by Jillian Dodd
I have to bite my tongue to stop from saying something of that effect about all the Martins, but since she showed up at my door, I don’t exactly qualify for sainthood myself.
Time you come home.
Vale
I go back to the tent in a daze and take a seat in the corner, hiding behind a plant. I need a minute. I’m still shocked over two things.
Carter was going to propose?
And my mom has my dad on a tight rope?
Am I just an idiot? Have I been wrong all this time about my parents’ relationship?
The answer to that question is answered pretty quickly when my father marches into the tent with the wedding planner.
“Sarah,” he says to my mother, “come down off that ladder, please.”
My mom puffs out her chest, clearly irritated by the whole situation.
Dad takes her hand. “I’ve taken care of everything.”
Mom looks at the wedding planner with a shrewd eye. The woman practically recoils.
“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding about the lights on the sides of the tent. I’ve spoken to the tent company—”
My father coughs.
“Well, I spoke to them after your husband did. Needless to say, they are sending a crew that will arrive in less than thirty minutes and hang the lights.”
It’s only then that my mom gets off the ladder and practically falls into my father’s arms. The relief on her face is clear. “Thank you,” she says to him and gives him a kiss. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
My dad grins at her like he just won a medal. “Let’s hope we don’t ever have to find out.”
The wedding planner stands there awkwardly, pretending to be occupied by something written on her clipboard.
When Mom turns to her, the planner says, “Why don’t you go start getting ready with the girls? The makeup team is all set up and ready for you. If you’d like, when the tent is finished, I’ll let you know, so you can make sure everything is to your satisfaction. Again, I apologize for the error. I hope you will be able to relax and enjoy your time with your daughter from here on out.”
“Thank you. I will. And, yes, I would like to see the final product with enough time to make any necessary changes.”
She and my dad leave. The tent is empty. My sisters must have gone to the house to get ready, knowing I was going to get our father.
I realize my life is at a turning point. That this weekend is like a pivot. And I have two big decisions to make. The first is easy. I need to heal old wounds. I need to go to the house, talk to my dad, and probably apologize to my mom. Maybe explain the pressure I felt, even though I now know it was probably out of love. I mean, it would be scary as a parent for your child to announce she was moving away. That she wanted a completely different life than the one you’d envisioned for her.
And I hope that will spark them to apologize too. To tell me that they are proud of what I’ve accomplished. That they understand why I had to do what I did. And that it was the right decision for me.
But today is not the day. Not on my sister’s wedding day.
I’ll talk to them about all this tomorrow before I leave town.
Then, there’s the next issue.
Carter was going to propose?
Honestly, I can’t even deal with that right now.
It’s just too much all at once.
Because I think in order to have a future with him, I need to get a handle on my past.
I go to the house, pour myself a mimosa, which is very heavy on the champagne, and then proceed to change into one of the matching robes my sister bought everyone to wear for today. We pose for numerous getting-ready shots, and then it’s my turn to get my makeup done. It’s something I’m used to, and I can practically sleep through the process.
An hour and a half and a whole lot of girlie laughter and fun going on around me later, I’m next up in the chair to get my hair curled and pulled back into a twist.
The wedding planner comes in and gets Mom to go check on everything, and she’s happy when she returns.
“Everything looks just perfect, Lakelyn,” she says, her eyes sparkling.
And I can tell she’s thrilled to have been able to do all this for her daughter. She and Lakelyn hug tightly, and then Mom presents her with our great-grandmother’s pearl earrings to wear for the ceremony.
I’m actually tearing up, and I find myself wishing my mother and I had a better relationship.
Once I’m ready, I go upstairs and put on my dress.
I’m just down the stairs and making my way back to the dining room when my dad steps out of his study.
“Can you come in here for a moment?” he asks politely.
I take a fleeting glance toward the dining room, where I can see the girls gathered, sipping mimosas and chatting excitedly.
“Uh, sure. What’s up?” I ask with a smile.
“I think it’s time you come home.”
Oh, for goodness’ sake. Really? He has to start this now?
“You think so?”
“I do. We’d like to see more of you. We’d like to see you more settled.”
“I’m engaged,” I say. “I’m getting there, obviously.”
“And we really like Carter. But I am good at reading people. Something is off between the two of you. Or with your career. Is it something you’d like to discuss?”
I try to remain calm, but all the old hurt comes out in my voice. “My career, the one you think is stupid, is going quite well actually. I just signed a multimillion-dollar contract to be the face of a very successful designer brand.”
“Regardless, you seem unsettled. You don’t even own a home. It’s no way to live. A person needs grounding. You need a real life.”
“The last time I checked, my life is real. Very real. And I like it the way it is.”
“You have no roots,” he scoffs. “Nothing steady.”
“You don’t have the slightest idea of what I have, Dad. I travel all over the world. I have friends all over the world. I make a lot of money. I have people in my life who I care about and who care about me. I’ve never spent a holiday alone. But you dismiss it all.”
