by Ali Olson
It was just a few minutes before five o’clock. She considered trying to go back to sleep, but after a few moments she stood and stretched. There was no point closing her eyes when all she saw was the way Jeremiah’s face looked as he’d left her last night. Better to get up and have some coffee, maybe even try to get some more work done—though she had a feeling she knew how that would go.
She opened her door carefully, trying not to make any noise. As she walked down the stairs, she saw light streaming through the kitchen doorway. Someone had beaten her to the punch this morning, it seemed.
Renee entered the kitchen and found Jessica sitting at the table, a mug between her hands. “You’re up early. Nervous?” Renee asked her.
Jessica shook her head. “Excited.”
Renee got her own mug and sat down beside her sister, who would be getting married in ten hours. Jessica’s eyes were sparkling, her cheeks rosy, and a little smile seemed permanently glued to her lips.
Renee couldn’t think of a time when she’d felt as happy as her sister looked, except for a few glorious moments in Jeremiah’s arms.
Renee tried not to let the heaviness she felt show. It was her sister’s wedding day and she was not going to ruin it. “It seems like Stew won’t ruin your wedding after all, right?”
Jessica sipped her coffee, looking over the rim at her. Renee thought she might return to the conversation topic from the night before, but she didn’t. Instead, she rolled her eyes. “Fine, you were right. He’s perfectly nice.”
Renee tried to feel good about her sister’s rare admission of fault, but she couldn’t bring herself to gloat. “Is there anything we need to do this morning?”
Jessica nodded. “We need to put the centerpieces on the table and make our bouquets. We’ve got plenty of time, though.”
Renee stood. She needed to feel busy. Idle time led to thinking, and she didn’t want to think right now. Not about her job, not about Jeremiah. She went over to the buckets of flowers sitting in the corner of the kitchen and pulled out a handful of roses. “I’ll just start getting the thorns off the roses. One less thing to do later.”
Before Jessica could comment, her phone buzzed, for which Renee was grateful. She didn’t need any lectures right now.
Jessica said, “Good morning, husband-to-be. Why are you up so early?”
He’s probably just as excited as she is, Renee thought. She turned and focused on the flowers in her hands. She was happy for them, but that didn’t mean she wanted to see Jessica’s gooey look again.
“Really? Sculpting? It’s weird that he never told us.”
Renee smiled. Jeremiah had finally told Aaron about his artwork. When Jessica hung up, she wanted to ask about it, but stopped herself. It wasn’t her concern.
That thought killed the smile on her lips and she turned back to the flowers.
* * *
“YOU READY?”
Jeremiah looked down at the rings and nodded.
Aaron fixed his tie one last time. “Don’t be nervous.”
“You’re the one getting married, remember?”
Aaron smiled at the best man. “I’ve got the easy part. If something happens to those rings, Jessica will kill you.”
Jeremiah put the rings inside his breast pocket and patted it. “Safe as can be.”
“Then let’s get out there.”
Jeremiah followed Aaron to the far corner of the barn, where the decorated arch stood, waiting. They took their places and the music changed. Cindy, Jessica’s best friend, came down first, with Renee following shortly after. Jeremiah kept his eyes off her, but it didn’t stop his heart from pounding. Still, he ignored it and kept thoughts of her and their adventures in the nearby loft out of his head. This was about Aaron and Jessica.
Jeremiah heard Aaron let out a long breath and looked up to see Jessica in the barn doorway. She radiated joy as she walked toward Aaron and married life. Jeremiah couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Renee. Her eyes were filled with tears as she watched her sister walk down the aisle.
Jeremiah wasn’t sure if he hoped some of those tears were for him.
By the time Jessica had reached Aaron and was holding his hand, Jeremiah had torn his gaze away from the beautiful bridesmaid, determined not to look her way again, no matter how much he wanted to.
* * *
RENEE LEANED AGAINST the outer wall of the barn and breathed a sigh of relief. The ceremony had been difficult—forcing herself not to stare at Jeremiah the entire time was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do, and it felt like her heart was tearing out of her chest the entire time. When Jessica had come down the aisle, the thought of what Renee might have given up made her want to cry.
But she wasn’t Meg Ryan, and this wasn’t some chick flick where everything worked out. Her life was too different from Jeremiah’s, and that was all there was to it. And she was so close to being done with this whole mess. If she could avoid him for a couple more hours during the reception, she would be able to go hide in her room for the rest of the evening. After that, she just needed to sit tight until her flight Sunday morning, and then she’d be home free. For the time being, she would spend her hours looking forward to getting back to New York and going to work on Monday instead of mooning over Jeremiah.
The thought wasn’t as appealing as she wanted it to be, but that was all the more reason to get out while she still could. Another day in his arms, losing herself in his eyes, and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to leave. But for now, she could and she would, and it was really the best thing.
She didn’t need anything but work to make her happy. Really.
Renee was thankfully pulled out of her thoughts by her mother’s voice. “Renee! There you are! We have a problem.”
At first Renee assumed it was about Stew’s orange suit. “Did Jessica say something? Does Stew need to go find a different suit or something?”
