The Calendar Brides (19 page)

“How’s Leo?” Rachel teased. “Still cooking at home?”

“Leo hates to cook at home,” Trish answered.

“I don’t think she was referencing food,” Jane deadpanned.

The bridge of Trish’s nose colored. “You guys are bad.”

Emma couldn’t resist. People always swapped local gossip when they dropped things off at the cleaner’s. “Your neighbor Bob said you were twenty minutes late to work on Tuesday.”

“You’re talking to my neighbor Bob?” Trish asked with surprise.
 

Susan, who’d taken to repairing the sweater, commented calmly from behind her knitting. “Word was your hair was a mess and Leo was tucking in his shirt.” Emma wondered where she’d gotten that part. She sure hadn’t shared it. Maybe Susan was just guessing, trying to embarrass Trish a bit. In any case it worked.

Trish’s face flamed red. “That Bob needs to keep his mouth shut.”

“It’s true?” Angie asked with delight.

“Way to go, Trish!” Zoe chimed in.

Trish’s color deepened. Emma almost felt sorry for her. Almost, but not totally. Trish was almost always mean to everyone else. Though Emma surmised it was just because she hadn’t grown up learning how to deal with others. Plus, she was still bitter over that Rachel thing, though nobody knew why. Come on. It had been high school.
 

Trish grinned tightly at Tiny. “I think we need to get on with it.”

Susan suddenly felt guilty and confessed. “I just made that part up, Trish.”
 

“About the—?” Haley motioned to her hair and started laughing.

“Ha-ha, very funny, everyone.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be defensive about it,” Jane said.

“Yeah,” Tiny added. “If it were me, I’d be bragging.”

“Uh, well…” Jane rolled her eyes, but her disdain was pretend. “You kind of are, Miss Bun-in-the-Oven.”

Rachel stood suddenly, clapping her hands. “Are we having fun yet?”

“I think we’re definitely having fun,” Claire agreed.

“Let’s all have another round,” Susan urged. “Except for Tiny.”

“Thanks!”

Rachel lifted the bottle, then frowned. “It’s empty,” she said, rocking it back and forth.

“No worries!” Susan said brightly. “I’ve got a flask.” Then she stunned them all by pulling one from her knitting basket.

Trish took a gulp of Grappa, then set down her glass. “That will wake you up!”

“Yeah,” Emma agreed. She wrinkled her nose. “And all you need is one!”

Trish studied them all, her mood lightening. “You know what I love about you cousins?”

“What’s that?” Bev asked.

“How you’re all there for each other. How
we’re
all here for each other.”

The others nodded and Angie said, “Nona taught us that.”

“To Nona!” Haley cried, and they all raised their glasses, then took a slug.

“Now,” Tiny said, dusting off her hands. “Back to work!”

She got a lovely shot of Trish, then it was Susan’s turn.

Susan wore a gorgeous strapless dress and covered her shoulders with an Italian lace shawl.

“Nice,” Zoe said.
 

“I think so.” Susan swirled the shawl in the air, then playfully covered the lower half of her face. “Do you think the doctor will like it?”

“Are you planning to do the Dance of the Seven Veils?” Jane inquired.

“Only with shawls?” Bev said.

“I think she should use that little tiny sweater,” Emma encouraged. “And only that one.”

Susan gasped and cupped a hand to her mouth, but behind it they heard giggling.
 

“Okay, Miss November,” Tiny said, motioning to the stool. “You’re up!”

By the time it was Rachel’s turn, they were all wearing out and winding down. Rachel looked like an angel but her smile was tired. “I think that last shot of Grappa did me in.”

“Don’t peter out too soon,” Haley warned her. “Remember my rehearsal dinner is tonight.”

“Oh, yeah…” the others said.

“We sure know how to pack a lot into a day,” Trish observed.

“Time is of the essence,” Jane answered.

“Hmm, yes.” Rachel extended a hand to study the ring on her finger. “I got such a great guy.”

“Yes, you did,” Claire agreed.

“I’m not even jealous,” Bev told her.

