A Winter’s Wedding (Christmas Cove #3)

Chapter 24

“I thought you weren’t coming in until tomorrow,” America said. Rubbing sleepiness from her eyes, she pulled out a wood spindle chair, that definitely needed replacing, from the kitchen table.

Poppy waved it off, indicating she wasn’t going to sit. “I know that’s what I told you, but I had to come now. I brought something you might need.”

“Curious,” America said as the front door squeaked open. “I don’t know what Leo is up to. It’s freezing out there.”

Though America was unable to see down the hallway from her spot at the table, Poppy leaned her head around the kitchen doorway. “That’s not Leo.”

“Who is it then?” America stood and mimicked Poppy’s stance.

The front door opened, and America’s mom was coming through, backside first. “Can I get some help with this door?” she called to them.

America and Poppy ran up to the front of the house. America held the door open while Poppy helped carry whatever was in her mom’s hands.

“Careful,” Vivian said and turned around holding a beautiful white cake.

“Mom, did you make this?”

She laughed. “Are you kidding? You’ve had my cakes before, and I don’t think you want me to serve one to a hundred guests. You have Poppy to thank for bringing this.”

America looked at the square box base and saw the logo from her favorite bakery from back in the city. “How did you know?”

Poppy and Vivian walked the two-tier cake back to the kitchen while America looked out into the front lawn for any sign of Leo. She followed them down the hall and inspected the round layers. Tiny pink and red flowers glittered like morning dew around the base of each layer and small green pearls dotted the surface like little leaves. It was nearly as pretty as the one she and Leo had originally picked out and a miracle that Poppy had gotten one on such short notice.

“Your mom called me yesterday and told me what happened at the local bakery, so I headed over to The Frankery in your old neighborhood and begged Frank for a rush order for his favorite customer,” Poppy said and embraced America. “He always did like you.”

“I’ll have to thank him in person next time I’m in town.,” America said and hugged her mom too. “Thank you for doing this.”

“You can’t have a wedding without cake,” Vivian said and winked. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Leo is out with your father.”

“I wondered where he had run off to. Poppy showed up and it was like he disappeared. What are they doing?”

“At this exact moment, I don’t know,” Vivian said with a wink.

America was immediately suspicious of the cagey way her mother answered. “What are you not telling me?” She turned to her friend, “Poppy, what do you know? This better not be some other grand romantic scheme. I’m too tired for that.”

Poppy and Vivian shrugged in unison.

“Okay, I’m on to you two. What are you conspiring about? I know you could have just brought the cake up from town tomorrow morning. So, what is all this?”

“Nothing,” Poppy said. “I just decided to come early. You know, because of the weather I didn’t want to push my luck tomorrow and run into a situation.”

Still suspicious, but glad her friend was there, America just wanted to sit by the fire and catch up. “Well, let’s go get your luggage and get you settled. You can stay in the guest room as long as you’re alright dodging boxes of tile and flooring samples.”

“No need,” Poppy said. “I’m already over at your mom’s for the night. I didn’t want to impose or stress you out the night before your wedding. There’s one more thing I have to tell you. Wait here.” Poppy ran to the front door where a group of high-pitched voices filled the foyer.

America looked at Mom, “Is this really happening? I’m so tired,” she whined.

“It’s happening. Sorry. I had to go along with it to help keep the ruse going.”

America rolled her eyes, though she shouldn’t have been so irritated at how thoughtful her friends were. She left the kitchen and joined the group of women gathered in the foyer.

“Surprise!” Jenny, Cam’s wife, said and came in holding two bottles of prosecco. “The party has officially arrived!”

Jenny had become one of America’s closest friends in town, not because she was one of the few people in town that was of her same generation, but she was absolutely the sweetest and most thoughtful neighbor. Cam, her husband also happened to be one of Leo’s best friends. And if that wasn’t enough of a reason, she had been sorority sisters with Thandie back in college. Jenny had suggested that Thandie might be the right person for the job as the activities director down at The Foundry, and after a year on the job, it was clear that she had not been wrong.

Coming in behind Jenny, Thandie’s bright smile shined from under the shadow of her signature baseball cap. “Hey, beautiful. We decided we can’t let you get married without a little get together with your best girlfriends.” Thandie was one of those women who was naturally good at all sorts of things and had an enviable confidence. She was someone that America had leaned on more than once over the previous few months of stressful wedding planning.

