by Jane Porter
“Bad day?” she asked.
“Frustrating. Winter weather can be disastrous during calving season. I should have been paying more attention. I’m heading back out now. I probably won’t be back until late.”
“Can I make you anything?”
“I already grabbed a bite. Don’t wait up for me tonight.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No.” He approached, kissed her, and headed for the door, grabbing his hat and coat on the way. “Glad you’re home safe.”
“Be careful.”
“Yep.”
*
Joe was out all day Sunday again, and late Sunday night. He came in exhausted, and Sophie reheated a bowl of the beef burgundy she’d tried to make for dinner. It wasn’t as good as she’d hoped, the chunks of meat had been cut too small and had cooked down to nothing, but Joe didn’t seem to notice. He wolfed down the meat and egg noodles and then yawned. “Thank you, I needed that.”
“You must be beat,” she said.
“I am pretty tired.” He stood, stretched, and then remembered something. “Aren’t we supposed to cake test tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Is there any way I can get out of it?”
“Yes! Great idea. I’m happy to cancel. We can just order a cake without—”
“Actually, Mom would love to go with you,” he interrupted. “And then you two were going to look at dresses? You could just do both with her. If you don’t mind.”
Sophie hid her disappointment, because she understood, and truthfully, she knew Mrs. Wyatt would enjoy a day out. “I don’t mind.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“It’s going to be icy. Mom won’t be stable on her feet.”
“I’ll keep a tight grip on her. Won’t let her fall.”
*
Joe was already gone in the morning when Sophie woke up, and Mrs. Wyatt, who usually slept in until midmorning, was up early as well. Joe was right. She was excited about going into town and having a day doing wedding things together.
The cake tasting went well. Mrs. Wyatt really enjoyed the experience, stretching the forty-five minute appointment at Cake Art by Gabby into ninety minutes, but Gabby had no other appointments until later that day and she answered all of Mrs. Wyatt’s questions, and even brought out a few other cake flavors and fillings for them to sample. In the end, they went with the cake combination Mrs. Wyatt said Joe liked best—white layer cake with chocolate mousse filling.
They also discussed the design for the three tiers and Sophie said she would be happy with anything simple and decorated with a few clusters of fresh flowers. Mrs. Wyatt pulled out her folder with the ideas she’d torn from magazines and showed the pictures. “I don’t know if you could include a burlap ribbon around the base, or something else rustic. As you know, the wedding is at the Emerson Barn and it’s rustic chic.”
Sophie almost laughed out loud when she heard Joe’s mom describe the wedding theme, but it wasn’t an unkind laugh. In some ways, Sophie was charmed. Mrs. Wyatt was enjoying the wedding plans far more than Sophie’s mother ever did.
They left the cake tasting and headed to Married in Marietta with Mrs. Wyatt in high spirits despite the obstacles of getting to the parked Jeep through piles of dirty, slushy snow in the gutter and mounded on street corners.
During the short drive to the bridal store, Mrs. Wyatt said that they’d have to choose something that was in stock as there was no time to order anything custom at this point. “However, they’ve assured me the seamstress can alter anything to make it fit you. We just need to find a gown that thrills you.”
Sophie parked in front of Married in Marietta and turned off the engine. “I think I should prepare you that it’s unlikely I’ll find anything that thrills me. If we can find something simple, and inexpensive—”
“Why do you do that? Why keep insisting everything be inexpensive? It takes the fun away.”
Sophie turned to face her mother-in-law. She didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but Sophie was struggling, truly struggling. “Mrs. Wyatt—”
“Maybe it’s time you call me Summer?” Joe’s mom looked up at her and smiled. “Mrs. Wyatt sounds so old, and I know I’m all arthritic, but hopefully I don’t look as old as I feel on the inside.”
