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“I didn’t realize you knew so much about farming,” she said to Logan. “I thought you grew up in Nashville?”
Joy stiffened in her seat, but he reached out and covered her left hand.
“My grandparents had a farm that I spent a lot of time at. I don’t get to talk about it much with my lawyer friends, but I feel right at home here with all of you.”
“Oh, am I glad to hear that.” Gram held her napkin to her chest. “And once you two are married, I do hope you’ll visit more often.”
“We will. Promise.”
Joy turned her hand over and squeezed his fingers in thanks. He’d managed to answer her grandma and still not outright lie. Dinner seemed almost normal after that—other than getting used to Logan playing attentive fiancé. A touch here, a smile there. She’d asked for this, and it was definitely working for her grandma. Problem was, with every warm glance, it was working on her, too.
“Let’s talk about the wedding,” Gram suggested when Joy stood to clear her grandparents’ plates. “What are we going to plan first?”
“We’re not in any rush, Grandma.” As she turned for the kitchen, she added over her shoulder, “Logan has a lot going on right now.”
“I know, but I’m not getting any younger, dear.”
She set the plates on the counter, and reached to turn on the pre-set coffee pot as the reminder jabbed into her heart. On her way back into the dining room, she passed Logan carrying the remaining two empty plates. His expression was full of understanding, so she gave Gram a big smile.
“How about cake tasting? I can call Coffee to Chai For to set up an appointment. Carrie did Caleb and Lauren’s cake, and it was beautiful.”
“Tasted great, too,” Grandpa chimed in.
“Good idea. Why don’t you go get your binder so we can set up a game plan.”
“Binder?”
Logan’s voice directly behind Joy made her jump. He’d snuck up on her on his way back from the kitchen and grinned as she tossed him a quick glance. “Oh, no,” she said. “No need for that.”
No way did she want him seeing the elaborate three-ring-binder she’d compiled with all her arrangements for her cancelled wedding. Luke had encouraged her enthusiasm—probably because he saw a bunch of fornicating little dollar signs whenever she added a page in one of the sections. Logan would think she was crazy.
“But you put so much time into organizing everything,” her grandma said. “It’s really quite pretty with all your color-coded tabs for everything…the cake, the dress, one for each bridesmaid, and the rehearsal dinner. And the pictures of everything.”
Sure, all that her grandma remembered from the one time she’d shown her.
“I gotta see this,” Logan murmured.
Joy gave him a weak smile. Not only did she not want him to think she was obsessed with getting married, she also didn’t want him to see how much money she’d spent on a wedding that didn’t happen when he couldn’t even afford to make the mortgage payment on his place.
“I’m not entirely sure where it is. Probably still packed away in a box from the move.” Or stuffed in her closet because she couldn’t bear to throw it away when she first came home four months ago. Tomorrow, it was going in the garbage. “And look at that, the coffee is done. If you all want to go sit down, I’ll bring everything into the living room.”
She pushed them toward the couch and hurried into the kitchen to watch the half-full pot fill, drip by slow drip. Okay, it was faster than that, and she arranged the serving tray with mugs, spoons, cream, and sugar as she waited, but Gram’s voice from the other room had her wishing the pot would brew as fast as her grandmother wanted to get the wedding planned.
“June Bug, relax. Everything will get done as it needs to.”
Thanks, Grandpa.
“I know. Though, I hope he’s okay with the pre-planning she already—”
“Need any help in here?”
Logan’s voice from a few feet behind made her jump again. She spun around to see his grin. “Stop doing that.”
Gram’s next words carried from the living room loud and clear. “I know it’s the bride’s day, but Logan will want to have some say in the arrangements. You know how stubborn Joy gets when she puts her mind to something.”
“Stubborn?” Logan stage-whispered. “You? Nooo.”
“Shut up and carry this.” She shoved the tray into his hands and then turned to pour the coffee into a thermal carafe. Then she followed him into the other room as her grandmother continued to make her point.
