of the changes she’d made to the wedding plans since her arrival in Heart’s Landing, Nick and Cheri would never understand why she had to choose one particular dress over another. As much as she wanted to explain it to them, she couldn’t. Not without betraying Kay’s trust. Instead, she forged ahead. “I have my reasons. I know what I’m doing.”

  From his position on the couch, Nick lifted one shoulder in a shrug she would have found endearing before he’d broken her heart. “You know your fiancé better than any of us.” He stared at the carpet. “If you think he’ll like the other one best, then who am I to argue?”

  In a move that said she’d been dealt a surprise or two from brides in the past, Cheri straightened. “Don’t you worry your head about a thing, my dear. You’re going to be such a beautiful bride, it doesn’t matter which dress you choose.”

  If only that were true. “Then it’s settled. Let me get out of this gown and I’ll get out of your hair.”

  Jenny cast a last, lingering glance at herself in the mirror. She didn’t have to look twice. The expression on Nick’s face when she walked out of the dressing area had said it all—if he loved her the way she loved him, this would be the dress she’d wear when she walked down the aisle. But he didn’t love her, and suddenly, she couldn’t stand to have the gown on a minute longer. Reaching for the zipper, she dashed down the hallway toward the dressing area.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Oh, man. How dumb was that?

  He’d let himself forget, just for a moment, that Jenny was marrying someone else. When she’d walked out of the back of the store wearing that last gown, he hadn’t been able to help himself. He’d practically heard the DJ introducing Mr. and Mrs. Nicolas Bell to the guests at their wedding. Like the hero in countless movies, he’d hold out his arm for her, lead her onto the dance floor and press her close while the band played their favorite song.

  Then, fate had slapped him in the face with a cold bucket of I’m not buying it.

  He wasn’t Jenny’s Mr. Right. She had chosen the other guy, like she’d chosen the other dress. He’d been stupid to think things would work out any differently.

  But that was exactly what he’d been thinking, wasn’t it? That somehow, some way, she’d choose him. That when the time came to say, I do, she’d tell Bob, I don’t.

  Yeah, that was never going to happen. He saw that now. She’d made her choice. She’d stick with it.

  An empty, hollow feeling spread through his gut. By sheer force of will, he held it together until Jenny disappeared into the dressing area with Cheri. When he was unable to resist any longer, he reached for one of the slender glasses of mimosa. He chugged the mixture of juice and champagne down in a single swallow. Reaching for another, he stilled his hand. He didn’t need anyone to tell him what would happen if he combined alcohol and a sleepless night on an empty stomach. He couldn’t afford to lose his cool today. Not on the day he’d put the finishing touches on Jenny’s wedding cake. The cake he’d serve following her wedding to another man.

  He hung his head and somehow managed not to howl.

  It took every ounce of strength he had, but somehow he pulled himself together by the time Jenny turned to face him on the sidewalk outside the dress shop a few minutes later.

  “Thanks for coming with me today, Nick,” she said, her voice and demeanor decidedly cool. As if he needed another clue, she extended her hand.

  “Glad to do it.” He grasped her palm in a polite shake. “So, what’s on your agenda for the day?”

  “I have to give the vendors their final payments and see a few people, but nothing you need to bother with. I’ll check on the flowers with Mildred. Alicia asked me to drop by the Captain’s Cottage to go over a few adjustments to the seating chart. I need to finalize pickup times with the car service. That sort of thing.”

  “Just the usual, last-minute confirmations, then? No changes?” He crossed his fingers. People were counting on him to keep a certain wayward bride on track. He couldn’t let them down, no matter how much he suffered for it.

  Jenny’s lips parted. Instead of answering, though, she looked toward the opposite end of the street just as a horse-drawn carriage turned the corner onto Boutonniere. Her gaze fixed on the carriage. As still as one of Captain Thaddeus’s stone hearts, she tracked the buggy’s movement from one end of the broad avenue to the other. Her tranc
e lasted until the wheels disappeared around a bend in the road. At last, a breath shuddered through her.

  “Jenny?” His heart squeezed painfully at the unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

  Like someone waking from a dream, she rubbed one hand over her face. “I’m sorry. You were saying?”

