Tara Randel - Magnolia Bride

Juliet swiped at her tear-streaked cheeks. “It’s only jitters, right?” She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand. “I mean, c’mon. I’m marrying a senator’s son. I should be excited and here I am crying.” She sniffled. “I’m only dealing with the engagement right now. What will the wedding plans be like?”

“Has something changed?”

“We’ve had a few disagreements.”

“Like the honeymoon location?”

Juliet pursed her lips. A good sign. “Hawaii is more romantic than rock climbing in Colorado. That was Brandon’s first choice. I hate rock climbing. I told him so, but sometimes he doesn’t listen.” Juliet blew her nose. “It’s more than the trip. I didn’t tell you up front, but I wanted to have a small engagement party, but Brandon insisted his parents expected a big bash and Mom agreed, so we compromised on two parties. What a headache.”

Oh, boy. “Two parties are unusual, but you’ve got it under control.”

“With your help. You’ve made this fun and I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Anytime, sis.”

Nealy fell silent while Juliet rose to pick up her toiletry bag and carry it down the hall to the bathroom.

When she returned, Nealy asked, “You love him, right?”

“Yes, but is it enough?”

Nealy didn’t have an answer. Her own track record left little to be desired. “Tell me more about you two.”

“Other than how we met at the law firm?”

Nealy groaned. “Another lawyer in the family.”

Juliet hiccuped a giggle. “We worked on a trial case together then went out after hours with coworkers from the office. Eventually, it became us going out alone. He’s smart, fun to be with, and Mom and Daddy adore him.”

“Of course they do. He’s a lawyer,” she said through a small sigh. Her parents were happy Sam, her boyfriend, also happened to be an attorney. They’d met at a charity function she was overseeing, had clicked and started dating. As for Juliet, she sounded as if she was trying to convince herself Brandon was Mr. Right.

“Then let’s get to the bottom of your concerns. Are you marrying Brandon for them or yourself?”

“I don’t know now. I mean, I think he’s the one, but could I be wrong? How do I know for sure?”

“I’m not the person to ask. Look, if he makes you happy and you enjoy being with him, I’d say those are strong building blocks. You just never know when you’ll fall in love or who you’ll fall in love with.”

“True.” Juliet half sniffed, half laughed. “Look at you.”

Nealy straightened her shoulders. “What about me?”

“You did everything you could to stay away from love and lawyers and now you’re seeing one.”

Nealy laughed. “What can I say?”

“I don’t know. You’re always cagey on the subject.”

“He’s a good man.”

“Loyal to the end, our Nealy.”

“I don’t know about that.” She’d never told Sam about Dane, deciding early on in the relationship she didn’t want to talk about her past. Was withholding information a form of a lie?

“You must like Sam, otherwise you wouldn’t still be with him.”

“It’s not a fireworks kind of relationship, not like with Dane.” Her heart gave a heavy jerk because she spoke the truth. She slapped the scrapbook closed, as if closure alone could diminish the time she’d shared with Dane.

“Look, I’m sorry about dumping all this on you. Brandon is great. I guess I’ve been overwhelmed by having two parties.” She tried to brush off her concerns with a shaky laugh. “I’m being pulled in so many directions. Mom’s got delusions of grandeur and I don’t feel like Brandon’s family is overjoyed about us.”

“I didn’t get that impression.”

Juliet took a deep breath. “See. I’m overreacting. Everything will be fine. The parties will run like clockwork and after I’ll ask myself why I was a nervous wreck.”

Nealy patted her sister’s leg. “Try to enjoy the weekend.”

Juliet nodded. “Oh, before I forget, I wanted to show you this.” She slid off the bed to retrieve something from the top of the dresser. She handed Nealy a shiny brochure from the Grand Cypress Hotel. “You didn’t get a chance to see the incredible grounds yet. The landscaper is a genius.” She pointed to a picture of the beautifully manicured yard sweeping from the hotel down to the beach. Magnolia trees in bloom. “I know this is a little soon since the wedding isn’t for a while yet, but I want to give you a heads-up now so you can start brainstorming ideas for how it will look.

“You know I always wanted this grand, Southern-themed wedding. Maybe not super traditional because the ceremony will be outdoors, but it’s what I pictured in my dreams. There are two magnolia trees at one side of the hotel and the lush grass sweeps down to the beach. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect spot to say my vows.”

Nealy scanned the brochure. Yes, the grounds were amazing. From the pictures alone, it seemed the hotel had everything in place to conduct a full-scale wedding. Atmosphere. Scenery. Romantic ambiance.

How weird. Dane, owning a hotel. This hotel. She studied the picture, remembering the span of grass Juliet mentioned. Back when she worked there, it hadn’t been as lush and healthy. She recalled playing volleyball in the summer after their shifts. Playing catch with Dane after his dreams to play professional ball were dashed by his injury.

“Seems perfect.”

“It is. Brandon wasn’t too sold on the place. He wanted the reception held at stuffy St. Luke’s banquet hall, but I managed to convince him.” She shivered in mock horror. “Heavy brown drapery and musty smell. Yuck.”

“Juliet.” Nealy stopped as she noted her sister’s shadowed eyes. “Take a breath. If you aren’t sure, you don’t have to go through with this. Think it through.”

“I’m sure.” Juliet grasped Nealy’s hand and squeezed hard. To reassure Nealy or herself?

There was always turning back. Nealy knew from personal experience. One look at Juliet’s uncertain expression and Nealy started to tell her so, and then decided to hold her tongue. Who was she to counsel her sister on true love?

“Get some sleep.” Juliet hugged Nealy and climbed into the matching twin bed. The topic of conversation was over and Nealy admitted she was kind of thankful there would be no more said on the subject of love and marriage. “I have tomorrow jam-packed with activities. Shopping. Nail salon. The works.”

Before long, Juliet’s breathing evened out and Nealy knew her sister had fallen asleep. Unfortunately, Nealy couldn’t even doze. All charged up from seeing Dane, her family and hearing her grandmother’s news, she found herself staring at the ceiling.

“This isn’t working.” After a while, she rose, snatched up the scrapbook and sat under the window where a street lamp gave enough light for her to view the old photos.

Her gaze settled on a group picture of the entire family taken about five years ago at a picnic in the woods. They’d rented a cabin in the mountains and the whole bossy group had had a good time together. Who would have thought?

Nealy flipped the page and found some loose photos sandwiched between the last page and back cover. She picked them up and sorted through them. When she came to one featuring her and Dane posing in her grandmother’s backyard, her smile slipped.

Dane had an arm thrown over her shoulders, his goofy grin mugging for the camera. She had her arms wrapped around his waist, her smile wide and happy. It was taken a few weeks into the summer after they’d started dating. She could tell by her expression she’d already fallen in love.

She ran her finger over the smooth surface, her vision blurring as tears prickled her eyes. What a whirlwind summer. She remembered the highs and lows, the excitement of young love and the desperation of not wanting to be separated from Dane. They’d spent every minute together. She’d never experienced such heart-wrenching love since then, and strangely, she was grateful. The emotions had been too intense, burning bright and extinguished too soon. She couldn’t live through those ups and downs again. She knew she didn’t have it in her.