Sweet on You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 4) (17 page)

Annie walked across to the computer Tess had set up in a corner of the room. She opened a file and ran her finger along the spreadsheet. “There’s no one until next Friday. I’ll be here for that.”

“And I’ll be in Los Angeles,” Molly said. In-between helping Jacob and seeing newborn babies, she’d been working hard, putting the finishing touches on the photos she’d be exhibiting.

Annie closed the spreadsheet and headed over to the small kitchen. “Are you nervous?”

“I’m so nervous that some days I don’t know if I’ll make it through opening night.”

“You will,” Rachel said confidently. “And we’ll be there to support you.”

Molly folded the light umbrella and leaned it against the wall. “You might be a little biased.”

“Or maybe a lot.” Rachel grinned. “But it doesn’t change how talented you are. If any of those Californian art critics can’t see that, then that’s their problem.”

“I’ll remember that when someone asks me who has influenced my work the most. I’m not sure Walt Disney counts.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Tell that to the billions of people who have watched his movies or been to Disneyland.”

“Or to the people who believe in happy-ever-after,” Annie said. “And speaking about happy moments, stop what you’re doing and taste this crumble.”

Molly didn’t need much encouragement to join Annie at the kitchen counter. “It smells lovely, just like my grandma used to make.”

Rachel slid onto one of the kitchen stools beside Molly. “What was your grandma like?”

“She was five-foot-one at a stretch, with sparkly blue eyes, and a temper that could fry an egg on a hot Sunday afternoon. We loved her so much.” The knot of grief in Molly’s chest tightened. She took a deep breath and worked her way through the memories of her gran.

Annie passed Molly and Rachel a slice of crumble. “When did she die?”

“About six months before I moved to Bozeman. I’d been traveling around the world for two years, making a name for myself in the fashion world. It didn’t seem so important after gran died.” Molly dipped her spoon in the crumble topping. “I wasn’t there for her last birthday before she died.”

Rachel gave Molly a quick hug. “Did she mind that you weren’t there?”

“No. I was on assignment in Italy at a fashion show. She said she’d be looking forward to the loveliest present in County Wicklow. Gran was partial to Italian leather shoes. She said they made her arthritis easier to live with if she knew her legs looked pretty.”

“Did you buy her some shoes?”

Molly smiled. “Three pairs. She wore them to the shops the same afternoon that I gave them to her. She showed her friend, Mavis O’Shea. It was a wonder that Mavis let her go home without trying them on herself.”

Annie squirted some cream on the side of Molly’s plate. “I found this in the fridge. I think we could all do with a little more sugar. It sounds like your gran had some good friends.”

“She did, and so do I,” Molly said. She turned to Rachel and watched a smile slip across her face.

“This crumble is delicious,” Rachel said between mouthfuls. “I need the recipe.”

Annie smiled. “It’s so easy. You won’t burn it.”

Rachel waved her spoon at Annie. “I’m getting better. Last week I made quiche.” She put a big spoon of huckleberries and apple in her mouth and sighed.

“Has anyone spoken to Marsha recently?” Molly asked.

Rachel held her hand in the air. “I have. After you told me we were good to go, I met with Marsha and her fiancé. Doug is such a sweetie. They think they’ll be able to strap Doug to the back of a four-wheeler and get him to the lake that way.”

Annie put a cup of tea in front of Molly, and a coffee in front of Rachel. “We’ll have to be careful he doesn’t fall off.”

“They’re going to do a test run, if that’s okay with Jacob?”

Molly didn’t think there’d be a problem, but she thought she’d better check. “I’ll ask Jacob if this weekend suits him. Speaking of Jacob…” Molly slid off the stool and got her camera. “I took these photos of Emily’s little man yesterday.”

She took her camera across to Rachel and Annie and showed them the photos. Tomorrow afternoon they were all going to the hospital to see Emily and her new baby.

“Emily looks so happy,” Rachel said a little wistfully.

