Chapter 8
Rebecca stood in the back of Betty’s dressing room, oohing and aahing along with all of Betty’s granddaughters who had come in to help her get ready. Betty wore the sweetest little round hat with a birdcage veil, and a high neck three-quarter sleeve dress with a diamond-encrusted belt. Despite being much older than most brides, she looked ready to step out of a bridal magazine.
Rebecca took her turn carefully hugging the bride, and then stepped out of the way of the four bridesmaids fussing over her.
“Betty, I’m going to see if they’re ready for you. Is there anything you need?”
“Have you eaten anything, Granny?” one of the bridesmaids asked. “Dad said to make sure you were drinking lots of water and not to let your blood sugar drop.”
Betty waved her off. “I’ll be fine. I’m too nervous to eat.”
“Maybe just a few crackers?” Rebecca pulled a pack of them out of her purse. Betty’s son had given her the peanut butter crackers only a half-hour before, making Rebecca promise to get the stubborn woman to eat something. “I have the same problem so I always keep snacks on me.”
The little lie worked. Betty took two crackers from the pack and ate them slowly before reaching for her water bottle and taking a sip. “I guess it wouldn’t do to faint on my way down the aisle. But now I need a mint.”
Her granddaughter happily fished one out of her tiny purse.
Rebecca smiled and ducked out of the room, heading for the chapel where guests were still milling around while soft organ prelude music played. She adjusted the flower swags at the end of the pews so they all looked even and made her way over to Jay, standing with the groom.
George had once been a tall, imposing figure, she’d bet. The way Jay looked now. She pulled her eyes away from admiring the cut of Jay’s suit, or his handsome face.
“Betty and the bridesmaids are ready. Are the photographer and video guy in place?” She glanced around, looking for them.
Jay leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Yes. But did the photographer come in and take pictures of Betty and her bridesmaids in the prep room yet?”
His closeness made her lose her train of thought for a minute, but she rewound his question in her mind. “Yes, he did.” She spotted the photographer across the way, busy capturing images of the guests. “How long should I tell Betty?”
George grinned. “Three minutes. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Jay checked his watch. “Let’s make that fifteen, Romeo. There are still guests walking in, and I think the flower girl is getting a diaper change as we speak.”
George groaned, and Jay patted him on the back. “We’re almost there.”
“Did Marlise leave already?” Rebecca asked.
“She’s out fixing the sign in front of the church. The idiot who made it spelled George’s last name wrong. She ran to the hardware store down the street for paint and a Sharpie.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Just wait, she’ll make it look as good as new.” Jay reached up and ran his fingers through a strand of Rebecca’s hair, a small smile playing at his lips. He held out a tiny green leaf. “A little hitchhiker.”
“Occupational hazard,” Rebecca said, turning to go prep Betty and the rest of the bridal party. She let out the breath she’d been holding and once again gave herself a stern lecture on the pointlessness of attraction, especially in a work setting.
***
While Betty and George exchanged vows, Jay sat next to Rebecca and watched her face. He was happy for the couple. Who wouldn’t be? But it had been a while since he’d enjoyed a wedding ceremony the way Rebecca’s face indicated she did.
His mind was always filled with what was coming up next: crowd control, gathering the family for pictures, making sure no one was pranking the bride and groom’s car with anything that would delay cocktail hour. He’d learned to concentrate on the party aspect and not the exchange of life-long promises.
If he ever married, which was unlikely, he’d elope.
Everyone around him stood and began to clap, and he immediately took Rebecca’s arm and led her out before the crush of guests could prevent them from a quick getaway.
“Marlise is finishing up here. We need to get to Las Palmas and check on the cocktail hour starting soon. Let’s drive together, and I’ll bring you back to get your car later.”
He jogged to the parking lot, Rebecca right behind him. Until he heard her gasp and fall. He turned to see her lift her dress and examine her skinned knee. He grabbed the first aid kit he always kept in his console and returned to her, stooping down to see the damage.
“It’s this stupid dress. It’s too long when I wear flats, and I stepped on it and tripped.” She took a disinfectant wipe from his kit and ripped it open before dabbing it on her wound. “Sorry, I’ll hurry.”
