A Wedding on Primrose Street (Life In Icicle Falls Book 7) (26 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Laney, Ready for the Big Day

“J
ust think,” Autumn said to Laney as they wiped down counters at the coffee shop, “it’s almost your wedding. Tonight we’ll be at the Red Barn, dancing with cowboys at your bachelorette party.”

It was hard to believe. After all the discussion and planning, the big day was only forty-eight hours away. Everyone would be meeting at the waterfront park for the ceremony, then going back to Primrose Haus for the reception. There would be food and flowers and dancing. No bright lights, no noise and crazy excitement, but they’d have the stars in the sky and they could make their own noise. It would be exactly the wedding she’d dreamed of when she was a little girl.

“Ben told me the guys still don’t know what they’re going to do up there for Drake’s bachelor party,” Autumn said. “I think hang out at the river, sit around and drink beer. Talk about boring.”

Laney shrugged. “It’s not Vegas.” Okay, that sounded kind of...off. From the corner of her eye, she could feel Autumn studying her. “I’ll take out the garbage,” she announced and ducked into the alley behind the coffee shop. It was wrong not to feel more excited about all of this, especially since her mom had worked so hard on pulling everything together for her. And everything had been pulled together perfectly, right down from the donut cake to the DJ. (The Flesh Eaters weren’t happy that they’d been bumped from playing at the reception, but Drake had told them about the open-mike night at Zelda’s on Sunday, and they were planning to make an impression on the residents of Icicle Falls and maybe get a future booking.) Laney had a wedding gown she loved and was marrying her best friend. That was what mattered, not where or how they got married. Anyway, it was too late to change her plans now. Everything was ordered and everyone was coming.

Autumn was happy to keep the wedding conversation going when Laney came back in. “Are you sorry you guys aren’t going to Vegas?”

Laney concentrated on putting a new liner in the garbage can. “My mom’s right. This is better.”

“For who?”

“For everyone.”

“It’s not your mom getting married,” Autumn reminded her.

Why was she always saying stuff like that? “I know,” Laney said. “But this way our family and friends can come.”

“They could’ve come to Vegas. I just got a Visa card. I could go. So could Ben.” She grinned. “Let’s go.”

“Oh, sure,” Laney said. “I’m gonna take off for Vegas two days before my wedding.”

“I would. If that’s what I really wanted.”

Laney bit her lip.

“Don’t be a wimp, Laney, not when it’s something as important as your wedding.”

“I’m not being a wimp,” Laney insisted. “I want this.” She liked Icicle Falls. She liked the river. She liked the old-fashioned house on Primrose Street. So did Drake. Well, sort of. He liked the river, anyway. This was going to be fun, the best of both worlds. They’d have the fancy wedding here and then go to Vegas for their honeymoon. She set aside the image of Drake and her on the Treasure Island pirate ship, shook her head in an effort to erase the beautiful pictures she’d seen on the website.

But she’d
wanted
to get married on that ship. Primrose Haus was beautiful, but in the end, it was just a house and the yard was just a yard. She frowned and told herself to cut it out. Her mom was right, she thought again. She’d have no regrets about the wedding they’d planned.

Your mom will have no regrets about the wedding you’ve planned.

Where had that come from? It was as if Autumn was still talking to her.

Well, she wasn’t listening. Canceling things now would be totally selfish and unfair to her mother.

And so the wedding party left Thursday afternoon for Icicle Falls. Friday morning after breakfast they’d all go rock climbing. At some point during the day, her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins would arrive, along with the rest of the guests who would trickle in. There would be a rehearsal on Friday night and then a dinner party for the immediate family and bridal party. Saturday was the big day. It was going to be like Christmas, only better. Yes, she
had
made the right decision.

They checked into the Icicle Creek Lodge and Drake’s best man, Ben, said, “This place is something else.” Since he’d leaned over to Drake and lowered his voice, she knew he hadn’t meant that in a good way.

“It ain’t Vegas, that’s for sure,” Drake whispered back, echoing her earlier words.

