Always the Designer, Never the Bride (35 page)

"Aud?"

"I know, I know, you're sure now. But what about a month from now when—"

"Aud."

"Just hear me out, Carly."

"No," she belted out from the other side of the bathroom door. "You need to hear me out."

Audrey tipped sideways on the bed and folded her arm beneath her head. "Well, I really can't thank you enough. Sherilyn said the best move is to put everything down on paper, and then she suggested talking to Jackson. Apparently, he's—"

"Audrey!"

"What?"

"Stop talking."

"Fine. You don't have to be—"

When the bathroom door swished open and Carly just stood there staring at her, her eyes as wide and shiny as quarters, Audrey immediately fell silent.

"Aud," she whimpered, and she lifted a small plastic stick into the air and held it there.

"What is that?"

"It's a pregnancy test."

"A what? . . . Why are you . . . A pregnancy test?"

"Yes."

"And you took the test?"

"Yes."

"Well, did you pass or fail?"

Carly finally blinked. "I guess that depends on how you look at it, but I'd say it's a pretty big passing grade!" She began to hop up and down, twirling around in the air. "I'm pregnant!!"

Sherilyn's Seafood Orzo

1-pound package orzo

½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 ounces halibut, cut in bite-sized chunks

¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1 small green pepper, diced

2 bunches scallions

2 medium-sized Roma tomatoes, diced

1 white onion, diced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Prepare orzo according to directions.

Drain and stir in 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

Heat remaining oil in large sauté pan.

Add diced pepper, onions, tomatoes, and minced garlic,

and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add chunked halibut and shrimp, and sauté until cooked.

Add parsley, basil, orzo and ¾ of the Parmesan cheese.

Mix well and sprinkle the top with remaining Parmesan

cheese.

15

D
o you, Lisette Margaret Gibson, take this man, Griffin Earl Jenkins, to be your husband?"

"I do."

"And do you, Griffin Earl Jenkins, take this woman, Lisette Margaret Gibson, to be your wife?"

"I do."

"That's what we waited to hear," the minister told them with a smile. "In that case, I do now pronounce you, before God and this congregation, husband and wife. Griff, kiss your bride."

Audrey reached over and squeezed Kat's hand before they joined J. R. and Russell, and about five hundred others, in applauding the new Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins. When the couple headed down the aisle past them, Lisette locked eyes with Audrey, placed a hand to her heart and mouthed, "Thank you."

"You look stunning," Audrey returned.

"Do you have any idea how long it will take for all these people to make their way into the reception?" Russell asked J. R. "It's like a cattle drive."

"Let's just hang here for a while then," Kat suggested, and they all agreed.

The four of them took their seats again until the crowd began to thin.

"John Robert!" In the next instant, Lisette's little flower girl Roslyn tossed herself onto J. R. and hugged him. "I didn't know you'd be here. Did you come with Audrey?"

"I did," he told her. "And I got to see you walk up the aisle. Nice job with the rose petals, by the way. Very even tosses, no stragglers."

"I know, right?" she exclaimed. "And guess what." Before he could ask, she raised the skirt of her dress slightly to show the pink boots she wore underneath. "Check it out, Audrey. Aunt Lis said I could."

"Very nice, Roslyn!"

"I told you they were cute, right?"

"Yes, you did," Audrey replied. "But those are even better than I thought."

"Are you guys coming for supper?"

"You mean the reception?" she asked with a smile. "Yes, we are."

Roslyn raised an eyebrow and looked around before whispering, "There's going to be a lot of cake for dessert."

"Excellent."

"Do you like cake, John Robert?"

One side of J. R.'s mouth tilted upward as he replied. "A lot."

"Oh good! I'll see you guys in there then?"

"See you there."

Audrey watched the little girl skip down the aisle to catch up to her mother near the door.

"I didn't get to tell you earlier," J. R. said, leaning toward Audrey. "I spoke to Carly this morning."

Audrey smiled. "She told you then? Spectacular news, isn't it?"

"It is." He nodded. "I just wish she'd discovered it earlier so Devon could have known before he left."

"He'll be over the moon when he hears."

"And worried sick."

She hummed her agreement and added, "No doubt."

"It makes me feel a little conflicted."

"About leaving tomorrow?"

He glared at the chair in front of him. "Yeah."

Trying to disguise the hope already climbing up the back of her throat, she suggested, "Maybe you should rethink it then." When she finally glanced over at him, their eyes clicked together like a key in a lock. "Maybe."

"I know it's beginning to look like the entire universe revolves around the nucleus of Atlanta," he said with a crooked tilt of a smile. "And in particular, around the hotel. But it's not like that for everyone."

"I know."

But she didn't really.

"I'm considering a business opportunity that would bring me back here," she pointed out. "And Kat was already planning to move here. Carly and Devon are here. And there's Sherilyn and Emma and everyone at The Tanglewood. For crying out loud, even Russell is relocating to Atlanta."

His voice was soft and somewhat tender as he asked, "And?"

Audrey twisted the strap of her small beaded purse around her index finger, and she sighed. "It just seems like something to think about, that's all."

