The thought of Sammi gone
was physically painful. She did her best to smile at the other woman.
“Thank you. Anyways, this sounded like a great idea two days
ago when we decided to do it.” Thinking things through had never been Autumn’s
forte. She was impulsive to a fault.
“David…” Rebekah continued to clutch Autumn’s hand, but the
woman’s gaze was on her husband.
David’s brow furrowed, his mouth drawn into a tight line.
“Are you Jewish?”
“Nope.” Autumn squeezed Rebekah’s hand in return. She had an
unexpected ally there. “I’d convert if it would make things easier.”
“That’s a lovely sentiment, and I’m sure Sammi appreciates
it, but if you don’t believe in what you’re doing it’s just window dressing,”
Rebekah replied. She gave Autumn’s hand one last pat and withdrew her touch.
“Oh what the heck? I’ll do it.” David closed his menu and
rested his elbows on the table.
“Really?” Autumn gaped at the man.
“Why not?” He shrugged and smiled at his wife, who had a
decidedly more reserved expression on her face.
“I don’t know, but I’m relieved. Thank you.” Autumn could
have kissed the couple, but she didn’t think they’d appreciate her enthusiasm.
The clock was ticking.
In a matter of hours—she was really getting married.
Chapter Four
Bridge Piercing—A barbell that goes through the loose
skin between the eyes across the bridge of the nose.
Tamara glanced at her wristwatch again. It was unlike Samuel
to be more than fifteen minutes late. He knew how cross that made her. He was
half an hour late already, and she’d heard nary a word from him.
Exasperated with her progeny, Tamara rose to her feet and
crossed to the delicate marble table. Cleverly hidden behind a stand of flowers
was an old rotary phone that matched the rest of the antique garden decor. She
dialed his cell phone, growing annoyed when he didn’t answer.
“Ma’am?” The housekeeper hovered in the doorway.
“What is it?”
The woman had been on staff since the beginning of the year
and hadn’t lost her nervous, birdlike demeanor. “Samuel’s office called. He
left a message that he won’t be in until next week.”
“Out? Why?” Was he sick? Had she missed something yesterday?
“They didn’t say, only that no one could get hold of him.”
Tamara waved a hand at the woman, dismissing her. When she
was alone, she took out the silver key attached to her charm bracelet and
opened a white door set back into the wall. It was a small room, one her husband
had overlooked when they moved in and Tamara had taken for her personal use.
The room wasn’t more than five by six feet, and at one point
had probably served as a patio storage closet. But not anymore.
Teapots, cups and saucers lined the walls. Mahogany cabinets
had been put in on one side, and she’d had them outfitted with more locks to
protect the ingredients for her special tea blends. No one could know what went
into her brews. It was her closely guarded secret.
Tamara took a notebook out of a drawer and flipped to one of
the recipes she favored most. She’d prepared a tincture earlier and had the
driver drop it off for her chef, who was still under the weather. If her son
was unwell, she’d need to take him some tea. For his health.
* * * * *
Sammi stepped out onto the boardwalk and his breath caught
in his throat. Behind him, the small entourage of witnesses, photographer and
the rabbi paused.
“Wow. Autumn’s been busy,” he muttered.
“She has.” Eleri grinned at him.
Sammi hadn’t believed it when Autumn had returned to the
room, so excited about everything she’d put together. He also hadn’t been awake
long enough to process what she said. He’d had to see it for himself.
Not only had she put together a wedding in under a few
hours, she’d put together a Jewish wedding without even knowing the customs. It
was his every dream come to life. He almost asked the rabbi to pinch him,
was physically painful. She did her best to smile at the other woman.
“Thank you. Anyways, this sounded like a great idea two days
ago when we decided to do it.” Thinking things through had never been Autumn’s
forte. She was impulsive to a fault.
“David…” Rebekah continued to clutch Autumn’s hand, but the
woman’s gaze was on her husband.
David’s brow furrowed, his mouth drawn into a tight line.
“Are you Jewish?”
“Nope.” Autumn squeezed Rebekah’s hand in return. She had an
unexpected ally there. “I’d convert if it would make things easier.”
“That’s a lovely sentiment, and I’m sure Sammi appreciates
it, but if you don’t believe in what you’re doing it’s just window dressing,”
Rebekah replied. She gave Autumn’s hand one last pat and withdrew her touch.
“Oh what the heck? I’ll do it.” David closed his menu and
rested his elbows on the table.
“Really?” Autumn gaped at the man.
“Why not?” He shrugged and smiled at his wife, who had a
decidedly more reserved expression on her face.
“I don’t know, but I’m relieved. Thank you.” Autumn could
have kissed the couple, but she didn’t think they’d appreciate her enthusiasm.
The clock was ticking.
In a matter of hours—she was really getting married.
Chapter Four
Bridge Piercing—A barbell that goes through the loose
skin between the eyes across the bridge of the nose.
Tamara glanced at her wristwatch again. It was unlike Samuel
to be more than fifteen minutes late. He knew how cross that made her. He was
half an hour late already, and she’d heard nary a word from him.
Exasperated with her progeny, Tamara rose to her feet and
crossed to the delicate marble table. Cleverly hidden behind a stand of flowers
was an old rotary phone that matched the rest of the antique garden decor. She
dialed his cell phone, growing annoyed when he didn’t answer.
“Ma’am?” The housekeeper hovered in the doorway.
“What is it?”
The woman had been on staff since the beginning of the year
and hadn’t lost her nervous, birdlike demeanor. “Samuel’s office called. He
left a message that he won’t be in until next week.”
“Out? Why?” Was he sick? Had she missed something yesterday?
“They didn’t say, only that no one could get hold of him.”
Tamara waved a hand at the woman, dismissing her. When she
was alone, she took out the silver key attached to her charm bracelet and
opened a white door set back into the wall. It was a small room, one her husband
had overlooked when they moved in and Tamara had taken for her personal use.
The room wasn’t more than five by six feet, and at one point
had probably served as a patio storage closet. But not anymore.
Teapots, cups and saucers lined the walls. Mahogany cabinets
had been put in on one side, and she’d had them outfitted with more locks to
protect the ingredients for her special tea blends. No one could know what went
into her brews. It was her closely guarded secret.
Tamara took a notebook out of a drawer and flipped to one of
the recipes she favored most. She’d prepared a tincture earlier and had the
driver drop it off for her chef, who was still under the weather. If her son
was unwell, she’d need to take him some tea. For his health.
* * * * *
Sammi stepped out onto the boardwalk and his breath caught
in his throat. Behind him, the small entourage of witnesses, photographer and
the rabbi paused.
“Wow. Autumn’s been busy,” he muttered.
“She has.” Eleri grinned at him.
Sammi hadn’t believed it when Autumn had returned to the
room, so excited about everything she’d put together. He also hadn’t been awake
long enough to process what she said. He’d had to see it for himself.
Not only had she put together a wedding in under a few
hours, she’d put together a Jewish wedding without even knowing the customs. It
was his every dream come to life. He almost asked the rabbi to pinch him,
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