  “We were talking about your big day when you went, well, blank for a minute. You’re not under the weather, are you? You’re drinking enough water?” She wouldn’t be the first bride to overlook the need for food and water. Even in Rhode Island, dehydration could be a problem.

  “I’m okay. Really, I am.” Jenny brushed one hand over her eyes. “I love horse-drawn carriages. The pageantry. The elegance. I kind of lose it whenever I see one.”

  He thought her answer was a bit forced, her smile a bit too bright, but he could no longer assume he knew her moods, her wants, her dreams. Not when he’d judged the situation between them so badly. Not when she was marrying someone else. Scuffing his foot, he focused on the things he did know. That, for instance, Jenny had scheduled her own carriage ride. “What time will your driver pick you up for the ceremony on Saturday? I’ll be sure to wave as you ride past the bakery.” And not just him. He’d have the entire staff line the sidewalk.

  Jenny ducked her head. “No horse-and-buggy for me.”

  “Seriously?” Just when he’d thought she couldn’t surprise him anymore, she accomplished the impossible. He leaned forward. “Why not, when you’re so obviously carried away by them?”

  “Nice pun,” she quipped, her mouth slanting up as she raised her head. “But that wasn’t something Bob and I wanted.”

  Humph. Bob, again. He should have known.

  He traced the outline of his cell phone. This was one problem he could solve. With a single phone call, he could give the girl of his dreams her heart’s desire on her wedding day. A carriage ride through town following the ceremony could be his present to the happy couple, his farewell gift.

  There was just one problem, but it was a biggie. He couldn’t watch Jenny and her Mr. Right ride straight down Procession Way and out of his life forever. Not without breaking down, he couldn’t. He was strong, but he wasn’t that strong.

  The solution came to him in an instant. It seemed so obvious, he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it right away. It was about time young Jimmy oversaw his very first wedding. Jenny’s was the perfect place for him to start. Taking charge of the cake for a true Heart’s Landing bride would give his assistant a chance to shine while sparing him a painful farewell.

  Nick mentally patted himself on the back for coming up with such a brilliant idea. His plan only had one little flaw, he realized. He was in for a heartache no matter what.

  Jenny dragged her fork through the tasteless lentils. She didn’t bother stirring the unappetizing mound of brown soba noodles. Some julienned carrot, a spicy sauce, or a handful of pine nuts might have dressed up the side dish, but the strands of buckwheat pasta sat unadorned and cold on her plate. She lowered her knife and fork to the plate, a sign she had finished her meal.

  “You’re not going to eat any more than that?”

  Great. Just what she needed, a waitress who felt entitled to chastise her for not cleaning her plate. She’d had her fill of people telling her what she could and couldn’t do. She pushed the offensive dish aside. “I’m done.”

  So done.

  Done with trying on wedding gowns she’d never wear. All but finished with the items on today’s To Do list. Most of all, so over her cousin’s latest suggestion to change, change, change one more thing about the wedding. This time, Karolyn had insisted on switching the location of the rehearsal dinner to a vegan restaurant north of Newport. Something that—now that she’d been there and done that—wasn’t going to happen. Not only would the drive add several hours to a schedule so tight it squeaked, the food simply didn’t live up to the hype. She shrugged. The pickiest eaters in Karolyn’s wedding party would just have to fill up on tossed salad and the restaurant’s old-world style bread drenched in olive oil and herbs while the rest feasted on top-notch Italian cuisine. She was sticking with her first choice, Bow Tie Pasta.

  Waiting for the bill, she rubbed her forehead as worries about the days ahead troubled her thoughts. She’d have to sweet-talk like a Southern belle to keep the star-studded wedding party on track throughout their busy day on the eve of the wedding. The rush would start the moment she greeted the new arrivals at the Captain’s Cottage. From there, she’d whisk Kay off to a final fitting before dropping her off at Perfectly Flawless. Massages and facials would help the bride and her attendants recover after the long flight from L.A. The rehearsal and dinner would follow. Later still, they’d assemble the gift baskets.

  Had she crammed too much into one day? She gave her head a small shake. Kay hadn’t left her much choice. They’d simply have to get it all done.

