Marry Me

by Kristin Wallace

  “You overheard?”

  “I did eavesdrop, though I didn’t mean to. I just met Meredith, and she’s amazing.”

  “That’s why I hired her.”

  Julia moved on from the shelves to the side table by his desk. There was a framed picture of a child’s drawing depicting the church. Standing in front of it was a male figure with dark hair.

  “This is supposed to be you, I assume,” she said, picking up the frame.

  “So I’m told.”

  Her eyes darted up to meet his, amusement evident. “Cute. So, what makes you think Satan is the problem?”

  Seth leaned back in his chair. “Because he wants nothing more than to create problems in God’s church, divide His people, and lead them astray. What better way to discourage people from embracing God than for them to see infighting.”

  A brow shot up. “You actually believe there’s a malevolent spirit out there trying to take over the universe?”

  “Of course. If I believe in the ultimate good, God, then it makes sense there is an ultimate evil, Satan. I sense it everyday. Sometimes I feel like I’m under siege.”

  “I guess that makes sense,” she said. “You’re trying to do God’s work, and if Satan can take you out he wins.”

  Seth regarded her with a new respect. “For someone who claims to know nothing about God or religion, you understand better than most.”

  “I understand people,” she said, with an annoyed little huff. “I know they can be selfish. If I were Satan, I’d play on their weaknesses. So, why are you getting flack for hiring Meredith?”

  He dragged a hand through his hair. “Truthfully, she does have a bit of a past. Meredith went through a wild phase in her teen years. Her stint in the music business draws some ire as well. There are a lot of people who don’t much like what the popular culture and its music represents.”

  “You could tell them to get over themselves. What’s the big deal?”

  “It’s not so simple.” He reached into a drawer and pulled out a CD, and then tossed it across his desk.

  Julia snatched up the case. A low whistle blew past her lips. “That’s Meredith?” she asked, opening the cover and pulling out the insert to look at the rest of the pictures.

  Seth nodded. He didn’t need to see the photographs again. Glossy shots of Meredith Vining, or Mika Vine as she’d been called then, in various states of undress, cavorting with a barely-clothed man. “There’s a video, too. Wound up going viral. Meredith managed to get it taken down, but the CD won’t go away. Cousins and friends and sisters-in-law of people in town love to mail them here when they find one.”

  “Did she tell you about this scandalous photo shoot before you hired her?” she asked.

  “Would it matter?”

  “If you were blindsided with this little gem, then maybe she doesn’t deserve the all-is-forgiven award,” she said. “Part of Meredith being this reformed citizen you claim she is, would include coming clean about her past. At least to you, since you’re the one sitting out on the shaky limb.”

  “She gave me the CD when she came in for her interview. And I saw the video long before it wound up on the Internet. She played it for me.”

  “I knew I liked her. Good to know I didn’t misjudge her.” Julia sat on the edge of his desk. “So, even after seeing the risqué antics of Mika Vine you still hired her? Why?”

  “Meredith came back a changed person,” he said. “Her desire was to serve the Lord through her music. I gave her the opportunity. I’ve been trying to move this church — and the town — to a place where we can stop sitting in judgment of others. It doesn’t mean we condone sinful behavior, but if we ever hope to change hearts, we have to approach people with compassion and mercy.”

  She looked at him for a long time. Finally, her head swiveled back and forth. “Who knew you’d turn out to be a maverick?”

  Heat crept up his cheeks. “I’m only serving the Lord as I hope He’d want.”

  “You must get so overwhelmed. Doing the Lord’s work while fighting off the forces of evil.” She said the last part with a little boxing duck and dodge move.

  Another jolt of surprise ricocheted through his body, and he went still. “How is it you get me better than people who’ve known me my whole life?”

  And why does it have to be a woman who scorns everything I believe?

  “I’m sure you have people in your life who understand,” she said, taking a deep breath.

  “Beth was the only one who seemed to really get it, but her father was a minister so perhaps she had special insight.”

