Kelsey laughed. Will and his father were lucky. She and her brother shared that kind of relationship, but the one between her and her parents was still strained. Years hadn’t erased the painful tug-of-war custody battle they’d put her and her brother through even after the divorce was final.
Will blew out a puff of air. “Just don’t pull out the photo albums, okay?”
Bill laughed, deepening the lines on his face. The lines only added to his attractiveness.Like father, like son.“You’d better get inside before I get in trouble for keeping you out in the cold too long.”
Will’s forehead creased. “How is Mom feeling this morning?”
“Good. She’s feeling very good.” Bill’s eyes softened to match his voice. “She slept well last night.”
“Great.” Will’s megawatt smile could melt the snow and chase away the most bitter cold. “Let’s not keep her waiting.”
“She’s in the living room.”
After hanging up their jackets in the entryway, the two men led Kelsey into the living room. The mission-style furnishings fit perfectly with the craftsman architecture of the house. Wood paneling covered the walls, and beams lined the ceiling. Sunlight flowed in from the windows and illuminated the room. The natural light helped the greener-than-green plants thrive, and the windows also provided a stunning view of Lake Tahoe. A crackling fire in the river-rock fireplace warmed the inviting room and completed the picture. Well, almost.
Next to the fireplace sat Starr, looking as lovely as ever. Perhaps there was more gray in her brown hair and the hairstyle she wore was simpler than the more product-heavy style she used to wear. Otherwise, she didn't look any different except for the wheelchair. Though Kelsey knew outward appearances didn’t indicate the severity the stroke had had on her health. Sometimes, the unseen consequences could be the worst.
As soon as Starr saw her, she smiled. Upon closer inspection, Kelsey noticed the slight droop on one side of Starr’s mouth and the way her right hand curled as if keeping a treasure hidden from sight.
Will headed to his mother and kissed her cheek. “Miss me?”
She caressed his cheek with her left hand. “Always.”
Will smiled. “Kelsey agreed to help with the wedding.”
“Kelsey,” Starr said her name slowly with only a slight slur. “Thank you for coming.”
She pronounced each word carefully, as if speaking took effort and energy. An enormous amount of relief washed over Kelsey. She smiled with relief at the sound of Starr's voice. She was thankful Starr still had the ability to communicate, unlike her grandmother,who’d found it hard, if not impossible, to communicate.Aphasia, the doctor had called it.
Kelsey pushed the memory aside. It was too late for her grandmother, but Starr… “I hear we have a wedding to put on.”
Starr nodded. “Faith has finally found ‘the one.’”
Not Starr, too. No doubt, the optimism ran in the family. As long as it wasn’t contagious.
Kelsey pasted on a smile. “Good for Faith.”
“But Valentine’s isn’t too far away.” Concern laced Starr’s words.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be done in time,” Kelsey reassured her.
“Knew I c-c-could count on you.”
Kelsey grinned at the vote of confidence and caught Will staring at her, a thoughtful smile on his face. Okay, it was better than a frown, but it was a wasted effort. She refused to be intrigued by him, not again. So, she ignored him, ignored the way her heart beat in triple time, and focused on Starr instead. “Tell me what you have in mind for the wedding.”
Excitement glimmered in Starr’s green eyes. She pointed to an alcove off the living room. “My files…”
Bill placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Before you girls get wrapped up in wedding talk, we need to eat breakfast, darling.”
Love shone in his eyes, and Kelsey realized this couple was truly one of the lucky ones. One of the few who hadn’t abandoned the matrimonial ship with most others.
“There’s no rush, Mom,” Will added. “We have all morning—all day, for that matter. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will Faith’s wedding. Remember what the doctor said about overdoing it.”
Starr started to say something but stopped. Even though she nodded as if she agreed, the light faded from her eyes. Kelsey wasn’t sure whether Starr was having trouble articulating or if Will’s overprotectiveness upset her. His love for his mother touched Kelsey’s heart, but this wasn’t the time for him to be overbearing.
Wanting to put the sparkle back in Starr’s eyes, Kelsey kneeled next to her and rested her palm on the smooth metal of the wheelchair. “I want to get started, too,” Kelsey whispered, “but trust me, waiting an hour or so won’t keep us from planning Faith’s wedding.”
“Not just any w-w-wedding. This isn’t like the other four,” Starr confided as if it were their secret. “We must give her the wedding of her dreams.”
