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  Kelly laughed. “He won’t recognize me.”

  Shelby walked over to her friend. “You sure do clean up real good, as Bert would say.”

  Kelly stuck out a foot. “What do you think?” She gave an impish grin.

  “I think those are going to give Mrs. Gregson a heart attack.” Shelby laughed.

  “I’m pretty sure you’re right.”

  Instead of strappy sandals like Nancy’s or plain ones like Shelby’s, Kelly was wearing her pair of well-worn and much-loved cowboy boots.

  * * *

  • • •

  Bitsy and Jenkins were waiting by the back door when Shelby got downstairs. They’d had a bath and been brushed, and were wearing pink bow ties around their necks. Seth was bringing Kelly’s golden retriever, Dolly, who’d had a day at the spa as well.

  “The florist dropped off the bouquets,” Bert said, pointing to a large white box sitting on the kitchen table.

  Bert had changed into what she would probably have referred to as her Sunday best—a navy blue dress with a short matching jacket, low-heeled pumps, and a strand of pearls around her neck. For a moment Shelby was taken aback—she was so used to seeing Bert in jeans and T-shirts or sweatshirts that the change was almost as unnerving as Kelly’s had been.

  Kelly lifted the lid of the florist’s box. “Oh,” she breathed as she took out a nosegay made up of a variety of multicolored flowers and finished with trailing pink ribbons.

  She held it up to her nose and took a deep breath. Shelby had given the florist a selection of fresh herbs with which to stud the bouquet—rosemary for remembrance, thyme for strength, and sage for wisdom.

  Shelby took out smaller bouquets for her and Amelia and a sprig of lily of the valley for Billy.

  Kelly put her bouquet down suddenly and when Shelby looked at her, she saw that Kelly was trembling.

  “Are you okay?” Shelby put a hand on Kelly’s arm. It was cold to the touch.

  “A case of nerves, I guess.” Kelly pulled out a kitchen chair and sank into it. “Suddenly it all seems so real. I think I feel a bit dizzy.”

  “You’re right. It’s only nerves. I remember feeling the same way on my wedding day.”

  “You need a shot of Dutch courage,” Bert said, getting up from her chair. She turned to Shelby. “Is the whiskey still in the pantry?”

  Shelby nodded. “It should be.”

  Bert disappeared into the pantry briefly and emerged with a slightly dusty bottle of Jack Daniel’s. She grabbed a juice glass from the cupboard next to the sink and poured a small measure of whiskey into it.

  “Here you go.” She handed Kelly the glass. “Down the hatch.”

  Kelly closed her eyes, held her nose, and tossed off the Jack Daniel’s in one gulp. She coughed and sputtered as she put the glass down on the table.

  Bert thumped her on the back. “Get her some water,” she said to Shelby.

  Shelby hurried to comply. She handed the glass to Kelly. “Feeling better?”

  “Much. But I’ll tell you—I’m glad I only have to get married once.”

  Shelby glanced at the clock. “Where is Billy?” she said, feeling slightly panicked, realizing she hadn’t seen him since he’d gone to get ready. She hoped he wasn’t getting dirty all over again.

  “He’s in the living room watching television. He wanted to go outside and play. Can you believe it? But I told him ‘over my dead body,’” Bert said, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

  “Billy?” Shelby turned toward the living room and called. “Time to get ready.”

  Shelby had to stifle the urge to grab Billy and give him a big hug when he strode into the kitchen. He’d never looked more adorable with his cowlick momentarily tamed and his face scrubbed clean. He was wearing khaki pants, a pale pink shirt that they’d argued over—But pink is for girls, Billy had protested—a pink-and-blue-striped tie, and a navy blazer.

  Billy squirmed as Shelby fastened the sprig of lily of the valley to his lapel. She hoped he would be able to contain his exuberant energy long enough to get through the ceremony.

  “Okay.” Shelby clapped her hands. “Time to go.”

  Bert got up from the chair with a grunt.

  “Amelia, you’ll go first, then me, and then Billy. And finally, once we’re down the aisle, Kelly will follow.”

