The Strawberry Hearts Diner(83)
Emily smiled. “You win, Mama. I want a wedding that looks like this.”
Jancy and Shane were sitting on the back porch when Ryder and Emily brought pictures they’d taken with their phones to share with them.
“And look at the twinkle lights leading from the diner to the tent.” Emily’s excitement was contagious. “And Andy’s crew will set everything up for us and it’s going to be beautiful.”
“Like a fairy tale, but, honey, you need to look for a big fancy dress to go with this wedding,” Jancy said.
“I already told Mama that we’d go shopping for one. Do you think she’s comin’ around, Jancy?” Emily sat down on the porch and pulled Ryder down beside her.
“Yep.” Jancy nodded.
She loved the pretty pictures, but she didn’t want anything as elaborate as this wedding was turning into. But then, why was she thinking about a wedding? Shane was the only man in the world that she’d even consider trusting enough for that step, and it was way too soon to think about marriage.
But all little girls thought about their wedding day, so why couldn’t a twenty-two-year-old? Jancy wanted a simple wedding with only a few dear friends in the room and then maybe a reception with cake and punch. Maybe a pretty dress, too. Then a lovely honeymoon in this little white house with two rocking chairs on the back porch.
If it never came true, she could still have the lovely dream.
“Jancy, where are you?” Emily singsonged.
“Daydreaming, I guess. What did you say?”
“I asked what you thought about silver bridesmaids’ dresses?”
“With red rose bouquets, that would be beautiful. And I’m so glad that you took all those pictures to share with us,” Jancy answered. “Andy is pretty great for getting this all done in two weeks.”
“Yes, he is,” Ryder said. “And Vicky was so excited about the dress. I don’t think she wanted Emily to wear the vintage one.”
“Me, either,” Emily said. “We’re going over to our trailer now. See you in the morning, Jancy.”
“Bright and early.” Jancy slipped her hand into Shane’s.
“When you get married, what kind of wedding do you want?” he asked.
“Small and simple. What about you? Something big and fancy?”
“No, m-ma’am. I’d stutter so bad the cerem-mony w-would take hours.” He grinned. “So small and simple?”
She shook her head. “My only living relative is about to be in Germany. I’d have no one on my side.”
“I’ll always be on your side, Jancy.” He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed the tips of each one.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sunday had always been Vicky’s favorite day of the week, though the hymns usually touched her soul more than the sermons. She could hear all the voices on her pew as they blended together. A few weeks ago there had been three of them—Nettie, Vicky, and Emily—but their little family had doubled when they’d added Ryder, Shane, and Jancy. It made for a full pew and really nice singing.
According to the sermon that night, God worked things out. Whether folks liked it or not was up to them. They could be bitter or they could be better. Bitter had the letter I in it, and every single time people put themselves first, it became a problem that created a bitter attitude.
That part about bitter and better hit Vicky so hard between the eyes that it almost gave her a headache. She glanced to her right at Emily and Ryder holding hands in church. Even with his past, she couldn’t very well ask for more than a man who adored her child and who went to church with her.
There were a few doubts still lingering in her heart, but she’d gotten past that anger business last night at Andy’s cake shop. Looking back, she realized that she’d gone through the same steps when her mother and Creed both died. She’d barely gotten past the denial and shock of the first when her husband of six weeks died. Two funerals that year, and she’d walked away from the last one with nothing but bitter anger in her heart. Nettie, with her love and patience, had helped her through those times. Here it was more than twenty years later and Nettie was helping her again.
It had been the birth of her precious daughter that had brought her out into the light again. Nodding when the preacher talked about how much a person’s attitude affects those folks around them, she decided that the wedding was going to be just what Andy said—the most magical one Pick had ever seen.
She glanced at her daughter, sitting beside Ryder. From the stars in her eyes, she wasn’t listening to a word the preacher was saying. No doubt the wedding and honeymoon were on her mind. Happiness was what she should have wanted for Emily all along—not a fancy job in a big city. Sweet peace filled her soul as she let go of all the doubts. Emily and Ryder would make it, and she’d be there for both of them.