Ever since the day my family visited Atlanta, when I was nine, my life shifted. I became aware of an all-consuming agitation that made daily tasks a real struggle. I became compelled to count my steps all the way to school. If at any point I lost track, I had to run back home and start all over again. Luckily, I didn’t have to lick a light switch or anything like that when I got there, so don’t go thinking I was that freaky.
I couldn’t go to bed at night until I’d checked to make sure all the doors to the outside were locked. Sometimes I did this several times. I had to make sure the oven and stove were off, too. Both obsessions had a way of cutting into my quality sleep time.
The real reason I can never leave Creek Water is that after years of struggle, I function here. I have my routine. I have structure. There are few surprises living in a small town and for me that kind of mundanity equals calm.
After all, the devil you know …
Chapter 3
“Mama, what are you doing here?” I ask when my mother answers the door at Lexi’s house.
“Gracie and I came over earlier to show Lexi the samples we picked up at the fabric outlet. I think we found the perfect lace for the master bath valance.”
Lexi recently moved to Creek Water from New York City after coming to visit my cousin Emmie. She bought the house that was built by my ancestors on Millionaires’ Row during the mid-eighteen hundreds.
Mama and Aunt Gracie are incapable of keeping their noses out of anyone’s business, so they consider Lexi’s renovations fair game. I’m not sure if Lexi is being such a good sport because she’s dating my brother, Beau, or if she’s really that relaxed about my family invading her life. I wish I was as relaxed about them as she is. While I love them immensely, sometimes I just need a break from their constant interest in my life.
“Where’s Lexi?” I ask.
“Inside talking to some lady who stopped by about an hour ago.”
“Who?” My mama knows every last person in town, so I’m surprised she didn’t just come right out and tell me.
“She says she works for someone who’s looking to rent a house for a few months. She’s with a real estate company over in Babble Creek.”
Before she can say anything more, Lexi walks out of the living room with a well-dressed middle-aged woman. The woman says, “I appreciate your taking the time to give me a tour. I’ll show my clients the pictures, but if they’re even half as impressed as I am, I’m sure you’ll be hearing from us.”
“Thank you,” Lexi tells her, “but please make sure you mention I’ll still be doing some repairs during the time they’re looking to stay. I don’t want to lure them here under false pretenses.”
The woman assures her, “I don’t think that will be an issue, but I’ll make sure to let them know.”
After she leaves, Lexi welcomes me with a hug. “Amelia, you look gorgeous as ever. Emmie’s not here yet, but come on in and let me get you something to drink.”
I look at my mama and ask, “Are you leaving?” Hint, hint.
“No, ma’am,” she says with determination. “Once Gracie and I heard there was a hen night planned, we decided to crash it and see what you gals are up to.”
Lexi grins like she’s trying to keep from laughing. I, on the other hand, am not amused. “Don’t you think you would have been invited had Emmie wanted you here?”
“Hush,” Mama admonishes. “Anyone who caused her mama torturous labor for the better part of two days needs to mind her manners,” she adds with a pointed look.
It’s not my fault I dug my heels in, wary to join the Frothingham family. Apparently, I hit the planet with good sense and a strong survival instinct.
Lexi leads the way into the living room where Emmie’s mom, my aunt Gracie, is perched comfortably on the Victorian couch reading a magazine. She looks up with a big smile on her face and announces, “I’m looking forward to a fun night with you gals. We’re gonna have a great time!”
Emmie, Lexie, and I are going to have to plan future girls’ nights out on the town if we’re to have any hope of evading our mothers. Those two are like bloodhounds hot on the trail of a murder suspect when it comes to a party.
Chapter 4
“Mama, Auntie Lee, what are you doin’ here?” Emmie asks by way of greeting as she walks into the parlor.
Aunt Gracie says, “We stopped by with some lace and found out that you gals were coming over. We thought we’d stay and see what’s up.”
Emmie kisses her mama’s cheek fondly. “Where’s my baby? I thought you were taking care of Faye tonight.”