  Shelby managed to get everyone out the door. She felt like a sheepdog herding its flock.

  Kelly grabbed Shelby’s arm suddenly. Her hands were still cold, but warmer than they’d been earlier. She threw her arms around her friend.

  “I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me.”

  Shelby gave Kelly a squeeze. “Ready?” She looked at her friend.

  “Yes.” Kelly took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She smiled. “I’m ready.”

  * * *

  • • •

  Shelby gave Billy last-minute instructions as they waited in the shade of an oak tree for the string quartet to begin Pachelbel’s Canon, which Kelly had chosen for the processional.

  “Walk slowly,” Shelby whispered to Billy, putting her hands on his shoulders. “And no detours. Go straight to the front and stand where we showed you at the rehearsal.”

  Billy squirmed. “You already told me that.”

  “I know, but I don’t want you to forget it.” Shelby was tempted to ruffle his hair, but she didn’t want to mess it up.

  The last notes of “Clair de Lune” faded away and after a short pause, the quartet began the processional.

  Amelia started to walk down the aisle, and Shelby felt her heart contract a bit at the sight. She looked so beautiful and much too grown-up. How had her little baby with her halo of blond curls morphed into this lovely young lady so quickly? Before she knew it, Amelia would be walking down the aisle toward her own groom. Shelby wished she could make time stand still—just for a little while.

  As matron of honor, Shelby was next. She gave Kelly’s hand one last squeeze, tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, and then started walking. The expectant faces of the audience turned toward Shelby as she made her way down the makeshift aisle. She felt a grin spreading across her face when she caught Seth’s eye. He was waiting at the altar looking hopeful, happy, and nervous all at the same time.

  Billy came next. Shelby managed a quick glance behind her and he was walking slowly like he’d been told, with an almost comically somber expression on his face.

  Then the audience rose to their feet and all heads turned toward the bride.

  Seth beamed when he saw Kelly walking toward him. Mark Davis, an old friend from college, was standing next to him, and Dolly was stretched out at his feet. The men were wearing outfits similar to Billy’s—navy blazers, pink shirts, and striped ties—and Dolly had a pink ribbon tied in a bow around her neck instead of her usual collar.

  Shelby watched as Kelly took her place next to Seth and smiled up at him, the perfect picture of a happy bride.

  Reverend Daniel Mather from St. Andrews was performing the ceremony. He stood, holding his well-worn prayer book, in front of Kelly and Seth. He opened his prayer book, thumbed through the pages till he found the section he wanted, then cleared his throat, and the ceremony began.

  Shelby crossed her fingers until Billy produced the ring—a simple gold band—at the right moment, and the proceedings continued on without a hitch.

  Shelby held her breath when Daniel came to the speak now or forever hold your peace part, for fear Mrs. Gregson would say something, but she was mercifully quiet. And when Daniel pronounced Seth and Kelly man and wife and said, “You may now kiss the bride,” Dolly threw back her head and let out an exuberant howl with Jenkins and Bitsy quickly following suit.

  The whole gathering, including the bride and groom, began to laugh and the good cheer carried them all the way to the barn for the start of
the reception.

  Shelby waited until all the guests had made their way across the field before she followed after them. Delicious smells drifted from the grills set up outside the barn, making Shelby’s stomach grumble. She’d been too busy and too excited to eat anything for lunch. Shelby dodged a waitress, clad in jeans, a checked shirt, and cowboy boots, as she hustled plates of barbecued chicken and ribs into the barn.

  Shelby examined the tantalizing array of food, which was set out on a long table covered with a red-and-white-checked tablecloth. Everything seemed to be in order. Her salads sat alongside potato salad, coleslaw, and a bowl of cowboy caviar—a mixture of beans, black-eyed peas, corn, onions, and garlic dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and a dash of hot sauce.

  The wedding cake stood in the corner atop a thick slab cut from a tree trunk. Shelby saw Billy eyeing it longingly. She hustled toward him as he scooped a bit of icing off the bottom with his finger. “We’ll have cake later,” Shelby said, as she put her hands on Billy’s shoulders, turned him away from the table, and gave him a gentle push.

