“I’m quitting my job tomorrow morning,” Anna Rose whispered as she stood up.
“Right behind you,” Jorja said out of the corner of her mouth. “What about you, Taryn? That look you gave Kaitlin should have fried her right there on the spot.”
“Not me,” Taryn declared.
“Whoa, wait just a minute,” Clinton said, raising his voice. “Kaitlin, you hired us to make the flowers and bring them to the church. You did not pay for extra help. I have the invoice right here with all your orders on ribbon width, colors, and everything else that the bride wanted—so pleaseback off. We’ll do our jobs and leave you to your tape measure when we get finished. You told me and Irene thatyouwere the weddingplanner, so anything above and beyond delivering the flowers and setting up the equipment is on you.”
Kaitlin spun around like a prima donna and popped her hands on her hips. “I will report your attitude to Irene.”
Taryn took a few steps forward as Jorja felt her hands ball into fists. Jorja started to step between them but decided that if Taryn slapped the woman, she might just get one good hit in, too.
With her free hand, Taryn pulled her phone from her hip pocket and held it out to Kaitlin. “Here’s my phone. She’s on the contact list. You are obviously aggravated over the incident in McDonald’s and taking it out on us, but we are not your servants. Perhaps it’s time you hired an assistant.”
“Don’t you have any community pride?” Kaitlin’s tone had changed from belligerent to whiny in an instant. “I’m not even charging my cousin for my services. It looks like you could help make this day perfect for her without expecting extra pay.”
“She’s notmycousin,” Anna Rose said and went to the front of the sanctuary to help Clinton get the bench set in the right place. “If you want to bring your tape measure to the pulpit, you can move these things around without much trouble. The bows all look fantastic to me, and the arrangements that were ordered have been placed in the correct places. The bride’s and the twelve bridesmaids’ bouquets are on the back pew. All the corsages and boutonnieres are marked and laying in a flat box next to them.”
“Kaitlin, darling ...” Ford came through the door and stopped in his tracks. “I ... came ... I thought ...,” he stammered.
Jorja’s hands went clammy. That Ford would show up for chapel-decorating had never even crossed her mind. She had to conquer the feelings she had every time she was around him. If she didn’t, she would never be able to live in Shamrock again.
So you’re planning to move back here?the pesky voice in her head asked.
“I’ll need your help to make this perfect for Paige,” Kaitlin whined, bringing Jorja back to the moment. “They’ve made a mess of everything. The candles aren’t centered, and the pew bows are horrible. I will never do business with the Lucky Shamrock again after this summer.”
“It’s all beautiful, darlin’,” Ford said as he crossed the room and took her in his arms. “Paige is so nervous that she won’t even see the imperfections. She sent me to find you because it’s time for you to do her makeup. Why don’t you just leave this to these folks and come take care of her?”
“I need to check the fellowship hall”—Kaitlin cut her eyes to Taryn—“to see if the centerpieces are right before I go take care of Paige’s makeup.”
“They will be fine.” Her husband shot a dirty look toward Jorja. Then he gently turned Kaitlin around and headed out of the sanctuary.
Jorja’s sweaty hands knotted into fists so tightly that her fingernails bit into her palms. She glanced around for something to throw at him—anything would do, but a Bible would be perfect.
Kaitlin stopped in her tracks after a couple of steps and threw the metal tape measure at Jorja. “Do the job right—and those centerpieces in the fellowship hall had better be perfect.”
Jorja reached up and caught the thing in midair. “I’ll put this on top of the bride’s cake for you.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Kaitlin yelled.
“Don’t test me!” Jorja shouted after her.
“I thought we really might have to call Irene. I’m glad we don’t have to work with her on any more weddings,” Clinton said with a chuckle after Kaitlin and Ford had disappeared.
“Why’s that?” Taryn asked.
“Looked to me like there would have been blood or broken bones if that thing had hit Jorja in the face,” he answered. “I was just hoping that y’all wouldn’t break any of those wineglass candles during the fight. Y’all saw the contract. It says that it’s our responsibility to deliver everything in good shape.”
“If this”—Jorja held up the tape measure—“had hit me in the face, I would have snatched that woman bald and gladly paid for whatever I broke out of my own savings. Wrath is a sin, but every time I see either one of them, I can’t help but get angry.”
“And rightly so,” Anna Rose told her.
“You really won’t put the tape measure on top of the wedding cake, will you?” Taryn asked.
“No, but she can wonder about it the whole time she’s doing Paige’s makeup.” A wave of satisfaction swept over Jorja for even threatening Kaitlin with such a thing. She had always hated confrontation, but she was finding that in some instances, it felt dang good.
“Okay, then.” Taryn held up the invoice with prices and the special notes written out in her grandmother’s hand. “The prayer bench is to be set about a foot in front of the altar. I guess that the bride and groom will stand under the arch and then come forward to take their first Communion together and then kneel for their first prayer. Now that y’all have it in place, I believe we are done in here. Let’s go check out the fellowship hall and escape before anyone else comes in and tells us that the ribbons and flowers on the arch aren’t right.”
Jorja laid the tape measure on top of the prayer bench. “Maybe if she sees it here, she will think it’s a sign to pray about her ugly attitude.”