  At the mention of his wife, Julia’s gaze went to the framed photograph on Seth’s desk. This picture was older than the one in his apartment.

  Julia leaned forward. “Is this Beth?”

  “Yes. It was taken—” He stopped. Memories assaulted him. This photo had been taken when they’d bought their first house in Memphis after he’d graduated from Seminary. The one in his bedroom had been taken here in Covington Falls. Beth had looked completely healthy, but in truth she’d already started to die. The injustice of it hit him again. A wave of anger and grief threatened to take him under.

  “Before she got sick,” Julia said. “She was beautiful.”

  The softly spoken words snapped Seth back to the here and now. Julia was looking at him, and in some odd way he had the feeling she was trying to give him strength. And a chance to recover.

  He cleared his throat. “She was.”

  Seth was about to say something else when a sprightly, middle-aged woman joined them.

  “Pastor Graham—” She broke off when she saw Julia. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were with someone.”

  Seth stood up and walked around the desk. “It’s all right, Clarice. Have you met Grace’s stepdaughter?”

  The woman blinked. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

  “This is Julia. Julia, Clarice Johnson, one of our members.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Julia said.

  Mrs. Johnson’s head swiveled back and forth between them. “Likewise. I hope I’m not intruding.”

  “Not at all,” Julia said. “I came by to meet with Meredith Vining about a wedding, and I couldn’t resist stopping in to see where Seth works.”

  “Of course,” Mrs. Johnson said, before turning to Seth again. “Pastor Graham, I came by to invite you to dinner tomorrow night. My niece is visiting. She’s just back from the mission field in Venezuela, and I know you two would have so much in common.”

  Oh, not again! He forced a smile. “I’d be honored to meet her and enjoy your splendid hospitality.”

  Mrs. Johnson looked delighted. “Wonderful! We’ll see you at seven tomorrow then?”

  “I look forward to it.”

  Julia turned, brow arched as Mrs. Johnson bustled from the room. “She wants you to meet her niece?”

  “Mrs. Johnson has no children of her own, but she comes from a big family and so does her husband. I think she must have about twenty nieces.”

  “Do people try to fix you up a lot?”

  Seth shifted, uncomfortable with the topic. “It started about eight months ago. The fix-ups anyway. At first it was only dinner. I guess they thought I’d starve on my own, even though Grace fed me well. Then eventually eligible women started to get thrown into the mix. Seems everyone in town has a sister, daughter, granddaughter, or niece of marriageable age whom I need to meet.”

  “Any interesting prospects?” she asked, picking up the letter opener on his desk and twirling it between her fingers.

  Seth looked down at Beth’s picture. Sadness reached out to swallow him whole. “No.”

  “She wouldn’t want you to live your life alone.”

  Something in her tone brought his head back up. Their eyes met. Hers were flat and guarded. Seth realized the question hadn’t been idle curiosity and knew his answer had hurt her. He wished he could make her understand.

  “I know. I just can’t—” he tried to
explain. “I’m not sure anyone will ever take her place.”

  “You’re not ready yet, I get it.” She stood up, looking anywhere but at Seth. “I need to go.”

  Yeah, she was hurt all right, but there wasn’t anything he could say to undo it. He ran a hand through his hair. “Julia—”

  She did look up then, but keep-your-distance Julia Richardson was firmly back in place. “Seth, I know. I’ll see you around.”

  What had happened here?

  He blew out a deep. “Right. See you.”

  Chapter Six

  Some women feel they don’t exist unless they’re with a man. Julia’s mother was one of those women. She simply could not be alone. In between marriages Brooke Richardson kept time with a professional tennis player, a congressman, a doctor, a lawyer, a real estate developer, a CEO, an investment banker, a minor league baseball player, a chef, and a violin player for a symphony orchestra.

  Each relationship followed a predictable pattern. She’d fall madly in love and spend every waking moment with her new man. Until he did something completely offensive like leaving his dirty coffee cup on the kitchen counter all day, causing her to kick him out, or she became so jealous and possessive she turned into one of those crazed stalker women and the man headed for the hills.

