Penny choked back a sob. “The wedding’s in an hour. Do you think it will clear up?” She knew the answer. She’d lived on the island her entire life. This storm had set in and wasn’t going anywhere. Still, she hoped Taya might give a different answer and assuage her anxiety.
“It’s here to stay, I’m afraid.”
Bea leaned forwards from the back seat. “Did you ever come up with a wet weather plan?”
“Rowan said he’d take care of it, remember,” Charmaine added. She was in the driver’s seat, her lap covered in a box of bouquets she was checking to make sure they hadn’t been squashed on the drive over. She leaned back to put the bouquets on the floor in front of Taya.
Penny nodded mutely.
“I’m going to give him a call, okay?” Charmaine spoke in the voice people generally reserved for emotional children or crazy people. Penny had heard it a hundred times before when Taya used it on guests at the inn, or the voice Penny had adopted to de-escalate frightened visitors to the refuge when an animal did something unexpected. But it didn’t matter — she needed the calming resonance to help her manage the frantic thoughts jumbled about in her head.
It was her wedding day, and the tropical island had decided to throw a massive hissy fit with a tropical storm like they’d not seen in months. Most days on the island were sunny and clear. But as the time of the wedding approached, the sky had only became darker and more foreboding. Now, they could barely hear one another over the thunder of rain on the minivan’s roof.
“At least you’re having the reception at the Inn,” Bea said, in a comforting voice.
“It’ll withstand any storm,” Taya added. “We finished the renovation just in time, so everything looks fresh and new.”
“It’s stunning,” Bea said with a nod.
“Thank you, honey,” Taya replied.
Charmaine held the phone to her ear and shouted back and forth with Rowan for several minutes, repeating herself regularly and blocking her other ear with a fingertip. Penny didn’t try to keep up with what she was saying, instead focusing her attention on the sodden white chairs resting in a line against the timber fencing around the headland. The equipment hire company had set the chairs out on the grass, then retreated to the shelter of the truck when the rain squall hit.
“I should never have planned an outdoor wedding,” Penny said.
Bea patted her arm. “I’m definitely rethinking the choice for my own wedding.”
Charmaine hung up the phone. “Okay, change of plans. We’re going to Aidan’s house.”
“What?” Bea asked, sitting up straight.
Charmaine grinned. “Your fiancé has agreed to let us hold the wedding at his brand-new house down the street.”
Bea sighed. “That’s perfect. It’s close by, there’s plenty of space, and plus, he has that enormous enclosed back deck.”
Penny felt like she might cry. It was so kind of Aidan to allow them to use his space last minute, but how would they manage to get everything set up, all the decorations in place, and let the guests know about the change of plans in less than one hour?
Charmaine squeezed her hand. “Aidan said to tell you not to worry about a thing. It’s all taken care of. We can pull into the garage so you won’t get wet. Henry is already there helping to set up, so all we have to do is drive over.”
Penny had a thousand questions she wanted to ask, but she felt so deflated, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. None of it would work out — the guests would be lost, the ceremony nothing like what she’d pictured. But at least she had Rowan, her parents and her friends. The rest of it didn’t matter in the end.
Charmaine started the van, and they drove the short distance to Aidan’s house. Meanwhile, Penny stared out the window and did her best to calm her nerves with deep breathing. In the seats behind her, Bea and Evie discussed with Charmaine the best places to get photographs at Aidan’s house. Beatrice called her father, who was doing the photography for Penny and Rowan free of charge as his gift to them since Evie was in the wedding party, and told him to meet them at Aidan’s.
“This isn’t a sign, is it?” Penny asked, her anxiety returning.
Charmaine pulled the van into Aidan’s driveway. The garage door lifted automatically.
Taya spoke up. “No, it’s not a sign of anything but weather. Weather happens.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m certain.”
Charmaine parked the minivan in the garage, and Aidan opened the sliding door to help Bea, Taya and Evie step out. Penny was about to open her own door when it was pulled open and she found herself staring up into Rowan’s green eyes. They crinkled around the edges as he smiled and held out a hand for her to take.
She placed her hand in his and stepped out of the minivan, a lump forming in her throat.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