“Her daddy picked her up and took her to his mama’s house. Sarah’s convinced she can potty train your little girl by the time she’s fourteen months.”
“That’s seems a little extreme. She’s only a year now,” my cousin responds.
Aunt Gracie shrugs. “I don’t see any problem if Sarah wants to bond with her granddaughter on the potty. Someone’s got to do it, and as far as I’m concerned that wasn’t the high point of mothering for me.”
Emmie replies, “Well, it’s just as good that you’re here. I was going to share my news with you after I told Amelia and Lexie.”
“Why after?” my mama demands. “Seems to me any news you have to share should have started with your mama and me.”
“The reason I didn’t begin with y’all is because the very second you two hear anything, you start texting the whole town and I lose the ability to reveal my own business,” my cousin replies.
My mama makes a harrumphing sound but doesn’t contradict Emmie. After all, there’s no running from the truth.
“So, what’s up?” Aunt Gracie asks with excitement dripping off her like sap on a spring maple.
Emmie smiles brightly and remains quiet for several moments, effectively letting the anticipation build before answering, “Zach and I are getting married!”
My aunt lets out a squeal shrill enough to break crystal. “I knew it! I knew that’s what it was going to be. When did he pop the question? How did he do it?”
“When’s the wedding?” my mama demands.
Emmie starts by answering my mama. “The wedding is on March fourteenth, Auntie Lee. At least we hope it is.” She looks at Lexi and adds, “We want to have it here at your house. Does the fourteenth work for you?”
Lexi claps her hands together so quickly it sounds like machine gun fire. “Of course, you can have it here! That’ll be great advertising for my B&B. It’ll also give me the incentive I need to push through these renovations.”
I hug my cousin. “I’m so happy for you both. I bet you would have never in a million years guessed that you and Zachary Grant would be getting married.”
Emmie laughs. “You’re right about that. I also thought I’d be married before having a baby, but you know what they say?”
Aunt Gracie answers before anyone else can, “Man plans and God laughs. There are no truer words.” She should know. My uncle Reed died from cancer twenty years ago when Emmie was only ten. Aunt Gracie has remained steadfastly single until Uncle Reed’s brother, Uncle Jesse, made his move a couple of months ago. Neither occurrence was of her planning.
Jesse is nine years younger than Aunt Gracie, but he’s been actively courting her for over a year. My aunt thought he was just being an attentive brother-in-law. Long story short, after being struck by a case of the green-eyed monster, Aunt Gracie realized her feelings and let her guard down. She’s still embarrassed by the fact that Jesse is younger than her and because he’s her brother-in-law, but she’s the only one who seems to care. Even Cootie Wilcox, our town gossip and chief witch burner, hasn’t said boo about it.
Emmie says, “Amelia, Lexi, I would be honored if y’all would stand up for me.”
“Yes!” we shout at the same time. This is followed by a group hug that has us all dancing around the room like we’ve got grasshoppers in our drawers.
“I’m so happy I could burst,” Emmie says. “Now, sit down and let me show you what we’re thinking
.”
Once we’ve followed orders, she pulls several bridal magazines out of the shopping bag she’s carrying. My mama is the first to realize how quickly March will be upon us and says, “For clarity, you mean March of next year, right?”
My cousin shakes her head. “No, ma’am. I mean March as in two months from now.”
“How in the world can we pull a wedding together by then?” Aunt Gracie demands. “The dress alone will take months to get.”
“I’m going to ask Myrah to make it for me. I want something simple and elegant and she’s the most amazing seamstress we know.”
Myrah is not only a dear family friend, she’s Lexi’s great aunt several times over, a fact we only discovered after Lexi came to town to visit Emmie. Myrah’s people used to work for my ancestors back at the time of the Civil War. They were free folks though, as my family were strict abolitionists. Together, they made this house an important stop on the Underground Railroad.
Aunt Gracie looks like she’s pondering the state of the Middle East peace talks before she starts to slowly nod her head. The beginning of a smile forms on her mouth before she says, “Myrah’s the perfect choice, but what about the food?”
