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I turn to him. “Yeah, they did a beautiful job of setting this up.”
“Not the setting, Son,” Grandad says as he bobs his head to the side.
As I turn my head to see what he means, I see Piper walking toward us. Wow indeed. She is wearing a turquoise dress with ruffled layers that hug her curves. Her hair is neatly tied up in a bun at the nape of her neck. I can’t help but be drawn to her mesmerizing blue eyes and her gorgeous smile. My heart starts racing like a herd of wild horses.
“Now that is beautiful.” I start walking towards Piper when her mom moves into our path.
“I’m so glad you could make it tonight,” she says with a welcoming smile but a tiny edge to her tone.
I know I’m not Evelyn’s first choice (probably didn’t even make it to the top ten). I may not be who she thinks is ideal for Piper. But I’m not one to back down from a challenge. I’m determined to prove myself worthy of her daughter’s love and show her that I have the most important qualities for someone to date her daughter: I will love and cherish her for all the days of my life if Piper will let me.
“Evelyn, thank you for including us in the celebration tonight,” I say softly as she seems surprised by my kind words.
“Yes, of course,” she says, her expression softening. “You really came through with those floral arrangements for tomorrow.”
I smile, glad my efforts were noticed. “Anything for Piper and her family.”
As Piper approaches, she leans in to kiss her mom on her cheek. “Mother.”
Piper turns toward Grandad and me. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she says, with a blush spreading across her face.
“I was out walking Gizmo this afternoon,” my grandfather interjects. “Missy saw me and invited us both along. I assumed rehearsals were only for those in the wedding party, so I was hesitant at first.”
“My daughters have never been big on tradition. I think Missy just wanted to have a fun and happy evening before the big day. And we’ll have so much food left over that we can donate some to the shelter, so no harm done.”
“I didn’t realize that Rustic Ridge had that many homeless,” I say surprised, considering the location and size of this town, I had no idea.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Piper begins. “But we have a unique approach to addressing it. We encourage members of our community to donate leftovers from their homes, as well as nonperishable items. And even my pastries go to the residents of the community shelter across the road.” She points to a building on the other side of the street. “We have volunteers who prepare hot meals and offer assistance to those in need—not just the homeless, but anyone who needs a helping hand. We take care of each other here.”
“That’s wonderful,” my grandfather chimes in. “I would love to see how it all works and maybe find a way for me to get involved.”
“I would be happy to give you a tour and show you how you can help,” Evelyn surprises me by offering her arm to my grandfather and leading him away from us.
I lean in close to Piper’s ear and whisper, “Firstly, you look absolutely stunning.” I notice a surprised expression on her face, and her cheeks turn a rosy hue. Making Piper blush has quickly become one of my favorite things to do. “And secondly, why is everyone being so nice?”
“Firstly, thank you,” she whispers back, leaning closer to me. “You look very handsome yourself.” Her words make my heart flutter. “And secondly, I think Gene is on mom’s nice list because if he stays local,” she explains, “then you probably will too. And if you and I continue to ‘date,’” she says with air quotes, which hurts my heart a bit.
I know that we are “fake” dating and that’s how this all started, but she must feel that things have changed between us. We almost kissed, and she was the one who leaned in first! The thought of leaving after the wedding tomorrow and Piper staying behind makes me feel sick.
“What’s wrong?” Piper breaks from what she was saying.
I try to hide my unease by playing it cool. “I think we’re doing pretty well with this whole dating thing,” I tell her, leaning in close. “Don’t you?”
“Yeah, but don’t forget that my mom is going to keep being nice to you and trying to convince you to stay in Rustic Ridge. She doesn’t want to lose me. Just remember that when deciding if this is worth it,” she teases.
“You are worth it,” I tell her as her eyes go wide.
Olivia calls out and waves us over.
“Come on,” I tell her as I put a hand on the small of her back to head into the party.
“Glad you could make it!” Missy exclaims as we approach the table, wearing her “Bride” sash proudly over a sparkly-purple dress. Suddenly, she gives me a big hug.
“Thank you for inviting me,” I reply gratefully.
“I heard you helped make the cake?” Nolan walks up, extending his hand.
“Just a few small details that Piper carefully oversaw,” I tell them.
