Wish Upon a Wedding

by LuAnn McLane

  “I . . .” she began, but then paused.

  “Hey,” Easton said gently. “No pressure. It’s just a key, baby.” Even though they both knew it was much more than that. It was no secret that Carrie Ann shied away from commitment, just as he did, but he wanted to put the offer out there. He knew he needed to take baby steps with her. Easton understood. This scared the daylights out of him too, but living without her scared him even more. “We’ll talk about it later but be sure to let yourself in if you get there before I do.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you soon,” Carrie Ann said, but the lightness in her voice sounded a bit forced. And she’d left off an endearment or funny remark.

  “All right, bye for now, sugar,” Easton said and tapped the red END CALL button with a bit of a heavy heart. He stood there for a moment, and then pushed away from the truck.

  “Should have left well enough alone,” Easton muttered as he opened the door and hopped up into the driver’s seat. Blowing out a frustrated sigh, he turned the key in the ignition. This is the damned reason he’d stayed the hell away from commitment, he thought as he put the truck in reverse.

  In truth, like Avery mentioned, Easton had always been a social guy, but when it came to his cabin he remained fairly private, inviting only close friends and family into his home. Avery’s buddies used to stay the weekend now and then but, for the most part, his home was off-limits. To offer Carrie Ann a key and closet space had been a big deal for him even though he’d told her there wasn’t any pressure . . . and there wasn’t.

  And yet, all of the sudden, he felt a big blast of hurt hit him in the face like an arctic wind. Common sense said that he had no right to be angry with Carrie Ann. She’d done nothing wrong. They’d both been hesitant for their own reasons.

  Having grown up around constant conflict, Easton tried his best to remain levelheaded and not to lose his cool even in the worst of situations. And now here he was feeling angry and hurt and for no good reason. Being in love and in a relationship did that to a person . . . Made them unreasonable in reasonable situations, which was precisely what he was doing.

  So, if Carrie Ann didn’t want a key or didn’t want to stay over at his place more often, who gave a rat’s tail?

  He sure as hell did, was the immediate answer but he tried to ignore it.

  Easton drove over to Sully’s telling himself that he was going to pull back from being so damned serious. He and Carrie Ann enjoyed each other’s company so why mess up a good thing by handing out keys and thinking about a future? And who needed to go on a cruise anyway? He’d probably get seasick. No, he needed to go on his regular golf trip with the guys this spring and go on his usual fishing excursion in the fall. He’d never felt this kind of misplaced anger with Carrie Ann when they’d just been friends. “Shoulda left it that way.”

  Easton pulled into Sully’s and parked next to Avery’s truck. He firmly told himself not to bring any of this up with his nephew who was having enough problems of his own to contend with and didn’t need to hear about his uncle’s silly drama.

  Because it was early, Sully’s was fairly empty with just a few of the early regulars sitting around the main bar nursing drinks and talking about random things. Knowing they needed some privacy, Avery was sitting at a high-top table far enough from the bar to keep their conversation to themselves. Easton sat down on the stool, gave Avery a nod, and then took a big drink of the stout that his nephew had waiting for him.

  “Uncle Easton, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothin’, just thirsty.”

  “Right. You look like you just hooked an eight-pound bass that got away. You wanna talk about it?”

  “Naw.” Easton shook his head. “We’re here to talk about when Ashley showed up at your lunch with Sophia.” He popped a peanut from the snack mix in his mouth without much interest.

  “That can wait,” Avery insisted. “Dinner with Sophia won’t be until late, anyway. She just sent me a text a few minutes ago that said she has a meeting with a potential client in a little while.”

  “That salon of theirs is coming along,” Easton said, trying to head in a positive direction.

  “Sure is. Weddings are big business these days. Zoe and Mom are going crazy with all of the plans. Who the hell knew you had to have a big photo shoot so you can send out postcards to tell everyone to save the date? Like we’re all gonna be so busy here in Cricket Creek on the day they get married that if we don’t put it in our planner months in advance, we’ll forget.” Avery shook his head. “Most everybody we know already knows the date.”

