by Jean Oram
"Oh, tell them to live a little. They might find it quaint. Like the B&B outside town."
"That was last decorated in the '90s," he said with scorn.
"It's cute!"
Nash raised an eyebrow and quirked his lips.
"Well, we think it's cute," she said with a giggle. "Are all your friends from the city?"
"Yes. Most of them. Some are overseas."
Beth slipped her arms around Nash's neck. "It would mean a lot to me to have it here. And it would also be so much easier to plan. Everything we need is right here and you wouldn't have to miss as many shifts."
"Well," Nash looked at his list of dates with reluctance. "I'll think about it. It would have to be a very different sort of wedding than I've been envisioning."
Beth smiled. "Have you been reading my wedding magazines?" she asked playfully.
He turned away, slipping out of her grasp to straighten a picture. "We should pick a date."
"You have!" Beth clapped her hands together. "You are so great!" She skipped over to Nash and gave him a huge kiss. Planning their wedding together would be awesome. His attention to details would make this amazing.
"We need a date."
"Does that mean we can have it here?" Beth stepped back, hands clasped. She batted her eyelashes.
"I didn't say that."
"Oh. Okay." Beth turned back the covers and worked at keeping her mouth shut. This was an important battle. More important than cake, flowers, invitations, or even the band. She closed her eyes and envisioned them getting married in town, surrounded by familiarity and friends. Sort of like what she'd started to plan with Oz, only with a different groom. And maybe a little more extravagant thanks to Nash's input.
"You know I love you," he said, setting his watch on his bedside table. "I promised to take care of you. If it's important to you, it's important to me."
She met his clear blue eyes, trembles of excitement weaving through her.
"Let's do it," he said, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. "Let's have an Blueberry Springs wedding." He laughed and threw his hands in the air.
"I love you!" Beth bounded over the bed and leapt onto Nash. She wound her arms tightly around his neck and her legs around his waist.
"Shit!" Nash's legs gave out, and they crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Beth giggled and peppered his face with kisses. "Oops. Sorry!"
"Warn me next time. You're heavier than you look."
Beth climbed off him, her cheeks burning. He could knock Oz down with one punch—a man who was able to catch her every time—but he couldn't catch her without collapsing?
Stop it! She had to stop comparing the two. She was engaged to Nash. They were two completely different men.
Nash picked himself off the floor, rubbing his elbow before testing its movement. "Should we pick a date and see if, what—the community center—is free?"
"Yes. The hall is great for the reception."
"Isn't there a golf club or something?"
"Out here?" Beth shook her head. "Nope. Not close by, anyway. Let's pick a date. We can have the service in the center, too." Or not, judging by the look on Nash's face. "Either way, picking our date shouldn't be a problem in terms of availability for venues." She knew full well that for Nash it was a church service, or pretty much nothing. But she may as well let him feel as though he was winning something substantial, too.
"Let's see what's available for April."
"That soon?" She tried not to look surprised or smile too big.
"Why wait?"
Beth looked into Nash's crystalline eyes and nodded. "Okay."
He'd soon see how easy and fast it would be to plan a wedding here. People would be efficient, helpful, and simply awesome. Just the way he liked. Within weeks he'd be talking about raising their kids here.
All she had to do was let Blueberry Springs win him over.
***
Beth eased Oz's truck into a snowy parking spot outside Will's place hoping Gran had her information right. She also hoped to have the truck back to Oz before word spread back to Nash that she was asking favors of her ex. True, she'd only had to send Oz a quick text when she hadn't been able to borrow anyone else's truck. He'd left it unlocked and warming up in his driveway so all she had to do was jump in and go. But, for some reason, she still felt as though she'd stepped across some invisible line. It didn't help that the familiar, dusty man smell that the truck's interior emitted felt like home. She only hoped that Nash would understand that borrowing Oz's truck was a last ditch attempt to get Katie back as a friend.
