Authors: Kristin Wallace
“Late again, Rev,” Ethan called out, as he leaped into the air and dunked the basketball with ease.
“You know the Devil doesn't follow an exact schedule,” he retorted.
Ethan launched the ball at Seth's chest. Seth caught it. Barely.
“Whose soul were you saving this time?” Brian asked, as he straightened.
Seth propelled the ball toward his friend. Brian didn't miss a beat, turning to make a shot, which bounced off the rim and rolled away. Watching him chase after it gave Seth enormous satisfaction.
“I bet I know why he was late,” Eric said. “Probably dreaming about his enticing new neighbor.”
Everyone shut up.
“What enticing new neighbor?” Ethan asked.
You know, friends were highly overrated, Seth thought. In-laws, too.
Eric used his telepathic power and somehow seemed to sense the joke wasn't a joke. “Sarah's stepsister. She's helping out with Marry Me until the baby comes.”
“Oh, Julia,” Brian said, with a nod of recognition. “Meredith told me about meeting her. They hit it off.”
“And she's hot?” Ethan asked, directing the question at Seth.
Seth kept his lips shut.
Ethan turned to Eric. “How hot?”
“If this were World War II you'd probably hang a poster of her on the wall.”
“Right next door?” Brian said, with a teasing grin. “You're not lucky. You're blessed.”
“You shouldn't even be looking at other women,” Seth said, scowling at Sarah's husband.
Eric shrugged. “I've still got eyes.”
“Well, keep them to yourself. Can we play now? I don't know about you clowns, but I have important things to do today.”
All three of them shared knowing looks.
“He's going down,” Ethan said.
Eric chuckled. “Like a sinker.”
“Welcome back, my friend,” Brian said.
If Seth had known he was going to get this kind of grief he'd have gone straight to the church where there was always someone willing to take him to task. “Did any of you consider it might not be a good thing to get tangled up with her?”
Brian's eyes danced. “It can never be a bad thing to get tangled up with a good woman.”
“I say tangle away,” Ethan said.
“Even if she's not staying and doesn't believe in anything I do? Even if she's difficult and troubled and so afraid of commitment she'd run the other way screaming before tying herself down to anyone? Even if she's nothing like Beth?”
“Beth is gone,” Eric said, using the voice he practiced with the troubled kids he helped. The same tone Seth himself used when counseling
other
people.
“I know,” Seth said, his voice sharp and tight. “I'm aware she's gone, every second of my life.”
Seth looked at Ethan for help. Surely the other widower in the group would understand. Ethan knew what it was like to lie in bed alone at night, looking at an empty space.
Except Ethan was nodding like the rest of them. “I know, but maybe it's time. It doesn't have to be Julia, but perhaps it's time for someone.” He paused and then smiled. “Although God did put a gorgeous woman fifty feet away for a reason, so I wouldn't ignore that.”
Was it time? Or was he simply having an early midlife crisis? Either option promised a lot more sleepless nights.
Julia didn't see Seth again over the next several days. Not at breakfast, and certainly not at night. He even managed to always be on the other side of the room during her next wedding, which he officiated.
Thankfully, she had someone to distract her. Two someone's to be precise, though
one
would most certainly prove to be the biggest challenge of Julia's short career in wedding planning.
The challenge was named Catherine Manning.
Julia supposed every small town had its ordinary citizens and local royalty. In Covington Falls, the reigning monarchs were the Mannings. Edward Manning III was the current mayor. Covington Falls didn't have term limits so The Third had held the office for the last ten years. He was also the fourth Manning to be elected mayor, making the family a political dynasty.
Catherine was the mayor's wife, and rounding out the royal family was their only daughter, Laurel. Laurel was the reason Julia would most likely have a nervous breakdown in the near future. Princess Manning was getting married, and since Sarah was ensconced in bed, Julia now had to plan the wedding of the century.
The assignment for the day was to pick a venue for the ceremony. Julia actually didn't have much to say in the matter, as Catherine Manning had already decided nothing would do but Hadden Acres. The Antebellum plantation home sat on two fabulously lush acres outside of town. Julia had to admit the mansion was certainly worthy of the occasion, with its white marble façade, majestic columns, and wide verandah.
As she walked the grounds with the Mannings, Julia reflected she might enjoy planning a wedding here if it weren't for the client. She could deal with Laurel. Not only was she a living, breathing fairytale character, she was also quiet, sweet, and slightly dim. Of course, she didn't need to do much talking when her mother was around.
Oh yeah, Mamma was going to be a big problem. The mayor's wife could give Sylvia Vining lessons in how to deliver the how-is-it-possible-you're-breathing-the-same-air-as-me stare.
La Manning was delivering said stare now, as a matter of fact.
“I do hope you realize how important this day is to Laurel,” Mrs. Manning said, coming to a stop in front of the fountain in the English-inspired north garden. “I had my misgivings about choosing Sarah Austin's establishment in the first place. Laurel had her heart set on obtaining the services of Victoria Wasserman-Smith in Atlanta, the most sought-after wedding planner in the South, but Edward insisted we needed to do our part to support Covington Falls' local talent, such as it is.”
