Weddings & Wine Cake_A Culinary Cozy Mystery

by Nancy McGovern

  “Oh.” Rachel felt a little stupid. She and Valentina had been rather desperate to pin the crime on anyone but her father. If Valentina hadn’t made that off-hand remark about time, Rachel would never have thought back to the clock, and she’d never have put together that Denise had been the one to do it.

  Luck, not skill, had really helped her this time, and she thanked her stars for it. For once, she’d been far too clouded by emotion to do anything sensibly. But, at least, it had all worked out in the end. She looked at her father, who had one hand around Valentina and the other around a beaming Abuelita, and she felt warm all over.

  Then she turned to Scott, who was talking to a police officer, and she felt cold inside. So much had happened since Denise got arrested that they’d had no time to talk.

  He’d been protective when he found out what happened. And, yet, he’d been distant too. Rachel wished she knew how to open up a conversation with him. But she had no idea where to start. She bit her lip, wishing a solution would fall into her lap.

  A car screeched to a halt in the parking lot and, to Rachel’s surprise, her mother got out.

  “Lily?” Ryan’s eyes widened.

  “You!” Abuelita brandished her cane. “Get back.”

  Lily looked at her feet, embarrassed. “I just wanted to apologize,” she said. “Ryan, I know this is probably the worst time, but I have to leave for the airport in two hours. Is there any chance we could have lunch together? You, me and Rachel?”

  “Over my—” Abuelita began.

  “Grandma, it’s okay.” Valentina’s voice was soft, soothing. She placed a hand on Abuelita’s shoulder and squeezed. Then she looked up at Lily, searching her face. She seemed to find something there she liked, because Valentina nodded with a smile. “Go ahead,” she said. “If Ryan wants to, that is.”

  Ryan stared at Lily as though she were a mass of crawling snakes.

  “Please?” Lily asked softly.

  “Alright,” Ryan said. “One hour. That’s it. Let’s go.” He squeezed Valentina’s hand and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll meet you back at the resort.”

  “Rachel? You’ll come with us, right?” Lily asked.

  Rachel looked back at Scott, who’d finished his conversation and was now standing with his hands folded. He nodded at her, “I’ll meet you at the resort, too.”

  “Alright, then,” Rachel agreed. “Lunch it is.”

  It was awkward at first. Lily drove them to an Italian place with wood-fired pizza and Rachel felt strangely nostalgic. When she was a kid, Saturdays were pizza-days, and they’d often driven to a nearby Pizza Hut to have what, at the time, felt like the fanciest meal in the world. They’d been a family for years, and it felt so easy to be together that way — even if it was possibly for the last time.

  Lily stared into her cup of coffee for a long time, as the waiter took their orders. She seemed almost afraid to look up and face Rachel and Ryan. When she finally did, it was an act of courage.

  “I could apologize a thousand times and still not make up for what I’ve done,” Lily said. “Ryan, I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

  “You’re right.” Ryan’s voice was cold. “You still can’t make up for it.”

  “Would it help if I explained?” Lily asked.

  “Probably not,” Ryan said.

  “I’m an idiot,” Lily said. “I’m old, and alone, and just broke up with my boyfriend. When Leon called and told me you needed my help, I knew deep inside that it would only cause drama. I knew I should let you go. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Because…” Lily hesitated. “Because I didn’t want to let you go. If it makes sense, I always thought that someday we’d find our way back to each other. I didn’t want to believe that a different woman could make you happy. Much less someone who’s so much younger, and prettier and richer than me.” Lily bit her lip. “I swear, I came out here to Key West because Leon convinced me I’d be saving you. I was an absolute idiot, and I understand if you never want to see me again. I just wanted to say I’m truly sorry for it.”

  “I don’t forgive you,” Ryan said flatly. “I don’t ever want to see you again after this.”

  Lily nodded. “I get that.”