She stomped the snow off her boots while heading into the entry of Will's apartment building. Having no security doors, she brushed by the new, potted houseplants dotting the entryway and let herself down the hall to Will's main floor suite and knocked.
Katie opened the door, her usual smooth ponytail looking like someone had placed her head in a box of monkeys and given the thing a shake. "What?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at Beth.
"I have a truck."
"Congratulations." She started closing the door.
"It's for you."
The door stopped moving. "What?" Katie narrowed her eyes again, taking a second look at Beth who was wearing her old winter jacket and Levi's with the knee ripped out of them.
"I'm here to help."
"Oz is supposed to be bringing his truck," Katie said, dismissing her.
Beth paused. No wonder it had been so easy. She'd just freed him up to spend an evening at home, arms around Mandy, drinking beer. Son of a bitch.
She glanced at her left finger.
Not her problem.
Right.
Carry on.
Beth pushed on the door, trying to gently barge in before Katie turned her away and she ended up looking like a fool. A fool without a best friend. "It's Oz's truck. Now, do you need help or what?"
Katie stepped aside, her face a myriad of emotions. And all of them containing an undercurrent of snoopy, curiosity-driven intrigue that made Beth want to talk full stream so Katie wouldn't get a chance to open her yap.
"So?" Beth asked, quickly. "What needs to be moved? Gran said the couch?" She kicked off her boots and wandered into the living room. "What are you up to?"
"The big blabber mouth," Katie muttered. "It'll be a miracle if news of this makeover hasn't found its way to Will already."
Beth halted and looked at what used to be Will's living room. "Uh? When does Will come home?" She checked her watch. It was already 5:45pm. If this was the last day of his conference he could be home at any moment and the place was a disaster.
"He said nine."
Beth relaxed and peeked inside an open box. Fabric. The next box had throw cushions. She lifted one and refrained from asking Katie what she was thinking giving a man throw cushions.
"What?" Katie asked, hands on hips. Beth shook her head and dropped the cushion back in the box.
"I know what you're thinking," Katie said. "That throw cushions aren't Will. But at my place he always tucks one under his arm and two under his head when he sprawls on his side to watch a movie. He'll like them."
Beth stroked the cushion's fabric. Okay, maybe the girl did know what she was doing. And the fabric was kind of manly. You know, for something that wasn't leather or denim.
"So, what do you have left to do in order to transform this place?" Beth asked.
Katie ran a hand through her hair and ended up messing up her ponytail even more. She pulled out the elastic and redid it, smoothing it out. "I have to put the new coffee table and bookshelf together. Grab the plants from the entry, hang the curtains and put up the rods, put down the new throw rug. Haul the old couch out to the dump and pick the new one up at the depot."
"When do they close?"
"Seven. Well, there is someone there until seven. They closed at four."
Beth pulled the coffee table out of its box and looked at the legs. Screw on kind. Nice. She began screwing them in, one by one, tryi
ng to ignore the fact that Katie was simply watching, not doing anything. Keeping her head down, she screwed in the last leg and set the table upright. She brushed the specks of packing debris off the surface and finally looked up at Katie.
"Why are you helping me?" Katie asked quietly, her eyes resting on Beth's ring.
"Because you are my best friend." Beth blinked rapidly, trying to diffuse the silly tears that had appeared.
"Okay." Katie said finally. She stood and brushed off her pants. "How about we take the couch out next? It'll give us some room. Plus, the dump closes soon."
They began moving furniture out of the way in order to move the couch down the hall toward the door.
"So... um?" Beth waited for Katie to look up. "Will you be my maid of honor?"
Katie blinked about twenty times before closing her jaw and composing herself. "Right. Sorry. Congratulations." With forced moves she gave Beth a quick hug. "That's exciting, huh?"
Beth nodded. "I could use some help planning the wedding."
Katie laughed so hard she had to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"What?" Beth asked, feeling slighted.
"You know more about weddings than anyone I know. You've got a zillion bridal magazines and have already picked out invitations and a dress."
"That was for Oz."