There was something so earnest and almost girlish in Mrs. Wyatt’s expression that Sophie’s heart turned over. She couldn’t bear upsetting her mother-in-law, and yet Sophie thought she’d explode if she continued keeping all her emotions and secrets and worries in. Joe was wonderful in his way, but he wasn’t the easiest to talk to. He wanted to solve problems, not listen to problems, and what Sophie really needed now, was someone to just listen.
“Mrs. Wyatt—” Sophie broke off, swallowed, and tried again. “Summer, I have to tell you something. I probably should have told you this before, but this wedding planning is hard for me.” She paused and glanced at Joe’s mom. “It’s not just the money, but that’s part of it. It’s also the planning itself, and the discussion of all the details, from cake to wedding gown. It probably shouldn’t still cause me so much pain. You’d think by now I’d be okay with it.” She stopped talking, and searched her mother-in-law’s face but could see Summer didn’t understand. She wasn’t following.
“I was supposed to get married last year,” Sophie said quietly, not wanting to give away too much about the end of her relationship with Leo and the start of her relationship with Joe, but also desperate to make this terrible awkwardness go away. “A few days before the wedding, my fiancé broke it off. I thought then that maybe he had cold feet. I thought we might get back together. I actually believed that our wedding was still going to go on as planned—and then he called me and confessed that he was in love with someone else.”
The silence in the car was deafening. Sophie was so incredibly uncomfortable. She had no idea what Summer was thinking, but at least it was out there in the open. “It’s not that I don’t want a nice wedding with Joe. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve one. It’s just that I—” Sophie’s voice cracked and tears filled her eyes. “I don’t think I do.” One tear fell, and then another, and she wiped them fiercely, swiftly away. “And so, please don’t think I’m ungrateful when I know you’re trying so hard to be helpful, but in my heart I feel… wrong… letting this wedding happen this way, and feel even worse spending money after all the money my mom spent last December.”
“You couldn’t probably get any of that money back, could you?”
“No.”
“Your mother probably spent a fortune.”
“She did.”
“You blame yourself,” Summer added.
Sophie nodded. “I do.”
“But he was the one to walk away, not you, and now you’re marrying Joe, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Sophie whispered.
“You’re starting a new life together.”
Sophie dashed away another tear and nodded.
“So what part causes you pain? The starting a new life with Joe, or—”
“Not the new life with Joe. I love Joe.” And then she blushed and fell silent as she realized what she’d just said.
She loved Joe.
And as impossible as it all seemed, she did.
Summer reached out and clasped Sophie gently on the forearm. “So the part that gives you pain is the wedding?”
“Yes.”
Summer gave Sophie another little squeeze. “But isn’t what you’re having more of a party? You and Joe have already decided you want to say your vows in private with Revered Rowe. All the guests are being invited to the reception. That’s different from what you were doing in California, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“And I don’t know all the circumstances around your engagement in California, but I know this, you and Joe should celebrate the start of your new life together. I think you’re both very special.”
Fresh tears stung Sophie’s eyes. “I
didn’t think you liked me.”
“I wasn’t a fan of him meeting someone online, but you’ve grown on me.” Summer smiled almost mischievously. “Quite a bit.”
“You’ll be okay with me as your daughter-in-law?”
“I’m delighted to have you as my daughter-in-law.”
“Thank you.” She wiped away one last tear. “You give really good advice.”
“In that case, can I give you one more bit of advice?”
“Of course.”
“Let yourself be happy, Sophie. Don’t you think it’s time?”
Inside the store, Summer settled into an armchair in the corner. “Let’s see you try some dresses on. I want you to model four or five of your favorites for me, and before you march to the discount rack, or suggest we visit a thrift store, you should know that is not happening. Joe is my oldest. He was my first baby. His bride is going to look like a proper bride.” Summer’s expression softened. “You will be such a beautiful bride, too. We just need the right dress.”