Julia wondered if a speechwriter had penned that little bit of condescension.
“What a nice gesture,” Julia said, staring at the woman's perfectly arranged chignon. Julia didn't think a single hair had moved all morning. Same with the forehead. Seemed freezing facial nerves had made its way to Covington Falls, too.
Catherine nodded. “I am not above making sacrifices in order to benefit our town. However, I have to tell you, I am troubled by this latest turn of events. Even though Sarah is certainly not a sophisticate, she is most accomplished in this arena. This trouble with her baby is most inconvenient.”
Julia gripped her clipboard tight, fighting the urge to whack Mrs. Manning over the head with it. Julia deliberately took a deep, calming breath. It wouldn't do to physically assault Sarah's biggest client.
“It's a trying time for all of us,” she said, through clenched teeth.
“Yes, it's so difficult on my nerves.”
On the other hand, Sarah would probably be relieved not to have to deal with this woman ever again, Julia thought.
“Still, the most important thing is Sarah's baby,” Julia said, a kill-her-with-kindness smile firmly in place. “I'm here to ensure Laurel's wedding goes off as planned.”
“I'm glad we understand each other. There is nothing more important to me than my daughter. I want her wedding to be perfect. I will tolerate nothing less.”
“I understand, Mrs. Manning.”
For a moment, their eyes met. Then Mrs. Manning offered a satisfied smile. “Good. Now, have you had any luck finding doves?”
****
The question of the day: Where was one supposed to find white doves? Julia had heard movies used animal wranglers. She wondered if there was such a thing as a dove wrangler?
Julia trudged home, utterly exhausted from a day spent with the Mannings. As usual, she went around to the back door. She was reaching for the handle when she heard music coming from somewhere above her head. She walked around the side of the house until she could see the garage. The apartment above it had a small, narrow balcony, and Seth was standing there.
Julia stepped off the porch. For a moment neither of them spoke.
“Feels like we're reenacting a famous tragedy,” she called out.
“Except we've got it backward,” Seth said, with a grin. “Juliet was the one on the balcony.”
She shrugged. “Pretty fitting, considering the screwed up nature of our relationship.”
“Do we have a relationship now?”
“A weird one for sure.”
Another awkward silence. The charged moment in Grace's kitchen and his week's worth of avoidance was heavy between them.
Oh, forget it, she thought and started to turn. “If you want to be alone, I can go backâ”
“No, it's all right. Come on up.”
There was no way she should be doing this, but Julia started up the stairs anyway. “You're not going to leap off the balcony if I get too close, are you?”
”No, I'm not that much of a chicken,” he said, even as he backed up a step.
She reached the landing. “But you are a bit of one?”
“Where you're concerned, absolutely.”
“Why?”
“You know why,” he said. “You felt it, too.”
Seemed she was a chicken, too. She broke eye contact and looked out across the yard. It was too dark to see anything, but she could picture the rose bushes out by the fence and the huge trees that provided welcome shade. Years ago there'd been a makeshift fort out by the fence, which she'd built with Sarah.
“You're smiling,” Seth said. “What are you thinking about?”
“I was thinking that Sarah always managed to get her way, even when she was little. She talked me into helping her make a fort one time. Followed me around for days begging me to help her until I finally relented.”
“I remember that fort.”
“You do?”
An odd look swept over his face, one she couldn't quite read. “I helped you and Sarah build it. You couldn't carry the plywood by yourself, and you weren't too handy with a hammer.”
“You did?”
A hand went to his heart, and he staggered back like he'd been shot. “Ouch. Nice to know I made an impression on you on all those years ago.”
“Like you remember me any better,” she said, fighting a grin.
“You'd be surprised.”
“What?” Something in his tone had the hairs standing up on the back of her neck.
He cleared his throat. “Nothing.”
Julia looked past him into the apartment. Curious, she stepped over the threshold. The small space consisted of a single room. On one side sat an old leather couch and a battered coffee table. Against the opposite wall was a double bed with a beautifully patterned quilt featuring two interwoven rings. A television was set up so it could be seen from the bed or the couch. A kitchenette with a mini refrigerator, sink and a two-burner stove stretched across the back of the room.
Seth leaned against the doorframe. “Home sweet home.”
She drifted toward the bed and sat down. “What a gorgeous quilt.”
“It was a wedding gift from my grandmother.”
“She made it?” she asked, running her hands along the stitches.
“Beth used to wrap it around her shoulders when she had her chemo,” he said. “She was always freezing afterward.”
Since he'd brought up the subject, Julia felt brave enough to venture further into dangerous waters. “Is that why you ran the other night?” she asked. “Because of Beth?”
“Not entirely,” he said, refusing to look her in the eye.
“But partly?”
He shifted and looked over his shoulder. “Listen, I think maybe you should come back outside. You sitting on my bed isâ”
Julia reached the balcony in seconds. “Tell me about her.”
Seth hesitated a moment, but then leaned over to rest his arms on the railing. “We met my sophomore year of college. We had American History together, and she sat two rows in front of me. I took one look at her, and I was a goner.”
“I bet she was sweet and cheerful.”
The words came out with a tinge of bitterness she couldn't help.
