Jean Tyler clutched her ginger ale and gaped at Kelly. “Really? He used the word evangelize?”
Kelly recalled Bruce’s sharp look. “Clearly I struck a nerve. I mean, I wouldn’t have extended the invitation for them to come to church, but it was Lulu inviting Carly. The two girls hit it off instantly.” Back when both women were single moms, coffee before church was a Sunday tradition for Kelly and Jean. Kelly resurrected the tradition before today’s service to talk over yesterday’s baffling events with the best man and his daughter the flower girl.
“I wish I could be there to see if he shows.” Matrimony Valley’s pale mayor leaned back in her chair. “I wish I could be anywhere without feeling like I need an airsickness bag in my pocket.” She looked down at her bandaged ankle propped up on an ottoman. “I never thought I’d be thankful for a sprained ankle or miss being able to take painkillers so much.”
“So no one has figured out the real reason why you fainted on the town hall steps?” Kelly asked.
“I think Yvonne suspects. But you’re the only one who knows I’m pregnant. It’s far too early to make it public. But I was never this sick with Jonah. Well, not with morning sickness.” Jean’s young son, Jonah, was deaf as a result of a severe fever Jean had contracted while pregnant. Kelly understood why it made her friend skittish about this new baby on the way, despite how blissfully happy Jean was now that she’d reconciled with and married Josh—Jonah’s father. “How’s the wedding going? I’m thrilled you got Samantha Douglas. Coverage from Southeastern Nuptials could make a huge difference for us.”
“I sure hope so. George is threatening to go on the fritz again, and I hate having to say a prayer every time I turn ignition on the van.” Kelly looked up at this morning’s sunnier skies. “The spring brides can’t get here soon enough. The snow, on the other hand, can take its sweet time.”
“Oh, I know. Josh has been watching the weather reports, too. He’s trying to get out to San Jose and back one more time next week.” Josh and a partner ran a successful software company on the West Coast. While he’d arranged to live here most of the time, work still involved many trips to California. “The last thing I need is for him to be snowbound somewhere in Tennessee with me like this.” She put one hand on her belly and gingerly wiggled the toes that poked out from the bandage.
Kelly squeezed Jean’s hand. “Come on, you know Josh. He’d buy a snowmobile and plow his way over the mountains to get to your side if you needed him.” She returned her gaze upward. There was almost a whole week until the wedding, and mountain weather was nothing if not changeable. Today’s sunshine could easily flee and be replaced by clouds dumping a load of snow into Matrimony Valley. “I’d hate for weather to complicate things for the wedding, that’s for sure.”
“There is always that for winter weddings, isn’t there?” Jean patted her stomach. “The upcoming attraction here and I picked the wrong wedding to stick you with.”
Kelly didn’t want her friend worrying like that. “Hey, every wedding is complicated in its own way. Believe it or not, this couple seems very easygoing. Well, except for the best man, that is.”
“You’re right—he doesn’t sound easygoing at all,” Jean agreed.
“The challenges are all logistical. And those are always easier than the emotional ones, you know that.” She dunked the doughnut from Yvonne Niles’s Bliss Bakery into the steaming cup of coffee Josh had offered her when she’d arrived. They used to do these gatherings outside so that Jonah and Lulu could play before church, but now Josh could be outside with the children while she sat warm and cozy in Jean’s living room.
Jean set down her ginger ale. “So, how many contingency plans do you have?”
“Two,” Kelly replied, gaining a suspicious look from the friend who knew her too well. “Well, okay, maybe four.”
Jean settled back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, let’s hear ’em.” While Jean had often chided Kelly for her controlling tendencies, it had always been a warmhearted, good-natured teasing rather than any kind of reproach. And she was always willing to listen to Kelly’s ideas and plans—the ones that let her feel a little more control over all the potential problems in her path.
“If a storm socks in the Asheville airport, Tina and her parents can divert to Charlotte and we can send someone with a truck to pick them up. Hailey’s got a ‘snowbound special’ all set up to let guests have extra nights at the inn for a discounted price so they won’t feel compelled to leave right away if the roads are bad. Rob Folston’s stocked up on supplies at the hardware store, and Bill Williams said he’d lend out skates and flood the yard in the back of the store to make an impromptu ice rink to entertain stranded guests.”
“All very clever,” Jean said.
“And I convinced Samantha Douglas to come up for a set of exclusive interviews on Thursday so she’ll already be here before the worst of the storm is scheduled to hit—if it hits at all.”
“Brilliant!” exclaimed Jean. “What interviews?”
“Well,” Kelly admitted, “I don’t exactly have those arranged yet. Both Darren and Tina are supposed to arrive that day, so I’m planning both of them if they’d be willing. And...I was hoping a certain mayor would consent to one.”
“Gladly.” Jean smiled. “But it’ll need to be a house call.” She wiggled her toes again, then winced. “Ouch. I really do miss those pain meds. Between my ankle and my stomach, this baby’s going to owe me.”
Kelly opted to shift the conversation away from wedding contingency plans. The last thing Jean needed was additional stress. “Any chance you can make it to the church’s Valentine’s Day party?”
“I hope so.” Jean shifted in her seat. “I can’t just disappear—I’ve got to show up a few places around town. I’ll just be munching on soda crackers rather than any chocolate and cookies.” The mother-to-be sighed. “I miss real food. I’ve been living on crackers, soup, ginger ale and toast. I’m jealous of your doughnut,” she whined. “I’m jealous of Jonah’s peanut butter and jelly, and I don’t even like peanut butter.”
Kelly checked her watch; it was nice to catch up with her friend, but she needed to get going. She ought to be at church early on the off chance prickly Bruce Lohan actually did accept Lulu’s invitation. “Hang in there, Jean. This can’t last long. And just think how thrilled everyone will be when you can announce the baby. Josh looks over the moon as it is—I don’t think this will stay secret for long.”
“My head knows that. My stomach, not so much.” Jean managed a pale smile as she shifted in her seat. “Just keep us in your prayers, okay?”
“You know I will. You sit tight and try not to worry. I’ve got everything for this wedding under control.” Kelly gently hugged her friend. “Tina and Darren will have a terrific event, and Samantha Douglas will run out of superlatives to use in her article. We’ll have next winter booked solid with weddings before the Fourth of July.”
As she and Lulu walked the few blocks toward church with Jonah and Josh, Kelly took stock of all the businesses along the avenue. Bill Williams, who ran the Catch Your Match Outfitters with his wife, Rose, could handle the slow winters. They