  Amelia was standing by the makeshift stage, watching Travis tune his guitar. Dear Reader, if she gave her math class that sort of undivided attention and concentration, she’d be getting all As.

  Amelia had clearly developed an instantaneous crush on Travis, and judging by the looks from some of the other women guests, she wasn’t alone. Shelby even caught Bert looking in Travis’s direction a little longer than was strictly necessary.

  Shelby mingled with the guests, nodding and smiling and stopping to chat here and there. The bride and groom were still outside having their picture taken, and guests milled around, nibbling the hors d’oeuvres that were being passed, enjoying one another’s company.

  Isabel Stone was dressed almost as inappropriately as Nancy Gregson, Shelby noticed, in a long floral-print chiffon dress and stiletto-heeled white sandals. She had one arm linked through Daniel Mather’s and was feeding him a bite of something off her plate. No one had thought their relationship would last longer than a day, but now, months later, they seemed to be happily settling in as a couple.

  The band suddenly grabbed their instruments and began to pick out a few bars of “Here Comes the Bride.” The guests smiled and turned toward the open doors of the barn. A few of them applauded as Kelly and Seth walked in—both of them beaming. Shelby was, too—it was wonderful to see her friend so happy.

  Guests began drifting toward the laden food tables to fill their plates, and a waiter bustled over to Kelly and Seth with two bubbling flutes of champagne.

  Shelby joined Nancy at the buffet, where she was standing, her plate in her hand, a puzzled expression on her face.

  “It all looks so good, doesn’t it?” Shelby said.

  Bert came up behind them. “It’s a real down-home country meal—that’s for sure.”

  Nancy turned to Bert. “Oh. Is that what you call it?”

  Bert seemed oblivious to Nancy’s sarcastic tone and slapped her on the back as if they were old friends. “Go on. Fill your plate. Everything will be delicious. I guarantee it.”

  Nancy looked doubtful but reluctantly added a few bites of food to her plate.

  The band was waiting for the meal to start before beginning to play in earnest. Travis was talking intently to a young man Shelby didn’t recognize. He was a little taller than Travis with the same dirty blond hair and lanky build. Travis motioned toward the door of the barn and they both disappeared outside. Cody was seated on one of the amps, slumped forward with his head in his hands, and Paislee was conferring with the older man, who Shelby had discovered was their manager and the band’s drummer—Brian Ross. Kelly’s cousin was sitting on the edge of the stage, thumbing through messages on his phone.

  Amelia had taken a seat at a table as near to the stage as she could get, staring at the spot where Travis had been standing as if she could conjure him up with her gaze alone.

  Slowly the rest of the guests took their seats, and only a few were still standing in the buffet line when Travis walked back in and the band gathered up their instruments.

  They launched into one of Travis’s biggest hits—“Don’t Leave Me Now”—and in moments the party was in full swing.

  Shelby stood at the edge of the crowd, her hands relaxed at her sides. Everything was coming together beautifully. She felt the tension in her shoulders ease and gave a deep sigh of satisfaction.

  Kelly and Seth were at the buffet table filling their plates when Seth turned around to look at the band. He stood staring for several seconds, surprise and anger on his face. Then he shoved his plate into Kelly’s hands and stalked through the open door of the barn. Kelly gazed after him, her expression crestfallen, obviously on the verge of tears.

  Shelby felt her stomach knot and her hands tighten into fists.

  Bert sidled up to Shelby. She pointed to Kelly and raised an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise already?”

  3

  Dear Reader,

  If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably suffered from heartburn or indigestion at one time or another—especially after a party, when you may have eaten more than usual. No need to head to the drugstore—there are a number of home remedies you can try first. You probably won’t believe it, but a spoon of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar will often do the trick. As will the old tried-and-true baking soda in water.

  Some people swear by gingerroot tea and others find the herb chamomile very soothing. And of course, mint is well-known for being able to settle a sensitive tummy.

