Cass doesn't text much. Just a "hi" or "miss you" every now and then. It's after dark when I leave Linc and Mindy's and by the time I arrive home, Buddy is so excited to see me. He acts as though I've been gone for a week and he runs straight to the treat cabinet, waiting patiently to be rewarded for me returning home. I open it and toss him two treats, for good measure.
"Ready to resume our position on the couch?" I ask, rhetorically. I sit down and pull the blanket over me just in time before Buddy plops on my feet...and the blanket. There will be no moving that thing once he's comfortable either.
I open my kindle and continue reading the book I started yesterday. My mind drifts to the upcoming wedding. The fact that I'll be saying "I do" and committing to Cass for the rest of my life. It's a no-brainer. We've already been through so much. I don't think forever is too much of a feat after that.
I set my kindle down and begin scrolling through my phone, searching for all of the things I want to include or not include at our ceremony. I look up the park and see how many cabins they have available. I know that there are camper and RV spots available too, so I know that Cass is going to want to take the RV and I'm so down with that.
Buddy will be able to attend, but someone is going to have to walk him on a leash. His little rambling soul would get entirely too lost in the park. There are too many sniffs to distract him, and he'd be a wilderness dog in an instant if he could. I get on the website for Turner Falls Park and look at the amenities.
The first thing I see is that there are no pets allowed in the park, but I'm sure that can be rectified for just a few hours if we askedvery nicely.I'm sure Junk would have no problem making arrangements with the park before we arrive. I open the calendar on my phone and look at the dates in October. That's two months away, and I think it'll be doable. Cass has always said that anything good was built on a Wednesday and I know without a doubt that we have to get married on a Wednesday.
October second is on a Wednesday this year. How convenient that two is my favorite number and on a Wednesday. I go through and write a list of attendees in the notes app on my phone. We end up with over twenty guests, which isn't a whole lot, but it's more than I was intending. But how do we say "I do"without everyone there? We can't pick and choose who to invite. There is a certain level of politics involved, that is frowned upon if not followed.
I do a mental tally of who I know has a camper and who would need a cabin. Upon further searching, I see that you can rent both Teepees and Wagons and I just know Conner is going to want to stay in a wagon. I send a group chat to the ol' ladies whose numbers I do have with the wedding information. Cass has already said he doesn't care what date we get married and this is plenty enough notice, so I'm putting it out.
Carrie hearts my message immediately and she sends a whole slew of excited emojis. Lucy says she can't wait. Mindy calls me immediately.
"I see you set the date already," she says as soon as I pick up the phone.
"Yep. I'll let Cass know whenever he gets home," I say with a laugh.
Mindy cackles on the other end. "He doesn't even know yet and you've already put it out?"
I laugh harder. "Yep. He'll be fine with it. Besides, go look at the cabins available at the park."
Mindy is quiet as she puts me on speaker and searches the website.
"No fucking way. You can rent a Teepee?!" she shrieks.
"Right! Isn't that so freaking cool?" I ask.
"Babe!! We're renting a Teepee for Cass and Lilly's wedding!" she yells. Maverick must be awake.
Linc mumbles something incoherent in the background. "What'd he say?" I ask.
"He said, 'Of course we are' and rolled his eyes. But that just means he's excited," she says with emphasis on the word excited.
"It's perfect camping weather there in October. It won't be too hot, and it shouldn't be freezing cold yet either. It looks likethe high could be in the seventies that week. The lows will be a little cooler in the mornings and at night, but during the day it's supposed to be beautiful," I tell her, looking at my weather app.
I can just picture how stunning this place is going to be when we get there. I can't wait. Mindy and I get off the phone and there are ten text messages in our group chat, mostly of the girls being excited. I copy and paste the website for booking into the chat for them to browse through.
I go ahead and book our RV spot and shoot a message to Lawsyn on social media inquiring if Junk could have a word with the managers of the park about having a dog there for the wedding. She replies immediately saying she will get it taken care of. I send her the mock-up invite I just made and tell her to send it to Violet and Nova.
I need to send it to my mom tomorrow and have Cass let Clayton know, but I'm sure he will find out long before Cass tells him. I don't know how much longer it will be before Cass returns home, or has time to even think about our wedding.
I open my kindle again once I feel confident in the wedding planning that I've done and finish reading my book. My eyes are so tired by the time I'm done reading. It's after two in the morning and Buddy has long been out cold at my feet chasing rabbits in his sleep. I run a hand over his back.
"Come on, Bud. Let's go to bed," I say softly. He raises his head, watching me as I rise from the couch and begin turning off the lights. The thud of large paws padding down the hallway behind me makes my heart happy. Always following me through the house. I lift the blanket and pat the bed. Bud jumps in and gets into what is known as "his spot", which is just the space where my feet should go. And if you don't lift the blanket, he will lay on top of it and trap your feet beneath it and you'll be fighting your way out from underneath him.
He does help keep you warm when the temperatures drop outside though, so there's a plus to him hogging the bed. Cass is narrowly affected by it though, because for some reason, Buddy has chosen my side of the bed as his spot and Cass gets free reign of his foot area of the bed.
I check my phone one last time before setting it on my pillow and closing my eyes. I keep it close so in the event Cass texts or calls it will wake me up. Sometimes texts don't wake me up but a call most certainly will. I sleep so hard that I'm not sure anything could have woken me.
I wake up with drool on my pillow and Buddy stretched out beside me. He must have moved around throughout the night, which did not phase me at all evidently. I open my phone and am blinded by the brightness. I turn it down as low as it'll go and wait for my eyes to adjust. I've got one eye open and the other half shut, trying to focus. Being half blind then blinded by the brightness is not a good combo first thing in the morning.
There are so many text notifications, but the one that I go straight to is the message from Cass.
Cass: I hear we have a wedding date.
