Justin never missed a beat. He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “Charmed to meet you, Miss Bunch. I’m Justin Sanders.”
She giggled. “If I didn’t love Alabama so much, I would move to Charleston just for the Southern gentlemen.”
The other woman stood up and smacked her on the arm. “We have Southern gentlemen in lower Alabama.” As if remembering her manners, she batted her eyes at Justin. “I’m Mary Bunch. Her sister.” She motioned her head toward Mavis. “Although sometimes I think there may have been a mix-up at the hospital.”
“She’s my older sister,” Mavis said with a wink.
Justin shook Mary’s hand.
“Ashley from Alabama, how’s the wedding planning going?” Mavis asked. They’d met yesterday as Ashley was attempting to carry an arch through the double doors. Once they found out they shared a home state, the two women hadwanted to talk to her until they found someone they knew in common.
“Pretty good.” She sighed. “Of course the storm might be a problem.”
Mary shook her head. “Here we thought we were so smart. That Jim Cantore keeps saying that the Gulf Coast might get hit hard by the tropics this year. So we decided to come to Charleston. And now here we are right in the middle of a hurricane.”
“So we have y’all to blame for this, I guess,” Justin said.
Mavis giggled. “Our daddy used to say we went through the house like tornadoes. So maybe there’s some truth to that.”
“That’s not what he said. He said we went through the house like whirlwinds,” Mary chided her sister.
Mavis shrugged. “Same thing.”
Justin met Ashley’s eyes. She could tell he was as amused by them as she’d been yesterday.
“I’ve got to sit down. I’ve had a bad knee ever since we hiked the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago.” Mary sat down, clutching her knee.
“Y’all hiked the Grand Canyon?” Justin asked.
“We sure did.” Mavis wiggled her hips. “We stay in shape. I’m the oldest certified Zumba teacher in the country.”
Mary groaned. “Don’t encourage her. She’ll have us up doing the rumba or something, and I tell you, my knee can’t take it.” She patted the chair next to her. “Y’all sit down. You’re makin’ me nervous.”
Ashley, Justin, and Mavis sat down in the empty seats.
Milo collapsed into a heap on the floor.
“That Summer,” the minister said with a nod Yours?” she asked Justin.
He shook his head. “I’m watching him for a friend.”
At the mention of Luke, Ashley furrowed her brow. “Do you think they’re okay?” she murmured.
“They’re fine. That reporter told me they went into the pool house.”
Mavis and Mary looked at them with identical quizzical expressions.
“Our friends went out into the storm earlier and haven’t come back,” Justin explained. “But we got word that they’re safely holed up in the pool house.”
Mary raised her eyebrows. “Why did they go out in the storm? That seems like a dumb thing to do.”
Justin burst out laughing. “I like you. You tell it like it is, don’t you?”
“Once I hit eighty, I decided it was time to stop holding back.” Mary motioned at her sister. “Now Mavis has never held back. She was born telling her opinion about everything. I used to hold my tongue because I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.” She shrugged. “Until I realized that holding it in was only hurting me. I used to worry and fret about things. Now I just get it off my chest and feel all kinds of better.” She winked. “Of course, the trick is to speak your mind with tact.”
Mavis sighed. “I have tact, too. I just forget to use it sometimes.” She winked. “So, Justin and Ashley from Alabama…How long have the two of you been an item?”
“Don’t pry into their personal business,” Mary chided.
Mavis shrugged. “I’m just trying to pass the time.” “Actually, we aren’t technically a couple, I don’t guess,” Justin said. He glanced at Ashley. “Or are we?”
She cringed. There was nothing like being put on the spot, especially in front of people she barely knew. She smiled at the women. “We haven’t really had that conversation just yet.”
Justin enjoyed watching Ashley squirm as she tried to explain to Mary and Mavis exactly what their relationship was.
“Do you like her?” Mary asked.
He nodded. “Very much.”
Mavis turned to Ashley. “And do you like him?”
“I do.” She blushed.
“Well, at least you’re on the same page about that,” Mary said. “Now let me give you two some advice.”
“We need all the advice we can get,” Ashley said.
Mary chuckled. “Well, we love to give advice. Now, the most important thing is to remember that your relationship isn’t a competition. If one of you is always trying to win, it will never work.”
Justin nodded. That made good sense.
Mavis patted her hands on the table. “And you can take it from me, because I was married for fifty-one years. You have to believe that you’re equal partners. And don’t hold back anything, even when you fight. If you’re going to be partners, then be partners in every sense. Which means the good, thebad, and the ugly.” She chuckled. “But try not to go too heavy on the ugly.”
He glanced at Ashley across the table. He knew he didn’t want to leave the resort without knowing exactly where they stood. “Ladies, it’s been a pleasure,” he said. “But I’ve got to go feed Milo and check on my family.” He stood.
Ashley rose from her seat. She bent down and hugged first Mary and then Mavis.
He waved to the women and grabbed Ashley’s hand as they made their way out of the ballroom.