“And their baby is adorable. Look at his cute button nose.” Annie handed Molly’s camera back to her. “I can’t wait to have children.”

Molly took another look at the photos of Emily’s baby. “Tess said the same thing before she got married. We’ll need a nursery in The Bridesmaids Club.”

Rachel laughed. “We could ask our brides if they have flower girl and page boy outfits they’d like to donate. Imagine the dress fitting appointments. We’d have adults and children everywhere.”

Annie shook her head. “Not going to happen. It’s like Grand Central Station in here at the best of times. We’d have sticky fingers on all the dresses.”

“Talking about sticky fingers…” Rachel picked up her bag from beside her and hunted through its cavernous insides. “I know it’s in here somewhere…”

“Have you ever thought of downsizing?” Annie asked with a smile on her face.

Rachel frowned. “I wouldn’t be able to fit my kitchen sink in here if I did that. Here it is.” She pulled a red envelope out of her bag and put it on the counter. “What do you know about this?”

Molly and Annie stared at the envelope.

“Is that…” Annie started to say.

“It is,” Molly finished.

Rachel looked at them. “What?”

Annie picked up the envelope. Little pink love hearts were stuck on the outside. Glittery jewels had been clumped together like flowers and a picture of a big yellow sun sat behind fluffy white clouds. “This is one of the letters that arrived at Tess’ Café after we helped our first bride. We tried to find Bella, but we didn’t have much luck.”

Molly put her cup of tea on its saucer. “Sally contacted all of the schools, even the Police Department. No one had heard of a little girl called Bella who didn’t have a mom.”

Annie opened the envelope and read the handmade card. “She must have been desperate for a new mom if she wrote to us.”

“She’s only little,” Molly said as she looked over Annie’s shoulder. “But she’s got a big personality. Just look at the size of those letters.”

Rachel peered across the counter at the pretty card. “Do you want me to try and find her? I’m filling in for a teacher in another class for three months. One of the parents or children might recognize the handwriting.”

Annie passed her the envelope and card. “Go for it. It’s been a long time since Bella wrote to us. She might not live in Bozeman anymore.”

“Or she might be closer than we think,” Molly said. “If you need any help, let me know. It would be grand to find her.”

Rachel put the envelope in her bag. “I will, but you’ve got your exhibition to worry about. Leave this to me.”

Annie ate more crumble. “Bella might be disappointed when she realizes that we only have bridesmaids’ dresses to give away. Finding a bride for her dad isn’t part of the service we offer.”

Molly laughed. “We’d get a reputation around town if we did.”

“I can see it now,” Annie groaned. “We’d have lonesome cowboys and stressed executives lined up outside, waiting to find the women of their dreams.”

Rachel grinned. “I like what I’m hearing. I’m sure we could rustle up a few women looking for love. It would work really well with the,
Find a Bridegroom Club
. What do you think, Molly? As the last two single women in The Bridesmaids Club, I vote for diversifying our business interests.”

Molly didn’t want to think about lonesome cowboys or women looking for love. After seeing Jacob hold his baby nephew in his arms, her heart had squeezed tight. It had looked so right. So much of what she wanted most in the world.

She slipped off the stool and stacked her cup, saucer, and bowl in the dishwasher. “I think your hormones are getting the better of you, Rachel McReedy.”

Annie finished the last of her crumble. “You’ll be a natural Sherlock Holmes, Rachel. All you need to do is direct your creative thinking toward finding Bella, and you’ll have better luck than anyone of us.”

“I hope so,” Rachel said. “She must be so lonely.”

Molly left the dishwasher open for Annie. “If her dad loves her, she’ll be okay. Gran looked after Becky and I, and we were happy. I don’t think we’ve turned out too bad.”

Except for a phobia about snakes, bats, and rich men with beautiful green eyes, Molly thought. But that had nothing to do with her gran and everything to do with her.

***

Jacob watched the convoy of vehicles lumber up the dirt driveway to his home. Okay, so he might have been slightly exaggerating when it came to the convoy, but it was still more than the single truck he thought would be arriving.

