The Secret Wedding Dress (24 page)

“Was that Sylvie?” Joel asked. It was the first comment out of his mouth.

“Yep. Still
has a care for your well-being, son. What do you plan to do about it?”

Joel shrugged miserably. “I haven’t the foggiest idea, sir.”

Rob fell into step with him. “A man needs a plan. When it comes to women, it helps to have a backup, as well.”

“I’m open to suggestions,” Joel declared as they assumed their spots on the dock and settled down to fish. “I really screwed up with her.”

Rob hooked a fish right off, a beauty. He played it carefully, speaking as he did. “Over the years, the thing I’ve noticed about all my girls, they’re marshmallows inside. Women seem to be more complicated now than in my day. Back then, flowers, candy, wine were all a man needed to show he was sorry. Now I hear the young women talking when they don’t know I’m listenin’. Seems a fellow needs to come up with a unique romantic gesture nowadays. A special kind of apology.”

“Like what?” Joel hooked a smaller fish as Rob landed his. “I asked her to marry me, but maybe you didn’t know that. I also assured Sylvie I’d make her dream of becoming a designer possible. I told her I believe in her. My job caused our rift, so I asked for a break. In case you think I can’t support her, I can. I made a lot when my comic strip syndicated. And Iva left me more than the house. Mining stocks she thought were worthless. My lawyer tells me they were converted in a big railroad merger recently.”

Rob nodded. “Iva and my grandparents. Same stocks. Haven’t decided whether to upgrade the family furniture company or retire early. Money’s not everything, though, son.”

“I know. But Sylvie refused to listen when I tried to tell her I quit my job.”

“I don’t think she dislikes your job. But it’ll take more than talk. Jeff, now, he asked Carline to marry him seven days a week for a month. Didn’t work. Then he invited her to a special dinner he cooked. Word is, he spread rose petals from his kitchen to the patio where he’d set a table with white linen
and candles. Those rose petals led straight to an open velvet box holding a sparkler of an engagement ring. Did the trick for him.”

“Wow, impressive. What about Grant? He doesn’t strike me as a romance kind of guy.”

“Maybe not as a rule. He’s been crazy over Dory from fourth grade. They went steady all through high school. She was on the verge of breaking up, saying they’d fallen into a rut. It was during the ball game at one of our Labor Day Festivals that he hired a friend with an airplane to sky write ‘Grant loves Dory’right above the ballfield. Pilot made a trail of hearts off into the clouds. Grant left the game, found Dory in the bleachers and proposed over a loudspeaker. Method worked.”

“Hmm. I can see this may take some heavy-duty thinking.”

Rob reeled in a second fish. “Sylvie and the others can use a cooling-off period. Don’t let it go too long, though.” He clambered to his feet. “Well, my boy, no sense over-fishing this spot. Maybe I’ll mosey home with this fine catch. Tonight I’ll clean ‘em and cook ’em myself, and break out a nice bottle of Nan’s favorite wine. Best I can do for you is to soften her up some. It’s up to you to convince Nan you didn’t draw those pictures with malicious intent. But between you and me, folks are amazed by how clever you are with a pen. The likeness between Magnolia and Sylvie took talent.”

“I ended the series with a grand finale, Rob. A wedding,” Joel said. “And after that, I’m taking a break. Actually, I have a hankering to try my hand at woodworking. I understand you built Kendra a playhouse and you still have the plans. I may build a bookcase after that.”

They were halfway up the trail when Rob clapped Joel on the back. “For the past couple of years, Nan’s been bugging me to take more time off from my business. I’ve kicked around the idea of locating an apprentice. Tell you what—I will dig out those playhouse plans. Why don’t you come to
the shop tomorrow, after Rianne goes to school. We’ll talk some more. I’ll see if you have a feel for working with wood.”

Joel felt the first surge of hope in two days that things might work out, after all. Except there was still the matter of a unique romantic gesture. That weighed heavily on his mind all night. The next week he spent every day puttering happily in Rob’s shop. And Rob beamed over how quickly he picked up a feel for woodworking. However, a call from Lester Egan that evening left Joel realizing that his talent lay in cartooning. They ended their conversation with Lester leaving the door open for Joel to return anytime.

A week later, Rianne unwittingly handed her dad a possible avenue to take with Sylvie. His daughter had gotten in the habit of stopping next door after school, either for milk and homemade cookies, or just for girl talk. This particular afternoon, she came running into the house, bursting with news.