  Speaking of getting things done, though, now that she’d decided in favor of Bow Tie Pasta, she’d have to stop by the restaurant and make the final payment. Thank goodness she hadn’t cancelled those reservations like Kay had wanted her to. She supposed she had Nick to thank for that. Ever since they’d met, he’d been encouraging her to trust the decisions she’d made, stick with her original choices. This time, she had.

  For a second, she pictured his face when she shared the news. He’d be happy for her, no doubt. To celebrate, he’d serve her one of his delicious cupcakes.

  Her empty stomach clenched. She balled the paper napkin in her lap.

  There’d be no more afternoon visits to the bakery. No lingering talks with the baker over tea and cupcakes. No. More. Nick. He’d made his position very clear—he didn’t love her like she loved him.

  “Dessert comes with your meal. How about a non-fat, gluten-free, black bean brownie with organic prune topping?” The waitress plunked an overpriced bill on the table.

  Jenny fought the urge to clamp a hand over her mouth. She couldn’t think of anything worse.

  Unless it was spending the rest of her life without Nick in it.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Her broken heart safely hidden behind sturdy barriers, Jenny reached the end of the wide walkway in front of the Captain’s Cottage. She turned and retraced her steps to the entrance. Where were they? Her heels tapped out the question on the concrete like an operator tapping out a message in Morse code. She mounted the steps to the front door and, from the higher vantage point, checked the horizon. Beyond the spot where the road disappeared around a bend, trees swayed in the mid-morning breeze. Otherwise, nothing moved. Certainly not the town cars she’d hired to ferry Karolyn, Chad, their attendants, and their closest relatives from the airport to Heart’s Landing.

  She tromped down to the sidewalk where she completed another circuit. When there was still no sign of the arriving party, she whipped out her phone.

  “Global Limo Service.” The receptionist answered on the first ring. “How may I assist you?”

  “This is Jennifer Longley. I need to check the status of a pickup from Terminal V at Boston Logan.” Quickly, she provided the necessary details, including the expected arrival time of Karolyn’s private jet.

  “I’ll look into that for you, Ms. Longley. Please hold.”

  Jenny tapped her toe. A mercifully short time passed before the woman came back on line.

  “Ma’am? The drivers are waiting at the gate. Their passengers haven’t arrived yet.”

  “Thank you. I’m sure their flight will land soon.” Why hadn’t Kay called to let her know about the delay?

  On the other end of the line, the receptionist cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, but we’ll have to add a surcharge for the extra time.”

  “Of course.” She didn’t even flinch. Whatever the cost, her cousin would cover it. “I’ll make some phone calls. Just don’t let the drivers leave. It’s important that my party makes it here today
.”

  “Will do. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  There wasn’t, and Jenny ended the call. She considered her next move on another trek around the sidewalk. Frequent checks of the news and social media assured her there’d been no plane crash. With that worry put to bed, she punched in the number for Kay’s home in Beverly Hills. She froze when someone answered on the second ring.

  “Karter residence.”

  “Aunt Maggie?” What was her aunt doing in California? Why wasn’t she on the plane? Or better yet, getting settled into her suite in the Captain’s Cottage? Unease churned in Jenny’s stomach. She braced for answers she’d probably hate. “What happened? Why aren’t you here?”

  “I guess you haven’t spoken with Karolyn?” Aunt Maggie made a dismissive noise. “That girl. She never changes. Has to do everything at the last minute. You, you’re the opposite. Everything planned out in advance. Usually with a back-up in case something goes wrong. How you two both grew up together and turned out so differently, I’ll never know.”

  “Both approaches have their plusses and minuses.” Hers tied her to a rigid schedule, though lately, she’d discovered the world wouldn’t end if she ignored her To Do list long enough to go for a walk in the park. Out of habit, she defended her cousin. “Kay has her good points. She has more talent in her little finger than most people have in their entire bodies.”

  “True enough. She put those skills to good work, and look where it’s gotten her. She’s done quite well for herself.”

  That was an understatement if she’d ever heard one. But it didn’t explain why she and Karolyn weren’t headed to Dress For A Day for her cousin’s final fitting. “Aunt Maggie, your flight?”

  Instead of answering, her aunt continued to ramble. “You may not be an actress, but I always thought you’d go places, do things with your life. I guess you’re content working for Kay, though?”