Her stomach started churning and that made her cranky. They got to the room and instead of being charmed by the mountain view, she saw fussy furniture she’d never pick and curtains at the window that made her think of her grandmother. Those were antiques. Valuable antiques. And the lace curtains were pretty.

Except she didn’t like lace curtains.

This was her bridal suite. This was where she’d spend her wedding night. She burst into tears.

He dropped their suitcases and took her by the arms. “Laney, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to do this,” she wailed.

He looked at her in concern. “You don’t want to get married?”

“No.”

“You don’t?” He sounded horrified.

“No. I mean, no, that’s not it. I want to get married, just not here. But it’s too late.”

“No, it’s not. Tell me what you want.”

She shook her head. Too late, too late. She’d blown it. She’d let herself get talked into something that wasn’t her and Drake. Yeah, this had been her when she was ten, when she was sixteen even, but she wasn’t sixteen anymore. Somewhere along the way, her tastes had changed. Her mom had meant well, but she’d been wrong and now they were stuck.

He led her into the room and settled them on the bed. “Talk to me.”

“We should have gone to Vegas,” she said between sobs. “I’m sorry, Drake.”

He tucked a finger under her chin and raised her face to look at him. “Hey, don’t be sorry. I told you I’d do whatever you wanted.”

“I know, and I thought I wanted this. What I really want is to go to Vegas.”

He brightened at that. “Yeah? Then we’ll go to Vegas.”

“Are you crazy? We can’t do that now! It’s too late to cancel the reception. My parents have spent all this money.”

“We’ll pay them back.”

“My mom would be so embarrassed.” The very thought of humiliating her mother made Laney cry even harder.

There was a knock at the door, and Autumn and Ella ducked in, together with their boyfriends. Darcy and Drake’s other pal, Gordy, hovered behind.

“What’s wrong?” Autumn asked.

“Laney doesn’t want to do this,” Drake explained.

“She doesn’t want to get married?” Ben asked, shocked.

“No, stupid,” said Autumn. “She doesn’t want to get married
here
. I told you all along this was a mistake,” she scolded Laney. “You’re such a wimp.”

Good old Autumn, always a comfort. Laney glared at her.

Unaffected, Autumn pulled out her cell phone. “Let’s check on flights to Vegas. I bet we can get a red-eye.”

“I can’t go to Vegas,” Laney protested. “It’d be wrong.”

“Well, then, what are you going to do?” Autumn demanded.

“I’m going to call my dad.” She didn’t dare tell her mother what she was thinking.

Her father answered his cell phone on the second ring. “Laney girl, are you guys up there now?”

“Yes, and, oh, Dad, this is all wrong.”

“What’s wrong?”

His voice was suddenly worried. Great. He was going to be mad; Mom was going to be upset. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have called.”

“Yes. You should have. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I don’t want to do this.”

“You don’t want to get married?” he asked, shocked.

“I don’t want to get married here. We should’ve gone to Vegas. I should be happy about this wedding, but I’m just so...unhappy.”

“Aw, Laney, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

He had to ask that? As if he hadn’t been there, seeing all the work Mom was doing, how important this was to her? “Mom.” That was as far as she got, but that said it all. She started crying again.

“I know. Your mother really wanted this for you. Sometimes I think that in doing it for you, she’s enjoyed planning the kind of fancy wedding we didn’t have.”

He suddenly stopped talking. Had they lost the connection? “Dad?”

“Don’t do anything just yet, Laney. Stay up there. And don’t worry. I’ve got an idea.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Anne, Mother of the Bride-to-be

F
riday morning Anne and Cam got into their trusty little Kia and, after a quick stop to grab some coffee, made their way up the mountains to Icicle Falls. “Don’t you love it here?” she gushed as they passed the Willkommen in Icicle Falls sign. “I don’t know why we don’t come up more often.”

“Weddings.”

“Oh, yeah, that.” Her wedding business did cut into their getaway time. Maybe she should start easing up on her work schedule, take advantage of being empty nesters.