  Shelby hastened over toward Kelly. “Is everything okay?” She grabbed her friend’s hands.

  Kelly gave a wobbly smile. “It’s nothing. A silly misunderstanding.”

  “Is there anything I can do . . . ?”

  Kelly shook her head.

  Before Shelby could say anything else, a woman wearing a bright orange dress and too much perfume walked up to Kelly.

  “I must congratulate the bride,” she said, kissing Kelly on the cheek.

  Shelby hesitated for a moment, her hands knotted in the skirt of her dress, but the woman continued to chatter. With a last glance at Kelly, she began to make her way to the buffet table.

  “Excuse me. I’ve got a fresh bowl of salad here, if you’d like some.”

  Shelby glanced over her shoulder to see Jessie positioning a large wooden salad bowl next to the platter of chicken. Shelby had recently hired Jessie to work for her during the spring and summer, when there were so many things that needed to be done around the farm. Bert was a huge help, but she was getting older, and despite her protestations to the contrary, she couldn’t do as much as she used to. Besides, Shelby wasn’t about to let her. If Bert didn’t know her limitations, Shelby did.

  Jessie wasn’t a local girl—she’d moved to Lovett when she married her husband. She had long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and was pretty in a quiet sort of way. She was shy, too, although she was slowly warming up to Shelby. Shelby thought she had an air of fragility about her—like someone who had been injured emotionally and was still carrying the scars.

  When Shelby had asked her if she would be willing to help at the wedding, she’d jumped at the chance to earn some extra cash.

  Shelby was scanning the tables for an empty seat when she saw someone waving at her. It was Matt Hudson. Matt owned the Lovett General Store and had moved to Lovett from New York City to flee the trauma of 9/11. He was boyishly attractive with light brown hair that tended to flop onto his forehead no matter how many times he pushed it back and crinkles around his green eyes that suggested he was quick to smile. He and Shelby had gone out a few times and had developed an easy relationship. Shelby didn’t consider it a serious romance—at least not yet—but she suspected that Matt did and it made her nervous. She wasn’t quite ready for that.

  Shelby carried her plate over to Matt’s table and slid into
the empty seat opposite him.

  “You’ve done a splendid job,” he said, looking around the barn.

  Shelby laughed. “It wasn’t my doing. Mrs. Gregson was so concerned about everything being just right—even if it was taking place in a barn, as she kept reminding us—that she hired a wedding planner to work with Kelly to oversee the decor. Most of the ideas were Kelly’s, but with her veterinary practice being as busy as it is, she was more than happy to let someone else perform the actual execution.”

  Matt glanced toward the stage and smiled. “Amelia seems quite taken with the band’s front man.”

  Shelby followed Matt’s gaze. “She’s at the right age for it. I remember having quite a crush on Jon Bon Jovi myself.”

  Matt gave a half smile and glanced down at his plate. “For me it was Madonna.”

  “It seems such a long time ago now,” Shelby said.

  Matt sighed. “A lot has certainly happened since then.”

  The band began a slow song and numerous couples got up to dance. Shelby glanced toward the dance floor and saw Jake Taylor steering a friend of Kelly’s around the floor. She was everything Shelby wasn’t—tall, willowy, and blond. Shelby felt a surprising pang of jealousy. Jake had hinted many times that he was interested in asking her out. Dear Reader, I have no right to feel jealous, since I have never given Jake any encouragement and it’s no wonder he’s moved on.

  She certainly found Jake attractive—he was lean and muscular with dark hair and blue eyes—and she wasn’t the only one. And he was wonderful with her kids, especially Billy, giving him rides to school when he’d missed the bus and letting him tag along as Jake performed chores around the farm. But deep down she knew he wasn’t right for her. The only thing they really had in common was living next door to each other.

  Shelby turned back to Matt and smiled. Travis was singing now—a duet with Paislee—both of them leaning in toward the same microphone, their heads almost touching, their voices blending as one. It was an intimate scene, and Shelby could tell from the way they were looking at each other that the intimacy probably went beyond merely singing together.