It wasn’t all that long ago that Sophie had tried on dozens of bridal gowns. She knew which kind of design flattered her figure. She was too short and too curvy to wear the princess ball gown look. She needed something simple, as well as something classic, and fitted, and so she flicked through the gowns in the big garment bags, but nothing really appealed. She felt as if she’d done all of this before, and had tried on a million dresses before. The truth was, she didn’t want to wear a bridal gown. She didn’t want to wear white at all.
Sophie left the bridal gown section and walked over to the bridesmaid dresses and flicked through pale pink gowns and peach gowns. She looked at light gray gowns and then the light blue gowns and stopped when she found one that was light blue. She didn’t love the cheap satin fabric bodice, but the lace overlay on the skirt reminded her of the lace on the wedding invitations and the price tag said it was less than one hundred dollars and the blue reminded her of Joe’s eyes.
“What about this one?” she said, turning around to show Summer.
Summer just looked at her, obviously not impressed. “Why that one?”
“The blue reminds me of Joe’s eyes.” She smiled. “He has gorgeous eyes.”
“His dad had the same shade of blue.” Summer drew a breath. “His dad was very handsome and very kind. He was truly chivalrous. I loved him madly.”
“Is that why you never married again?”
“There was only one man for me, and that was my JC.” Summer cleared her throat, and shifted her cane. “Let’s get the sales girl over. I like your idea of a blue gown, but surely we can do better than that one.”
Chapter Ten
They did do better than that one. They found a gorgeous dress with a fitted lace bodice, long lace sleeves, and a full tulle skirt, and while the dress was white, the owner of the bridal salon promised that it could be dyed the perfect light, dusty-blue shade.
Summer loved the dress, and it fit Sophie well without too many alterations. It would need to be hemmed, and the sleeves shortened an inch, but it fit her everywhere else.
“Do you really like it?” Summer asked anxiously. “I don’t want you to pick this one because you think I like it—”
“I love it. It’s nothing like the dress I would have worn to marry Leo. It’s nothing like anything I’ve ever worn, but it’s rather perfect for our rustic chic wedding in the Emerson Barn.”
“Now you’re teasing me,” Summer said.
“Maybe a little.” Sophie leaned forward and hugged her mother-in-law. “Thank you for spending today with me. I enjoyed myself.”
“Me, too.”
*
“How did it go?” Joe asked when they arrived home later that afternoon. “You were out all day.”
“Good,” Sophie said brightly. “It was fun.”
Joe’s brow lifted. “Fun?”
She nodded. “Your mom must be exhausted, though. I am,” Sophie said, giving him a hug even as she flashed Summer a smile. “But we got so much done despite the mess the roads were in. It’s so dirty everywhere.”
“Not the pristine-white snow you loved on Saturday,” Joe said.
“No,” she agreed. “But we have a cake ordered, a dress purchased, and a check cut to the caterers.”
Joe’s mom settled into a chair at the kitchen table. “We also had lunch at a cute little place downtown. Java something. Nice sandwiches and salads.”
“And then we stopped by Emerson’s Barn on the way home so I could see it for myself,” Sophie concluded. “It’s really nice. Thinking that we should have the whole reception inside, though. It’d be warmer, and more comfortable for women wearing party dresses.”
“You really did cover it all,” he said, impressed.
“How was your day?”
“We didn’t lose any calves today, and the weather’s warming. We should be up fifteen degrees by Thursday, and almost balmy this weekend.”
“That’s such a crazy change in weather.”
“That’s Montana,” Summer said with a weary smile. “You know, I think I might just go to bed early. I’m more tired than I thought.”
“How about I make you something light to eat?” Sophie offered. “I’d hate for you to go to bed without any dinner.”
“I don’t need dinner, not after all that cake today. I think a cup of tea would be nice and I’ll just turn in.”
“I’ll make the tea,” Sophie offered.
“I’ll help you upstairs, Mom,” Joe said.
*
The next few days passed in a flurry of work, wedding preparations, normal life errands, dinner prep, and dishes. Sophie’s head buzzed with all there was to do, and the wedding that she hadn’t wanted, actually became exciting and part of her wished she’d invited her family. Part of her wanted them here to meet Joe so they’d know just how wonderful he was.