  Easton took another swig of his strong ale, hoping to mellow out a bit more. “True enough.”

  “Of course, I had a taste of wedding drama with Ashley,” he said, but instead of the pain Easton usually saw on Avery’s face all he mustered was an indifferent shrug. “All I cared about was where we were going on our honeymoon.”

  “I think most guys still feel that way. But as you know I’ve never given gettin’ married any thought,” he said, but then out of nowhere an image of Carrie Ann in a wedding dress popped into his brain. He shook his head thinking his emotions were all over the damned map.

  “So, anyway, I’ve got plenty of time. Shoot.”

  Easton rolled his shoulders, reminding himself that he didn’t want to get into this discussion. He sure as hell liked talking about other people’s problems more than his own. Getting serious caused problems. He should have known better.

  “You know what you tell me goes nowhere,” Avery urged, looking a little bit hurt that Easton wasn’t opening up to him.

  “Okay, well . . .” He inhaled a deep breath and said in a rush, “I offered a key to my cabin to Carrie Ann.”

  “Oh wow, that’s huge for you. Was she happy about it?”

  “Well, no, she didn’t act too enthused about it at all.”

  “Oh man . . . Uncle Easton, I’m sorry. Maybe you just took her by surprise.”

  “Maybe.” Easton shrugged. “I know it’s not right, but now I’m kinda mad at her. And I know I’m not bein’ fair with my reaction and that makes me pissed off at myself. Almost makes me want to just stay here and get my drink on. I don’t like my boat to be rocked.”

  “But it’s gonna be rocked now and then, Uncle Easton. That’s part of bein’ in a serious relationship. Part of bein’ in love.”

  “Who said anything about bein’ in love?”

  “You know you’re in love with her. You just haven’t admitted how you feel to yourself.”

  Easton remained silent and searched around for a sesame stick in the snack bowl. “Think so?” He already knew so but admitting it to someone else was scary.

  “Well, yeah, otherwise you wouldn’t be so damned upset about the key thing. But I guess denial is easier to deal with.”

  “Sure doesn’t seem that way.” Easton scrubbed a hand down his face suddenly feeling tired. He took a swig of his ale. “Nope, I’ve decided that I’m gonna back way off. Stop seeing her so much and get back to things being easy instead of complicated.”

  “Is that what you really want?”

  “Am I bein’ charged for this session?” he asked, tapping his fingers on the table.

  “This first one is free.” Avery chuckled. “But you’re dodging the question. Think about it while I go get another beer. You want one?”

  “No, these are pretty strong. I’d better nurse this one. Gotta drive home. You should too.”

  “I can walk to Sophia’s from here if need be or she can swing by and pick me up. You know me better than that.”

  “I know, I’m just testy as all get-out.” Easton nodded. “All right, go getcha one. I’ll be sittin’ here brooding in my beer.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

  Easton looked around at some of the guys coming in after work. Pool games and darts started up. The jukebox came to life. Pin
ball machines pinged and blinked. Easton used to stop in Sully’s a couple of times a week and soon his softball league would start having practice. He played basketball in a men’s league down at the local YMCA. When the weather warmed up, he’d golf or maybe bass fish on the weekends, depending upon his mood. He was a regular diner at most of the local restaurants and made it a point to go to Wine and Diner on nights when Carrie Ann ate there, usually shooting the breeze and then popping on over to Sully’s to listen to music or have a beer or two. They shared breakfast at Walking on Sunshine Bistro, lingering over coffee. He loved her company, there was no doubt. She always had him laughing in no time flat. And the sex was, well, phenomenal.

  But still, he was used to coming and going as he damned well pleased. And so was she. Maybe they were both too set in their ways to make this serious stuff work. The thought made him frown.

  Avery returned to the table and sat down with a bowl of freshly popped popcorn. He swung his long legs over the stool and sat down. “Okay, now where were we?”