Rachel’s brow wrinkled with worry. “You serious?”

“She’s got a
hot Scot
now,” Emma reminded her.

Bev grinned. “Working on it!”

“I’m glad everyone’s so happy,” Rachel said, “and happy for each other. Because I’ve got great news.” They all turned attention on her.
 

“Another baby?” Tiny asked with delight.

“Not that awesome.” Rachel smiled sweetly. “But it is good,
and
it has to do with Nona and the calendar.” When she shared the news about Tom’s generous offer, the others cheered with joy then started chattering excitedly. It was like—all at once—their ambition had gone from a vague hope to a total possibility. With Tom pitching in, raising enough travel money for Nona and her personal effects would be in range. If the calendar did well enough, they might even be able to bring Nona and Luigi back to the states to visit and meet Tiny’s new baby!

“This is really coming together,” Jane said.

“Yeah,” Trish concurred. “I think it’s going to work.”

“I
know
it is,” Rachel said. Then she beamed at the camera and the lights flashed.

Chapter Seventeen

Wedding Bells

Zoe stood in the narthex, ready to make her way into the main part of the church. Tiny whispered behind her. “I hope I don’t gag during the ceremony.”

“Eat one of your lemon drops.”

“Right.”

Zoe heard rustling and knew Tiny had dug into the small plastic bag she’d hidden beneath her bouquet. It contained little lemon drops shaped like footballs and coated in powdered sugar—at their mother’s suggestion.
 

Zoe flounced the skirt of her dress to adjust its drape. For once she had a bridesmaid dress she actually liked. The satin dresses were all a deep burgundy color but their cuts were distinct, so each woman could select a style that flattered her. Zoe had chosen the tube-top look with spaghetti straps. Lena, who was ahead of her, wore a one-shouldered dress, while Rachel at the end of the line wore puffed sleeves. Emma led the troop in a stunning halter top that complemented her curvy figure, and the others all wore similar variations on the theme.

A light aria played and Zoe watched Donny escort Nona to her special place up front. Donny had been in the family the longest and Nona loved him like a grandson. Although she called him her
very well-fed grandson
, Donny didn’t seem to mind. He just laughed it off and patted his belly, with a “Got that right, Mac.” That was Donny!

Zoe knew Nona wished that she would marry, too. For a long while, this didn’t bother her. She and Dillon had a relationship that worked. But lately, she’d been feeling unsettled, like what they had together wasn’t complete. Zoe blamed it on her biological clock, wondering if that had started ticking. If she could find a way to turn it off, she would. Even if she
was
married to Dillon, she wouldn’t be ready for a baby. They weren’t like Tiny and Jimmy, who’d been in love forever. She’d only known Dillon for four years, and actually had been relieved when he’d merely suggested living together three years ago. Marriage was too big a commitment for her at twenty-five. Maybe it still was now.

The processional began and the wedding guests stood, pivoting toward the aisle. Zoe searched the rows for Dillon. He was standing on the bride’s side, midway back from the altar. Zoe hadn’t even known he owned a suit and tie until this morning. He must have kept them well hidden in the back of his closet. Though he did look great in them. Extra great. He’d even removed his earring to appear more mainstream, but Zoe didn’t believe his man jewelry would have concerned anyone. It wasn’t like they hadn’t seen it before. Okay, maybe Peter’s family hadn’t, and they seemed pretty traditional. Peter’s mom was the type who wore matching cardigans over the same-colored sleeveless sweaters. Always with a string of pearls. Not that Zoe minded the look; it was just different from what she was used to. Her mom and aunts all dressed with authentic but unusual flair.
 

Dillon caught her eye and smiled as she walked past. It was that crazy lopsided grin that took her breath away. Just seeing him standing there, in a church, gave her foolish heart ideas. Not that Zoe wanted to be married in a church. Or married, ever. The more she told herself that, the more she would believe it. Who needed marriage, anyway, when what she and Dillon had was already so fine?

