“Sounds perfect. You should be able to find something on one of the various streaming services we have.”
Though she had set up a comfortable media area in the break room of Evergreen & Ivy, she tried not to use screen time as a babysitter for her child too often.
“Don’t worry about us. We’re fine. Take care of what you need to. We’ll find plenty to do, won’t we, Lydia? Maybe we can bundle up and take a walk through the park.”
“Yes! I want to take a walk.”
“Thanks again, Audrey.”
She hurried out to the shop floor, where she planned to wrap up the fresh flower centerpieces for the Myers-Balboa wedding later that day.
She had approximately three hours to finish before she had to head to the wedding venue, a lovely primitive barn that had been renovated into a reception space, with a huge wall of windows overlooking Lake Haven.
In between the occasional customer coming in for get-well flowers, party centerpieces or birthday bouquets, shewas able to finish in plenty of time. She was setting the final centerpiece in the box she would use to transport everything to the venue when the bell on the door rang as Lydia came out of the break room.
“Grandma!” Lydia’s voice rang out and she ran toward the door with Audrey close behind.
Holly looked up in time to see Lydia hugging a slim woman with dark hair and trendy glasses, followed by a younger woman who looked a great deal like her.
Not her own mother, she saw at once. Troy’s mother. Her former mother-in-law, along with the bride-to-be.
“Hello, darling.” Susan gave Lydia a warm squeeze and so did Kristine.
Holly looked between mother and daughter. “I’m sorry. Did we have a meeting set up today?”
Her packed schedule loomed as large as the mountains outside. She knew from experience her former mother-in-law could quickly swallow up every available minute of her day if she let her.
Susan shook her head with a reassuring smile. “Not officially, no. But we were in town picking up some little gifts for the bridesmaids and wanted to stop in and check to see if everything is on track with flowers.”
Kristine’s wedding was still two weeks away. She had two others to worry about first.
“It’s all going to plan. I’ve ordered everything and should be able to set aside plenty of time right before the wedding to create the arrangements, so everything can be as fresh as possible.”
Susan adjusted her glasses and moved closer to Holly. “I hate to be a pain, but is it too late to make any changes?”
Yes, she wanted to yell.For the love of all things holy, the wedding is only two weeks away and we’ve been over and over this.
Instead, she forced a calm smile. “What sort of changes?”
“I’m having second thoughts about the calla lilies. They’re so beautiful and elegant but my friend Barbara told me lilies are considered bad luck for a wedding. What if we went with white roses instead?”
She fought the urge to close her eyes and pray for patience.
Kristine was the baby of her family and the last one to be married and Holly knew Susan wanted every detail to be perfect. She could understand that. Still, everything had already been ordered weeks ago. If she had to change the plan now, there was no guarantee she would be able to get the new supplies in time and Evergreen & Ivy might be stuck with four dozen calla lilies that would be tough to unload right before Christmas.
“The lilies will be gorgeous, I promise. Just like the inspiration board pictures you brought in, only better.”
“Are lilies considered bad luck at weddings? We’ve had enough divorce in our family. We don’t need to invite more trouble.”
Then maybe you should have taught your son not to cheat on his wife with his personal assistant.Again, she bit back the tart words. It was only stress and fatigue lending a sharp, waspish edge to her thoughts. She didn’t need to turn those thoughts into words she couldn’t take back.
“It is true that some cultures associate certain kinds of lilies with funerals, but calla lilies are different. They’re elegant and demure. Kristine will look so beautiful carrying a bouquet with two or three lilies as part of the whole package. As we have red roses planned for the bouquet, I think the contrast of the white lilies will be nothing less than striking.”
Susan looked conflicted. “I want everything to be perfect.”
“It will be absolutely perfect,” Kristine said, sending Holly an apologetic look. “I love the calla lilies, Mom. They’re theflowers we picked. As I told you on the way here, I don’t think it’s fair to mess everything up for Holly when we’re only two weeks away from the wedding.”
Her expression twisted into sudden panic. “Oh man. I’m getting married in two weeks. I’m not ready!”
