A Winter’s Wedding (Christmas Cove #3)

Chapter 14

Carol winced every time the slushy snow sprayed up the sides of Edwin’s blue pickup truck leaving the windows covered with grimy, wet spots. Driving in bad weather had never been something she liked to do, usually opting to just stay indoors. Today, she had no other option. With America still not back in town, it was up to her to come through for the bride. She was just glad Edwin had offered to give her a ride to meet Thandie at the floral warehouse. One more splash through a pothole at the parking lot entrance later, Edwin pulled right up to the curb at the front of the large building.

“You need me to pick you up in a little while? I don’t mind,” he offered, while sporting a grin.

She felt bad having to let the man down. “Thandie is bringing me back, but I appreciate you looking out for me,” Carol said and put her hand on the door handle. “You be careful heading back in this weather.”

“You be careful too.” Edwin got out of the truck and came around to Carol’s side. He opened the door like a gentleman and helped her alight from the truck. “These roads are gonna be a mess before too long. So, if you need me to come back, just call me. Or text.”

“You know how to text?”

“Turns out you can teach an old soldier new tricks. And with the new cell tower,” he pointed to the top of the bluff where one had recently been installed, “we actually get pretty good service around here now.”

Carol flicked a snowflake off of Edwin’s brow as he steadied her using his hand to support her elbow longer than was necessary. “See you later.”

No sooner had Edwin left the parking lot than Thandie ran out to greet her. “Come inside and get out of this weather,” Thandie said and helped Carol take easy steps across the slick ground. “I thought I saw Pa’s truck out here. You told him I was bringing you home, right?”

Carol nodded as they made their way inside. She unfurled the knit scarf from around her neck but left her gloves on, as it was nearly as cold inside the warehouse as it was outside in the building winter storm. Having never been to a place like this one before, she hadn’t known what to wear, but it turned out to be immaterial in this case. Her heavy sweater would be just fine.

She supposed most people were like her and had never been to a floral supplier before. The warehouse was meant for businesses such as flower shops, and professional decorators to buy their items at wholesale prices. She was neither of those things, but The Foundry had an account there which allowed for this special occasion.

Since Thandie came on as director at the resort, she used her background as a botanist to bring an elegant flair to the weekly floral arrangements. Every cabin had a unique theme and the retreat itself offered a rotation of themes each week from art to wellness, and writing. Thandie was a magician at using the florals to convey the desired mood for the given week and was a true artist.

Now, standing in what was practically a refrigerator, sweet aromas bombarded her senses. Thousands of tightly packed bundles of flowers sat in rows arranged by color. The whitest whites gave way to creams and yellows. Harsh artificial colors, like neon blue and lime green, dotted the otherwise breathtaking array of saturated jewel tones and soft pastels.

“And you know what all of these types are?” Carol asked, overwhelmed by the choices. “How do you know what to pick?”

“Well, Miss Carol, that’s why you’re here,” Thandie took her by the crook of her elbow. “You know America better than anyone else in town, save for Leo and her parents, so I need you to be her eyes and ears.”

Carol nodded. She was happy to help out, but this should really have been America and her mother’s experience to have together. With America somewhere in the middle of the country, and her parents on that last minute cruise that they won in a scratch off, it was now up to the B-team to pull the wedding together without the principal party. And Carol did love being in other people’s business.

“Where do we start? I’m sure you have some kind of an idea.”

Thandie nodded and directed them to a section of lavenders. “I like this one.” She pulled a light purple rose bursting from the top of a dark green stem. Though it was beautiful, the choice surprised Carol.

She leaned in and sniffed the fragrant petals. “It’s nice, but doesn’t America want pink and white? Or red? It’s her favorite color.”

“Yep,” Thandie grinned, and one brow raised like she was up to something. “Now watch this trick.” Thandie walked the long narrow space between overflowing buckets and plucked one stem after another until she had a whole bouquet in her hand. She returned with a makeshift bouquet and presented it to Carol. “Look at this, what do you see?”