  “We were about to talk about your lunch with Sophia when Ashley showed up.”

  “Uncle Easton . . .” Avery shook his head and scooped up a handful of popcorn. “Come on, now.” He popped a few kernels into his mouth.

  Easton blew out a sigh. “All right, I was thinking that maybe I’m moving too fast and don’t want to give up my freedom.”

  “Right and that’s why you’re planning a vacation and handing out keys. She hurt your feelings. Like I said, it’s gonna happen now and then.”

  “I know I’m being unreasonable and that’s why I shied away from serious relationships to begin with. Avery, what if we argue? Shout at each other? I’ll be done. Can’t take one minute of that crap.”

  Avery shoved his fingers through his hair and eyed him for a moment. “All I’m seein’ is you arguing with yourself.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Maybe you should just be honest with Carrie Ann and tell her that you love her.”

  Easton felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Right, then she’d really flip out.

  “Have you ever told a woman you loved her, before?”

  “Nope.” Easton took a swing of his ale wishing he had another one under his belt. A shot of tequila was sounding pretty good. “Don’t know that I’ve ever been in love,” he said, but realized that wasn’t true. He’d loved Carrie Ann for a long time. Even though they’d not so much as even held hands up until recently, he’d still loved her.

  “Maybe she needed to hear those three little words before you offered a key to your cabin to her.”

  “Oh . . . shit.” He hadn’t thought of it that way.

  “Exactly.”

  Easton leaned against the back of the stool. “I guess I messed up.” But the thing with his mother and father is that they yelled and screamed at each other, and then would make up and say I love you, get all sweetie pie with each other until the next big fight or sometimes even at the end of a big blowout. Which is why Easton never put much stock in those three little words and never used them. How could you scream and yell and call it love?

  Avery leaned forward. “Do you love Carrie Ann?”

  “Yeah. I do.” There was no use in denying it to Avery.

  “Then maybe you should let her know that little bitty detail.”

  Easton’s heart thudded at the thought. He knew they would eventually have disagreements, but hopefully not fights. He would never raise his voice to Carrie Ann. He was pretty sure she wouldn’t yell at him. And dammit, she deserved to be told that he loved her. “You’re right, kiddo.”

  “About what part of it?”

  “Everything. All of it. Carrie Ann needs to know how I feel about her. No more putting the cart before the horse.”

  “Sweet. I think that’s a really good plan of action.”

  Yeah, unless she doesn’t say it back. “Now, let’s hear about you. That’s why we came here in the first place. So, did seeing Ashley get to you?”

  Avery nodded slowly. “Yeah it did, but not in the way that you might think. She was sort of rude to Sophia.”

  “Jealous, I suspect.”

  “But Ashley was never like that before. Took me by surprise.”

  Easton shifted in his seat not knowing if he should speak his mind.

  “What?”

  “Well . . . I always found her to be a little self-centered, Avery. I couldn’t say it then, but I can be honest now.”

  “Really? Why didn’t I see it?”

  “When you love somebody you can overlook their faults or try to explain them away. You’re just so good-natured that you didn’t always pick up on it. I guess like the old saying says, ‘love is blind.’”

  Avery raised his eyebrows. “Wow, I never really thought about that.”

  “I think Zoe is the same way. She’s so easygoing that she lets Ashley run the show most of the time. Why do you think Zoe is trying so hard to get you and Ashley back together?”

  “Mostly because Ashley wants it?”

  Easton pointed his index finger at Avery. “Bingo, my boy. So go on with your story.”

  “Well, for the longest time, seeing Ashley would make me feel, I don’t know . . . anxious, sad, sometimes angry or hurt. But this afternoon I didn’t really feel, well, anything other than upset that she was rude to Sophia. As a matter of fact, I kind of forgot that she was even in the restaurant after she left us.”

  “A breakthrough if I ever heard one. And I’m guessing it’s because you only have eyes for sweet little Sophia.”

  Avery nodded. “I’m fallin’ for her, for sure.”

