“Just ignore my son,” Brooke said. “He gets like this before each event. He’s always nervous it won’t succeed the way he wants. He’s got so much invested in this now.” Brooke lowered her voice. “He’s always been so hard on himself proving he could do it.”
It gave her another insight to the man.
“We are all like that,” she said.
Brooke turned her head to see Clay behind the bar. “Not like Clay. He wants to do things his way.”
She snorted. “So I’m learning.”
Brooke rubbed her arm. “Don’t take his moodiness to heart. He’s always struggled to express himself. Just like his father. Probably why the two of them butted heads so much. But under his gruff demeanor is a heart of gold.”
“I’m sure he has one,” she said.
“And you don’t want to talk about it,” Brooke said. “I know. I just remember the little girl who got her feelings hurt when someone picked on you. You’ve grown though.”
“I like to think I’m stronger. I can give it back just fine.”
She was doing a good job of it to Clay so far in her mind.
“Good for you. My son needs someone to be that way with him. He’ll respect you more for it.”
She wasn’t so sure of that.
“Why don’t you tell me everything you’d normally do. You’re not staying for the entire day, are you?”
“Goodness, no,” Brooke said. “Not for a wedding like this. And Clay will be here.”
“Does he always work a wedding or event?”
“He mans the bar most times. Callum helps. My other sons too if they can. I think Ash will be here. Blaze rarely is, he’s just too busy at the hospital.”
She knew from Gale the careers of all of the Ridgeway men now. Ash was a fireman, Blaze an ER doctor.
“It’s great they help each other out.”
“We tried to instill that value into our children.”
Slowly more people showed up to check on the venue and make sure everything was in place. The tables and decorations were set up the night before. It was going to be a quaint and cozy wedding of around fifty people.
A good one to get her feet wet.
“Have you thought of having a place for the bride and groom to get ready on the property?”
“It’d be nice, but there isn’t any place close by. Not unless we rehabbed the upstairs,” Brooke said. “Even then it’s just a small area with the stairs going into a room off the kitchen.”
“Just a thought,” she said.
“Most are brought here by limo and then enter the front or back door.”
Screens were set up to block the bride from view so she could stand behind them and not be seen until it was her time to walk down.
She moved over to them now and watched as the florist put up the flowers as directed. She had it all down on paper to ensure it was done properly.
The time flew by without her realizing. She moved so much that she was covered in sweat.
Dang it, the last thing she wanted to do was put a dress on over a sweaty body!
“When are you going to change?” Clay said. “The guests will probably be here in thirty minutes.”