“I see ten different shades of red and pink.”

“And the lavender? See how it acts like a soft neutral foundation, allowing the reds to shine through?” Thandie replaced the purple with white and Carol instantly caught on to the ruse. “Now what do you think?”

“The white is too stark of a difference. It looks… Cheap. Can I say that?” Carol grimaced at her own harsh criticism.

In an effort to comfort her, Thandie placed a hand on Carol’s shoulder. “Absolutely. This is the feedback I need.” Thandie did one more pass around the buckets of flowers and returned with her own bucket filled with stems. “Let’s go to the office and play around with some options. Plus, it’s a bit warmer in there.”

At a round banquet table set up in the front offices, Thandie laid out the various flowers and filler foliage she had already selected before Carol’s arrival. Carol’s eyes went straight to the branches with sage green leaves and dark fruit. “Olives?”

Thandie took the branch and paired it with a branch covered in tiny white blossoms. In the center of the table, she placed the branches in a tall vase with a wide mouth. The blossoms seemed to drip off of the brown bark, and the sage green leaves had an organic natural feel that would complement the luxurious natural setting of The Foundry.

“So, I was thinking for centerpieces, we could do something like this—” Thandie asked but kept her eyes and attention on fiddling with the various greenery. Carol could see how seriously Thandie was taking this task and how much her face lit up at working the process.

“Can we add some pinks to the vase too?” Carol interrupted. “Sorry, I’m just so thrilled about being able to help with all this. I never got married, so this is the closest thing I can get to it.”

“Well, what kind of flowers would you have?” Thandie asked and tried a couple different pink options.

“Sun flowers. Or anything yellow. Yellow is such a happy color, isn’t it?” Carol pictured herself putting a golden flower in her hair the way she used to do when she was younger. She instinctively touched the side of her head where one would go and felt her wiry silver hair instead of the wavy, sun-kissed locks she remembered having once. “I’m too old for such imaginings.”

“You’re not that old, Carol.”

“Old enough to know what’s past is past,” she said and handed Thandie a third pink option.

“None of these are working. How about I work on America’s bouquet, and you can take a turn around the warehouse. Just grab whatever you think America will like best,” Thandie said as she swirled the tips of a cotton candy colored carnation to open the petals more.

Back in the icebox, Carol headed straight for the pink section, and remembered what Thandie had shown her about how to complement the colors. A bright, almost retro pink flower stood out against the others. Its wide petals surrounded a coral center with little specks of yellow that looked like golden glitter. She plucked one stem and inventoried the other pink options.

As she pulled a pale ballet pink rose from a bucket, her phone rang. She dug the device out of her coat pocket and answered. “America, I’m so glad you called right now. I’m with Thandie at the flower place. Calling to check up on me?”

America chuckled. “Not at all. I have complete confidence in you. How’s it going there?”

“It’s snowing, just like you said it would. But the flowers are coming along nicely. As a matter of fact, I’m holding some spectacular looking pink flowers right now. That is what you wanted, right?”

“Pinks, reds, anything romantic and dreamy.”

Carol looked through the partially fogged windows into the office where Thandie was plucking petals from a rose. The centerpiece definitely had a dreamy, romantic feel the way the blossoms hung from the delicate branches. “I think you’ll love what Thandie is working on. She really has an eye for flowers.”

“I’m happy to hear it’s going well. We just stopped for lunch, and I thought it would be a good time to check in.”

“Are you going to make it back for the dress fitting tomorrow?” Carol asked. She was nervous about going by herself and really wanted America to be there.

“That’s the plan. We’re in some little town in Ohio right now and I’m eating something called Chili Five-way. It’s so good,” America said, though it sounded like she was talking with her mouth full. “Anyway, the plan is to get to Buffalo tonight and come on home tomorrow.”

“What’s Chili Five-way?”

