by Jillian Dodd
“I’m proud of you, Vanessa. You went through a lot, but you never gave up.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I hug him tighter. “Speaking of never giving up, do you think maybe it’s time you started dating again?”
Dad smiles. “Actually—”
“Actually, what?” I say, my eyes getting big. “Are you seeing someone?”
He blushes a little. “Cora.”
“Are you serious? She’s been your assistant for fifteen years!”
“Yes, and apparently I’m blind because she says she’s been interested for most of those years.”
I give him another squeeze. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m happy for me too. I know things went badly with Bam, but don’t let that stop you from letting yourself feel again. Find a man who loves you—truly loves you—and nothing else really matters.”
“Can I tell you something personal?”
“As long as it doesn’t have to do with sex.”
I laugh. “I’m sort of seeing someone.”
“Really? Tell me about him.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying that I’m seeing him, because it seems too soon to say that, but I can’t stop thinking about him. His name is Dawson Johnson.”
“Is he related to Riley?”
“They’re brothers. It’s a crazy story, really, but we met at Keatyn’s eighteenth birthday party. We kissed and danced all night, but didn’t stay in touch. Somehow, I’ve never crossed paths with him again until the other day when he came to work at Captive. He’s so handsome and sweet. He’s a widow. His wife died a couple years ago and he took it hard. Hasn’t worked in two years. But we’ve hung out and we’ve talked and kissed.” I stop babbling and laugh at myself. “I sound like a teenager.”
“Sounds like you should go see him,” Dad says.
“He went up to the vineyard for the weekend, but he did call me last night and said he misses me.”
“Maybe you should go up there and surprise him.”
I nod my head. “I think you’re right, Dad.”
I drive home, pack an overnight bag, and am back in the car in a flash.
As I’m heading to the airport, I call Keatyn. “Hey, I just got done at my dad’s place and thought I’d head up that way. You have room for me?”
“Of course we have room.”
“It’s always so relaxing there.”
“Oh, I’m not sure how relaxing it will be this time. Dallas is here with his four kids. Knox decided to come up. Aiden is still working on the barn and, of course, Dawson is here with his girls.”
“Dawson brought girls with him?”
“Not girls, like dates. Girls as in, daughters. They came out for the weekend.”
“He has kids?”
“Yes, two beautiful little girls.”
“He didn’t tell me. Why didn’t he tell me? God dammit. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Vanessa, I can tell by the tone of your voice that you’re pissed Dawson didn’t tell you, but don’t you dare come up here and make a scene. Not in front of them. It wouldn’t be right.”
“I agree not to make a scene, if you agree not to tell him I’m coming.”
“We just had a picnic and now they’re riding horses to the pond. I probably won’t see him for a while.”
The whole way there I’m racking my brain, wondering what it means that he didn’t tell me.
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards, Sonoma County
ARIELA
“Sorry, I’m late,” I tell Keatyn, getting out of my car. “I stopped at the winery to see Maggie.”
“How did that go?”
“Really well. She hasn’t changed a bit. I love that she and Logan are still together. They were always so cute.”
“They still are,” she says.
“I need to thank you, Keatyn. For being so kind to me when I haven’t talked to you for so long. For asking me to plan your wedding. For inviting me up here to relax. I really appreciate it.”
She smiles and touches my arm. “I’m glad you’re back in my life, Ariela. And I’m excited to have you help with my wedding. So, what do you want to see first?”
“Why don’t you just give me the grand tour, as you picture it in your head. Pretend I’m a wedding guest who has just arrived. Where will I park? What path will I take to the ceremony? What will I sit on? What will I see?”
“Oh, gosh, that’s a lot of questions. Okay, so over here, to the south of the house is a lot of grass. We can park cars there, or we can have them park down the hill at the winery and shuttle them up. Although, there’s a wedding taking place on the grounds there, so that might complicate things.”
“Let’s have them park here then. What else?”
“I want to do our vows right before the sun sets. I’d like the guests to feel welcome and relaxed right away. I was thinking of giving them spiked lemonade somewhere between here and the ceremony.”
“Why spiked lemonade?” I ask.
“It’s what I always drank at my grandparents’ ranch in Texas. And, now, they have been coming up here a lot, so we sit on the porch most nights and drink it.”
“I love that. Those are the kind of things that make a wedding personal. We’ll be sure to put a sign on it that says it’s Grandma’s recipe.”
“From there, they will walk—hmmm, this is all grass, and that’s not great if you’re in heels. I should probably have a path put in, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do. Okay, so we’re walking along the side of your house to your backyard. Oh, wow,” I say, seeing it for the first time. “I can see why you want to get married here. It’s spectacular.” And it is. There’s a gorgeous rectangular pool, set in an expansive stone and brick patio. The landscaping is lush but minimal which is good. With the rolling hills surrounding us and the view of the ocean, you don’t need much.
“Thank you. We love it and the land means so much to us.”
“I saw in the movie how you bought it for him when you thought you weren’t going to survive things with the stalker. You two have an epic love story. We want your wedding to highlight that.”
