Stop it.
Shared beliefs were important in a relationship. He counseled couples in crisis. He’d seen the problems that erupted between people who had different core beliefs. Not just about religion, but about how to handle money, raise kids, family traditions the other didn’t understand. Things that started out as little annoyances could escalate into World War III.
He’d finally faced the fact that he wasn’t buried in the ground with Beth, though there’d been days when he’d wished he was. He couldn’t hole himself up in Grace’s garage apartment forever. He needed companionship. A physical connection to a woman. He needed a wife.
Amy seemed willing to step into the role. More than willing. In fact, he had the feeling that if he asked her to marry him right now she’d say yes and call someone to perform the ceremony within the hour. That kind of eagerness was a little daunting for a guy who was only testing the dating waters again. He was content to stick a toe in, while Amy seemed ready to go scuba diving.
Regardless, Seth owed it to himself to make an effort. He needed to stop putting up roadblocks before he’d given Amy a chance. Before giving himself a chance to find out if shared values trumped sizzling chemistry. To see if any woman would have lit the spark of his long-deprived love life.
Or if only the flame-haired woman across the restaurant could.
Chapter Twenty
After spending a few nights tossing and turning because of images of Seth and Amy cuddling in front of a fire dancing through her brain, Julia needed a distraction. Any distraction. Since weddings were the only thing in her life, one of those would have to do. Two weddings answered the need even better.
Yeah, some demented soul had gone and scheduled two weddings in one day. The knowledge that she had the power to screw up two couples’ nuptials served to wipe all thoughts of pesky romantic entanglements from Julia’s mind.
Compounding the anxiety for the day was the fact that she’d managed to lose both folders containing the information on the weddings. No more little diagrams with the squares and circles and the little yellow triangles. So, she was literally flying blind in a hailstorm.
Couple #1. Robin Sutcliff and Joe Bremmer. About the only thing Julia remembered from the missing file was the wedding was taking place out by Lake Rice. There was a picturesque pagoda on the north shore, a popular spot for weddings she’d been told.
The other fact lodged in her memory was that the ceremony started at eleven. Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, Julia arrived at the lake as the sun began to peak over the horizon. Someone had beaten her to the venue, however. Amy was already standing in front of the pagoda directing the set up of chairs for the ceremony. Today, she’d exchanged her usual flowery dress with a decidedly feminine, but professional powder-blue suit.
“We need twelve rows, ten chairs across, five on each side of the aisle,” Amy said, directing the guy who’d delivered the chairs. “Don’t forget, there should be exactly eighteen inches between each chair.”
Julia saluted with her free hand. “Good morning, General Vining.”
Amy spun around, her mouth forming a perfect “O” of surprise, like a five-year-old who’d gotten caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“Are you going to take out a ruler and make sure they follow the 18-inch guidelines?” Julia asked.
Amy flushed and Julia had to admire how truly adorable General Dynamo looked doing it. On the rare occasions when Julia blushed, she got all mottled and blotchy like she’d developed some sort of communicable disease.
“I’ve done it again, haven’t I?” Amy asked. “I got here, and no one was around. Then the workers arrived, and it seemed—”
“I’m not mad,” Julia said, holding up her hand to forestall the sputtering explanation.
Amy sighed in relief. “Oh, good.”
“Is Betsy here yet?”
A delicate, blond eyebrow arched. “She’s at the second site, meeting the caterers. We talked about this on Thursday. Since we have so little time between the two weddings, we decided to send her over to get things started.”
Right. The clue helped jog her memory somewhat. “Of course, I’m so out of whack this morning. I somehow misplaced both files for the weddings today.”
“You lost the files?”
“I didn’t lose them,” Julia said through clenched teeth. “I’m sure they’re somewhere in the back office. It’ll be fine, though. I’m pretty sure I can remember enough to get by.”
Amy patted Julia on the back. “You don’t have to worry. I’ve got the plans.”