“Daddy, Daddy, you know what? Sylvie showed me the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It’s white and shiny and glittery with diamonds. And pearls. Only she said they’re fake. It’s a wedding dress, Daddy. Sylvie’s never showed it to anybody. Only me. And you know what? She’s gonna work day and night to finish it to raffle off at the church bazaar. ‘Cause she said the choir needs new robes, and this dress will fetch ’nuff money for all the robes they need.”

Joel sorted through Rianne’s excited, tumbled words. He came to the conclusion that it had to be
the
dress Sylvie planned to get rid of.

He paced back and forth in front of the living room window, staring at Sylvie’s house. The news didn’t bode well for him or for his chances of making amends. Sylvie was giving up on her career and giving up on ever walking down the aisle herself.

“Snooks, change into play clothes, will you? I need to go talk to Grandma Nan and Grandpa Rob.” Joel needed some
serious help here. He was so thankful for the generosity of Sylvie’s parents. He and they had gotten past his horrid blunder. Now he was about to request their cooperation in a plan he’d discarded once but had decided to reconsider.

Nan listened as Joel repeated what Rianne had said. “Oh, Joel. I’m sorry. I assumed she’d eventually see, as we all have, that you didn’t draw that cartoon strip to hurt her. I hate to say it, but you should probably just move on with your life.”

“I’m not ready to do that, Nan. Hear me out,” he said. “I have a good friend, Julie Kerr. She married my college roommate. And she used to head the fashion section of the Atlanta paper. I did some ad work for her. They moved to Chicago about the time my marriage fell apart. Julie got this great job as editor of
Bride’s Delight.
”

“I’ve seen that magazine at Sylvie’s house. Her clients often choose gowns they feature. I don’t know what you have in mind, Joel, but I’m beginning to see possibilities. Why don’t you hold off telling me a minute. Let me bring in the troops. Kendra misses playing with Rianne. Maybe Dory will swing by with her and pick up Carline and Keenan. This sounds like something that calls for a Shea family summit. After I call, I’ll fix fresh coffee while you fetch Rob from the wood shop.”

Joel wondered hours later if Sylvie’s ears were burning. Until this afternoon, he’d been unable to win the hearts and minds of Sylvie’s two staunchest supporters, her sisters.

“Joel, your idea is totally devious, but I love it,” Dory burst out in the silence that followed when Joel had outlined his plan.

Carline wasn’t as quick to embrace the scheme. “Joel, are you prepared to have the whole thing blow up in your face? Not only are you proposing to lay out some big bucks, but you risk public humiliation, if she walks out on you.”

The man gazed at the sleeping bundle Carline bounced
gently in her arms. “Did you see your sister’s face the day she held Keenan in the hospital for the first time? Sylvie wants what you two have. A home, children, a man to love her unconditionally. I am that man. All I’m asking is one last chance to prove it as publicly as I can. I’m willing to risk becoming a laughingstock in a community where I intend to live for the rest of my life. I also run the risk Julie and her photographer might record my embarrassment and turn it into a feature article…. But if Sylvie chooses to throw my love back in my face because of what I did, it’s no more than I deserve.”

Nan leaned over and impulsively hugged Joel. Rob stuck out his hand. Dory rubbed hers together. “Joel, can you get your friend on the phone? You’ll need her commitment before we can go to work. The church bazaar is mid-November. That’s not much time to pull off something as involved as this.”

Finally, Carline joined in, “This will require the help of people in town. We’ll need to pick folks we trust to keep this quiet. And Sylvie’s sharp. What if she smells a rat?”

Dory brushed aside the possibility. “Tomorrow I’m picking her up to shop for material to make Kendra and Roy’s Halloween costumes. She asked me to find out if Rianne needed a costume, as well. Sylvie already loves Rianne, and it’s a very good sign that she’s looking out for your daughter’s welfare. I have no problem selecting the three hardest costume patterns in the book. Between sewing them and finishing
the
dress, and with the choir starting to rehearse for the Christmas production, I predict Ms. Sylvie will be far too busy to ferret out our plans.”