America giggled at the question. “I’m not entirely sure. It’s spaghetti noodles with chili, cheese, onions, and beans, and I think it’s my new favorite dish.”

“You want me to add it to the reception menu?” Carol joked, but America’s long pause before answering made her think that maybe she was actually considering it. “I can call Alfonso if you want me to.”

“No, no. It’s not really a dignified food to eat in a gown.”

America’s mention of the gown made Carol think about her dress appointment. “Spaghetti or not, I’m just glad you’ll be back for the fitting. I was afraid I would have to ask Pa to tag along if you couldn’t make it. How ridiculous would that be?” Carol giggled and picked up an orange lily, having moved down the row from the reds.

“He’d probably enjoy seeing you all dolled up.”

Carol was sure America was correct. Edwin would love it, but the man would have his chance at the actual wedding, not before. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Carol said. “How do you feel about blue flowers?”

“I can’t say I feel much at all,” she said through a mouthful.

“Heard and understood, dear. One more thing before you get back on the road, when are your parents supposed to be back from their cruise? I couldn’t remember whether it was today or tomorrow, and I was hoping to enlist Vivian’s help.”

“I think tomorrow. It’s hard to keep track of time while living the asphalt life,”

“America, really? Asphalt life?” Leo chimed in though his voice sounded far away through the phone call.

“How’s the weather there? I’m getting kinda worried about this storm. Have you thought about what you’ll do if your parents can’t get back in time? Do you think you’ll postpone the ceremony?”

America choked and began coughing.

“Are you alright?” Carol asked and felt helpless.

“She’s fine, Carol,” Leo’s voice came through the receiver louder this time. “Some water went down the wrong pipe is all.”

America cleared her throat and when she spoke, it sounded more like a croaking frog than her normally smooth voice. “I appreciate you asking about it, but I don’t think it’ll come to that.”

“You wouldn’t want to hold off and wait for them?”

“Let’s just cross that bridge later.” America cleared her throat again. “As far as we’re concerned, everything is a go. Thanks for all you’re doing for us.”

“I should be thanking you for including me along the way. I know you didn’t have to, but you made me feel like I’m real family.”

“You are my real family, Carol. We’re gonna hop back in the car in a minute, and you have flowers to arrange.”

America hung up the phone and her face drooped. “I feel so guilty lying to her. The truth will devastate her.” America dropped her head onto Leo’s shoulder. “If we don’t tell them, we’ll have to keep the whole thing a secret forever. I don’t know if I can do that.”

“I mean, it is a pretty good story. What would it hurt to just come clean? We can still have the party and celebrate with everyone,” Leo said and tilted her chin up with the back of his fingers. “I know it was different before when you felt like we weren’t really married yet, but now?”

“You’re right, I didn’t feel it before. But there’s no denying the fact the we did get married on Valentine’s Day in Las Vegas.” She cringed as the words left her lips for the first time since it happened. “Having the wedding in a few days seems dishonest somehow.”

“But what else can we do?” Leo said.

“I haven’t figured it out yet.” America twirled the spaghetti around her fork and took a final, giant bite. A rogue noodle slapped against her chin as she slurped it up. “I need to learn how to make this… correction,” she pointed into Leo’s chest, “you need to learn how to make this.”

“Me?”

“Yes you. You know I don’t cook. Plus, you set the bar pretty high when you made me the absolute most perfect eggs on the morning after we met.”

Leo chuckled at the jogged memory. “I was just trying to get you out of the cabin faster so I could show you the Cove before the fog rolled in.”

“So, nothing changes then.”

“Pardon?”

“Like this morning. Your not-so-subtle ‘meet me downstairs in fifteen’ wake up call to get me moving quickly.”

“What?” he said with his hands extended out as though he had no idea to what she was referring.

He looked completely adorable, and America had to wipe the innocent grin off his face with a kiss. She took one last swig of water from the straw and dabbed her lunch’s remnants from her face. “Let’s get going if we’re going to beat the weather.”