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I find their group still chatting and laughing around the large picnic table by the creek.
“Closing the place down, I see,” I say as I step outside into the cool, crisp night air.
“Yes. Come join us!” Leona insists as she slides down the bench.
I oblige.
“How’s the planning going?” I ask Taeli as I take a seat across from her.
She groans. “Daunting. I’ve already done the big wedding thing.”
“But your mother didn’t get to be a part of planning that one,” Leona interjects.
Taeli’s eyes slide to her mother and soften. “I know.”
I look between them.
“Why not?” I ask.
Taeli turns to me.
“I’m sorry, that’s none of my business. You can tell me to fuck off,” I say.
“No, it’s a valid question. I forfeited my scholarship and left college my second year to follow a boy to Chicago,” Taeli begins to explain.
“I wasn’t happy or supportive of that move,” Leona interjects.
Taeli grins at her.
“That’s an understatement. Anyway, I ended up marrying him, and since we still weren’t speaking at the time, my future mother-in-law and I planned the whole thing.”
“But not this time,” Leona adds.
Taeli’s face goes soft as she repeats.
“Not this time.”
Leona reaches across and takes her hand. “I promise we’ll keep it small and rustic and make it exactly the day you want.”
I feel a tightening in my heart as I watch their exchange. I’d give anything to be able to hold my mother’s hand again. It’s funny how we never realize how precious those simple acts are until we can no longer do them.
Ansley sighs into her glass. “Small and rustic. You’re so lucky. If Garrett’s publicist gets his way, our wedding will be a three-ring circus.”
“No, ma’am. You’ll get exactly what you want too. Don’t you worry. We’ll make sure of it,” Sara-Beth assures.
Ansley doesn’t look convinced as she lays her head on her soon-to-be mother-in-law’s shoulder.
“I can’t believe two of the Tuttle brothers are going to be off the market by this time next year. Hearts are going to be breaking all over the valley,” Erin muses.
“It could be three,” Taeli adds.
All eyes slide to her.
“I saw Corbin in the Magnolia Karat Patch last week,” she tells them.
“No,” Sara-Beth gasps.
I look between the two of them.
