“Time for a little toast,” Janie adds. She peels the foil off the top of the bottle. “This must be your sister, Beverly. Am I right?”
Bev stands. “The one and only.”
I stand beside her and take two champagne flutes from Jenny’s hands, passing one off to Beverly as I introduce everyone. “I have the best sister in the world,” I proclaim.
The cork pops off like a rocket into the front yard, and we all squeal.
“I beg your pardon,” Janie says, quickly pouring the bubbly into our flutes before it overflows in a waterfall of white foam. “Ihave the best sister.”
“Awww,” Jenny says, slinging her arm across Janie’s shoulders.
“Okay, okay, we can have a tie, I guess,” I say, bumping up against Bev.
“We’ve heard so much about you, Beverly.” Janie says.
“All good things, I hope,” Bev laughs.
“All good things,” I reassure. I lift my glass into the air as pure delight infiltrates my body.
I’m so happy at this moment. Giddy and grateful for Janie and Jenny, and the gift of their services on my special day. For mydad and the amazing love I feel for him through his wedding band, even though he’s not here. And to my mom and her kind words she insisted Beverly relay to me.
But nothing even comes close to the joy I feel having my sister with me to witness it all. She understands what I’ve gone through over the years. And I know she’ll fall in love with George immediately, just like I did. I know this to my core.
Beverly and I have a deep bond, and a shared history. Her unwavering loyalty toward me while navigating life’s ups and downs together has never gone unnoticed. She’s my confidante, the keeper of my secrets, and my lifelong companion. I will never have enough words of thanks and love to make her understand how important she is to me.
Especially today—on my wedding day.
With our glasses raised in a circle, the crystal flutes ping together in a bright, bell-like “ding.”
“To sisters,” I toast, swiping at the tears escaping my eyes.
“To sisters,” they repeat.
I take a sip from my glass and swallow before I mouth the words, “I love you" to Beverly.
She immediately swipes at her leaky eyes and mouths the words, “I love you back.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
George
The old barn is quiet, sunbeams sneaking in through the ancient cracks and crevices, highlighting dust particles in the air. I stand in front of a wooden work table marred with notches, nicks, and age and gently tie a purple ribbon around the base of my creation. Holding it up in front of my face, I twist the bunch of dried lavender interspersed with snow-white daylilies from side to side in my hand.
Madison’s wedding bouquet.
Hanging over my head are rows and rows of small bundles of lavender stems secured with twine. They’re suspended upside down in the dry, cool, and well-ventilated space. When we had our first bumper crop several years ago, I turned the historic old barn into a drying space. Most of the harvested lavender bundles will be sold, used to make farm-fresh products like the purple soap at the Wild Daisy Inn.
But today, the special bouquet in my hands will be a gift for my bride.
I smile, knowing she’ll be pleased. The first time she ever laid eyes on the lavender fields, she was overcome with the impulse to laugh and skip down the scented path. Her joy was infectious back then, and I covet the same reaction when I present her with these flowers in less than an hour.
I stare at the sage green sepals and ashy purple tips that are crispy to the touch, the strong floral scent comforting and familiar. The interspersed white daylilies I chose are calledWhite Snow. I can’t wait to tell Madison the flower name. She’s always been so interested.
I handpicked every one of the huge ivory-white flowers with glowing green throats. I might’ve gotten carried away because the buckets outside Pop’s house are overflowing with them. I hope Jenny and her crew were able to decorate with some simple arrangements for the reception. I should go check and make sure.
Sweeping the cut ends of my creation into a small waste basket, I tidy the area before I start for the barn doors with the bouquet in my hand. I’m startled when my eyes land on the silhouette of a man standing in the shadows.
“Hey,” Kip mumbles quietly, taking a bold step toward me.
