“I bet they were excited. I’m so happy for you, Presley.”
I meant that from my heart, but at the same time, I was sad on my own behalf. Presley and I had grown close over the past two months. I was the one she’d called when West had his head up his butt and broke it off with her. I’d hated that she was hurting, but I’d never before been the girl somebody turned to in their time of need. I’d made it a point to step up and be there for her. Presley’s late-night texts back then had resulted in a sleepover and the beginnings of what I considered my first true friendship.
It didn’t hurt that Presley was new to town and didn’t know the old me. I was sure she’d heard plenty of stories; in fact, I’d told her some of the hardest parts of my past myself. But she hadn’t been here to experience the past me I was ashamed of now.
When she got married and became stepmom to three daughters, our friendship would inevitably be affected.
Stop being so self-centered, I scolded myself as I forced a bigger smile on my face.
“I’m dying to hear how he proposed,” I said, genuinely interested.
“Well…” She scooted to the edge of her chair. “It was right after I gave him his birthday present.”
“The painting?”
She nodded. “He loved it.”
“I told you he would,” I said.
She’d showed me the painting Shawna Jenkins had created from a photo on Presley’s phone. Back before she and West were a thing, his girls had insisted on a group photo with Esmerelda the llama at the Honeysuckle Festival. It was of West, Presley, and the three girls, family-photo style—plus the llama. The finished painting was both heartwarming and humorous. There was no way West wouldn’t adore it.
“I was so worried it would give off the wrong message?—”
“That you were ready to be an official family,” I filled in.
“Right. And then after I gave it to him, he pulled a ring box out of his bag, went down on one knee, and asked me to marry him.”
“He’d planned it all along?”
“He said he couldn’t think of a better birthday present than me saying yes…with the painting a close second.”
“Oh,” I said, loving that she was so smitten with West and that he felt the same way, maybe even double, from what I’d seen. “Congratulations again. That’s the best news.”
“Thanks, Mags. I’m hoping you’ll be my planner.”
“Of course I will. I’d be devastated if you asked anyone else.”
“You might want to know the details before you agree,” she said hesitantly.
“What details?” There wasn’t much that could prevent me from throwing one of my closest friends the wedding of her dreams.
“We’re hoping for a Christmas Eve wedding.”
My brows shot up as I counted off the dates in my head. Approximately eleven weeks away. “Okay,” I said, drawing out the word as my mind spun with the pitfalls of such a short turnaround time. “What are we talking for size and venue?”
“Not too big. We’re only having two attendants each. Chloe and Rowan are my bridesmaids. You’d be my next one, but selfishly, I need you for my planner.”
“I’m much better at planning than bridesmaiding.” I’d never been a bridesmaid before.
“You’re the best. West and I both have small families, but we definitely want all our friends on the guest list. I’m thinking maybe a hundred fifty people?”
I nodded. That was manageable. “The biggest challenge will be finding a venue with availability.”
“We’ve already got that,” she said. “Or we hope so.” She eyed me in such a way that set off an alarm in my head.
“Where do you have in mind?”
She pressed her lips together before answering. “Saturday night at their dads’ group, Luke announced he’s converting his big barn for events. He’s hoping for a new revenue stream that will be steady regardless of Mother Nature, unlike his crops. West wants to support him.”