Katie jerked like a dog reaching the end of its leash. She carefully smoothed out her shirt and reached for her coat. "Right. Well, let's get this smelly old couch out of here."
Beth refused to follow Katie's lead.
"Are you coming?" Katie asked, leaning down to shove the couch.
"You don't approve, do you?" Beth asked in a low voice. She knew Katie was peeved and didn't see the potential in Nash or even how much she'd grown to care for him, but she hadn't thought it was this bad.
Katie straightened, her face flushed with emotion. "You know what I did on Christmas Day? Late in the afternoon?"
Beth slowly shook her head, unsure whether she wanted to hear what Katie was going to say.
"I was going to come over and offer you congratulations, but I ended up getting Oz from the drunk tank. Too much eggnog and rum. And you know why he did that, of course."
Beth sucked in a sharp breath. Every move she took destroyed Oz. She placed a hand on Katie's arm. "I'm sorry."
"No." Katie pulled her arm away. "You're not."
"Excuse me?" Beth stepped back, arms crossed.
"It's because of you."
"What's because of me?" Beth asked carefully.
"That incident. He heard you got engaged and went off and got plastered."
"It's hardly my fault that I can't live my life without him acting like a dork."
Katie raised her eyebrows, daring Beth to fight. Beth let out a long sigh and raised her hands in defeat. When Katie got like this there was no arguing with her and if she did, she'd only end up pushing Katie further away.
She fell into a heap on the couch, a waft of its fishy smell wrapping around her, as she burst into tears. "I can't live like I have forever, Katie. If I want a family—and I do—I have to keep moving forward. Oz doesn't want me. I waited eight years for him and had him for two and a half. I can't wait another eight just to see if comes back to me. You and I want him to want me, but he broke up with me." Tears streaming down her face, she looked to Katie whose expression was grim.
After a few moments Katie sagged onto the couch and wrapped an arm around Beth. "Okay."
"Okay what?" Beth asked once she got control of her emotions.
"Okay, I'll be your bridesmaid or maid of honor, or whatever. But I really don't think I'm equipped to help with the wedding. Anyway, I hear Nash is doing a fine ol' bang-up job of it." She gave a quiet, half laugh.
"Richard says the hall is booked." Beth's tears refreshed themselves and tore down her cheeks.
"Then pick another date."
"We did." Beth swiped at tears with the sleeve of her coat. "Everything we've picked is booked." She turned to face her friend. "How can that be possible?"
"Hm. That is weird."
"I'm trying to convince Nash to stay here. That we could raise a family in Blueberry Springs and I was hoping the wedding would solidify what a great place it is, but it everyone's being a bunch of dicks. I don't get it. This is my home." Beth fought off a fresh wave of tears and stood up. She took a deep breath and readied herself to move the couch and forget about everything.
"He wants to leave Blueberry Springs?" Katie said, her voice sounding odd.
"He's always been clear that he's only here to fulfill his contract and gain experience."
Katie frowned. "Where would you guys go?"
"Dakota, I guess."
"The city?"
Beth nodded.
"You hated the city."
"It's not that bad," Beth said quickly. "I loved Paris."
"You were on vacation."
"Cities have their perks when you're with someone who knows and loves them."
Katie stood up and studied Beth for a minute. "You really actually love him, don't you?"
Beth gave a sigh of disbelief and barely refrained from leaving the room. "I'm not so desperate for kids that I'll marry the first man to come along."
"Sorry. I just didn't expect it for some reason." Katie frowned. "You know what?"
"What?" Beth asked, not sure she wanted to know.
"I think..." Katie spoke slowly and carefully, seating herself on the couch again. "I think it is pretty brave of you. No, not brave..."
Beth sucked in a slow, quiet breath, making herself wait for Katie to finish before she went volcano on her ass.