Don’t maim the assistant. “You have the files? Why didn’t you say so?”
“I don’t have them physically, but I read through them the other day,” Amy said. “I know what they said.”
“You know all the plans off the top of your head? Do you have a photographic memory or something?”
Amy flashed a no-irony-whatsoever smile and nodded. “Yes, so you rest easy. I’ll take care of everything.”
“Of course you will,” Julia muttered, thinking she might have been better served to play hooky and go to a movie.
She’s a robot, Julia thought. A cute, smart, perky, robot.
Amy beamed. “All you have to do is follow my lead, boss.”
True to her word, Amy remembered every single detail about Wedding #1. Wedding #2, as well.
Before long the pretty lakeside vista had been transformed, and people were starting to arrive. The ushers were seating the guests, while the groom stayed out of sight behind some bushes. Since dressing rooms were not part of the lakeside décor, the bridal party planned to arrive in limos right before the ceremony. A fact Amy had reminded Julia about after she panicked because the bride hadn’t arrived yet, and had a horrible flashback of the last disastrous wedding with the cold-feet groom.
Exactly fifteen minutes before the ceremony was to begin, two limos pulled up. Girls started pouring out, like overdressed clowns spilling out of a circus car. The bride emerged last. In the morning sun her white dress gleamed bright enough hurt your eyes.
Amy had gone with the caterer to supervise the final setup of the reception area, so Julia greeted the new arrivals.
The bride’s smile flashed almost as brilliant as her dress. “Julia, is everything ready? Is Joe here?”
“Hi, Robin. Everything is perfect, and yes, Joe’s here. He’s waiting behind those bushes over there,” she said, pointing across the way.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Robin let out a tremulous giggle.
Frankly, Julia couldn’t believe it either. Robin and Joe looked like they shouldn’t even be driving on their own, let alone be getting married. They were, in fact, nineteen, which didn’t seem much better. Julia supposed the trend of putting off marriage till later in life hadn’t swept through Covington Falls the way it had in the rest of the country.
Julia didn’t have time to dwell on Robin and Joe’s youth because the string quartet started processional music. Julia remembered this part from the rehearsal at least. The mothers were seated. Then the bridesmaids made their way down the aisle.
Finally, only Robin and her father were left. “You ready, Robin?”
Robin beamed and nodded.
“Umm… you’re not allergic to bees are you?” Julia asked.
“No, why?” Robin asked, with a puzzled frown.
“It’s something I feel I should ask for an outdoor wedding.”
“Oh, right, because of what happened at Lisa’s wedding,” Robin said, with an amused huff. “No worries. I’m not allergic to anything.”
“Okay then, let’s get you hitched.”
The processional began, and Robin floated down the aisle on her father’s arm. Julia breathed a sigh of relief. Another successful launch. Of course, they weren’t out of the woods yet, but at this point she considered both parties showing up on the big day a success. Almost any other problem could be solved.
The minister went right to the vows. Julia drifted closer so
she could hear their soft replies. Rings were exchanged, and the minister asked everyone to bow their heads. Prayer commenced. Julia kept her eyes open, mostly because she had an irrational fear that something disastrous might occur if she looked away for even a second.
She glanced toward the groom and something about him made her pause. He looked strange. Then he began to sway in a slow circle. Before Julia had a chance to move, Joe’s legs buckled, and he fell in an ungraceful heap, pulling Robin to the ground with him.
Instantly, the guests surged to their feet. Julia started running and managed to push her way through the crowd.
Robin lay in a heap on top of Joe, her wedding dress billowing around them. “Joe! Joe!” she cried, shaking him like a rag doll.
“I think he’s fainted,” one of the groomsman said. “I told him not to close his eyes when we prayed.”
Julia reared around to look at him. “You’re not supposed to close your eyes? I thought that was one of the rules of prayer.”
“Not when you’re standing up. You start swaying and boom.”
“Boom?”
“Boom. Happened to a buddy of mine at his wedding.”
