Twice in a Lifetime (Love Found) (8 page)

Ben glanced up briefly and she started in on her sales pitch. “It’s a little over the budget, but it has this big sweeping staircase that would be great for photos.”

“You decide, Al. Whatever you want is fine.”

She hit him with a throw pillow. “Don’t be that guy, Ben.”

His eyelids crept open. “What guy?”

“The guy that doesn’t help with any of the decisions. This is
our
wedding. I need your input.”

“All right then, we’ll have it at my dad’s house.”

Allie plopped down beside him and grabbed his arm, pamphlets scattering on the sofa. “When did that become an option?”

“He only mentioned it today. I haven’t had a chance to tell you.”

“Ben, it’s perfect. It’s a big house with a great staircase, beautiful landscaping for photographs. It’s a little far, but so what. You sure it’s okay?”

“Perfectly okay.” His eyes drifted shut.

The next Saturday Allie, with the help of Reese and her mom, went searching for the perfect gown. After only three shops they met with success.

It was all shimmery satin and delicate lace. Sleeveless with a high, sculpted neckline. Seed pearls and sparkling crystals adorned the fitted bodice. Standing on the dais, admiring her reflection in the triple mirror, tears of joy clouded her vision.

Katie Harper walked over with a veil in her hand. Stepped up beside her daughter and slipped the combs into her hair, smoothing the lace-edged netting over her shoulders and down her back. “You’re an angel, the most beautiful bride ever.” With a soft look on her delicately lined face she spoke tenderly. “Is this the one?”

With a smile whispering in her eyes, Allie answered. “Oh yes, we found
the dress
.”

On Tuesday she shopped again with her mom and Reese, this time for flowers.

“Here sweetie, this is like the picture you showed me last week.” Reese held up a sample bouquet the floral designer assembled ahead of time. Pink tea roses and white gardenias. “Do you still like this?”

She really did.

On a roll, Allie shopped for a cake. A bell chimed as she entered the shop alone and meandered through the bakery. A middle aged woman entered from the back, several years’ worth of crullers and fresh sourdough plastered to her hips.

Martha Connor, the shop owner, was clearly knowledgeable, but after thirty minutes of looking through sample books, Allie was overwhelmed.

So many decisions to make over cake? What flavor to choose? Buttercream or whipped frosting? Filling or no filling? Flowers or no flowers?

“So what do you think, Ben?” She stacked the last dinner plate in the dishwasher. “Chocolate, vanilla or red velvet?”

“What the hell’s red velvet?” Ben was distracted—Red Sox on the tube and blueprints spread across the table. “Sounds like drapes. In a whorehouse.”

She slammed the dishwasher closed. “Like it sounds, Ben. Red. Tastes like cake. Pay attention. Which would you rather have?”

“I really don’t care, Allie. Pick one.”

Tossing the kitchen towel on the counter, she steamed out of the room. “Fine.”

They were planning a simple wedding—fewer than a hundred people—but she was only doing this once, everything should be lovely. Reese and her mom were making it very easy and the invitations were already in the mail.

“Ben, we need to go to the courthouse for a marriage license.” She mentioned this as she dropped pasta into a pot of boiling water. Reese was at dinner with a new boyfriend and they had the apartment to themselves. “Can you take off work and meet me?”

Ben set the newspaper aside. “Sure, babe. Let me know when and I’ll be there.”

That was easy.

“How about your tux? Have you and Jake gotten fitted?”

Eyes wide, his look was sharp and cautious, a deer caught in the headlights. “Tux?”

She’d mentioned the black tuxedo to him several times in the past two weeks. She didn’t bother to rein in her temper as she glared. “Yes, Ben. Tuxedo. The suit you’re going to wear to your wedding. I’ve asked you several times to get measured so you get the right size.” Her frustration boiled over like the fettuccini on the red-hot burner. “Can you do that please? That one thing?”

“C’mon, Al. I’ve done more than one thing. It’s all we talk about anymore. All you do. Everything’s this for the wedding, that for the wedding. I can’t wait till it’s over.”

Oh, really? On a huff, she let the bite of each word sting. “I’m sorry if this is
tiresome
for you Ben, but there are more details than you can imagine in putting a wedding together.”

Ben closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest, then scraped back his chair, sauntered toward her, took her in his arms. His eyes were hooded and a smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “Allie, honey? Will
you
be there?”

Had he lost his ever-loving mind?
“Of course I’ll be there.”

“Good. That’s all I need. I love you. I don’t care about the writing on the invitations as long as they say Allie is going to marry Ben. I don’t care about flowers, or cake. I don’t really care about the dress you’re wearing.”

Then he paused for a beat with a long thoughtful gaze and his smile turned wicked. “Although.” He drew the word out in that way he had. “I do care about what’s under the dress. Make it sexy, okay?” Toning the smile down again, he went on. “You could wear silk or a gunny sack. I. Don’t. Care. I don’t care if there are only three people there.”

He paused again, long enough to tighten his arms around her, each word emphasized with a kiss. “What I care about is you, and me, and the preacher. Saying you will be mine forever. That I get to love you every day for the rest of my life. Now do you understand?”

Ah, hell, how sweet could one guy be?

She could only nod.