“Do you really have to feed Milo?” she asked once they were alone in the deserted lobby.
He grinned. “Soon. But first I wanted to do this.” He pulled her to him and kissed her gently.
Ashley smiled against his lips.
“Does this mean that from this day forward if someone asks us how long we’ve been an item, we can pinpoint now?”
She nodded. “Yes. I think that sounds like a good story. It happened in the middle of a hurricane.”
“Kind of romantic.” He kissed her forehead.
“Definitely.” She furrowed her brow. “Do you think Luke and Summer are okay?”
Justin took her hand and led her to the couch. “Yes. I do. I hope that being forced together like this is exactly what they needed.”
“Me, too,” Ashley said softly.
He settled onto the couch and held her hand. The rain pounded on the roof, and the wind continued to howl, but he felt as peaceful and calm as he could remember feeling.
Chapter 40
Summer had just dozed off when she felt Luke’s breath against her face.
“Summer,” he whispered. “Are you sleeping?”
She lifted her head from his shoulder. “I was resting my eyes.” They’d been in the dark for at least an hour, but the lights had finally come back on. The resort must have some kind of backup generator or something.
“Why are you so tired?” he asked.
“I’ve been working on a wedding that’s kind of been thrown together at the last minute. And you know how I like stuff like that.”
He laughed. “I know.”
“Plus it’s not really coming together because of the storm. The florist didn’t deliver, the photographer canceled, and the last time I checked, the bride and groom weren’t even here.” She sighed. “So maybe I’ve been working for nothing.”
He shifted on the lounger. “I think I need to tell you something.”
She looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong…. It’s just that I have a confession to make.”
Her stomach tightened. Things were finally starting to smooth out between them. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear a confession.
He stood and
got the large white box he’d gotten out of his truck earlier. He brought it over and set it in front of her. Then he got down on one knee.
She cocked her head to the side. “What are you doing?”
“Do you know what tomorrow is?”
She laughed. “Saturday?”
He took her hand. “Seriously. Tomorrow?”
“It’s our anniversary.”
He smiled broadly. “The wedding you’ve been planning these past weeks. The one where you had free rein to plan however you wanted? That was for us.”
Her jaw dropped. “No way.” She’d never suspected a thing. She smiled at him. “You wanted to renew our vows?” “I did.”
She bit her lip. “But now you don’t? I don’t understand.”
Luke handed her the box. “First I want you to open this. It’s an anniversary gift. A little more personal than a boat.” He smiled.
Summer lifted the lid off of the box. The wedding gown she’d tried on at Madelyn’s boutique, her dream gown, lay inside ensconced in white tissue paper. “Luke,” she breathed. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“You like it?”
She felt tears spring into her eyes. He’d put so much thought into this surprise. “I love it.”
“I wanted to renew our vows on our anniversary…but I think I’d rather wait.”
She furrowed her brow. “Why?”
Luke sat down next to her. “Summer, I meant my vows when I said them seven years ago. Till death do us part. I still feel that way today.” He smiled. “So I know we don’t need to have another ceremony for any reason other than symbolically. But I don’t think we should renew our vows here at some resort with only a couple of friends present,” he said. “And Milo.”
“Milo’s here?” She couldn’t believe the length he’d gone to in order to make her happy.
He chuckled. “Probably giving Justin fits as we speak.” He took her hand. “This time around, I want it to be different. I want our families around us. And I want to say those vows in a church.”
Summer couldn’t stop the tears of joy that trickled down her face. “You do?”
He nodded. “This year has taught me that we need God at the center of our marriage. And I don’t want to leave Him out of the ceremony.”
Just hearing Luke say those words gave her such comfort. They’d been married for seven years, most of those good years. But she couldn’t help but believe that the future was going to be even better.
Luke smiled as her face lit up. “What do you say?”
“I’m speechless. You surprise me so much sometimes. Idon’t guess I ever told you that my dream had always been for us to get married at St. Michael’s. Did I?”
He shook his head. “No. But I started thinking about it on my way here today. I realized I’d planned the perfect surprise, but it didn’t feel right. Even if the florist and the photographer had made it, I still would’ve asked you to wait until we can invite our families and make arrangements at a church.” He reached out and stroked her smooth cheek.
Her mouth quirked into a smile. “I think it sounds amazing.” She gripped his hand. “I think we’re back on the right path, don’t you?”
He nodded. There was one more thing he knew he had to talk to her about, and he had no idea what she would think. “I do. I know we’re both committed to this marriage. And that makes all the difference.” He pushed a strand of hair from her face. “But I think we need to talk about having a family.”
She frowned. “Is this where you tell me that you don’t think we should keep trying?”
He shook his head. “I know that’s what I said before. But I didn’t mean it. If you want to meet with the doctor again and see what he thinks our best bet is, then I’m on board.”
“Really?” she asked.
He nodded. “You know I’ve always wanted a family. That hasn’t changed.”