  “Why do I hear a big but in that statement?”

  “Well, because I loved Ashley, Uncle Easton. I mean I trusted . . .” he began but clamped his mouth shut.

  Easton leaned forward and said in a low voice, “And that’s why you couldn’t believe that she could cheat on you.”

  “How did you know?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Well, I walked right into that one. That wasn’t really fair of you to do.”

  “No, what isn’t fair is that you’re taking the heat for something she did and now has the nerve to try to get you back. And if Zoe knew . . .”

  “Aw man, it would just devastate Zoe and mess up her wedding plans. You see where I’m coming from? It’s one of those no-win situations.”

  “I do.” And it really pissed him off. He took a swig of his beer and thumped it down.

  “Please don’t say anything to anyone. I promised Ashley that I wouldn’t tell.”

  “You know I won’t. I pretty much had it figured out anyway.” He popped a peanut into his mouth, thinking how horrible that had to be for Avery. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

  “Sure.”

  “Did you ever really feel about Ashley the way you feel about Sophia?”

  Avery looked down at the table and frowned. After a few moments he looked over at Easton. “No, there’s just a gentle sweetness about Sophia that touches me in a way I’ve never felt before. I’m at ease with her and the girl can make me laugh like no other. And seeing Sophia and Ashley together at River Row Pizza made it even clearer to me.”

  Easton thought about how Carrie Ann made him laugh. “It’s the best medicine and that’s for damn sure. So what are you gonna do?”

  “Once this wedding is behind me I need to let her know how I really feel.”

  “I’m gonna toss your advice right back in your lap. Why wait?”

  “As usual, you’ve got a good point,” Avery replied, but Easton could see some lingering apprehension in his nephew’s eyes. Ashley had done quite a number on him. He guessed the old “once bitten, twice shy” was coming into play. At last, Avery said, “I guess you’re right.”

  “I was wrong once and then it turned out I was right.”
<
br />   Avery laughed. “So you were wrong once.”

  Easton laughed along with him. He was so glad that Sophia had decided to stay in Cricket Creek. She and Avery made the cutest couple. Yes, she just might be the girl who will mend Avery’s broken heart.

  13

  We’ve Only Just Begun

  Carrie Ann looked down at the silver key in the palm of her hand and swallowed hard. She’d been standing there on the front porch of Easton’s cabin for about five minutes but had felt odd about letting herself inside. Maybe she’d just stand there until Easton arrived and pretend she just got there? Then again, the breeze up on the ridge was getting stiffer and she sure could use a glass of wine. But did she help herself and open a bottle or wait for Easton? Did she start puttering around in his state-of-the-art kitchen and try to learn how to use some of his newfangled gadgets?

  What if she broke something?

  Carrie Ann stared at the key, wondering if accepting his gesture was such a good idea after all. Were they moving too fast? After squeezing her fingers over the cold metal, she closed her eyes. This was stupid. By all rights, she should be over the moon that Easton had offered her the key with an open invitation to come and go. And having a selection of clothing and toiletries at his cabin would be so much less stressful than lugging her things over here each time she came for a visit. Getting dressed in the same outfit the following morning had a slight walk-of-shame feel to it.

  But then would Easton soon go a step further and ask her to move in with him? Okay, she adored the cabin and wanted them to spend more time together during the week. But her house up in town was the only home she’d ever lived in. She could walk to A Cut Above, Grammar’s Bakery, Wine and Diner, the park, or anywhere else she wanted to go. She just couldn’t see herself ever moving, or heaven forbid, selling her home to someone else. That house held memories of her father. She could never let it go.

  Could she?

  Carrie Ann’s heart thumped around in her chest at the thought. But then again, what would it be like to wake up every morning in Easton’s strong arms? Drink coffee out on the back deck? Sleep in on the weekends or stay up late making love? Hot damn, the man knew his way around a woman’s body . . . her body. And who knew that she could be so uninhibited after so many years of being celibate? And at her age? In truth, she never knew a man’s touch could feel so good.