"Audrey." J. R. took her hand between both of his and held it until she lifted her eyes and looked at him. "Angel, I'm not moving to Atlanta."

"Okay."

"I have a home. In Santa Fe."

"All right," she said, easing her hand away from him.

"But that doesn't mean I won't be back."

She glanced at him again. "You will?"

"Of course I will. I have family here, and friends."

Is that what I am? Your friend?

"And you."

She smiled. "Well, you better not become a stranger . . . because you can be replaced, you know."

J. R. chuckled as he draped his arm loosely around her shoulder. "Replaced, huh?"

"Yep. There are ten thousand other Harleys on the road . . . a
hundred thousand
other guys who might just enjoy doing a little espionage."

"You make a good point. I'll keep that in mind."

She swallowed around the lump in her throat before asking, "So tomorrow morning?"

"First thing."

Before she could think of an appropriate reply, Russell leaned forward around Kat and asked them, "Want to set out on our trek?"

J. R. nodded, and the four of them stood up and stepped out of the row to the white aisle covered in scarlet red rose petals. Audrey rested her hand on the back of the gold ladderback chair in front of her until J. R. offered his folded arm. She smiled as she looped her own through his.

"So what are you thinking about the business deal with the bride?" he asked as they strolled toward the door.

"I'm not sure yet. Lisette has a huge vision, and it makes me a little nervous."

"How so?"

"She's not involved in fashion. An undertaking like what she has in mind is massive under the best of circumstances. But without the expertise to back it up . . . I'm just not sure it's a good idea to dive into it with a complete novice and attach my name to it in good faith. Does that sound ungrateful?"

"It sounds cautious. And there's nothing wrong with that."

Audrey smoothed the narrow skirt of her dress. She hadn't been certain about the choice for Lisette's wedding, but it had been one of the last-minute extras she'd added to her luggage before leaving New York. Shimmering pale pink fabric overlaid with a deep plum lace; she remembered wondering where she might wear the dress, but it had turned into fashion kismet. Audrey loved when that happened.

As she and Russell passed them, Kat adjusted the translucent cap sleeve that had turned slightly.

"I'm afraid it will break Kat's heart if I decide it's not the right move. She was so excited that Lisette included her jewelry designs in her plans. I just don't know . . . you know . . . if it's right for
me.
But at the same time, I did ask God for an answer, and there was Lisette . . . On the other hand . . ." Audrey stopped herself and turned toward J. R. "Sorry. I'm normally a much more fun date."

"Yes, I know," he said, and he tapped her hand where it rested on his forearm.

"Sherilyn suggested I meet with Jackson and talk it over with him. I think I'll feel a lot better once I get his business perspective."

"That's very good advice."

"You think so?"

"I do."

"Careful, lad," Russell teased, turning around in front of them. "Saying 'I do' out loud at a wedding? You're playing fast and loose with your freedom, if you ask me."

Kat playfully smacked his arm and giggled. "No one did."

The Omni ballroom teemed with guests finding their way around white-on-scarlet linen draped tables set with fine bone china, tall rose centerpieces and shimmering crystal goblets. The uniformed wait staff appeared almost synchronized in their movements.

"It looks like the front tables are the only ones with assigned seating," Kat told them.

"The rest of us peasants can sit wherever we like," Russell teased. "It's every man and lady for themselves."

Russell excused himself for interrupting a conversation in progress at a nearby table.

"He's a force of nature," Audrey observed, and J. R. laughed.

"You have no idea."

"C'mon!" Russell called, motioning to them. "These chairs are open."

Audrey inched around the table and sat down next to one of the guests already occupying it. She'd seen the woman at the ceremony, and she'd been wearing a beautiful wide-brimmed hat wrapped in copper tulle and silk flowers.

"Where's your hat?" she asked with a smile.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, I noticed the stunning hat you wore to the wedding."

The elegant woman grinned. "It might have needed its own chair, so I took it upstairs and left it in my hotel room."

"That's a pity. I'd have enjoyed meeting it."

"Perhaps I can arrange an introduction later," she retorted, and they shared a chuckle.

"It's vintage, isn't it?" Audrey inquired. "1930s?"

"It is. Good eye," she replied, and she seemed surprised that Audrey recognized it. Leaning toward her, she revealed, "I have an addiction."

"I'm pretty sure there's a secret handshake for people like us."

"You too?"

"Afraid so." Extending her hand, she said, "Audrey Regan."

"Really," the woman commented over their handshake. "The wedding dress designer."

Audrey inhaled sharply. "Yes!"

"Riley Eastwood," she told her with a grin. "The designer cast-off."

"Riley Eastwood?" Audrey exclaimed. "It's such a pleasure to meet you."

Riley glanced down at their clasped hands.

"I'm sorry," Audrey said with a chuckle, dropping the handshake.

"Lisette's dress is a stunner," Riley said. "Really beautiful work."

"Thank you so much!" Audrey said with a sigh. "That's . . . I mean, I'm really sorry it didn't . . . you know . . . but . . ."

Riley touched her arm and smiled. "I'm just not in touch with the curvy woman. You obviously are, and I think what you were able to do for that silhouette is phenomenal. As I watched her walk down the aisle, I was actually a little in awe."