  “No. You don’t get that,” Ryan said. “I’ll always have a soft spot for you, Lily. But too much has happened between us. We can’t turn the clock back. I’ve got a real shot at happiness with Valentina. I’m insanely lucky that she wants to be with me, that she loves me the way she does and I plan to spend the rest of my life making her the happiest woman on the planet. Get it?”

  “Got it.” Lily looked a bit tearful. “Honestly. I get it. I wish you luck, Ryan. I really hope you guys live a wonderful life together.”

  “Well...I...” Ryan hesitated. “Thanks. For what it’s worth, I hope you find someone, too.”

  Lily smiled at him and they gave each other a nod. Rachel fiddled awkwardly with the tablecloth.

  “I don’t see why I had to be included in this conversation,” she said. “But I’m glad you guys have finally managed to talk things out.”

  “Actually, Valentina called me,” Lily said. “She suggested we do this.”

  “She did?” Ryan stared at Lily open-mouthed.

  “Yes. May I just say she’s an incredible woman?”

  “That she is.”

  Lily bit her lip. “The thing is, Ryan, it’s not just you I should be apologizing to. I think I owe Rachel an apology, too.”

  “Me?” Rachel looked surprised.

  “You,” Lily said. “Ryan and I always dragged you in the middle of our fights, somehow, and I want to promise you that it won’t happen again. I didn’t realize it until it was too late that it wasn’t just Ryan I lost with my behavior. I lost you, too. I don’t want that to happen. I really don’t. I want us to have a relationship. Adult to adult.”

  “Mom, I—”

  “No, hear me out.” Lily took a deep breath. “I know your dad and I always pushed you to have a big career. I don’t care about any of that anymore. I just want you to find happiness, and I just want to be there for you while you find it.”

  “Yeah, but she might just find her happiness in New York, running the firm with me,” Ryan said. “What say, Rachel? I’m top dog at the firm now. We could really create something special together.”

  Ignoring her father, Rachel held out her hands and gave her mother a tight hug. “Alright,” she said, her voice tight. “I’ll call more often. We’ll meet more often. I promise, mom.”

  “Good,” Lily said. “I hope I can get to know that Scott better. He really seems like a delightful young man.”

  “You really think our daughter couldn’t do better?” Ryan asked with a frown. “That chap took altogether too much pleasure in hauling me off to jail.”

  Lily turned on him. “You,” she said, “need to pull your head out from wherever it is stuck, and really look at your daughter, Ryan Rowan. Stop thinking of what you’d like her to do, and start thinking of what would actually make her happy.”

  Chastened, Ryan sat back.

  “Personally, I love him,” Lily said. “I can tell that he really, deeply cares about you and that he’s a good man with a backbone. Just what you need.”

  “I suppose I can’t argue too much with that.” Ryan sighed. “Fine. If he’s what you want, if that life in Swaddle is what you want, I give you my blessings, too.”

  Lily beamed. “Good.” She said. “Now why don’t you tell us what’s happening between you and Scott? I feel this is one of those things where, grown up as you are, you need a bit of parental advice.”

  “That obvious, is it?” Rachel sighed.

  Ryan nodded. “I mean, even I could see it, thick as I am.”

  Rachel told them everything and listened, really listened, when they talked.

  *****

  Chapter 24

  A Conversation

  Scott was at the resort, sitting on a sun lounger and staring out at the blue ocean, when Rachel got there. I
t was a cloudless day, and the sky was a powdery blue, looking as though it had been bleached clean.

  “Can I sit?” Rachel asked.

  “Oh, hey.” Scott sat up a little, putting aside the margarita in his hand. “I didn’t see you there.”

  “Yeah. You looked a little lost in your thoughts.” Rachel sat down beside him. “Penny for your thoughts?”

  Scott hesitated. “I was just wondering when you’re going to say, ‘I told you so’.”

  “Huh?”

  “About your father,” Scott said. “You were right to believe in him. I was absolutely wrong.”