Laney’s wedding felt like the apex of her career. It was as if this was what she’d been waiting for all these years. An insistent itch was finally getting scratched.

“Well, this is the most important wedding I’ve ever planned.” She laid a hand on Cam’s leg. “Can you believe it? Our daughter’s getting married.” She felt like a kid on Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow you get to unwrap your presents!

Cam just smiled.

“Drake’s a sweet boy. They’re going to be so happy together.”

Cam nodded, and Anne turned her attention to all the shops as they drove through town. There was the Mad Hatter, a shop that specialized in novelty hats; there was Local Yokels, a shop featuring all kinds of Northwest treats—everything from smoked salmon to huckleberry jam. They passed Big Brats, the restaurant stand that sold great bratwurst, and Gilded Lily’s, the women’s clothing shop. She and Kendra would definitely have to do some shopping later, after they’d caught up with Laney and her posse.

They drove on through the town and then down Icicle Creek Drive, where the shops were replaced by woods and an occasional glimpse of Icicle Creek. Off through the trees she noticed a cleared area surrounded by a split-rail fence. A couple of llamas peered out at her. Looking past that, she could see some cabins scattered about—a camp of some sort. The road took a small jog and they wound up on a smaller, private road. Holly Road. It led to the Icicle Creek Lodge, a timbered affair that offered views of Icicle Creek and, beyond that, the mountains.

“Isn’t this charming?” she said as Cam pulled up in front of the lodge. “What a fabulous place for a wedding night.”

“Annie, I hate to break it to you, but I think they had their wedding night long before this,” Cam said.

She frowned at him. “Some things a mother doesn’t want to know.” Anyway, she was in no position to judge, a fact she’d reminded herself of many times once her daughter moved out.

Her story had turned out fine, and so would Laney’s. She wouldn’t have a grandchild as soon as her own mother did, though, that was for sure. Laney would be going back to school, and she and Drake had dreams of taking a cross-country camping trip and, after that, buying a house. Ah, young love with all its plans and dreams.

Plans and dreams weren’t only for newlyweds. She and Cam had plenty of time left for some of their own. He’d refused to share any details about what he had in mind for their anniversary, but whatever it was, she’d be ready to relax. Organizing her daughter’s wedding had taken a lot out of her.

They went inside the lodge and checked in. “We should go see how the kids are doing,” she said to Cam as he pocketed their room key.

“They were going rock climbing,” he reminded her. “They’re probably not back yet.”

Good point. “Well, then, later.” Meanwhile, they could get some lunch and kick around town as they waited for Kendra and her family.

She’d reserved the private room at Schwangau for the rehearsal dinner, so, wanting something different, they wandered over to Zelda’s, one of the other popular restaurants in town. It was less pricey and more hip, decorated with a mixture of Northwest contemporary wood trim and art-deco decor. All the waitresses wore Roaring Twenties headbands and served up everything from salmon and trout to salads with mountain blackberries.

Charley Masters, the owner, seated them and stuck around a few minutes to chat. “Your daughter’s having her reception at Primrose Haus? Great place,” she said. “I got married in Vegas,” she added with a wink. “Different strokes.”

The very mention of Vegas made Anne shudder, but she smiled and nodded.

“Anyway,” Charley concluded, “I hope you folks enjoy your stay.”

“We already are,” Anne told her. “I love this restaurant,” she said after Charley left to go seat another couple.

Cam smiled. “I think in your present mood there isn’t anything you
wouldn’t
love.”

“True,” she admitted. “I’m on a wedding high.” She had checked and double-checked every detail. Everything was in order. All she had to do now was enjoy the party.

They’d just finished lunch when Anne’s cell phone rang. “We’re here,” Kendra said. “Where are you guys?”

“We’re at Zelda’s, finishing lunch. Come on over.”

Ten minutes later, Kendra and her family entered the restaurant. The girls were bouncing with excitement. At the sight of their aunt, they let out squeals and dashed for the table.

“Inside voices,” their mother scolded, taking off after them, “and no running.”