This was a new one to her. “Who knew praying could be a hazard to your health?”
Now that Julia felt sure she wouldn’t need to treat anaphylactic shock again, she took a deep breath.
“Robin, you have to get up,” Julia said, tugging on the bride’s arm. The girl hung on like a baby monkey clinging to its mamma. “Someone help her.”
Hands reached out and lifted the panicked bride off the ground. Julia knelt down next to Joe. By now he’d started to groan a little. She slapped his cheeks to get him to come around. If Betsy were here she would’ve already produced some smelling salts. Someone else lifted his legs. It was the groomsman who’d warned against eyes-closed praying.
“This will get the blood flowing back,” the groomsman explained. “He’ll come around in a sec.”
“Are you a doctor?” Julia asked.
He shook his head. “No, but there was a nurse at my friend’s wedding, and this is what she did.”
Whether it was the slapping or the raised legs, the groom seemed to be coming around. Joe looked up in confusion.
“Hey, Joe,” Julia said. “Welcome back.”
“Where am I?”
Robin wrenched free from whoever had pulled her away. “Joe! Joe! Are you all right? Talk to me.”
“Robin, give him a little room to breathe,” Julia said, holding the bride back. “He just fainted.”
Joe blinked. “I did?”
“Afraid so,” Julia said. “Can you stand up?”
An embarrassed groan escaped him. “Can’t I stay right here?”
Julia grinned down at him. “While I sympathize, no. I’ve got a busy schedule. Besides, Robin is here in the dress, and think of all the deposits you’ll forfeit if you lie here all day.”
“You’re heartless,” he said, eyes narrowing.
“No, I’m a realist. Just pretend you got knocked out playing football, and when you stand up everyone will clap and cheer.”
“Let me try,” Robin said. She leaned toward him and stroked his cheek. “Joe, sweetie, please get up. You’re scaring me.”
Joe popped up to a sitting position in an instant. “All right, honey.”
Robin beamed, and Joe gave a sheepish smile.
“I guess sweet does work on occasion,” Julia said, acknowledging Robin’s supremacy in groom handling.
Several groomsmen helped Joe to his feet. Julia looked around at the crowd of anxious faces. “Okay, everyone, drama’s over. We’ve got a wedding to finish. Reverend, I think you were right at the part where he gets to kiss the bride?”
The minister took the hint and nodded. The guests returned to their seats, and Robin and Joe took their places again.
Julia went back to her position. Amy had returned, and she looked shaken and pale.
“You look worse than the groom,” Julia said.
Amy’s curls practically quivered with horror. “I don’t deal well with illness.”
Ah ha! A kink in Amy’s armor! The cute robot fell apart in a crisis.
“You don’t?” Julia asked, hoping the question came out curious and not gleeful.
“I fell off a swing when I was six and got this huge gash in my forehead. Blood everywhere,” Amy said, as sweat broke out on her upper lip. “Now I can’t stand the sight of it.”
Julia managed not to pump her fists in the air in triumph. Instead, she patted Amy on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Amy, you let me take of everything.”
****
With the threat of blood loss over, Amy returned to her normal self, so Julia felt safe leaving her assistant in charge while she went to help Betsy with the preparations for the next wedding.
Couple #2. Kelly Brown and Kevin McCormack. This ceremony would take place at Christ Memorial Church, which boasted a façade of grey stone with stately, stone columns and a huge set of oak double doors. A tall steeple reached high into the sky, and inside bells chimed out hymns at noon and six.
Thankfully for Julia’s sanity, the reception would be held in the fellowship hall behind the sanctuary. Speaking of the sanctuary, her second miracle worker, Betsy, had already managed to finish the preparations in there. So, Julia made her way over to the fellowship hall, where Betsy stood directing half a dozen people as they scurried about.
Two women were draping yards of pale peach and white satin cloth around the perimeter of the room. Potted trees filled with a million little white lights twinkled merrily. Round tables with white tablecloths were complemented by chairs covered in white satin. Several longer tables were set up for a buffet, and in the corner Julia spotted Audrey Sampson assembling the wedding cake.