  “You know, much as I love hearing those words, I disagree,” Rachel said. “I know you were doing what you thought was right and I really can’t blame you for it. The stress got to me that day. I was unnecessarily harsh to you. I mean, I called you selfish. You, the nicest, most helpful person in the world. I’m sorry. I think I behaved like an angsty teenager instead of an actual adult.”

  Scott threw back his head and laughed. “Are you kidding me? You’re apologizing?”

  “I am,” Rachel said.

  “Rach, your mom had just gotten out of jail and your dad was just going in. I’m actually surprised you didn’t freak out more than you did. You don’t need to apologize.”

  “I still want to,” Rachel said. “But here’s the thing. All that stuff you said about me being too ambitious. About me not belonging in Swaddle. Do you believe it?”

  Scott looked uncomfortable. “Do we have to discuss this?”

  “Yes.”

  “Partly, yes,” he said. “I think you’re under-selling yourself and settling for the life you have when you could have a much better one. If you went to New York with your father, you really could be a multimillionaire in a very short time. That’s nothing to dismiss.”

  “True,” Rachel said. “But then I wouldn’t have you.”

  “So?” Scott shrugged. “I mean… we haven’t moved in together, we aren’t engaged… what would you really lose?”

  “Now you’re just fishing for compliments.” Rachel grinned.

  Scott frowned, looking slightly embarrassed. “Maybe I am.”

  “My parents are ambitious people, Scott. Good for them. It doesn’t mean I have to be,” Rachel said. “I’ve lived that life before, remember? Eight years of it. It didn’t make me half as happy as Swaddle does. As you do.”

  Scott looked suddenly shy, his ears turning red.

  “I talked to my parents about our fight,” Rachel said. “You know what my dad said?”

  “What?” Scott looked wary.

  “Well, first he apologized for the way he treated you,” Rachel said. “He said he’d been a terrible snob, and he kind of felt terrible about it.”

  Scott shrugged. “No hard feelings, I guess.”

  “Then, he told me that he could see in my eyes how much I loved you. He told me not to let my ego and my self-doubts get in the way of my love,” Rachel said. “He said that’s what he did the first time around with my mom, and that I shouldn’t follow his footsteps.”

  “He did?” Scott raised an eyebrow. “Okay...”

  “He’s right, you know. You were right, too. I wasn’t willing to take that next step with you because it felt too big, and I felt too scared. I mean… I’ve already broken an engagement once. What’s to stop it from happening again?”

  “Oh, Rachel.”

  “I know, I know.” Rachel shrugged. “It’s dumb. But there it is.”

  Scott paused. “For what it’s worth, I’ll wait as long as it takes. I don’t want to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want.”

  “I know.” Rachel’s throat felt tight. “That’s just you, isn’t it? When you love someone, you just want the best for them. You don’t care whether it’ll hurt you or not.”

  “Will it?” Scott asked. “Hurt me? Will you?”

  Rachel shook her head. “I hope not.”

  “So… what now?”

  “What now? I turned down Dad’s offer to join him in New York. I’m not giving up everything I’ve built in Swaddle, not even for a few million dollars,” Rachel said. “I’m definitely not giving you up. That’s that. End of discussion.”

  “End of discussion.” There was a broad smile on Scott’s face, and he reached out to grab her. Rachel avoided him easily, and shook her finger.

  “One more thing,” she said. “I was trying to figure out what to do about you. I mean, when you meet someone who’s willing to stand by you like a rock in the toughest of situations and dunk you into the ocean for fun every once in a while… someone who’s kind, loyal, smart and hot as a forest fire, what do you do?”

  “What do you do?”

  “Marry him.” Rachel shrugged. “I figure that’s what I should do. You’re perfect for me, Scott. I’m a bag of nerves at times, and I’m too anxious for my own good at others, but I love you, and if you’ll have me, I’m yours.”

  “Wait, is this a proposal? Because you should be down on one knee if it is a proposal,” Scott teased.

