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“Oh, nothing.”
Life. How good it is. Howgreatit is…
“It must be some fantastic nothing, ’cause you’ve got joy radiating out of you. Goodness, you’re shining brighter than the sun these days, Olivia.” She picks up the plate of sliced tomatoes.
I grab the lemonade.
When we reach the door, I hold it open for her.
“Was that a cake I spied on the counter back there?” she asks.
“It sure was. Double chocolate.”
“You haven’t told us yet, what we’re celebrating.” We make our way down the short flight of stairs off the back deck, onto the thick, green grass.
“We wanted you all here so we could make an announcement,” I tell her.
She stops in her tracks. Her eyes pop open wide.
“Olivia! Already?” I laugh.
“No! No, Gigi. Notthatannouncement.” She sighs.
“Oh, honey. When you tell me I'm going to be a great-grandmother, be sure to do it when I’m sitting down. I don’t want to get so excited that I topple over.”
I loop my arm through her elbow. “Deal. I’ll make sure you're seated.”
“So, what is it?” I could make her wait until we. That was the plan. But I’m excited to spill the news, and it just tumbles out.
“We have a date. For the wedding. And a place.”
My voice must carry. I hear Maggie, not far from us, gasp. She turns away from my grandpa to face me.
“You guys have a venue? Tell us everything….”
I lower the pitcher of lemonade down to the picnic table. Meat sizzles on the grill, and birds chirp from the treetops around us. I brush my hands on my apron, aware that now everyone’s looking at me. I don’t want to distract Cole. He likes to focus when he’s grilling. But I can’t stop myself from walking over to him and wrapping my arms around his waist.
I lean my head against his back. “Okay, you guys… we decided earlier this week. We’re going to send out Save the Dates soon, but we wanted you guys to know as soon as possible so you can mark your calendars. We’re going to get married on the first weekend of September.”
Cole sets down his spatula and turns to wrap me in his arms. “Skye says there are no gnats that time of year,” he adds.
“Skye?” Maggie repeats.
I nod, then place my palm on my favorite chef’s chest. “What do you think, baby… should we have all the guests do yoga at our ceremony?”
He chuckles. “Everyone better salute that sun.”
Maggie claps.
Trent groans.
“Salute the sun?” my grandfather asks.
“It’s a young-person thing,” my grandma says.
I giggle. “Don’t worry, Grandpa Ray. We’re only joking. Guests won’t have to do yoga. Skye says we can use Sunrise Ranch however we like for the entire weekend, she won’t make us sit in the circle of trust or anything.”
“Circle of trust?” Grandpa Ray asks. He turns to my grandmother. “Another young person thing?”
