you for your confidence in me to coordinate the perfect wedding for Precious and Clyde.”
“You’re welcome,” Luke said, rising. “Just out of curiosity, what will you do first?”
“Select the colors. There are so many things—details, details, details—that have to tie into them that it’s important they are chosen early on.” Maggie laughed. “The way Ginger kept changing her mind about her colors was nerve-racking, to say the least.”
“You won’t have to worry about that type of thing this time, will you?” Luke said, smiling. “You’re planning your wedding—so to speak.”
“Well, yes, so to speak. But not really. Well, sort of, because whatever I decide is how it will be. But then again…Never mind. It’s going to take a while to adjust to such a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor.”
“That’s what weddings should be, don’t you think?” Luke said quietly. “A once-in-a-lifetime, forever-and-ever event for the bride and groom?”
“Of course.” Maggie sighed. “But in today’s society the forever-and-ever part doesn’t mean much to some couples.”
“There hasn’t been a divorce in our family,” Luke said, “for as far back as anyone can remember.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. That’s amazing.”
“Not really,” Luke said, shaking his head. “I believe that St. Johns are just very good at listening to their hearts, knowing what is right and real and falling in love with someone who is on the same wavelength. My dad fell in love with my mother when they were in the seventh grade. I kid you not, it’s true.”
“Awesome,” Maggie said. “That’s a rather dopey word to use, but it fits. Seventh grade? And there hasn’t been even one divorce in your family history? Totally awesome. Almost unbelievable. You don’t suppose some of those couples stayed together even though they were miserable because they didn’t want to be the first to break that magical spell, do you?”
“Nope,” Luke said. “No way. A stranger seeing any of my family with their partners would be able to tell that they’re deeply in love. Ginger and Robert will grow old together and be just as happy as they were at their wedding. So will…Precious and Clyde. Yeah, so will Precious and Clyde.”
“That’s so beautiful,” Maggie said wistfully.
“What about your family, Maggie?”
She frowned. “We’re…” She mumbled something that wasn’t quite clear.
“Pardon me?” Luke said, frowning.
“Never mind,” she said quickly. “Well, I have my work cut out for me, don’t I? And the first order of business is choosing colors for a Christmas wedding.”
“I’ll leave you to get started on the plans,” Luke said, “but I’ll be in touch very soon. Goodbye for now, Maggie, and thank you.”
“Oh, I thank you, Luke. Goodbye.”
As Luke closed the door behind him, Maggie sank onto the love seat and drew a steadying breath as she continued to digest all that had just happened. Then she shifted her gaze to the center of the table that held the albums.
It had been her plan when she’d opened Roses and Wishes, she thought, to always have a vase of roses, her very favorite flower, right there in that spot. She soon realized, however, that the budget would not allow for such an extravagance.
Roses. She would carry…No, no, Precious would carry a bouquet of red roses with baby’s breath and Christmas greenery all tied together with one red and one white satin ribbon.
She’d named her fledgling business Roses and Wishes because it held a secret meaning for her. Her wishes were simple but not hers to have. A husband, children, a home. Life with a man who loved her as much as she loved him.
Roses. She’d be a bride who carried roses down the aisle and later grew them in the garden behind the home she shared with her family.
Roses and Wishes. She’d wanted that name where she could see it, her attempt to find fulfillment in helping brides make their wishes come true. Well, this time she got to go one step further. She had chosen roses for the bridal bouquet. Gorgeous, fragrant red roses.
Maggie smiled and leaned her head back on the back of the love seat.
The colors must be chosen for this Christmas wedding, she mused. Well, it really wasn’t that difficult. Red roses. And the attendants would wear rich forestgreen satin dresses with shoes to match. They would carry bouquets of red and white baby carnations.
The taper candles that would be used to light the one signifying a single entity would be white and the center candle would be red.
And her dress? It would be white as freshly fallen snow, simple but elegant, with a train and a frothy veil—a veil that Luke would lift at the proper moment to kiss his bride and…
“No,” Maggie said, jumping to her feet. “Stop it right now. Back up and get it right, Maggie Jenkins.”
Precious’s dress. Precious’s veil. Clyde’s kiss for his new wife. This was Precious and Clyde’s wedding she was coordinating.
“Thank you,” she said, dropping back down on the love seat. “That’s better. Don’t make that mistake again, Ms. Jenkins. Not once in the months ahead while you tend to the details, details, details.”
As Luke maneuvered his SUV through the heavy Phoenix traffic, he made no attempt to curb the wide smile on his face.
He’d done it, he thought, tapping his fingertip on the steering wheel. He’d set his brilliant plan in motion and it had worked, it had actually worked. Maggie was now committed to coordinating a fantastic wedding for his imaginary cousin Clyde and the ever-famous Precious. Man, he really should have given thought to names for the bride and groom before he’d gone to Roses and Wishes. Oh, well.
Back to The Plan. Maggie would create the wedding of her dreams. Her dreams. And if everything went as he hoped and prayed, that wedding would actually take place. Maggie Jenkins would marry Luke St. John at some point during the Christmas holidays.
Of course, there was a long way to go before that ceremony happened. Maggie had to fall in love with him, just as he had with her. She was attracted to him, unsettled by him, was feeling something for him already, he was sure of that.
She had to fall in love with him and trust him enough to be willing to allow him to crumble into dust those protective walls she’d constructed around herself, so he could reach out and take her into his arms…forever.
Yeah, he had his tasks cut out for him, but Maggie was worth fighting for and he intended to win. He had to win.
Luke frowned as he suddenly recalled Maggie’s strange response when the conversation had centered on all the happy marriages in his family. He’d asked about her family and—what had she said? She’d sort of mumbled a word and he just wasn’t sure what it had been. When he’d pressed, she’d quickly changed the subject.
“Damn,” Luke said, smacking the steering wheel