  “Alright.” Rachel got up off the chair, and began to kneel. Quick as a shot, Scott stood up and swooped her off her feet. Kissing her hard enough to make her dizzy, he began walking to the ocean.

  “What are you doing?” Rachel giggled.

  “Dunking you in the ocean,” he said. “It did get mentioned as one of my better qualities. Figure I should do more of it when I have the chance.”

  “And my proposal?”

  “Well, seeing as you don’t have a ring and I’m an old-fashioned man, we’re putting that off for another day,” Scott said. “I’ll do the proposing, thank you very much.”

  “That’s a really funny way to say yes.” Rachel grinned.

  She yelped in horror as he dunked her into the water, which felt shockingly cold after the heat of the beach. She dragged him in after her, and their lips met in a kiss that was exactly what she needed: one part tenderness, two parts passion.

  *****

  Epilogue

  Wedding & Wine Cake

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest said.

  There were only about a dozen people sitting in the rows behind them, but Ryan and Valentina got a thundering ovation as they kissed each other. Dr. Gomez, who still had a bandage on his head, seemed to clap loudest of all. Rachel spied Abuelita sobbing uncontrollably into a handkerchief, and had to wipe away a tear of her own.

  Tony, too, wiped at a corner of his eye and gave her father a bright thumbs up as man and bride began walking down the aisle. Scott had an arm around Rachel’s shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. She put her own arm around him and, once more, admired the engagement ring that now sat on her finger.

  At the reception, Valentina proudly cut into the three-tiered wine cake that Abuelita had lovingly prepared, and Rachel had helped with. As the cake was passed around, Scott and Rachel went up to congratulate the newly married couple.

  “We’re just relieved it’s finally done,” Ryan said. “Just the way we wanted it, too. A quiet affair with friends and family.”

  “Right. The more I think of it, the more glad I am that we don’t have to go around and network with your clients at our own wedding,” Valentina said. “There’s a time and place for everything.” She paused suddenly. “It’s hard to think that just a few months ago, our life was so different.”

  “Different,” Ryan agreed. “But it’s better now, and that’s what matters.” There was the slightest tinge of regret in his voice, but he cleared his throat, and held up a champagne glass clinking it against one that Valentina held.

  “I heard Mason is out of your company?” Scott asked.

  Ryan nodded. “We had to fire him, unfortunately. One of our analysts complained that he’d been harassing her for months. Three others backed her. Tony and I bought out his shares.”

  “Good,” Rachel said. “I never liked that guy.”

  “Neither did I,” Scott agreed.

  Ryan sh
rugged. “He’s still young. Hopefully this is a wake up call. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.”

  “Let’s not waste time on him.” Valentina handed a second helping of the wedding cake to Rachel and Scott. “Not when we’ve got another wedding to discuss.”

  Rachel blushed. “Not for some time. We’ve decided to take a year and plan it properly.”

  “How did he propose anyway?” Valentina asked.

  “It was so romantic.” Rachel smiled. “I came home to a house lit with candles one day. He’d cooked an entire meal from scratch, appetizers and all. He even put a little red bow-tie on my dog, Scooter.”

  “Best dog ever,” Scott piped up.

  “He proposed over dinner, and I said yes.” Rachel smiled.

  Valentina clapped Scott on the back. “Well done! I’m so glad you two made it.”

  “Come on,” Ryan said, as music started up in the hall. “This is our song. Let’s show these people what a real dance looks like.”

  “Right behind you, husband!” Valentina smiled.

  “Cheers,” Scott said.

  Looking up at her father, Rachel wondered what the years would bring him. So much had been lost — a life, a friendship, a marriage. Yet she hoped that, from here on out, her father would find the happiness that had eluded him so far. Seeing the brilliant smile that Valentina gave him, Rachel couldn’t help but smile, too.

  The past was in the past, and the future beckoned.

  The End

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