Wildfire Wedding (2 page)

They left the sewing room and headed for the living room. Pictures lined the front hallway, and Krista felt as if the Schmidts who’d gone on before nodded at the newest family bride.

“So I told them we needed to get serious about clearing brush before the full heat of summer.” Luke’s voice rang out with his
I’m-on-my-soapbox
tone. “Settler Lake hasn’t been affected by wildfires as badly as other towns—like Bastrop—but we should learn from their planning, and their past experiences. D.J.—that's the county fire marshal—plans to ask the county commissioners to lift the burn ban long enough for us to do some controlled burns before summer really sets in.”

Jeff asked, “It’s that serious?”

Krista rounded the corner to see Jeff shaking his head. His focus snapped to her, and she nodded. “Hey, Jeff. Good to see you. How was the flight?”

Did she just lie? Krista swallowed hard. She'd worry about that later. Right now, she had more important things to focus on, like greeting the hunk of a man in her nana's living room.

“Miss me?” Luke sidestepped the coffee table and enveloped Krista in a hug followed by a quick kiss. Her stomach turned over from butterflies.

Oh, yes. Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am.

Despite their past troubles, they'd never lacked a certain chemistry. The kiss ended, and she leaned back, a little breathless to smile at him. Nana cleared her throat behind them.

“Hi to you, too.” His nearness reminded her of one reason she looked forward to getting married.

Nana cleared her throat, and Krista glanced over her shoulder to see Nana's eyes twinkling at them. “I’ll get us a pitcher of lemonade. Boys, next time bring your swim trunks. You’re welcome to a dip in the pool anytime.”

“Why, thanks, Nana. Maybe we'll swim tonight. Will you join us?” Luke asked.

Nana shook her head. “I’ll soak in the hot tub. My hip’s been hurting me lately.”

Krista frowned, and slid from the circle of Luke's arms. “Nana, you never said anything about your hip bothering you. And you let me drag you along on those errands the other day—and today, you've been up and down off the floor, working on my dress. . .”

“Shush, it’s nothing.” Nana waved off their concern and headed for the kitchen.

Krista and Luke sat down on the embroidered settee and she smiled. Jeff might be Luke’s buddy from the old days, but the guy was on her home turf and they could wait before gallivanting off for the evening after dinner.

“Did you have a good trip, then? Is one-eighty-three still torn up with construction?” She laced her fingers through Luke’s and gave it a squeeze.

“It wasn’t bad. Jeff wanted to stop and eat, but I wanted to get back to you.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

“Wow, Kris-Kris, you’ve already got him tethered with the old ball and chain, and you haven’t even gotten him to the church yet.” Jeff snickered.

“We're close enough.” Krista managed a smile.
You brought this on yourself. You assured Luke you were just fine with Jeff as best man.

“Don’t listen to him. He’s jealous. I’m planning to grow old with you and we'll hang dozens of family pictures on our walls, just like your Nana has here.” Luke shot Jeff a look that satisfied Krista.

TWO

Krista sat beside Luke at Jody’s Pizza Palace, the arms of their chairs touching so they could gaze out at Settler Lake while they ate their supper. Jody had given them the best spot on the outdoor deck. From this vantage point, a boat zipping across the surface of the water below looked small enough to be something their ringbearer, her cousin Stacie's little boy, would play with.

Tiny dots at a lakeside beach moved here and there on the shoreline, which had increased with the drought. Families, likely enjoying a suppertime picnic at the water.

She inhaled deeply, and leaned toward Luke, who had his arm around her. Then she exhaled.

“Happy?” He turned slightly, and kissed the top of her hair.

“Very. Even though it's hot as blazes out here.”

“We could go inside.”

“Nah. I love the view, plus the fresh air and the breeze help. And I love the almost-privacy. It's as if Jody reserved the deck for us.”

Luke chuckled. “Until the dinner rush ends up out here, too.”