S
YLVIE ARRIVED HOME
from her shopping trip to Asheville with Dory. Her arms were filled with bolts of black and orange fabric. Kendra and Rianne both wanted to be witches. Roy, Dory insisted, had his heart set on being the lion from
The Lion King.
That pattern might challenge even her expertise with needle and thread, Sylvie thought, as she paused to scoop up her ringing phone.

“Is this Sylvie Shea?” asked a female voice. Sylvie braced herself for a sales pitch and prepared to hang up, even though she said, “Yes, I’m Sylvie.”

“Fabulous! You’re a difficult woman to track down. My name is Julie Kerr. I’m editor in chief of
Bride’s Delight
magazine. We’re located in Chicago.”

Sylvie dropped the bolts with a bang. “I love your publication. You feature the most beautiful wedding gowns!”

“I think we do, too.” Julie chuckled. “Glad to hear you agree. That’s actually why I’m calling. I’m putting together a special issue featuring Christmas brides. I recently returned from New York where I gathered names of promising new gown designers. Two boutiques placed your name high on their lists. Trudy Levine explained what happened with your partner, Sylvie, but I’d like to see anything new you might have.”

“I have nothing, I’m afraid. I moved home and quit designing.”

“What a shame. You have nothing original at all? I’m prepared to fly to…where is it you are…North Carolina? I’d bring a photographer. My aim in this issue is to simulate actual weddings. I’ve already done two. The designers wore their gowns themselves and rounded up friends to play the groom and attendants. I provide any necessary props like flowers and candelabra. The Christmas issue boosts careers almost as much as our June bride collection. But…if you have nothing made up, I’ll keep you in mind for next June.”

A silence ensued. Julie eventually said, “I’m sorry to have taken your time, Sylvie. Jot down my number why don’t you? Perhaps you’ll have something for our June issue. We shoot that in March.”

“Wait. I have one dress. An original. My best work, I’ve always believed. How…how long would I have before you
need to shoot photos? The dress still requires some work. I am toying with maybe trying to break into design again….”

“Let me grab my calendar. How much work, Sylvie?” Julie named a Saturday afternoon in mid-November. “Sorry, but that’s my last possible weekend to fly a whole crew in and still make my deadline.”

Sylvie stretched the phone cord around the corner so that she, too, thumbed through her calendar. “That date’s okay. I plan to raffle this dress off during our church bazaar. It’s the following week, in our church basement. I’m fairly confident no one’s booked a wedding for that Saturday, since I spoke with our pastor about displaying the gown in the chapel starting on the Friday, in fact.”

“Even better,” Julie purred in Sylvie’s ear. “Having a minister in the photos, holding an open Bible, adds so much authenticity. So, we have a verbal agreement? If we do, I’ll get back to you after I firm up all arrangements on my end. Can you supply people to be in the shoot? I require signed release forms to allow their pictures to appear in
Bride’s Delight.
Parents need to sign for any kids. Like a ring-bearer and oh, say, two little girls to act as flower girls?”

“I have two in mind,” Sylvie murmured. “I—how can I thank you enough, Julie? You’ve called me at a time when I’ve reached a crossroads in my life. Do you provide information on designers? I mean, if potential brides express interest in your featured gowns?”

“Absolutely. We run a page at the back giving designer names and how to contact them. Be prepared to have your phone ring off the hook in January.”

Sylvie laughed. Her heart lightened for the first time in weeks. After hanging up, she hugged herself and waltzed into her bedroom to inspect the gown. Unable to contain her joy at this sudden windfall, she raced back down the hall, picked up the phone and called her mother. She made similar calls to Carline and Dory. “I need your help, guys,” she pleaded. “This
may be my last chance to see if I have what it takes to break into a very closed field. I think I’d be able to work from home.” She took a breath. “Dory, I’m thinking of Kendra and Rianne as flower girls. But…Joel would need to sign a release to have her appear in the magazine. Please, would you ask him?”

“Syl, how long are you going to make that poor man grovel?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. He hurt me, Dory. I loved him.”

“Don’t you still? A little bit, at least? Come on, Sylvie, I’ve seen how often you look at his house when I come to pick you up. Didn’t Sunday’s sermon on forgiveness move you at all?”

“He could’ve told me. I’d have forgiven him if he’d done that, Dory. I thought what we had was special. Joel encouraged me to dream again—something I couldn’t do after New York. I feel so much more for Joel than I did for Desmond. Can’t you understand how much I hurt, Dory?”