“I’m glad to see you,” America said and embraced Thandie. “You’ll never believe me when I tell you the kind of week I had.”

“Well, I want to hear all about it, but not right now,” Thandie said. “Whatever it is, can wait.”

Vivian wrapped her arms over Thandie and Jenny’s shoulders, saving America from saying too much in the process. “Is everything ready?”

Thandie checked her watch. “We’re gonna be late if we don’t get going.”

America looked down at her wrist where her timepiece usually fit, but she had taken it off when dressing for bed earlier. Now she wished she were heading to bed instead of entertaining her friends. “Where are we going?” America asked in a sulking tone. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy you’re all here, but I. Am. Exhausted.”

Just as America was going to give another excuse, Carol came bounding up the front steps with a travel mug of something steamy in her hand. She thrust the drink into America’s hand and the scent of warm, spiced coffee filled her nose. “Nutmeg pecan,” Carol said. “Drink it.”

It seemed as though America had no choice in whatever their plan was for the evening. “What time is it anyway?” she asked Thandie.

“Seven fifteen.”

“Seriously? It feels closer to eleven,” she said. “Can you have jetlag from a car ride?”

“Not a thing,” Poppy giggled.

Badly wishing she was in bed with her husband, but realizing she was outnumbered, America looked down at her pink pajamas. “You all are dressed like you’re going on an arctic expedition. Should I get changed?”

“Something warm,” Jenny said and opened one of the prosecco bottles. She took a swig directly from the opening and handed it to Carol, who did the same.

With a chuckle in her throat, America began up the stairs. “I’ll be right back down.”

“We’ll be waiting outside,” Thandie said. “And hurry.”

America dug through her drawers and pulled out a pair of pink fleece leggings, a cream-colored waffle knit turtleneck, and a close-fitting red hoodie. She threw on the items and grabbed her coat on the way out the front door. Outside, the air was crisp and cool, and her breath condensed, making little cloud shapes in front of her face.

“Come on, get in,” Jenny said from the front seat of her minivan.

America’s mom pointed at Jenny to get out of the driver’s seat and switched places with the tipsy woman with little complaint. In the backseat, the sparkling wine was passed around and they all took turns drinking straight from the bottle like uncivilized deviants. America took a big gulp and felt the cold sharp bubbles sink down her throat. It was gonna be a wild night by all indications, and she smiled as she looked around the cabin at her favorite people. Who cares if she already got married, they would find out soon enough and she would have no regrets about missing out on traditional wedding events like a bachelorette party.

“Did you have any idea we were surprising you tonight?” Poppy asked.

“None. I thought Leo and I were just going to have a nice quiet pre-wedding evening. Where is he anyway?” Everyone shrugged suspiciously. “Mom, do you know?”

“I told you, he’s with your father.”

“Why do I feel like there’s more going on here?” America said and watched out the window to determine where they were heading. The gravel road gave it away. “What’s happening at The Foundry?”

Jenny and Thandie, seated in the far back row, laughed about something which only caused America to be more curious. “Tell me, will ya?”

“Patience. You’ll find out in about ninety seconds,” Thandie said, and America wondered which one of them was more neurotic about tracking the time.

Ninety seconds wasn’t too much to wait. She used the time to calm her nerves with a few more swigs and peered out into the night. The van came over the newly installed covered bridge, lit by the little lights strung along the eaves, and into The Foundry parking lot. All the lights were on inside the building and illuminated the whole driveway. Outside the entry door, she spotted her favorite horse.

“Bingo’s here? Whatever for?” America clapped and was anxious to greet her furry friend. “Are we going on some sort of sleighride?” America opened the sliding door and hopped out first.

“Get back in here,” Vivian said and pulled the van alongside America as she walked towards the front doors. Poppy reached out and tugged her back inside the vehicle like she was being kidnapped. Vivian pressed the gas and continued past the main building and down the narrow road leading to the lake without even closing the van door.

The headlights bounced off of the bright white snow and ice in front of them. America was surprised the lake still held some water since last spring’s rains, especially after it had been dry for so long beforehand. An expert came in during the fall to assess the reasons and long-term viability of the Cove retaining its water. Years of healthy wildflower and tall grass growth had created a dense root structure below the sediments. And like a tightly woven canvas, the water stayed.

Their frozen little lake was beautiful. The sight of men dancing around the bonfire on the lakeshore was unexpected.