Julia put her arm around Betsy’s shoulder. “I’m not sure I’m needed here at all.”
“Hi.” Betsy said, smiling in her enthusiastic way. “How did it go with Robin and Joe?”
“Did you know you’re not supposed to close your eyes if you’re standing up while the prayer is going on?”
Of course Betsy nodded. “Sure, you get disoriented and faint.”
“Well, clearly our groom didn’t get the memo on that rule.”
Betsy’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “No. He didn’t?”
“Two sways and over he went. Took Robin down with him, which was probably a good thing because I think the dress cushioned the fall.”
“Julia, you’re terrible,” Betsy said, with a light chuckle. “Where is Amy?”
“She’ll be here soon. I left her in charge of wrapping things up. She was a lifesaver today. Somehow I managed to misplace the folders for today’s weddings, but Amy memorized them in one read-through. You didn’t happen to see the files, did you?”
Betsy’s nose wrinkled in consternation as she shook her head. “Not since before the rehearsal.”
“How did you know what to do here then?”
“I read the files.”
“Don’t tell me you have a photographic memory, too? If so, I may as well hand the business over to you and Amy and be done with it.”
“I read the file, and then made notes.” Betsy held up a sheet of paper, on which she had covered every available surface with scribbles, notes and little diagrams.
Julia stared at the paper in wonder. “You got all the information for the entire wedding on one sheet?”
“It’s easier than carrying that big file folder around all day,” Betsy said. “I know Sarah swears by them, but I usually can’t make head or tails of all the notes she puts in there.”
“You don’t happen to know what those little yellow triangles mean, do you?”
Betsy’s nose crinkled again. “Huh?”
“Never mind,” Julia said, on a sigh. “Let’s get this party started.”
****
An hour later, Julia stood at the back of the church organizing the second procession down the aisle. Betsy, taking a brea
k from the action in the fellowship hall, had come over to witness the ceremony. Amy stood by to help supervise… Julia.
Kelly Brown had to be the least agitated bride-to-be Julia had ever met. Calm made for a nice change of course, but the nothing-phases-me vibe struck Julia as weird. Unless it was chemically induced. Julia didn’t have much experience in matrimonial matters, but it seemed unnatural to be so calm and collected when you were about to shackle yourself to someone for the rest of your life.
“You ready?” Julia asked, as she adjusted Kelly’s veil one more time.
Kelly flashed an earthquake-could-strike-and-I-wouldn’t-panic smile. “I’ve been ready all my life.”
“Just don’t close your eyes when the minister prays.”
“Huh?”
Julia patted Kelly’s cheek. “Eyes open at all times. Trust me.”
One more askance look. “O… kay.”
“Right then, let’s go.”
Kelly took her father’s arm, and they were off. Julia held her breath the entire ceremony, alert for any signs of swaying or falling. She had just started to relax when she realized Kelly had begun to fidget. Anyone else, and Julia wouldn’t have noticed, but Miss Self-Possessed didn’t fidget.
Suddenly, Kelly squealed and whipped off her veil. “My nose! Not now!”
Julia had no idea what “my nose” meant, but she started running anyway, with Amy and Betsy not far behind. By now, Kelly had her head tipped back, while the groom held her up.
“What’s wrong?” Julia asked.
“Nose bleed,” Kelly answered, only her words came out sounding like “ose weed” since her fingers were pinching the aforementioned nose.
“What did she say?” Amy asked, hovering over Julia’s right shoulder.
“I think she’s got a nose bleed,” Julia said.
“Blood? Oh, dear…”
Before Julia could move, Amy pulled a Joe and fainted dead away. For a moment Julia stared down at her fallen assistant. Seemed Amy’s phobia about blood was real after all. Everyone screamed. Correction, one scream pierced through the confusion.
Marry Me Page 20