He scoffs again, “Carter is a good man. But nothing he’s said has indicated that you are willing to settle down. Even though you agreed to marry him. How is your life going to work?”
“We’ll figure it out. It’s none of your business.”
“My children, no matter how old they get or how high-horsed they get, will always be my business,” he says. “You need to be here some. With your family. You’re missing out on your nieces and nephews growing up.” He waves a hand, scowling. “You had your fun. But life isn’t about fun. It’s about hard work. About building something. You aren’t building a legacy, Vale. Once your looks fade and jobs stop coming in, what will you have?”
“How dare you,” I whisper. I’m so outraged that I can barely hold back the tears, but there is no way I’m going to let him see me cry because I’m angry. He’ll read it as a weakness. “You have never once reached out. Never offered to come out and see what I’ve built. The career I have. The life I live. Never. Don’t you dare talk to me about my life when you don’t have the first clue what it’s about.”
“I know what I need to know.”
“How?!” I shout. “How do you know? No one in this family knows, and you want to know why? Because they’re all too afraid of crossing you!”
“You could’ve come home!”
“For what? This?!” I throw my hands into the air. “I should’ve come home, so I could hear the big speech about how my place is in the home?”
His mouth opens like he’s about to throw off a comeback, but the door to the study opens.
“What’s going on?” Lakelyn says. Her eyes are wide, and her hair is in huge rollers. “I could hear you down the hall.”
I have to deliberately compose my face. “Everything’s fine. Just the same old argument.”
“I’m just trying to get her to come home once in a while.” He points to me. “She needs to get off her high horse and just listen for once.”
“Just like my place is here too, right?” Lakelyn says. When she juts out her chin, she looks downright vicious. “I’m already tired of hearing that from you, so I can only imagine how sick of it Vale must be by now. What is it with you and this obsession with keeping us here? You know AJ and I will be moving around.”
“Did it ever occur to you, Dad, that your children might have dreams of their own? Just like you probably did when you were young?”
“It doesn’t really matter,” Lakelyn says. “Not today anyway. It’s my wedding day, and you are both ruining everything!”
“I’m ruining things?” Dad’s face goes red. “I’d like to remind you, young lady, of just who’s paying for this huge wedding of yours.”
“And that’s exactly the same as you wanting all of us working for you. To keep us dependent so that you can call the shots,” I yell.
“That isn’t at all what I’m about, young lady,” Dad replies, “and you would know that if you bothered to visit every once in a while.”
“Why would I come home for this? So you can remind me why my life isn’t good enough for you?”
“Enough. Both of you!” Lakelyn steps between us, her voice shaking with emotion. “Dad, I am so disappointed in you.” She turns to me. “And you promised you’d get along. I asked you both for one weekend of peace. Instead, you have turned my wedding into a disaster.”
“I’ve tried to give you everything you dreamed of for your big day,” my dad says to Lakelyn, looking stricken.
“I. Didn’t. Ask. For. A. Big. Wedding,” she says, her teeth clenched. “AJ and I wanted a small destination wedding. You and Mom wanted this. And you know what? I’m done.”
She rushes out of the room in tears, and I hear AJ out in the hall, asking her what’s wrong.
The boys must be back from golfing. Dad blusters his way out there, ready for a fight.
“I knew they would fight,” Lakelyn sobs, throwing herself into AJ’s chest. “It’s why I wanted to elope in the first place. I’m sorry, AJ, but I can’t marry you today. Not now. Not like this.”
“What are you saying?” my father demands.
“It’s over, sir,” AJ says. He stands up straight and holds my sister tightly. “Lakelyn agreed to this whole weekend because it’s what you wanted. And because you promised not to fight with Vale. Now, it’s over. The wedding is off. We’re going to elope, and you won’t get to see your daughter walk down the aisle. Because you’ve ruined what was supposed to be her special day.”
“You can’t be serious!” my father yells. “Everything is ready! The guests will be arriving soon.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
The extra mile.
Carter
When I get back from golfing, I get a text from my sister-in-law.
Ashlyn: I might be with the family, having lunch on the terrace right now.
Me: That’s great. Tell everyone I said hi.
Ashlyn: We might be talking about fate.
Me: Oh boy.
Ashlyn: Your fate. And I was just wondering, how’s that going?
I’m getting ready to text her back when I notice that most of the bridal party as well as the wedding planner and her staff are in front of the barn, all looking concerned.
I walk in their direction.
The wedding planner says to Raine, “So, the wedding is off?”
“It’s not off. They are going to elope,” Brooke counters.
“I meant, is it off for today? Should we stop setting up?” the wedding planner asks.
Raine turns to Blake. “What do you think?”
“Lakelyn’s in tears, and Vale’s leaving,” Blake says.
“What did I miss? What happened?” I ask, moving toward them.
Lakelyn and AJ couldn’t have gotten into a fight. We just got back from golfing.