She took her appointed place near the vestibule, her sister and cousins fanning out beside her. The groomsmen were mostly Peter’s friends. The two younger ones were his brothers. Zoe admired how Peter looked so pulled together. Debonair…in his totally classic tux. His eyes crinkled at the corners and Zoe turned to the doorway that Haley had just entered. Susan had been right. She looked like a snow fairy princess, soft candlelight reflecting off the intricate gold threads woven into her gown. Zoe supposed that was fitting, seeing as how Peter had proposed on the slopes. There she was thinking about proposals again! What on earth was wrong with her?
Oh, yeah, this is a wedding.
The music trilled to a close and Zoe felt her nerves start to calm.
It’s natural to have proposals on the brain. That doesn’t mean I’m thinking of my own.

The wedding must have been lovely, but Zoe couldn’t recall most of it—apart from the giving of the rings. That had caught her attention, since she and the other girls could take credit for helping Haley retrieve hers. Okay, so it had really been Tiny. Victor had played a role, too. If it hadn’t been for his wrench…

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you.” She felt a hand on her arm and saw it was Dillon’s. He’d come up beside her in the narthex, where the bridal party had gathered post-ceremony to receive wedding picture instructions. The bulk of the guests had been sent off to the restaurant. Leo had secured his whole place at a special rate, and the reception was being held there.

“We’re waiting on the photos,” she told him.

“I figured.” He glanced around at the others, smiling and waving hello. When his eyes settled on Haley and Peter, he said, “Man, they’re practically glowing.”

“I know. Nearly fluorescent, right?”

“We know what that’s like.”

Zoe was thrown, because she wasn’t sure they did. “What
what’s
like?”

He smiled slightly. “Being happy.”

“Oh, right.”

“Zoe?” He studied her for a beat. “You all right?”

She bit into her bottom lip, wondering if her ideas were crazy. Was it really such a stretch that she could see the two of them together? And not just right here and now, but for the long haul? Maybe some faraway day making tiny, artistic babies? Ones wearing earrings and wielding miter saws...? Wait. That sounded dangerous. Maybe they should start with blocks or something.

“Yeah,” she shook her head and blinked. “Just thinking.”

“Funny.” He met her gaze and held it. “Me, too.”

She was going to ask about what, but the photographer called for the wedding party to meet at the altar. “I guess I’ll see you over at Leo’s,” she said.

“I’ll save you a place.”

By the time the bouquet was tossed, Zoe was dead tired. She didn’t even stand in line to catch it. It was a good thing, too. She didn’t want to compete against Susan and Bev.
 

“Look at that,” Dillon whispered, leaning toward her.

She watched with rapt attention as Rachel dragged Nona onto the dance floor. Nona waved her free hand as if to say,
Rachel, don’t be silly.
But Rachel persisted with an enormous grin. Zoe hoped she wasn’t giving their surprise away. Not that Rachel meant to blab. She just had trouble sitting on information. It was a miracle she’d kept her relationship with Tom from Bev all the time that she had. But that was likely because she was a softie. While she often couldn’t resist sharing details in the heat of the moment, deep in her heart Rachel loved everyone. And she treated them that way. Right down to their Nona, whom she adored.
 

Dillon surveyed the gaggle of women who gasped and giggled in happy anticipation of who might capture the prize. Haley playfully held her bouquet high and waved it in the air, before turning her back to the others.
 

“I can see why you wouldn’t want to be down there,” Dillon said.
 

Zoe fiddled with the handle on her coffee cup. “It’s a silly tradition.” Silly, because Zoe understood that catching the bouquet would guarantee her nothing. Dillon didn’t want to be married. She saw this now that she’d come down from her in-the-haze-of-nuptials euphoria. This was why she felt so drained. Ever since the shoot yesterday, where she’d had to wear that ridiculous wedding dress, she’d been on an emotional roller coaster. She didn’t want to be married either. Who needed all that
happily ever after
nonsense anyway? What she shared with Dillon was better than wedded bliss. They had…a broken shower stall and a barn roof that leaked in the rain. A tear escaped the corner of her eye and Dillon saw it.