Thursday evening, after work, she was in the barn with Joe admiring the calf that had been born that morning and admiring the calf had turned into a stolen make-out session. They kissed until they were breathless and then Sophie giggled and he asked why she laughed, and she said she kept waiting for the deputy sheriff to arrive and tell them to knock it off.
Joe laughed, too, and they kissed as they laughed and Sophie pulled her phone out of her back pocket and snapped a selfie of them together. “I think this is our first picture together,” she said, smiling into the camera with Joe’s handsome face just above hers, his strong arms wrapped around her. She took another quick couple of pics, and then put the phone away because Joe was kissing her neck, and then kissing her collarbone, and she turned in his arms, and melted against him, boneless, mindless to all, but the pleasure.
It wasn’t until later that night, when she was in bed, she remembered the photos and she pulled out her phone to look at the three selfies. They were smiling in each and they looked good together. Happy together.
She looked happy.
Sophie zoomed in on the photo and studied her face, but mostly her eyes, and they were shining, bright with joy, and love. So much love.
And now she and Joe were marrying again, in just ten days, and this time it wasn’t because it was practical, but because it was fun. It would be a party. A wonderful party because they’d be celebrating their future.
Impulsively she sent one of the pics in a group text to her family. “Found my heart in Montana. Marrying Joe Wyatt next Sunday. Can’t wait for you all to meet him.”
Sophie woke up to a dozen texts from her large family, some with questions, others congratulating her. Her mother was concerned, fearing Sophie hadn’t thought it through, and would regret her decision. Her oldest brother wanted her to know if he should fly out and meet this guy. Another brother, the lawyer, said he looked into Joe Wyatt and he didn’t have a record, if that was useful. Sarah sent a text with just a red heart emoji.
Sophie answered each that she was good, and for no one to worry, and she promised to come to California sometime with Joe so everyone co
uld meet him. And then she showered, dressed, made a quick breakfast before heading into Marietta for work.
It proved to be a hectic Friday. The salon was crowded, with every stylist booked all day, with the phone ringing frequently with last minute calls from clients hoping to get in Friday or Saturday. The weather had done a one-eighty from two weeks ago and was blissfully sunny and bright, with temperatures predicted to be in the high seventies all weekend. Sophie hoped the good weather would hold for another week. She’d love weather like this for her and Joe’s barn wedding next Sunday.
*
Sunday was Mother’s Day and Sophie had surprised the Wyatts by making a reservation at the Graff Hotel for their Mother’s Day brunch. She cornered Joe and Melvin in the barn and let them know about her plans. “I know you don’t all normally go into town for brunch, but I’ve heard they do an amazing buffet and they have fresh flowers for the moms and I think Summer should be spoiled.”
“That’s a long way to go just for food,” Melvin answered.
“It’s not just food, Granddad,” she answered. “It’s really good food and it’s a chance for Summer to look pretty and go out and be seen with her family. Women like that sort of thing, and she doesn’t get to do enough of it here.”
“Mom never asks to go out,” Joe said.
“Because she’s outnumbered. But she’s not outnumbered anymore. She’s got backup now, and we’re going to make her feel special today. Our reservation is for eleven. We should leave by ten, just so she can take her time getting from the car to the dining room.”
“Does Mom know?” Joe asked.
Sophie smiled. “I’m going to take her a cup of coffee and tell her our plans now.”
Summer was surprised by the Mother’s Day brunch plans, and halfheartedly argued against a trip to town, but when Sophie told her that Joe and Granddad would probably love the buffet featuring a carving station with roast beef and a honey glazed ham, Summer caved, agreeing that it did sound like a lovely treat.
At the Graff, they were seated at a table for four not far from the table where Sophie and Joe had sat on the day of their courthouse wedding ceremony. She glanced at Joe, wondering if he remembered, and he smiled. “Our table,” he mouthed.