Seth's arched brow told her he hadn't missed the acid. “You say that like those qualities are defects.”
“I didn't mean it like that.”
“Yeah, you probably did,” he said, with a shake of his head. “The truth is, Beth
was
sweet and cheerful for the most part, but she was no pushover. I asked her out, and on that first date, I knew.”
“That you would marry her?”
“That she would be my life,” he whispered into the night.
He seemed to be struggling with his emotions, so she gave him time to compose himself. “Did she inspire you to become a minister?” she asked after a moment. “I have to tell you I never saw you as the ministerial type when we were kids.”
“Trust me, neither did I. I wanted to be a lawyer. I'd even gotten accepted into law school. The summer before I was supposed to start we went to visit Beth's parents. Her father was a minister, and when I heard him preach I was blown away. I knew I had to do that.”
“You said earlier that she understood you like no one else because of her father.”
“She was aware of the frustration that goes along with this calling. She always seemed to know the right words to say to keep me from drowning in my own self-doubt.”
Julia couldn't be bitter about that. “She knew how to keep the devil at bay.”
“That's certainly an interesting way to put it,” he said, laughing at the description. “Beth probably could've taken on the devil and won. I didn't realize how much I relied on her strength until it started to disappear.”
“I know she was sick for a long time.”
“The longest two years of my life,” Seth said, his voice catching a little. “Every day she got a little weaker, a little frailer, and I couldn't do a thing to stop it. She was in a lot of pain in the end, and I couldn't do a thing to stop that either.”
Julia's bitterness disappeared, replaced only with sadness over the terrible loss he'd suffered. She hated the despair in his voice. Julia wished she could comfort him, but didn't know how. She folded her arms across her chest to keep from reaching for him.
“I can't imagine,” she said. “It must have been a nightmare.”
“Only I couldn't wake up. After she was gone I could barely function. I don't remember a thing I said the first six months. I have no idea how I managed to even keep my job.”
“It's no wonder you moved in here,” she said, indicating the little apartment. “It's a cozy little refuge, isn't it? A place to escape and try to heal.”
“How do you do that?” he asked in amazement.
“What?”
“Manage to read my mind?”
Julia squirmed, uncomfortable with the thought. “It's only an observation.”
“Then you've got a great gift for observation.”
“Comes from a lifetime of watching other people screw up their lives,” she said.
“Stop doing that.”
She blinked at his harsh tone. “Doing what?”
“Dismissing the things that make you special.”
“Getting a read on people is special?”
“Absolutely. You have a way of seeing through all the layers people put up to protect themselves, and that's so rare,” he said, turning toward her. “So few people take the time to look below the surface in others. To see their pain and anger. Their joy. But you see it, and you respond.”
Why did she feel like crying? “Thank you. I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
He gave a frustrated groan.
“What now?”
“You are a dangerous lady.”
“Me?”
“God, she doesn't even see it!” he called out to the heavens.
“Are you praying?” she asked in bemusement.
“For strength. You tempt me, and it's making me crazy.”
“Are you talking about the other night in the kitchen?”
“It goes way beyond last night,” he said, hands gripping the railing. “Did you know I had a wild crush on you when you used to live here?”
Julia's mouth dropped open. “What?”
“I helped you build a fort.”
“You pounded nails so you could be near me?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him. “What a way to court a girl.”
“It wasn't like I could talk to you,” Seth said, shuffling his feet. “Not without sounding like an idiot.”
“I didn't think you even liked me.”
A dry chuckle escaped from his chest. “Like and lust are two different things. You were every teenage boy's fantasy. Everything about you fascinated me. The way you walked, the way you tossed your hair, even the way you smelled. It drove me nuts for two years.”
“I was your fantasy?”
“The problem is now you're back, standing there looking like some kind of screen goddess, and you get me like no one ever has,” he said, as if she hadn't spoken.
Her skin started tingling. “You think I'm beautiful?”
“You're so much
more
than beautiful.”
Jumping him right now would be bad⦠Right?
“This is a little complicated.”
“You think?” he asked, drifting closer. “You're a guest in Grace's house and living about a hundred feet away. Plus, I am a minister, and it wouldn't look good if I grabbed you right now and kissed you senseless.”
“Not in the job description?”
“Definitely not.”
“So, bad idea,” she said, taking the last step to close the gap between them.
“I'm sure it is.”
“Terrible,” she said, staring at her hand, which had somehow made its way to his chest.
Julia didn't know who made the final move, but suddenly she was in his arms, and he was doing a pretty good job of kissing her senseless.
Who knew a preacher could kiss like this?
Somewhere down the block, a car door slammed, and they sprang apart as if a gun had been fired. Before her eyes, Julia watched Seth's walls go back up.
“I should go back,” she said. “It might be Grace or some other nosy neighbor. Don't want to start any bad rumors.”
“I'm sorâ”
“Don't you dare apologize,” Julia said, holding on to her jumbled emotions by a thread. “You're finally learning to live again, and obviously dealing with crazy brides has rubbed off on me. So, let's consider this a team effort and try to move on.”
“Juliaâ”
“I'll see you around.”
You are the stupidest woman on earth.