"I think it is... honorable. Or maybe self-sacrificing. Or... anyway, it's cool that you let Oz go." Katie struggled with her words. "I mean... this isn't coming out very well. But what I mean is that someone like Mandy would have trapped Oz and made him be the man she wanted. You didn't slip up with the birth control." Katie looked up at Beth, her eyes dark and thoughtful. "You listened to him and respected his wishes even though they went against yours." Katie studied her hands. "And I guess I still wish that you and Oz would get back together because you guys were so good. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. But things change and... and you have to move on. It's the right thing to do." She let out a loud sigh of defeat and looked up at Beth. "I hope you know you'll always be my sister, in my heart, even if it isn't by marriage. You're family."
Beth whispered over the lump in her throat, "Thank you." She gave her friend a long, hard hug. This is what Blueberry Springs was about. Right here. Why didn't Nash see it and want to be a part of it? She blinked back tears, feeling torn between the man she loved and the family she'd been a part of her whole life.
Katie pushed her away and pulled out her cell phone. "Okay," she swiped at her damp eyes. "Now. About the hall. There is no way in hell it's booked. I'm going to get you a wedding date come hell or high water."
***
"Thank you, Oz," Beth said, cutting the truck's engine in the driveway. "We really appreciated it."
"Glad to be of service." He tipped an imaginary hat, his eyes clear and bright. "Have to help out my lovely ladies."
She slipped out of his truck, gently closing the door behind her. She ignored the fact that he'd included her as one of his ladies and that since his name was still decaled on the driver's side door, right above the handle, that her name could very well still be on the passenger side. Through all their errands, she'd carefully avoided being on that side of the truck. Although why would it still be there? And why did she feel a trace of dark disappointment at the idea of her name being peeled off?
"You two managed okay? You were gone awhile." He stepped from side to side in the cold, the snow crunching under his size ten feet. Soft flakes drifted out of the low winter sky and landed in his hair.
"She bit off more than she could chew, but we got it done." She looked away, uncomfortable standing this close and without distraction.
"Thanks for helping her out."
Oz looked up, his eyes quiet. "I'm sorry about the fight."
Beth paused, uncertain which fight he was referring to. She muttered quickly, "It wasn't your fault."
"It was."
Beth handed Oz the truck keys, hoping he'd step back so she could edge around him and make her escape. Her evening was going well and she didn't want to blow it by staying around Oz for too long. Katie had already proved her worth as a maid of honor by wrangling the hall manager into booking the hall—little did he know he was so busted for lying—and she was floating on a heavenly cloud of goodwill, hope, and anticipation. This was the beginning of everything turning around with their wedding planning and Nash falling in love with Blueberry Springs for what it really was. Family. Family that fought. Family that looked out for each other. Family that was well-meaning even when it interfered. Plain and simple, family she loved when the chips were down.
She'd never be alone in Blueberry Springs, and Oz got that. He knew what this town was.
"Well, I need to get..." she paused, unable to choke out the word home. She glanced up at the trailer cozied into the snowdrifts behind Oz. It was up for sale and there had been no interest. She went to brush past Oz.
He let her by, her jacket brushing his hoodie. "How's the Volvo running?"
"Fine," she replied over her shoulder.
"I see you've lost the plug off your block heater." He followed her to the car and crouched down in front of the bumper. He lifted the frayed end of the electrical cord. "You need to get that fixed. We're due for a cold snap."
Beth paused by the driver's side door. "I know." She hesitated, then came over to look at it. "I bought one of those replacement ends you always got, but I—"
"I'll grab my screwdriver. Do you have it with you?"
Beth shook her head.
"Hmm. Well, I'm sure I have an extra in the toolbox. You can't be driving around like that in the middle of winter. You'll get stranded somewhere."
Beth opened her mouth to protest.
"It'll only take me a minute." He backed toward the trailer. "Promise."
Beth nodded and sighed. Fine. He could fix her car. He'd done it a million times. Or at least as many times as she'd driven off with her car still plugged in. She'd asked Nash if he could figure out how to do it, but he'd backed away as soon as she mentioned electricity. Seriously. You either got it right and things worked, or you blew yourself up. What was the big deal?