By the look on her mom’s face and the way she was glancing around as if she was worried someone was listening, Renee knew that whatever was going on was going to be worse than just the suit. She braced herself for something Jessica-freak-out bad.
The older woman didn’t keep her in suspense. “There’s no cake.”
“What?” Renee asked, not sure she had heard correctly. As bad as Renee had guessed it would be, she hadn’t imagined it would be that bad.
“The cake never showed. I just called the shop, and they lost the order or something, and now there isn’t time to make one. You need to tell Jessica that she doesn’t have a cake and find out what she wants us to do.”
“I have to tell her? Why me?” This was really not Renee’s best day ever.
“I know you can break the news to her calmly. Go on, the sooner the better. There isn’t much time.”
Renee dropped her head back against the wood behind her, then stood up straight. The reception was starting in ten minutes, and she was supposed to tell her sister that there wasn’t going to be a cake. How the hell was she going to do that?
Renee forced herself to leave her mother’s side and walked over to where Jessica and Aaron were taking pictures. They looked so happy staring into each other’s eyes while the photographer’s camera clicked over and over again.
Renee waited until there was a lull while the photographer set up for the next shot, then walked over to the happy couple. “So, funny story,” she said, but then paused.
She wasn’t sure how to say what needed to be said.
“What’s going on?” Jessica asked immediately, her eyes narrowing.
Renee froze like a deer in headlights.
“Is it about Stew’s suit? I know you tried to hide that from me, but I saw it and I’m okay. Worse things have happened.”
Truer words were never spoken.
It was cle
ar Renee wasn’t doing a good job of easing into the bad news. At this point it was best to just come out with it. She said it all in a rush, as if that would soften the blow somehow. “The cake never showed, and apparently it’s not going to make it.”
Jessica’s mouth opened into an O of surprise. “There’s no cake?” she asked softly.
Aaron put his arm around her and squeezed. Renee felt guilty for some reason and kept talking to fill the silence. “Mom called the shop, and apparently there was an issue and your order wasn’t filled. I’m sure you’ll get your money back,” she finished lamely.
Jessica kept staring at Renee, and Renee quietly waited for the meltdown. Aaron wrapped his arms around his new wife and tugged her close. Once her eyes moved away from Renee and focused on him, he kissed her lightly. “I’m sorry, babe. Tell me what I can do to help fix this so you can be happy on our wedding day.”
Jessica’s look softened as she stared into her husband’s eyes, and Renee’s heart, still raw from all it had been through, ached. Jessica took a deep breath and turned to her sister. “We’ll survive. Ask Mom to MacGyver something for the cake cutting, but if we can’t find anything in time, we’ll just do without.”
Renee was dumbfounded. Had she heard correctly? “MacGyver something?”
Jessica nodded. “You know, pull something together. Preferably using a paper clip and some duct tape.” She laughed at her own joke.
Renee couldn’t believe this. “I know what it means to MacGyver something, I just don’t understand. You’re not going to freak out? What about needing everything to be perfect?”
Jessica looked at Aaron again. “Everything is perfect, with or without a cake.”
Aaron rubbed his hand along her jaw and nodded, and they leaned in for a kiss so passionate it made Renee blush.
When they finally came up for air, Jessica broke away from Aaron, whispering in his ear. He nodded and walked out of earshot.
“We need to talk privately,” Jessica told her sister.
Renee felt strangely relieved. “You really are freaking out. You just didn’t want Aaron to know.”
Jessica shook her head. “Nope. I really don’t care about the cake. I’m sure Mom will figure out something that’ll be fine.” She put her hands on her hips and gave Renee a very big-sister look. “No, I wanted to talk to you alone so you could tell me what’s going on with you. You’ve been mopey for days, and you promised you’d talk to me about it after the wedding. Well, it’s after the wedding now. Spill.”
“You know I meant later than this.”
“Yes, but we have time right now and I want to help my little sister with whatever’s going on. Let me help. Start talking.”
Renee didn’t want to tarnish her sister’s wedding day by explaining exactly what she’d been up to that week. Even if Jessica was somehow magically okay with not having a cake, her little sister sleeping with the best man could send her over the edge into full-blown hysteria. Still, Renee needed to talk to somebody she could trust, and Jessica didn’t seem like she was about to take no for an answer. Renee took a deep breath and chose her words carefully.
“I’ve been seeing somebody lately, but things got too serious and I had to break it off. I’m just trying to recover. It’s no big deal, really.”
“Why did you break it off?”
That was the question Renee had been answering in her mind over and over again. “I can’t be in the kind of a relationship he wants. Not with this new job starting.”
Jessica shook her head, her curls bouncing elegantly around her shoulders. “No, Renee. It’s time you stop hiding behind your job.”
Renee was about to argue, but Jessica continued, “Ever since Dad died, you’ve thrown yourself into your work and distanced yourself from everyone. It’s true, so don’t argue. I think you’re afraid to fall in love and then lose someone.”