The running turned into hops. Coral was the first to reach the table, but Amy was the first to share the news that they’d had a flat tire on the way up. “And Daddy swore.”

“Sounds like you had a fun trip,” Anne said, greeting her sister.

Kendra rolled her eyes. “Family fun. Can’t beat it. Is it five o’clock somewhere? I think my man needs a drink.”

“He needs two,” her husband said, coming up behind her.

They slid into the bench opposite and then squeezed in the girls on each side of the table. “Have you seen the bride and groom yet?” Kendra asked.

Anne shook her head. “They’re out rock climbing. We figure we’ll catch up with them later this afternoon.”

“Can I wear my dress to the practice?” Coral wanted to know.

“Not after what happened last time you put it on. It’s jeans and T-shirts for the river tonight and your church dress for the party after.”

“I like parties,” Amy announced.

“That’s good,” Anne said, hugging her, “because we are going to party tonight.”

Roberta’s crew was taking care of the seating for the ceremony tomorrow and the other reception details, so all Anne had to do was watch her beautiful daughter take her wedding vows. Life was good.

After a leisurely visit at the restaurant, the men took the girls to the little amusement park that had recently opened at one end of town, giving Anne and Kendra a chance to prowl the shops. “Well, you did it,” Kendra said as they examined the antiques and collectibles in Timeless Treasures. “You finally got your perfect wedding.”

“My daughter’s perfect wedding,” Anne corrected her.

“One and the same.” Kendra gave her a playful nudge. “Ooh, look at this china mug. I think I need it.”

They found several more things they needed as the afternoon wore on—bath bombs from Bubbles, gingerbread boys and girls from Gingerbread Haus and, of course, chocolate from Sweet Dreams. “I may as well get a large box of truffles,” Anne said, “since I’ll have to share with Cam.”

“I’m hiding mine,” said her sister.

They met their husbands and the girls at the Tea Time Tea Shop, where they indulged in purchasing some lavender sugar cookies and chocolate mint tea to take home, and where Anne had a last-minute confab with Bailey, the shop owner who was catering the wedding.

“Roberta’s got it all under control. Remember?” Kendra reminded her as they left.

“I know.” But once a wedding planner, always a wedding planner.

They got back to the lodge to learn that their parents had arrived.

“Where’s Daddy?” Kendra asked once Julia had let them in.

“Off to buy some German beer and check out that sausage place we saw when we drove in.” She grimaced. “He does love all that wurst, but it doesn’t love him. I’m sure he’ll have heartburn by the time he comes back. Where’s our bride?”

“She and Drake and their friends were going rock climbing,” Anne said. “I guess I’ll call her and see if they’re back yet.” All she got was voice mail. “She must be out of range.”

Laney was still out of range at four thirty. “They should’ve been back by now,” Anne fretted as she and Kendra and the girls hung out in Julia’s room. “We’ve got the rehearsal in an hour.”

“Try her again,” Kendra suggested from their mother’s bed, where she was stretched out beside Julia, watching reruns of
Love It or List It
.

Anne did, and again it went straight to voice mail. “Where is she?” Maybe she’d fallen and was stuck in some rock crevice with a broken leg. How would they find her?

Anne was pacing the floor, leaving a frantic message for Laney to call her, when Cam appeared in the doorway, his brother-in-law behind him. “Looks like we’re all here,” he said. He cleared his throat. “So now would probably be the time to tell you.”

A feeling of foreboding began to sneak up on Anne. “Tell me what?”

“There’s been a slight change in plan.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, um, nothing.” He cleared his throat again. “Laney and I have been talking.”

“Is she back from rock climbing?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Cam, you’re being awfully mysterious,” Anne said.

“Well, like I said, there’s been a change in plans.”

This couldn’t be good. Anne braced herself.

“Laney and Drake really want to get married in Vegas.”

“Vegas!” Julia repeated.

Anne felt suddenly light-headed. She fell onto the bed opposite her mother. “Vegas?” With Elvis impersonators and the showgirls with the feathers and the chapels of love. And the pirate ship! “Vegas,” she repeated, anger roaring through her like a tsunami.