Finally—at last—their wedding day was here. Standing at the head of the aisle, dressed in white satin and lace from the skin out, her eyes wandered the sanctuary. She gazed at her groom and his best man, both tugging bow ties and shuffling their feet. But they were stationed beside the minister in perfectly fitted black tuxedos. She tugged her father’s hand. “Look, Daddy, he’s almost as handsome as you.”

Will turned a watery smile her way, squeezed her hand. “You’ll always be my little girl, Alexandra Jane. But nothing makes me happier than the love I see when he looks at you.”

Waiting for the music to change, her eyes misted over. Her heart was full, as full as the small church bursting with family, with friends. On cue she took her first step, glided down the aisle to the man she chose to love for always.

Through a cloud of gossamer the preacher said his words, “
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today
…” Reese held her bouquet while Jake handed Ben his mother’s wedding band. He lifted her veil, sealed their vows with a lusty kiss. And grinning foolishly at one another, she scampered beside her husband back down the aisle, a brand new bride.

Standing in the receiving line, their future was full of promise; their lives were full of hope. They’d settle into a home of their own—a cramped two bedroom apartment near her school that they’d put a deposit on last month.

As she accepted congratulations and blessings, standing shoulder to shoulder with the man of her dreams in the evening light, surrounded by loved ones, it was only right she should dream about the future with Ben. Ben, who loved her, who laughed with her. Who teased her about her dimple. She laughed, brushed bird seed from his shoulder, then leaned into his kiss.

She would run with him in the mornings, cook dinner with him at night, and draw him a map to the laundry hamper. And one day, in the same way she prepared for the school year to begin, for a room full of eager young children to grace her life, she would dream about a family of their own.

“Reminds me of the old days.” Ben paused to stretch his back. Loading tools at the end of the day was heavy work. He pulled a bandanna from his back pocket and lifted his ragged ball cap, wiping sweat from his tanned forehead. “Working like slaves for old man Billings.”

Jake tossed a couple of two-by-fours into the bed of the truck. “Business is good. You complaining?”

“Hell no.” He coiled the extension cord, looping it around his forearm and securing the end before tossing it into the truck. “We need to get this company in the black as quickly as possible.”

“We’re getting there.” Jake motioned for him to help lift the table saw and together they muscled it onto the tailgate. Jake gave it a healthy shove until it was in the bed. “Permits will be ready for that bigass house in Scottsdale next week, the one in Chandler the first of the month. I’ve got a handful of remodels on the line, too.”

He nodded. He’d seen the proposals, the contracts. They’d be busy for a while. They unloaded their tools back at the yard and said goodnight. The next day would come early.

The door opened to the sounds of Allie puttering in the kitchen. He kicked his boots off, left them by the door and padded that way. “Mmm, hello.” After a slow, welcoming kiss he lifted lids, investigating. “Smells good. How was your day today?”

“I worked in the classroom all day, but it’s all ready for the first day of school. I have lesson plans to finalize tonight.” He found forks and napkins shoved into his hands to set the table.

She put the finishing touches on dinner, then passed him a loaded plate and took a seat across from him at the table. “Looks good, Allie. One day you’ll make some lucky guy a fine wife.”

“You think so? Do you think I’ll make a good mom, too?”

His eyes shot up. Surely alarm flashed neon bright across his face.

“Gotcha!”

He grinned broadly and shook his head, then turned thoughtful. “You know I want to make babies with you, Al. Lots and lots of babies. But let’s take this slow, okay? We both have careers to get off the ground.”

“Mmm.” She swallowed her mouthful. “There are lots of things I’d like us to do first.” She glanced around. “And we’ll need a house, this place is kind of small.”

“It will happen when the time is right.” He took her hand and rubbed her knuckles with the pad of his thumb. “I love you, but I want you to myself for a while.

She leaned across the table and kissed him. “I love you back.”

“Good. Now be a good wife and don’t
ever
scare me like that again.”

She wouldn’t have imagined it, but she was in love all over again. With twenty-five 5-year-olds. They kept her busy; some days they ran her ragged. But as she’d hoped, she loved every minute.

Allie locked her classroom and exited the outer doors of the school building, her arms full of paperwork she intended to go over that night. The sun, which was bright earlier in the day, now hid behind thick gray clouds. Gusty breezes teased the stack of papers as she fumbled through her purse for keys. A tall, thin woman she recognized as a teacher in one of the other grades yelled from two cars down.

“Hey, do you need help? You look like you’re about the lose everything!” She tossed her purse in her own car and hurried toward Allie, snatching a pile of papers before the wind scattered them like confetti.

“Thanks so much; you’re a lifesaver!” Allie dropped her load onto the passenger seat and then reached around to relieve her rescuer of her burden. “I’m Allie Tate, by the way.” With everything safely stashed, she turned to shake her new friend’s hand.

Swirling leaves and trash danced their way across the parking lot, caught up in breezy flurries. “I’m Madison Andrews; I teach third. Call me Maddie.” With a welcoming smile, Maddie grasped her hand, her long midnight black hair twirling as puffs of wind blew around them. “This is my first year; I just graduated. How long have you been here?”

Allie tossed her purse on top of the papers and slammed the car door. Her keys hung from one hand. “This is my first year too. Kindergarten.”

“So how do you like it so far?” The ends of Maddie’s hair whipped into her face. She caught it in her fist and held it back while she lounged against the fender, settling in for a chat. “I have to admit, I get intimidated, mostly by the parents. Some days I feel like they’re sharks and I’m chum in the water.”