“Vale and Dad started the same old argument again. Lakelyn got into the mix, and now, everything’s a total mess,” Blake says with a shrug.
Raine does the same thing.
“Why don’t you ever stick up for Vale?” I ask because I don’t get it.
“Because they are both stubborn and can’t see the forest through the trees,” Brooke says. “Dad doesn’t really want her to come home forever. He just … it was really hard on him and Mom when she just upped and left. Dad’s bitter about it, but he always goes back to the same message. Vale only hears that her family is trying to hold her back. And I don’t think that’s what Dad means, even back then. I think he was scared of what would happen if she went to LA at eighteen by herself. But she wouldn’t hear any of it.”
“I can see both sides, even more so now that I have kids,” Raine says. “If one of my babies wanted to do what Vale did, I’d be upset too. It would be a fine balance between holding on and letting go. Us siblings, we try to stay neutral, I guess.”
“And she said she’s leaving?” I ask.
“Yep. Maybe you can talk some sense into her. I’m sure if she and Dad made up, Lakelyn wouldn’t be so upset,” Brooke says.
Ashlyn: ???
Me: Don’t ask. It’s not. It’s a disaster. Fate says I’m an idiot.
I run to the house, take the stairs two at a time, and go into her bedroom.
She’s crying and storming around the room, throwing things into her suitcase. “Call up the jet. Do whatever you have to. Just get me the hell out of here.”
“Hang on a second.” I take her by the arms and hold her in place. “Tell me what happened.”
“What do you think happened? He did what he always does. You know, he had the nerve to tell me it’s time to come home and take my place alongside the rest of the family. Like my career, the life I’ve built, has no value. Can you believe that?”
“Can I believe it? Yes, having recently met him.”
To this response, I get a teeny smile. “You know what I mean. And then Lakelyn heard us fighting, and she broke down crying and said he had promised her that he wouldn’t fight with me. Apparently, she and AJ wanted a small destination wedding and even considered eloping. But they had it here because it was what our parents wanted. Now, Lakelyn is sad. AJ is pissed. The wedding is off. And I need to get out of here before I lose it, Carter. I really, really do.”
I pull her against my chest. She bursts into fresh tears.
“Why does he have to be like that?” she asks, her voice cracking. “I don’t need his approval. I really don’t. Yet, for some stupid reason, I want it.”
“You’re strong. Smart. You know what you want and always have. It’s one of the things I’ve always admired about you.”
“I wish my father felt that way. To him, I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not exactly sure that’s what he means.”
She stiffens. “Don’t you dare try to defend him.”
“I’m not trying to defend him. I’m trying to help you feel better. There’s a difference.”
I smooth the hair back from her face, where tears made it stick. “I’m just curious if you’ve ever tried to talk about what happened in the past. I agree that he handled it wrong. He should have given you his full support, but—”
“But what?” she fumes.
“Nothing,” I say, knowing I need to think about her. But at the same time, I think her reconciling with her father is what would be best for her. And their family.
“I’m sorry I got you involved in this whole messed up situation, Carter,” she sobs.
I raise an eyebrow at her. “But, hey, I learned to bale hay.” To this, I get a chuckle. “Do you really think the wedding will be called off?” I glance outside. “Everything looks so beautiful. It would kind of be a shame. What do you say? The sex was amazing last night. Maybe we should get married toda
y instead.”
This completely changes her body language from pissed off to slightly amused.
She tilts her head and studies me. “I know you aren’t serious, but … somehow, that comment has calmed me down a bit.”
“You don’t want you and your dad’s argument to stop your little sister’s wedding. I know, deep down, you don’t.”
“You’re right,” she says with a sigh. “I don’t. But I don’t know how to fix it. And AJ sounded pretty serious.”
“Answer me one question. If I could fix things—you know it’s what I’m good at, negotiating—would you stay for the wedding? We can leave the second it’s over. I’ll stand by you the entire night.”
“You really are a good guy, Carter,” she says. She moves out of my arms and walks over to her window. “It all is really pretty.”
“Then, you stay here. Give me a minute. I’m going to find AJ.”
“What will you say to AJ?”
“I’m not sure, but regardless of what Lakelyn said earlier, she’s been planning to marry the love of her life today. She’s going to be upset if it doesn’t happen.”
She sighs again and plops down in a chair by the window. “You’re probably right about that. I knew I shouldn’t have come.”
“Just … give me a little time. I think I might have an idea on how to work this out.”
I find AJ out by the barn, talking on his phone. It doesn’t take a mind reader to know what’s going on with him. The look of rage on his face tells me all I need to know.
“The first flight you can manage. Yes, today. Right away.” He’s pacing back and forth, his fist all balled up and jammed in his pocket.
“You know,” I say, “if you had an agent, you wouldn’t have to worry about doing things like this yourself when life goes south.”
He looks at me, still on the phone, and shakes his head. His eyes telling me that now’s not the time.