Cam sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “She had an...epiphany.”

“An epiphany! An epiphany is something
good
. An epiphany is not...running off to Vegas the day before you get married.” She shot off the bed and went to search through the store bags. “Where’s that chocolate?”

“Annie, calm down,” said Cam. “They haven’t run off. They’re still here. They just don’t want to get married here.”

She had to be hearing things. In fact, she had to be hallucinating. Or dreaming. Yes, she was dreaming, that was it. She shook her head, pinched her arm. Nothing seemed to work. She was standing in the same room, hearing the same shocking news.

Stuffing chocolates in her mouth. “Why can’t I wake up?”

“Have another chocolate,” Julia urged. “And give me one, too.”

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Anne said as she plopped down on the bed and handed over the chocolates. “They’re still here but they’re not getting married.”

“That about sums it up.”

“I want to wear my dress,” Coral said and burst into tears. That set Amy off, and she started crying, too.

“Oh, boy,” muttered Kendra. “Come on, girls. Let’s go take a walk.” She and her husband ushered the girls out of the room.

Julia stayed behind to comfort her daughter with hugs and more chocolate.

There was no comfort to be had. “I saved for this for years,” Anne said, wiping at her eyes. “I wanted her to have something special. And now, just like that, we’re canceling the wedding?”

“Actually, we’re not,” Cam said, and now he was smiling.

She blinked. “I don’t understand.”

He crossed the room to kneel in front of her and take her hands in his. “There’s going to be a wedding here tomorrow, babe. Ours.”

“What?”

At that moment his cell phone rang.

“It’s Laney, isn’t it?” Anne said as he answered it. Their daughter wasn’t calling her mother. Probably too afraid. That made Anne both sad and angry.

Cam nodded at her. “Yes,” he said to Laney, “I told her. Hang on.” He handed over the phone.

“Don’t you dare say anything you’ll regret,” Julia cautioned. “Remember, daughters don’t always do what their mothers want.”

A not-so-subtle reminder of her own past wedding choice. Anne took the phone and said hello. It was impossible to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

“Mom, I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad,” Laney begged.

She found it hard not to be. She’d gone to so much trouble to make sure her daughter had a memorable wedding. “Laney, I don’t understand.”

Laney sighed. “I just... I don’t know. We got up here and I realized getting married at the house on Primrose Street wasn’t what I really wanted. Neither did Drake. If we went through with it, if Drake and I didn’t get married in Las Vegas like we talked about in the first place, I’d always be sorry. I didn’t want to have any regrets.”

Anne bit her lip. Okay, she understood about regrets. But she couldn’t help wishing her daughter had figured this out sooner.

“I tried to want what you wanted for me, Mom. I really did. But the wedding you planned, it wasn’t us, even with the raft.”

Anne knew she had only one person to blame for how this had turned out, and that was herself. She’d been so determined to give Laney the wedding she’d never had, the one she thought Laney should have, she’d blinded herself to what her daughter truly wanted. And that was something very different from what Laney had talked about when she was younger. Her tastes had changed; they’d veered away from Anne’s. Laney had become her own woman and Anne had ignored that.

Still... “If you get married there, a lot of your family and friends won’t be able to come.”

“But Drake and I will be there and that’s what really matters,” Laney said.
I’m marrying Cam, and that’s what really matters.
Anne’s words to her mother floated at the back of her mind.

“I’m sorry I ruined all your plans for me. It’s not that I don’t appreciate how hard you worked and how much time you spent, but the wedding you planned is the one
you
always wanted. So Dad came up with the perfect solution. You’re going to be the bride tomorrow. And I hope I can be your maid of honor.”

Anne could barely speak, choked up as she was. This was all so much to process. “That would be lovely,” she managed.

“Thanks for understanding,” Laney said, and Anne could hear the relief in her voice.

Better late than never. Here Anne did this for a living, yet when it came to her own daughter she’d been clueless. How pathetic was that?