reminded herself, how else could she keep Chesson House? The only alternative she had would be to buy the place from the trust, but she stubbornly refused to go into debt to own a business she already ran.
Willow made a big show of checking the time. “Oh my word, Haven. You have to go.”
“I do?”
Willow shot her a look.
“Yes, I do.” She let go of her skirt and touched her hair. “Salon time.”
“Different color for the wedding?” Leah asked.
Haven shook her head. “Just a touch up.” That probably wasn’t the answer her mother-in-law was hoping for.
“Wonderful. I love the color.”
“You do?”
Leah gave her a sheepish look. “I think it’s daring. If I weren’t so… conservative, I might try it myself.”
“Maybe you can get one strand done. They have non-permanent hair color like the chalk stuff they sell at the hair product supply store.”
That set off another round of conversations, each woman taking a turn to share a hair disaster or triumph.
Willow bent down and whispered, “Do I need to remind you of the time again?”
Haven glanced around the room, taking in the women chatting so animatedly. “No. I’m good.” For the first time in a very long time, she felt like she belonged.
*
The next afternoon, Haven stood in her bedroom, holding a bouquet of lilacs, lavender, and sweet William while her best friend and mother-in-law fussed over her.
“Gorgeous,” Leah said as she adjusted the tiara in Haven’s hair and stepped back to run a critical eye over her. “The dress is pretty, too.”
Haven fingered her tiara. “The Queen of—ouch.” She glared at Willow.
“Just say thank you .” Or else hung in the air.
Since she didn’t relish another pinch from her friend, she smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Leah glanced at the grandmother clock that stood in the corner of the large bedroom. “I need to go.” She touched Haven’s cheek. “The next time we speak, you’ll be my daughter-in-law.”
Willow stood, narrowing her eyes at Haven from behind Heath’s mom.
“Thank you,” she said.
Once the older woman was out of the room, Haven rounded on her best friend. “Why did you keep pinching me?”
“Because you share weird facts when you’re nervous.”
Willow was right, but still…she never knew how to respond to compliments. “Maybe I should check out a book by Emily Post.”
“What?”
Haven blinked. “Nothing. I’m ready. Are you ready? We’re ready.”
Willow took Haven by the shoulders. “Everyone is ready. Are you?”
“I didn’t get to thank you for the dress,” Haven said. “I’d planned on wearing—actually, I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
“I know you didn’t.” Willow smiled. “Promise me one thing.”
In light of all that Willow had done for her, she’d promise her anything. “Sure.”
“Consider making your marriage to Heath permanent.”
Except that. “Why?”
“Because divorce sucks.”
“Says the woman who’s never been married.”
“No, but the couples I’ve planned weddings for,” Willow’s blue eyes turned sad, “half of them split up. So, for me, maybe you could try?”
“I’ll think about it,” Haven said grudgingly, but she couldn’t bring herself to promise. She hadn’t even seen Heath since he agreed to marry her.
“Follow me,” Willow sang as she opened the bedroom door.
Heath’s brother, Luke, waited at the side entrance. Wait a minute. That wasn’t Luke—that was his twin brother—
Willow froze in her tracks and Haven almost rammed into her. “Logan,” she whispered.
“Ladies,” Logan began. “I’m hoping you can help me surprise my mother. My unit got back early, and no one knows. In return, Luke and I will be y’all’s escorts down the aisle.”
“Sure,” Haven said. At first, she’d planned to walk down the aisle by herself, right after Willow, but this morning when Luke stopped by to offer his escort services to his new sister, she
Willow made a big show of checking the time. “Oh my word, Haven. You have to go.”
“I do?”
Willow shot her a look.
“Yes, I do.” She let go of her skirt and touched her hair. “Salon time.”
“Different color for the wedding?” Leah asked.
Haven shook her head. “Just a touch up.” That probably wasn’t the answer her mother-in-law was hoping for.
“Wonderful. I love the color.”
“You do?”
Leah gave her a sheepish look. “I think it’s daring. If I weren’t so… conservative, I might try it myself.”
“Maybe you can get one strand done. They have non-permanent hair color like the chalk stuff they sell at the hair product supply store.”
That set off another round of conversations, each woman taking a turn to share a hair disaster or triumph.
Willow bent down and whispered, “Do I need to remind you of the time again?”
Haven glanced around the room, taking in the women chatting so animatedly. “No. I’m good.” For the first time in a very long time, she felt like she belonged.
*
The next afternoon, Haven stood in her bedroom, holding a bouquet of lilacs, lavender, and sweet William while her best friend and mother-in-law fussed over her.
“Gorgeous,” Leah said as she adjusted the tiara in Haven’s hair and stepped back to run a critical eye over her. “The dress is pretty, too.”
Haven fingered her tiara. “The Queen of—ouch.” She glared at Willow.
“Just say thank you .” Or else hung in the air.
Since she didn’t relish another pinch from her friend, she smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Leah glanced at the grandmother clock that stood in the corner of the large bedroom. “I need to go.” She touched Haven’s cheek. “The next time we speak, you’ll be my daughter-in-law.”
Willow stood, narrowing her eyes at Haven from behind Heath’s mom.
“Thank you,” she said.
Once the older woman was out of the room, Haven rounded on her best friend. “Why did you keep pinching me?”
“Because you share weird facts when you’re nervous.”
Willow was right, but still…she never knew how to respond to compliments. “Maybe I should check out a book by Emily Post.”
“What?”
Haven blinked. “Nothing. I’m ready. Are you ready? We’re ready.”
Willow took Haven by the shoulders. “Everyone is ready. Are you?”
“I didn’t get to thank you for the dress,” Haven said. “I’d planned on wearing—actually, I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
“I know you didn’t.” Willow smiled. “Promise me one thing.”
In light of all that Willow had done for her, she’d promise her anything. “Sure.”
“Consider making your marriage to Heath permanent.”
Except that. “Why?”
“Because divorce sucks.”
“Says the woman who’s never been married.”
“No, but the couples I’ve planned weddings for,” Willow’s blue eyes turned sad, “half of them split up. So, for me, maybe you could try?”
“I’ll think about it,” Haven said grudgingly, but she couldn’t bring herself to promise. She hadn’t even seen Heath since he agreed to marry her.
“Follow me,” Willow sang as she opened the bedroom door.
Heath’s brother, Luke, waited at the side entrance. Wait a minute. That wasn’t Luke—that was his twin brother—
Willow froze in her tracks and Haven almost rammed into her. “Logan,” she whispered.
“Ladies,” Logan began. “I’m hoping you can help me surprise my mother. My unit got back early, and no one knows. In return, Luke and I will be y’all’s escorts down the aisle.”
“Sure,” Haven said. At first, she’d planned to walk down the aisle by herself, right after Willow, but this morning when Luke stopped by to offer his escort services to his new sister, she
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