Matt punches me in the shoulder. “Dude. I was glad to see it. You have any idea how happy my wife would be to see the two of you get together?” I start to throw my hands up in protest. It was one night. Until I’m caught off guard as his face lights up. “Shit. My wife.” His grin is ridiculous now, his eyes darting about the restaurant in search of Ellie. “How did I get so damned lucky, man?”
I give his shoulder a squeeze. “You deserve this. I’m really happy for you. Both of you.”
His face falls. “You do too, Smoke. Hell. I know what your dad did to your mom. Trust me, I lived it. Except when mine walked, he never looked back. But you aren’t your father. And whether it’s Charlene or someone else, life is too long to spend it all alone.” His beautiful bride walks over carrying a pot of coffee. Snatching it from her, he places it on the table before pulling her into his lap. “Fuck’s sake, El. Sit down and let someone else take care of these fuckers. It’s our wedding weekend.”
She rolls her eyes. “It was only coffee.”
“Anything I can do?” I interrupt.
“No. I’ve got plenty of servers working this morning. Honestly, it’s just habit to walk around in the morning with a fresh pot at this point.” She snickers. This girl is one of the hardest working people I know. And always with a genuine smile on her face.
“The wedding and reception were perfect, Ellie. You and the girls really did an amazing job pulling it all together.”
Matt gives her a reassuring squeeze. “Thanks. Itwaspretty great. The hardest part was saying goodbye to everyone. It had been so long since we’d spent any time with Harry, Harlow, Char, and Jo. And the weekend went by in a flash.”
My heart clenches at the confirmation she’s really gone. What had I expected? Some long, drawn-out goodbye?
“Harry and his family took Jo back home on the jet. And Char had to head back early since she had to close her salon while she was away. I mean, I get it. It would be very tough to have to close therestaurant for any length of time. When you manage your own business, it’s hard to put it in the hands of someone else.”
I inconspicuously rub my chest, trying to soothe the ache that’s filled my hollow heart. It’s as if all of the air in the room has vanished along with her.It was supposed to be one night. One. But given the way I’m feeling, there’s no doubt I won’t be able to let this go.
Let her go.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAR
“Good morning, sunshine,”Norma Jean chirps in a singsong voice as she strolls into the salon. “I can’t believe you made that trip there and back by car and are already fast at work looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.” She giggles, bracelets jingling as she shrugs out of her sweater.
“I don’t know how bright-eyed I am,” I mumble through a yawn. “I could use a week-long nap.” Just saying it makes me want to curl up under one of the dryers and hibernate like a bear.
“I bet.” She drops her purse in the rear of the salon and bounces right back out, clapping her hands like she’s about to open a present. “I cannot wait to hear everything. Don’t leave anything out.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, already planning exactly what I’m going to leave out. Namely, a six-foot-three hunk of amazing, who smelled faintly of cedar and smoke. There’s no way I can share details about our time together without Norma Jean putting two and two together. And I don’t just mean our heavenly one-night stand. It’d be clear as day I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that dreamy boy next door since the moment I drove away.
The bell over the door jingles as I flip the sign toOpen.The scent of the new lavender shampoo I tried out this morning mixes with fresh, albeit bad, coffee brewing in the back. And just like that, another Wednesday morning in To Dye For begins.
I make a mental note to press Gina to set up that Gingerbread coffee station. I just need to promise I’ll still be stopping by her place each morning on schedule for my regular order on top of what we will be selling of hers in the salon.
Norma Jean settles at her station, pulling out a handful of rollers. “All right, Miss Traveler,” she says, eyes sparkling, “Spill it. How was the big mountain wedding?”
I tie my black apron around my waist, trying not to look as lovesick as I feel. “It was… magical,” I say finally, grabbing my coffee for another sip. “Like something out of a dream.”
“Oh, youknowI love a good wedding story,” she says, settling in like she’s front row at the movies.
“Well, picture this,” I begin, holding my hands up like a director would on a movie set. “A little mountain town, tucked so high up you feel like you could reach out and touch the clouds. The ceremony was outdoors. It was right on a ridge overlooking the valley. The air was so fresh, it smelled like pine and rain. And they had these strings of lights woven through the trees. Wildflowers were everywhere.” I wave my arms around dramatically. “Like the whole mountain decided to bloom just for them.”
Norma Jean presses a hand to her chest. “Holy crow, Char. That sounds heavenly.”
“Oh, it was. Ellie looked like she’d stepped right out of a bridal magazine. She wore this long, flowing bohemian-style dress that caught the wind. And I’d placed tiny wildflowers in her long red hair. Oh, and, Norma Jean,” I gush. “The way her groom looked at her when she walked down that aisle…” I pause, smiling softly at the memory. “You could see it on his face clear as day. I thought love like that only happened in the movies.”
She lets out a dreamy sigh. “That’s the kind of look every woman wants.”
“I know,” I agree softly. “It made me cry, and youknowI don’t cry easy. All of the grooms looked at their brides that way.”
“How many ceremonies were there, again?”
“Four. It was actually really smart, particularly given the size of the town. I mean, two of the brides are the primary florist and baker in town. And Ellie catered the whole reception. It would’ve been tough repeating that scenario for three additional weddings.” I chuckle, mindlessly straightening my station as I recount the weekend’s events. “The entire thing was absolutely perfect., the music, the dancing, the food. And Sycamore Mountain at sunset…” I pause again, remembering the way the light turned everything gold. “Who needs fireworks when you live there? It felt like the mountain sky was putting on a show.”