“That’s why I want the ceremony here. Aiden has wood left over from the barn that he wants to build an altar with. And while I think wood is pretty, I don’t want the wedding to be too rustic. I want some glamour. Lots of flowers, maybe a chandelier. I was also thinking instead of just renting chairs, it would be cool to bring in furniture. Like you raided your grandma’s attic, only classy.”
“Sort of a rustic, shabby chic vibe?”
“Yes, but not too shabby,” she says with a laugh. “And not too rustic.”
“So, rustic, elegant, shabby chic?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what I want.”
“I have a photo of an altar that is so gorgeous and I’ve been saving it for the right setting. It’s draped with silk, held in place with flowers, and has a huge chandelier hanging in the center. It’s elegant, but soft. I have a picture of it on my phone. Hang on. Let me find it.”
I scroll through my photos, find it, and show it to her.
“Oh, Ariela,” she screeches. “It’s perfect! I love it! And those flowers are the pale pastel colors I want to use. Maybe just add some feathers?”
“We can definitely add feathers. And here’s a photo of mismatched pastel furniture. Is that close to what you’re thinking?”
“Yes. It’s like you’ve been saving all these pictures just for me,” she says. She stops and looks at me. “Maybe you have been. It’s weird, isn’t it? It’s been so long but, in some ways, it’s like nothing has changed. I don’t know what will happen with you and Riley, but don’t disappear from my life again, okay?”
Tears prickle my eyes. “I won’t,” I say as she keeps going.
“We’d also like twinkle lights, pretty much everywhere. And ribbons hanging from all the trees. So, I guess cocktail hour would be up next. I was thinking maybe around the pool and in the attached courtyard. Do you think that would work
?”
“When you built all this, were you planning to hold your wedding here?” I laugh, taking it all in. “This brick courtyard is an amazing space.”
“The thought may have crossed my mind,” she giggles. “But we also wanted to have big parties and fundraisers here. Since the vineyard’s grounds are booked for so many events, we wanted a place to have our own. And, we keep adding on. It’s sort of our own private oasis.”
“I want to see what’s in here,” I say, going over to a pavilion. “Oh, this is cool.”
“We sit out here a lot. With the fireplace, we can use it pretty much year round.”
“This looks like it would be a great place to raise a family.”
“We think so too.”
“Would you be opposed to moving the furniture out of the pavilion and setting up some of the cocktail tables in here? We could run the silk fabric from the ceiling similar to the altar. And it’s on the way to the barn, so it makes sense for the flow of traffic.”
“I love that idea.”
“Me too,” Aiden says, coming up from behind Keatyn and wrapping his arms around her waist. “How’s the planning going?”
“Good,” she says, giving him a sweet kiss.
“So, I have some special requests,” Aiden says.
“You do?” Keatyn and I ask in unison. “A lot of men prefer to just show up.”
“That wouldn’t be my style,” he says. “But I’d like to speak to you in private when you’re finished, Ariela. I may have a surprise or two for my bride.”
Keatyn looks at him and practically swoons.
And, so do I.
“So, I’ll let you two keep going. If you need me, I’ll be down in the barn,” he says.
“Ariela,” Keatyn says, “let’s run in the house quick, grab a snack and something to drink, and I need to pee.”
“Okay,” I say, following her into their massive kitchen. “This kitchen is great. Can the caterers use it?”
“They could if they needed to, but we have a full catering kitchen in the barn. Pour yourself a glass of wine. I’ll be right back.”
I pour myself a glass of wine. When in Sonoma . . . drink wine, right?”
Keatyn comes out of the bathroom and grabs a bottle of water.
“You’re not having wine?”
“I think I’ll stick with this,” she says. “Let’s head to the barn. I thought the dinner could be inside. And I suppose if it were to rain, we’d have to do everything inside, right?”
“We’ll definitely have a rain plan. Let me worry about that though.”
“Okay,” she says, leading me down a brick path to a massive redwood barn. She stops and points out an old tree with their initials carved in the center. “Aiden carved our initials in this tree when I showed him the land. That was something we didn’t put in the movie. We planned the house and everything around the tree. I don’t know how old it is, but we couldn’t tear it down.”
“That’s a gorgeous barn. Your house hides it though. I didn’t even see it when I pulled up.”
“It’s sits a little lower than the house, so it’s kind of hidden. I like that it’s sort of a surprise.”
She throws open the doors.
“This is spectacular. Vaulted ceiling, exposed beams, old brick on the pillars.”
“Aiden, will you close the door and show Ariela your latest project?” Keatyn says to the empty space.
I hear Aiden’s voice reply from somewhere to my right. “Sure.”
The doors shut, darkening the space. Then, with a flick of a switch, hundreds of bulbs attached to the beams light up the ceiling.
“Isn’t it pretty?” Keatyn swoons. “Could we use the silk fabric and chandeliers to dress this up a little too? And lots of flowers. And I’d like those really long tables and the food to be served family style. Then we can dance in the middle.”
“And wine,” Aiden says. “There will be lots and lots of wine.”
Keatyn shows me the catering kitchen, the ample amount of restrooms, and built in bars and buffets.