“We thought we’d get married here in the garden and then have the reception at the club. Can you and Auntie Lee arrange that?” my cousin asks in such a way that she knows she’s effectively crowning them queens of the universe, a role they not only relish but feel firmly entitled to.
My mama hurries to answer, “Of course we can do it. In fact, Gracie, why don’t we head over to the club right now? We can alert them of the date and set up a time for the menu tasting.” Both ladies are on their feet bidding us goodbye before you can whistle “Dixie.” They don’t even stay to find out how Zach popped the question, which we later learn was a pretty simple affair accomplished during a walk in the park.
Once they’re gone, I demand “Emmeline Frothingham, do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”
She shrugs. “I know, but Zach and I are so in love, and we have a beautiful daughter; I’m happy to share the fun. Plus, Emmaline’s just opened, so I’ve been super busy staying on top of everything there. Add to that, Faye and I need to move over to Zach’s house, I’ve plain got enough on my plate without worrying about throwing a wedding, too.”
“I’m thrilled you want to get married here,” Lexi says, “but the garden needs some serious help.”
Emmie replies, “Don’t get too worked up over it. Temperatures in mid-March can range from the high thirties to the low sixties. I figure we can erect a tent around the fountain and say our vows there.”
“It’ll be gorgeous,” I say wistfully. Emmie and Zach give me hope that there’s a hometown boy for me. I sigh internally. At nearly thirty-four years old that hasn’t happened yet, and I’m feeling it. My family was so excited when I started dating Aiden Quinn, but then he went and moved to St. Louis.
I told everyone that Aiden only wanted a trophy wife and used that as the excuse for our breakup. The truth is, he might have made the perfect husband, but I’ll never know because he didn’t want to live in a small town and that was a deal breaker.
The lyrics from that Huck Wiley’s song creep into my head, “Tethered to a life that never had a chance.” I hope with my whole heart that this town, this life I’m living, will offer me an opportunity for marriage and motherhood. I suppose I have no real say so, but if Emmie and Zach could find a way back to each other, maybe there’s a chance for me, too.
Chapter 5
Mrs. Peabody is standing outside the front of my shop, waiting for me to unlock the doors and let her in. I’m a couple of minutes late this morning due to the fact that I tossed and turned all night long. My alarm rang just as I was succumbing to a fitful slumber.
Images of Emmie and Zach’s wedding had taken over my dreams as the bride and groom parachuted into the ceremony, descending from the sky while hanging from giant silk chutes. The only way I’m ever going to fall out of the clouds is if I’m in an airplane that crash lands. And that will never happen because I’ve never been on a plane ride in my life and I fully intend to keep it that way—I refer to the whole crash-landing scenario.
Most people aren’t aware of this fact because I find it a little embarrassing. I mean, who hasn’t been on an airplane? It’s like saying you’ve never ridden in a car. So essentially, just me and the Amish have remained with our feet firmly planted on terra firma.
In my dream, after Emmie and Zach landed, they transformed into superheroes, a la the Avengers and proceeded down the aisle in their spandex costumes all the while blowing on bubble pipes filling the air with soapy spheres. When they got to the fountain in the middle of Lexi’s garden, they turned to see what was keeping me, as traditionally, the bridesmaids and groomsmen come before the bride.
I was held up due to all the chains strapped across my body. In addition to be being dead heavy, they were soiling my pretty peach dress. There were also giant steel balls hanging from the ends and I had to use all my might just to make an inch of progress. All night, I dragged and dragged under the weight of my burden. When I got to the bride and groom, my alarm rang. I swear my entire body aches from my nocturnal efforts.
Pushing the cause of my weariness aside, I hurry to unlock the door to let in my old math teacher. The first words out of her mouth are, “Girl, you look rough, like you’ve been ridden hard and put away wet.”
Yuck. I’m not sure how to respond to that. I go with, “Mrs. P, would you mind keeping an eye on the shop while I run down the street for a muffin?”