  Living in the house had been like an endless soap opera, filled with angst and pity. She was angst. Julia was pity.

  Julia had decided back then her life would never revolve around a man. Ironic, since her life now consisted of helping other women revolve their lives around a man.

  Something else twisted? Having an outdoor wedding in the middle of summer. Slipping on a fifty-pound wedding dress and standing around in one-hundred-plus degree weather all day was not Julia’s idea of a good time. At least she’d had a week to prepare for the outdoor extravaganza, as opposed to a couple days.

  The wedding and reception was taking place at the Botanical Gardens on the outskirts of town. It hadn’t taken long for Julia to realize dealing with the country club staff was a piece of cake compared to transforming a patch of nature’s glory into a suitable setting for the grand nuptials.

  Since the crack of dawn she and Betsy had been directing a dozen workers in the set up. Well, Betsy had been directing, Julia had mostly been pointing in a vague direction whenever anyone asked her where something was supposed to go.

  The ceremony was to be held in the rose garden. In front of a semicircle of rose bushes was a white trellis festooned with ivy. Six rows of dainty white folding chairs were arranged in front of the trellis. About a hundred feet away, a giant tent with filmy white drapery and a temporary parquet dance floor had been erected for the reception. Chef Devon was catering the wedding, and she and her staff had been busy underneath the tent for hours now.

  Speaking of the ceremony, according to Julia’s schedule it was nearly time to start. Most of the guests were already seated. She went in search of Betsy. As she walked, Julia pulled her sticky blouse from her skin and fanned herself. After hours of running around in the Georgia soup, her hair had turned into a giant frizz ball. Plus, her deodorant had thrown up its hands in defeat some time ago, so now she was a smelly, giant frizzy ball.

  Beautiful.

  Julia spotted a white limousine in the parking lot so at least she knew the wedding party had arrived. The employee’s lounge doubled as a bride’s room for weddings. Julia burst into the room and was confronted with a half-dozen young women giggling and chattering like a bunch of chipmunks in hot pink dresses.

  Betsy turned as the door shut. “Hi, Julia. Is everyone here?”

  “Looks like it. Please tell me everything fits this time.”

  Betsy gestured to a young woman in white who was fully dressed, thank goodness.

  Lisa Evans, the bride, shot her a worried look. “Are there any clouds?”

  Julia shook her head. “No.”

  “You’re sure? Because I thought I saw one when we came in. I would die if it rained on my wedding.”

  “I don’t think you have to worry about any freak thunderstorms today. Heat exhaustion, maybe, but not rain.”

  “And the roses? The dresses match, right? I specifically told my dressmaker I wanted the bridesmaids’ dresses to match the roses in the garden. I even brought her out here so she could see the color.”

  “Of course they match,” Julia said. She had no idea if it was true, but at this point she’d say anything to get Lisa up and out of the room in time for the ceremony.

  Lisa was satisfied because she nodded. She and the bridesmaids started to file out of the room.

  “Ugh, it’s hot,” one of the bridesmaids said. “Remind me not to have my wedding here. My makeup is already melting.”

  My everything is melting, Pinky.

  Julia ran ahead to signal the string quartet to start the processional music. With relative ease, she and Betsy got the attendants and the bride down the aisle. Julia turned to her tiny cohort, and they gave each other a little high five.

  “Not bad for only our second wedding,” Julia said.

  Betsy grinned. “Piece of cake.”

  Seth was performing this ceremony, too, and he stepped forward. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the sight of these witnesses to celebrate the union of Lisa Anne Evans and Scott Edward Thompson…”

  Julia surveyed the wedding party and had to admit Lisa and Scott made a lovely picture. She noticed the bridesmaid’s dresses did indeed match the roses.

  “I’m going to head over to the reception tent and make sure everything is in order there,” Betsy said. “You stay here.”