“Aiden,” I say, “if you have a minute, let’s talk food. Do you have a caterer in mind? Style of food?”
“Our personal chef, Marvel, designed the catering kitchen, trained in France, and worked at many acclaimed restaurants before we hired him. He’s been planning our menu since we got engaged. You can talk to him this afternoon if you’d like.”
“That sounds perfect. What about a cake?”
“I’d like something tall, lots of layers, pastels, starting with white then ending up in pink, kind of an ombre effect,” Keatyn says. “Maggie already called our local cake designer and she said she’d do it for us. You’ll just need to get with her on the design, size, delivery.”
“Sounds easy enough. How about cocktails? Or do you just want wine?”
“A full bar,” Aiden says. “Good scotch. Top shelf liquor. Champagne. An assortment of cigars. I’ll supply all the wine. I have a special vintage I’ve been saving for this event.”
“I think that covers most of the basics. Aiden, did you want to talk to me now?”
Keatyn whispers something in Aiden’s ear that makes him smile.
“I told you it would be okay,” he whispers, giving her a kiss.
“Alright, you two have fun. I’m going down to see what the kids are up to,” she says.
“They’re at the ball field,” Aiden tells her.
“You have a ball field too?” I ask.
“Soccer pitch, really, but it works for other sports too. Logan and I like to relive our glory days and keep in shape.” He tosses Keatyn some keys. “Take the Gator.”
As soon as she leaves, Aiden leads me out of the barn and onto a flat grassy area.
“Our first kiss was on a Ferris wheel at Eastbrooke’s Back-To-School Carnival, so I want to have a Ferris wheel at the wedding. Right here.”
“A Ferris wheel?” I say, a little shocked. “Um, that’s a request I’ve never had before. I’m not sure if I can find one in a couple weeks, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“Oh, you don’t have to find it,” he says. “I bought a vintage one and had it restored back to its original pale pastel colors. I just need you to help me decide where to put it. I was thinking here next to the barn. It will be all lit up and the guests can ride it. I thought it would be a fun surprise for her.”
“It’s an amazing surprise, Aiden. And I think here would be perfect. We can make a pathway and string lights on poles above it to light the way.”
“That works for me.”
“Do you have any other requests?”
“Yes. Pink cotton candy and feathers incorporated somehow. I’m going to have the crew light up the rows of grapes on both sides of the drive up here. If we do the wedding at sunset, guests won’t see it when they arrive, but it will pretty when they leave.” He pulls a phone out of his pocket and shows me a photo of a cute sign. “I was thinking of changing it to read, Once in a while, in the middle of a chaotic life, love gives us a fairytale. And we have to have four-leaf clovers incorporated somewhere.”
“I saw that your vineyard’s label has a clover design in the background. What if we incorporated something like that into the invitations?”
“Could we send an actual four-leaf clover in every invitation?”
“Sure,” I say, adding it to my list. “What about invitations? Keatyn said something about wanting to keep it quiet.”
“We’d like invitations hand delivered the first of the week for a fundraiser here. When the guests arrive, we’ll hand out the wedding programs.”
“That sounds like a plan,” I say, wondering how I’m going to have invitations for six hundred people designed, printed, addressed, and hand delivered in a few days.
“You look a little freaked out,” Aiden tells me. “Maggie will help you with all the vendor connections. We do a lot of events here. They will squeeze us in.”
“Okay, and I’m glad I have Maggie to lean on. I have a
vision of what she wants, but I’ll need help executing it.”
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards, Sonoma County
DAWSON
“Run, Harlow!” I yell, cheering her on as she dribbles the soccer ball down the field and scores. She comes running up to me and leaps into my arms.
“I scored, Daddy! I scored!”
“You did so good, sweetie,” I say, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Against boys, too,” she whispers. “Carder is almost my age, but I’m taller than him. He told me that it didn’t matter because boys are tougher.”
“Do you think that’s true?”
She shakes her head. “I think boys are dumb.” Then she looks at me. “Well, not boy daddies. Daddies are smart.”
“Thank you,” I say with a laugh. “Are you having fun here?”
“I’m having the best time ever. Did you see me feed that pony? He loves apples.”
“He did. And you did a good job riding the pony.”
“I ‘specially liked our picnic by the pond. Will we get to come back here?”
“If we all move to California, we could come back whenever you want.”
“I like California. It’s sunny and warm on my face.”
“Next time you come, you can see the house. It’s right on the ocean.”
“Like Grandma’s?”
“Kinda like that, but a different ocean.”
“The Pacific Ocean,” Ava says, chiming in. “It’s on the West coast. Grandma’s is on the East coast.”
“Very good, Ava. Your sister seems to like it here, what do you think?” Harlow wriggles out of my arms and takes off running. Ava plops down on the bleachers next to me.
“I think Knox is funny. He makes us all laugh. And so does Fallon’s daddy. He talks funny.”
“He’s originally from the South, so he has an accent.”
“Fallon is nice,” she says about Dallas’ oldest. “She said if we moved to California that we could go to school together.”
“What would you think of that?”
“I think I’d miss my friends and Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Cam and Aunt Annie and Uncle Brax and my cousins.”