Renee felt dumbstruck for the second time in less than ten minutes. Was that what she’d been doing? She didn’t know for sure, but the idea made her stomach feel queasy. She pushed it to the side to examine later. She grasped for the train of thought Jessica had derailed. “Well, there are other problems. He doesn’t live in New York, for one—”
“—and I’m guessing you didn’t even talk to him about how to work around that,” Jessica interrupted. “Go on, what else?”
Renee sighed, exasperated with her sister’s know-it-all attitude. She seemed so sure everything was fixable, but she didn’t understand and Renee couldn’t explain it without telling her secret. “It’s not that easy, Jess. I can’t just move and give up my job and everything I am for a guy.”
There was a silence as Jessica absorbed what she had said.
“That’s what you think I did, isn’t it?” Jessica asked, her hands flat against the front of her gown.
Renee didn’t answer.
“I didn’t give up my identity, Renee,” Jessica said, her voice quiet but firm. She put one hand on Renee’s arm and looked her straight in the eye, as if trying to get her to listen carefully to what she had to say. “I found a guy and a place that matched my identity. I was never New York. I like animals and trees and jeans, and living here suits me. I was always Texas—I just didn’t know it.”
Renee looked down at Jessica’s hand. The new wedding ring sparkled, and she thought about how happy her sister seemed. Maybe there was a way to have that, too. Jessica continued, “I’m still editing, which I love, but I’m also taking time to be happy and enjoy life with someone I love. That’s what’s important. Really, the only issue is whether or not you love this guy. If you do, you can figure out the rest of that stuff. You’re a smart woman.”
Renee didn’t know what to say. “I need to go talk to Mom about the cake.”
Jessica nodded. “Think about what I said. And don’t stress about the cake. You worry too much.”
With that, Jessica turned and flounced away in her beautiful wedding dress. Back to taking pictures, back to the man she loved. Renee sighed and went to find her mom and pass on the message to “MacGyver something.”
As she walked, she opened her silver clutch purse and pulled out the small metal piece of artwork Jeremiah had given her. She stroked the copper and silver curves, then put it back in her purse just as her mother scurried up.
“Is she okay? What did she say?”
Renee shrugged. “She’s fine. She just said to figure something out and that it wasn’t a big deal.” Her mom looked confused, so Renee added, “She’s just happy to be married to Aaron, I guess.”
The older woman gave Renee a watery smile. “When I married your dad, I was so happy I wouldn’t have noticed if the roof collapsed on top of us.”
The thought of how much her dad loved her mom made Renee ache inside. She didn’t know what to say.
Stew walked up at that moment in his terrible suit and wrapped his arm around her mother’s waist. “Did you speak to Jessica, Gloria?”
Renee watched her mom as she explained about Jessica’s reaction, and recognized the look on her face. She loved Stew. Her husband had died and she was willing to love again, even if it meant she might get hurt.
Stew nodded as her mother finished. “You stay here. I think I saw a shop in town that might work. I’ll take Aaron’s truck and be back in a jiffy.”
With that he kissed Renee’s mom on the cheek and hustled away. “He’s a nice man,” Renee said.
Her mom nodded, watching him go.
* * *
JEREMIAH FELT WORN-OUT, but he tried not to show it. He hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, and the glare of the lights in the tent was making his head ache. He had a new piece of art to show for his long, sleepless night, at least. It was full of sharp edges and deep cuts.
If he could just get through a few hours of this reception, he’d be free to do whatever he
wanted for the next, well, forever. His empty calendar yawned in front of him. He could keep himself busy trying to sell his pieces and figuring out where to go, what to do next.
Jeremiah brought himself back to the present, to the wedding reception going on all around him. He looked down at the paper in front of him again, a frown creasing his brow. In less than an hour, he would need to make his best man speech. The problem was, he’d written it days ago, and it was funny and light and happy, three things he definitely wasn’t feeling.
He needed to rewrite it—that was for sure. Although what to say completely eluded him. Still, the idea of changing his speech at least gave him an excuse to slip away from all the merriment and avoid being around all those people. Especially that one person, the woman whom he constantly saw out of the corner of his eye.
He went over to where Aaron sat, looking so damn happy it was annoying, and said, “I’m going to head up to the house for a minute. I need to make some quick tweaks to my speech. I’ve got time, right?”
Aaron studied his friend for a minute before nodding. “Speeches aren’t for a half hour or so. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong yet?”
Jeremiah thought for a second, but he already knew the answer. “I will, but not today. For multiple reasons.”
Aaron seemed to accept that, and Jeremiah exited the tent and made his way toward Jessica and Aaron’s house. Inside, he grabbed a pen and one of Jessica’s many pads of paper and sat down on the couch to write, grateful for the silence.
He quickly wrote a new draft of his speech, then ripped off the page and started again as soon as he reread it. He couldn’t read something that fake and generic at Aaron’s wedding, but what could he say that was honest without bringing down the whole party?
It would just need to be something sincere. Just because Renee didn’t want to be with him didn’t make Jessica and Aaron’s love any less special. He started writing again.
“Hey, Jeremiah.”
The sound of her voice made him jump, sending a squiggle of ink down the page. He turned and looked straight at Renee, something he’d managed to avoid the entire day. God, she looked beautiful in her bridesmaid dress.