  Since she was feeling invincible, Julia nodded. “Okay.”

  She turned back as Seth was getting to the vows. “Lisa, repeat after me. I, Lisa Anne Evans…”

  “I Lisa Anne… Ah!”

  Julia jumped as the bride started screaming and slapping her arms. Julia rushed forward, along with most of the guests.

  “It’s a bee! Get it off me! Get it off!” Lisa screamed.

  Julia pushed through the crowd, in time to see the bride drop to the ground in a heap of white crinoline.

  “Lisa!” Scott cried.

  Julia knelt over the prostrate girl. Her face was flushed, and she looked like she was struggling to breathe. So, not just a panic attack.

  “Someone call an ambulance!” Julia shouted.

  Julia was pretty sure she’d seen this reaction before in movies. This was not good.

  “Is Lisa allergic to bees?” Julia asked.

  Lisa’s mother looked panic-stricken. “Yes. We never should have let her talk us in to an outdoor wedding.”

  Julia cursed under her breath. “Is the ambulance coming?”

  “They’re on the way,” Betsy said, pushing through the crowd.

  She dropped down to the ground. The giant tackle box was with her again. Betsy reached in and pulled out a long, thin wand and handed it over.

  “Where did you get this?” Julia asked, staring at the instrument in confusion.

  “Lisa gave it to me when we met last week,” Betsy said. “Just in case, she said.”

  “What am I supposed to do with it?”

  “She’s in anaphylactic shock. You need to give her a shot of epinephrine.”

  Julia goggled at her assistant. “I have to do what?”

  “Pull the cap off, stick it in her thigh, and give her a shot. Lisa said we’re supposed to hold it for ten seconds and then rub.”

  “Why don’t you do it?”

  “I hate needles.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Julia, just do it!” Betsy said. “Remember to keep it in for ten seconds.”

  Man, she hoped these people weren’t prone to lawsuits. Taking a deep breath, she whipped off the cap, flipped up yards of ruffles and lace, and plunged the needle in Lisa’s thigh. Julia had just reached ten when the wail of a siren cut through the buzz of panicked conversation. The paramedics pushed everyone out of the way, and within minutes,
Lisa was being driven away. Most of the members of the wedding party headed to the hospital, too. The rest of the guests were left standing around in shock.

  “I feel like I need a shot,” Julia said. “Is every wedding you guys do this exciting?”

  Betsy’s hand shook as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. “No, this is a first.”

  “Betsy, I have to say, you’re a good woman to have around in a crisis,” Julia said, giving the younger woman a grin.

  Betsy giggled. “So are you.”

  Just then, Chef Devon approached. “Good save, ladies.”

  “Thank you,” Julia said.

  “I’ve got one more little problem though.”

  Julia’s chest tightened. “Little problems” were usually full-scale disasters with this business. “What?”

  “Well, I’m all set for a reception,” Devon said. “Unfortunately, most of the wedding party is at the hospital.”

  “Can’t they postpone?” Julia asked. “It’s obvious there won’t be a wedding today.”

  Devon shook her head. “Most of the food has to be eaten today. It’ll spoil. They’ve already paid for everything, too.”

  Julia ran a frustrated hand through her frizzed-out hair. “I think I might kill Sarah.”

  “I’m sorry to heap more troubles on you, but someone has to make a decision,” Devon said.

  Julia looked at her assistant. “Is there anyone from either family still here?”

  “I think one of the groom’s cousins is still around.”

  She nodded. “Go fetch him. He’s just been appointed family representative.”

  Okay, now they were about to have a reception without a wedding, which was par for the course for her life lately. She felt like someone should go to the hospital and wait for word on the allergic bride, and Betsy volunteered to stay and oversee the party.

  Julia reached the hospital in minutes. Rushing into the Emergency Room, she encountered the family members milling about the waiting room.

  All fifty million of them. She’d never known someone could be related to so many people.

  The mother-of-the-bride spotted her first. “There she is! The woman who saved my baby!”