Molly had arranged for Marsha and Doug to visit his ranch, try to get down to the lake, then leave.

Even in his own head he sounded like the Christmas Grinch, but he couldn’t see how it was going to work. The last thing he wanted was for the groom or anyone else to hurt themselves.

He grabbed his jacket and headed outside into the bitter nor’wester. Molly’s car was the first to stop. She opened her door, grabbing hold of it before it was flung off its hinges.

“What have you done with the weather?” she yelled to him in her sing-song voice.

He walked down the steps toward her.

“Oh, dear. Someone’s not happy.” The smile on her face told him exactly how much she cared about his state of unhappiness.

“You said one vehicle.”

She slammed her door and he winced. He might not want to own a pre-loved sedan, but he did appreciate the mechanics that went into making sure the vehicle lasted more than twelve months.

“I needed to show everyone where to go. Marsha and Doug brought their car, and then Marsha’s sister decided to come. When Doug’s brothers heard that Angela was coming, they decided to join her. They shared vehicles, if that’s any consolation for your environmentally conscious soul?”

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

Molly’s cheeky grin almost brought a smile to his face. “I knew you’d be wanting to greet us at the door. But might I suggest that you put your growly voice away? You can save that for me.”

Jacob could think of at least ten things he’d like to save for Molly, and a growly voice didn’t even make the list. “Are you planning on sticking around after Marsha and Doug leave?”

“Only if you’re lucky.” She slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oops. I’ve done it again.”

He cleared his throat. “I don’t mind.”

A soft blush hit Molly’s cheeks. She zipped her jacket to her chin and put her best business face on. “Be that as it may, it’s not a professional response to give my employer.”

Jacob didn’t like stating the obvious, but in this case, it was important. “I’m not your employer anymore.”

Molly tilted her nose in the air. “It’s the principle that counts, Jacob Green.”

With that parting comment, she sashayed across to the next vehicle that had stopped. A woman with short blonde hair stepped out of the mini-van. The driver’s door opened and a man a few years younger than Jacob sat behind the wheel. His seat rotated out of the vehicle, turning toward the rear door. Marsha rolled the door open and a wheelchair started unfolding out of the back. In less than five minutes, Doug was safely in his chair, heading across to Jacob.

“Nice wheels,” Jacob said, nodding toward the van.

“Thanks. You might have guessed that I’m Doug. I take it you’re Jacob?”

Jacob nodded and held his hand out. “Welcome to Emerald Lake Ranch.”

Doug shook his hand. “Thanks for letting us use your lake for the wedding.”

Marsha, in her pink leggings and fluffy blue sweater, stood beside Doug. “We really appreciate what you’re doing for us.” The sincerity in her voice made Jacob wince.

He’d been moaning all morning about having to meet Molly out at his ranch. He’d postponed two business meetings and missed an important phone call to be here. None of that mattered now. He’d been a jerk, end of story.

“Did you bring the four-wheeler?” he asked.

Doug nodded. “My brothers have got that sorted.”

While Jacob had been talking to Marsha and Doug, Molly had been helping two men and a woman. They were standing beside a trailer they’d towed out to his ranch. One of the men lifted a tarp off the back, while the other lowered two ramps to the ground. The woman jumped onto the bright red four-wheeler and rode it off the trailer.

“Steve, Mike, and Angela,” Doug shouted. “Come and meet Jacob.”

The man who’d been driving the truck lifted a metal frame out of the trailer. He headed across the yard with the other man and woman.

The family resemblance between the brothers was easy to see. They may have had different shades of blond hair, but the blue eyes and high cheekbones gave their relationship away.

One of the brothers stepped forward. “I’m Mike. Thanks for making this possible.” He shook Jacob’s hand. With a nod of his head, he introduced his other brother. “This is Steve. And that deconstructed wheelchair is part of the frame that’s going to get Doug down to the lake.”