“But you said…”
If he could go back in time and erase any conversation, it would be that one—the night he told Summer he wasn’t sure if they were cut out to be parents. His own words had haunted him almost since the night he’d said them. “I know. Iwas so scared we would go through losing a child again. And at that point, I knew I couldn’t handle it. Do you know that the reason I took the things from the nursery to the landfill instead of giving them away was because I couldn’t stand the thought of another child using the stuff that had been meant for our baby?” He shook his head. “But I’ve had a lot of time to think about things.”
“And what have you decided?”
“Our life is full of kids. Chloe’s baby will be here before we know it. Katie Beth and Dale adore us. Even Colton has become part of our world. And watching Justin step in and be like a dad for Colton has made me realize that there are a ton of kids out there who need someone to care about them.” He rubbed his jaw. “So yes, I want to have a baby of our own. But I’m prepared to find another way to be parents if that doesn’t work out.”
“Like adoption?”
He nodded. “Sure. We have that big house and plenty of money. And a lot of love to give.”
Her face lit up in a smile. “That sounds amazing.”
“Besides…I’ve made a decision about my music. A decision that will give me more time to devote to a family.”
Her blue eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? Are you finally going to pursue music full-time?”
He chuckled. “Actually, just the opposite. The band is breaking up.” He’d weighed his decision carefully and prayerfully, and in the end, he knew he was making the right choice.
“I don’t understand. You love to play.”
Luke nodded. “I do. I love the music. I love to writesongs.” He shrugged. “But over these past few weeks I started to question why I felt the need to halfheartedly pursue music.” Summer had told him more than once that she’d be behind him if he wanted to give his music another shot. But he’d always found an excuse why it wasn’t a good time.
“Yeah?”
“I wanted to make something of myself. I guess I always had this idea that if I made it in Nashville as a musician or if I actually had some of my songs recorded, that would mean I was really somebody.” He shrugged. “But you know what? I’m already somebody. And I have a great life with you. My career with the park service has gradually morphed into something I love. This fall I’ll be handling all the school groups that come through, which is something I’m really excited about.”
Summer beamed. “Really? That’s awesome. I know you’ll be great at it.” She paused. “But won’t you miss playing?”
“I’ll still play. At home. Or we’ll do a show every now and then.” He shook his head. “But weekly practices and shows aren’t for me. Not anymore.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Music will always be part of me. I’ll always tinker with my guitar and write songs. Maybe I’ll record them and put them on You Tube or something.”
“So I’ll still get to hear you sing, but I won’t have to share you with screaming groupies?” She chuckled.
“Something like that, yes.”
She glanced at the tiny window above their heads. “I think the storm has stopped, at least for now.”
“Should we make a run for it and check on Milo? It’s getting kind of late.”
Summer leaned forward and kissed him square on the mouth. “How about we stay here for a little while longer? Just us.”
He pulled her to him. “Just us,” he whispered. “That sounds wonderful.”
Chapter 41
Three months later
Summer took one last look at herself in the mirror. The Mori Lee wedding gown looked like it had been designed with her in mind. Madelyn had made a couple of alterations, and it was the most perfect article of clothing Summer had ever worn. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost time.
It was hard to believe three months had passed since she and Luke had celebrated their anniversary. Thankfully, the hurricane had spared them. By the time
the storm reached land, it had been downgraded to a tropical storm. There was a lot of wind and a lot of rain but none of the devastation that easily could have happened. They’d spent their actual anniversary at home with a low-key celebration for two.
Since the storm hit, they’d made a lot of good progress as a couple. The counselor stood behind Luke’s idea to renew their vows, and Summer had gone into full wedding-planner mode. And loved every minute of it. And now, on the third Saturday in October, it was time for their vow renewal ceremony.
“You ready?” Ashley stuck her head in the door. She stopped in her tracks. “Wow. You look incredible.”
Summer took in Ashley’s red Grecian-style, floor-length gown. “Likewise. Justin’s eyes are going to pop out when he sees you in that.”
Ashley beamed. “Thanks.” She walked over and stood in front of the mirror next to Summer. “Thanks for having me as your bridesmaid.” She chuckled. “A few months ago, the idea of being a thirty-six-year-old bridesmaid would’ve had me drowning my sorrows in a bucket of Ben and Jerry’s. But honestly, I’m honored to stand beside you as you renew your vows.”
“It doesn’t hurt that you’re totally in love with the guy who’ll be standing opposite you either.” Summer grinned.
“That’s just a bonus.” Ashley returned her smile. “But do you think Britney can handle things out there?”
She thought for a second. They’d hired Britney, fresh out of college, to work as an associate at Summer Weddings. She was energetic, overly enthusiastic, and sometimes made Summer feel about eighty. But she also came with great references and so far had been an asset. “It’s time for her to sink or swim, I guess.” She sighed. “I officially relinquished control yesterday. Today I’m just the bride. I’m not solving any problems. Not putting out any fires with a florist or a musician. I’m focused on Luke and our vows.”
“Good girl.”
“Summer?” Britney whispered from the door. “Are you ready?”
A Wedding to Remember in Charleston, South Carolina Page 23