“You going to Bobby Jean’s?” she asks. When I nod my head, she says, “Get me one of her sticky buns and a coffee, will ya?”
“Sure thing,” I say before grabbing my coat and walking out the door. The cold air greets me like a slap in the face, which is exactly what I need to catapult me into full consciousness and help shake off my terrible night’s sleep. Why in the world would Emmie and Zach’s wedding cause me to have such a miserable dream? The only conclusion I can come to is pure envy that it’s them and not me. I hate self-pity about as much as I detest the thought of eating snails, yet here I am, stuck in the middle of the world’s biggest slime trail.
I walk past the same buildings that have comprised downtown Creek Water for over a hundred and fifty years. A calm washes over me as I pass the old button factory where my brother Davis has his furniture workshop. He builds some of the most sought-after armoires, bookshelves, and tables in the whole state.
I’m the oldest, Beau is two years younger than me—he and Emmie were in the same class at school—and Davis is two years younger than they are. My littlest brother, while active enough in family happenings, keeps his personal life strictly to himself. We never hear of him dating anyone locally, or see him out on the town, not that I’m out on the town that much. He’s kind of this elusive fellow that just happens to share the same DNA.
Don’t get me wrong, Davis is a dear and I know he’ll always have my back if I need him, he just lives a particularly private existence that’s nearly unheard of in Creek Water, yet alone in the Frothingham family. Daddy once asked me if I thought Davis might be gay, but I assured him that wasn’t the case. My little brother clearly admires women in the romantic sense—if the swimsuit calendars adorning his workshop walls are anything to go by. He just doesn’t seem to act on those feelings with anyone that we know.
Bobby Jean Minkler welcomes me by name as I walk into her diner. “Amelia, sugar, come on in. Your daddy and uncle Jesse are at the back table having their morning pie.”
Darn it, I can’t very well ignore them now. They’re both leaning out of their booth waving at me like they haven’t seen me in a month.
I briefly return the gesture indicating that I’ll be right over, but first I place my order. One blueberry muffin, one sticky bun, one coffee, and one hot chocolate. I’m not a coffee drinker but I figure the small amount of caffeine in the hot chocolate might help me perk up a bit.
Heaven knows the sugar will.
I eventually make my way over to greet my family. “Daddy, Jesse, how are y’all this morning?”
“Better than you, I’m guessing,” my Uncle Jesse says, giving me the once over.
Daddy adds, “Honey, you look whooped. You feeling okay?”
“I’m just a bit tired,” I tell them. “I was up late with Emmie and Lexie talking about the wedding. It’s all too exciting, isn’t it?” I’m going with a diversion tactic, so they won’t keep talking about how bad I look.
Daddy says, “Your mama and aunt Gracie haven’t come up for air since finding out. Lordy, I thought those two gals could talk before, but now it’s like they’re going for a world record.”
“It’s adorable,” Jesse says. “I’m glad to see Gracie so happy.”
I give him a pointed look. “I thought making her happy was your job. You getting lazy?”
He laughs. “No, ma’am. Now that your aunt has finally accepted her feelings for me, I’m not about to slack off. If anything, I’ve upped my game.”
“Good for you,” I tell him. “Everyone deserves to be happy.”
“Speaking of which,” my daddy says, “what’s going on with your love life? You seeing anyone?”
“I’m stringing a few along,” I fib. “I’ll let you know when I get serious about one of them.”
A glimmer of worry washes over his features. My parents know some of my past struggles, but I don’t think they’ve thought about them in ages. They were thrilled when Aidan and I started to see each other and were hopeful I’d join him in St. Louis. I’m pretty sure they thought I was nearly normal and then I went and broke it off with him. Now, clear as day, I see my daddy wondering if I might be lying to his face, if something more might be going on that I’m not fessing up to.
I don’t want him fretting over me, so I kiss his forehead before faking a bright smile. “I’m good, Daddy, just tired. Quit worrying and I promise to introduce you to one of my beaux soon.”
The Plan: A Sweet and Sexy Rock Star Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 3) Page 2
