Mia
Jason has such a wonderful family. They’re kind and welcoming and I love watching them interact. Growing up, I always wondered what it’d be like to have siblings. It’s fun watching Jason with his brothers. They bicker and tease each other, not in a hurtful way, but more to rile each other up. It’s clear they love each other and look out for each other.
Hearing what Jason did for his younger brother made my heart melt. He wanted Brody to follow his dream of fixing up old houses so he made it happen by going into debt to buy the house with him, and then went into more debt when Brody couldn’t pay the mortgage. A lot of siblings wouldn’t do that.
‘Did you hear about the caterers?’ Nick asks Jason.
‘No, what about them?’
‘They called last night and said their kitchen flooded from a burst pipe. They won’t have it fixed in time for the wedding.’
‘So what are you going to do?’
‘Luckily, we found another caterer,’ Lyndsay says. ‘They just confirmed this morning that they’ll be able to do it.’
‘It’s that place outside of town,’ Nick says. ‘Rita, the catering manager, said her daughter lives in your building. Deidre? Dylan? Something like that.’
‘Danielle?’ Jason says.
‘Yeah, that was it,’ Nick says. ‘Her mom’s handling the catering for us.’
‘Wait, so you’re saying Danielle’s mom will be at the wedding?’ Jason asks Nick.
‘She’ll be there all day, setting up in the morning and staying late to clean up. Why?’
Jason sighs. ‘Danielle stopped me in the parking lot this morning and invited herself to the wedding with me. I told her no, but from what I’ve heard, she’s crazy and doesn’t take no for an answer.’
Brody laughs. ‘So you’re bringing some crazy chick to the wedding?’
‘No, I told her I was taking Mia.’ He shakes his head. ‘Shit. Now what am I going to do? Danielle’s mom is going to tell her I was at the wedding alone.’
‘Maybe Mia would agree to go with you,’ Martha says. ‘If you asked nicely.’
Jason turns to me. ‘You don’t have to do this, but if you do, I’ll totally owe you. You can ask me to do whatever you want. I’ll even go pick you up in Madison so you don’t have to drive here or pay for gas.’
‘That’s not really asking her,’ Brody says.
Jason gives him an annoyed look before turning back to me.He takes my hand and looks in my eyes. ‘Mia, would you go with me to the wedding?’
Everyone’s quiet as they wait for my answer. If I do this, I can’t tell Jason about the baby, not today. I’ll have to wait until after the wedding. I should wait even if I don’t go to it. I don’t want to take attention away from Nick and Lyndsay the week of their wedding, and news that Jason’s going to be a dad will definitely do that.
What’s one more week? I could wait a week if it means giving Nick and Lyndsay their perfect day that’s focused just on them.
‘Sure, I’ll go,’ I say.
‘Thank you,’ Jason says, sounding relieved. ‘I’ll pay you back. I promise.’
We finish breakfast, then go to the barn with Nick. He gives me a tour of the place, then takes me out to the orchard, where he tells me about all the different types of apples they grow. I’d love to stay and learn more, but Jason needs to be at the baseball field soon to meet up with his team.
‘So that’s my family,’ Jason says as he drives down the gravel road that leads away from the house.
‘They’re great! You’re lucky to have them.’
‘Yeah, we fight now and then, but most of the time, we get along.’ Jason glances at me. ‘Thanks again for agreeing to go to the wedding. And I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d go to Madison and pick you up.’
‘I can drive myself. I’ll have to figure out what to wear. I assume you’re wearing a suit?’
‘Yeah, all the groomsmen are wearing black suits with white shirts and pink ties.’