Krista squinted toward the restaurant. “True. I'm happy anyway. This is the week.”

“Oh. Meant to tell you. I have a meeting at the station in the morning. D.J. wants to give a fire briefing.”

She sat up straighter. “But the tuxes—”

“Will be at the shop and waiting, whenever we're ready to pick them up. I called. Denise said it was fine, Jeff and I can stop by anytime. Your dad's tux, and little Brad's too. We can pick 'em up Friday morning, after everyone's in town.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Wasn't that responsible of me?” He grinned at her. That grin always settled her down. His ease was one of the things that attracted her to him the most when they met at freshman Fish Camp in college. But then, you always someone needed to keep track of details. If she'd left the tuxes entirely to him, the guys would be lined up at the shop the morning of the wedding, wishing and hoping the tuxes fit. Or were there at all.

“Incredibly responsible, Mr. Hansen. You have great potential, I think.”

“Think, huh?” He leaned closer, their noses almost touching. “I want you to more than think; I want you to know I have great potential.”

She silenced him with a kiss, which deepened. She nearly forgot they sat on the outdoor deck, on display for anyone who might see.

“There y'all are!” a female voiced trilled, echoing off the patio's walls.

Momma?

Here. Now?

Krista moved away from Luke. He grinned at her. Nothing seemed to faze him, not even the sight of her mother, in all her bedazzled glory, striding across the deck. Momma glowed, from her sparkling pumps to the denim capris with rows of blue rhinestones accenting the front pockets. The only thing simple about her outfit was the white T-shirt tucked into her capris. A red, white, and blue scarf served as a belt.

“Mom. . .you're. . .ah, here.” Three days early, no less.

“I know!” She trotted over to their table, almost knocking her head on the tilted edge of the table's umbrella as she leaned over. “Surprise!”

Luke stood, as did Krista, who found herself enveloped in an embrace smelling of floral perfume. Strands of her hair caught in one of her mother's large hoop earrings.

“Ow.” Krista extricated herself hair by hair as her mother laughed, shifting her large tote bag emblazoned with the Texas flag.

“Oh, it's so good to see you.” Then she turned to face Luke. “And lookit you, all tanned and muscly, ready to wed my eldest daughter on Saturday.”

Momma flung her arms around Luke, who sported a wry grin as he looked over her shoulder. Momma's right foot popped up, and her pump fell off and hit the deck.

“Well, I'm pleased as a kitten with cream to catch y'all here. I wanted to sit and have you to myself for a bit before the whole town claims your attention this week.” She set her bag on the patio and pulled up a nearby chair.

“Good. We, ah, ordered our pizza not long ago, so join us. Please.” Krista had to chuckle over her mother trying to get the pump back on her bare foot. “Where are you staying? Where's Tim?”

“I got a hotel room—didn't bother canceling it, but phooey on Tim.” Momma shook her head. “I didn't want to tell you, with it being weddin' week and all, but I don't think he's going to make it for Saturday.”

“Does he have to work? Because if he has to work, I understand. Really.” She patted her mother's hand. Momma grabbed onto it and squeezed.

“Baby girl, I don't think. . .” She cast a glance downward. “. . .I don't think he and I are going to make it, either.”

Krista glimpsed tears in her mother's eyes. She put her arm around her shoulders. “Oh, Momma.”

“You haven't called me that in, forever.”

“Are you sure you two can't work things out?” She glanced at Luke, with concern etched on his face. “When. . .when did all this happen?”

“It's been a few months. He's been at his brother's in Irving.” Her mother shrugged, and reached for a napkin on the table. She dabbed her eyes. “I was hopin' we could get things figured out. But he's him, and I'm me. Ain't no way around those two things.”

“I thought opposites attract, like you told me once.”

Another shrug from Momma. “Sometimes. But we're not attracting anymore.”

“I've got one large pepperoni pizza, extra cheese, half black olives, half mushrooms,” Jody announced from the doors leading into the restaurant. “For the bride and groom. Oh—and mother of the bride. Hey, Mrs. Pignetti. I didn't think you were getting here till Friday.” Jody placed the steaming pizza on the table and pulled a wad of folded napkins from her apron.

“Thought I'd get here a few days early, to give Krista a hand.” Momma's eyes held a faint shade of pink.

“Well, it's good to see you. How's things up in Grapevine?”

“Doin' just great. It's been a good year so far at my shop.” Her mother beamed as she pulled a paper plate from the stack on the table.

Krista's heart hurt as she watched her mother put on a brave face. She didn't know what to do to help, and truthfully, maybe she'd have known things weren't doing well for her mother and stepdad.

Jody picked up the ticket, used her pen and drew a diagonal line across the bill. “It's on the house, y'all. Enjoy.”

“Jody. . .” Krista shook her head.  

“It's an early gift.”

“Well, thank you.” She smiled at the woman who owned the best pizza place at Settler Lake. Like many Texans, Jody was a transplant, the daughter of retired military veterans who decided to make Texas their permanent home. She'd lived there for most of her life, except during her younger years when her parents traveled from post to post. Krista couldn't imagine living anywhere else, either.

Luke said the blessing over the meal, and Momma immediately launched into peppering Krista with questions about the cake, flowers, music, if the bridesmaids dresses all fit right and the “voluptuous” one wasn't falling out the front of her dress because that was just plain tacky, and if they had a ride to the airport for Sunday afternoon.

Krista's head swam as she answered one question after another. She'd planned the answers to all these questions and knew she'd already answered them for her mother before.

“Ladies, pardon me, but I'm digging in. Krista, here's a plate.” Luke slid a plate toward her with one hand and picked up a slice of cheesy goodness with the other.

“Thanks, Luke.”

“You're such a thoughtful man,” Momma commented around a bite of her pizza. “So kind and gentlemanly. Some men just dig in and start stuffing their faces without so much as a do-you-want-any.”

“I do my best.” He glanced at Krista and winked. Those eyes of his. They'd attracted her to him in the first place, so long ago. Faint tiny lines from time spent in the sun crinkled their corners.

“I'm so hungry; I'm glad we got a large.” Krista savored the taste of the warm cheese, the tang of pepperoni and earthiness of mushrooms.

“But your dress,” her mother began.

Krista swallowed. “What about my dress?”

“All that salt, you'll be taking on water like a sponge. I know it's a tad late to gain weight before the wedding, but surely water weight, and bloating. . .” Momma waved her own slice of pizza in the air.

“I'll be fine.” She bit her lip instead of her pizza slice. Not fifteen minutes, and she was already gritting her teeth.
Help me, Lord. She's my mother. I need to honor her. I know she means well, but—

Few people like a parent could make you feel like an awkward nine year old again. And ready to scream.

“Looks like we've got a party here,” a male voice announced.

Jeff? Wasn't he supposed to be relaxing at the house after his flight from L.A.?

“Hey, man, pull up a chair.” Luke nudged the seat on his other side. “How'd you get here?”

“Borrowed your bicycle.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Nice bike lanes here in your city, and the countryside. I'm impressed.” Jeff studied the pizza. “I might take a ride or two up in the hills while I'm here.”

“Go right ahead. I'll be off work after Thursday.” Luke nodded at a paper plate. “Help yourself to some pizza, too.”

Jeff. And her mother. Both here at once. And now, Momma, sitting there chewing her bite of pizza and shooting Jeff a glare with laser sharpness.

Luke's phone began to buzz and skitter across the table. They had an unwritten rule about no phones during time together like this, with only one exception: fire.

He picked up the phone. “It's D.J.”

Krista bit her lip. Her mother was saying something about how Saturday, everything was going to be perfect, and how nothing and
no one—
with a glance at Jeff—
would stop Krista from having her day.

Luke furrowed his brows. She'd seen that look before, anytime he went to work a fire.