Walker Bride (19 page)

“Are you okay? You just went white. Can I get
you some water?” Her sister asked, placing her hands on Pearl’s
shoulders.

“No. Sorry. Guess I had something on my
mind.”

“Okay. Don’t freak me out like that. Remember
when I had that old lady die in my chair in cosmetology school? I
don’t take it lightly when someone loses their color in my
chair.”

Pearl forced a smile on her face and let her
sister get to work with her masterpiece.

Forty-five minutes later, Audrey had made
Pearl look like a princess. Curls were pinned in just the right
places. Accents such as a small sprig of baby’s breath and a daisy
adorned the masterpiece.

“All I need is a tiara,” she said admiring
herself in the mirror.

Bethany joined them. Her beautiful red locks
had been styled just as Pearl’s had.

“I think I might cry,” Bethany said.

“Well do it now,” Audrey offered. “Clare is
waiting to do your makeup, and that will certainly be too
late.”

Bethany and Pearl walked to the other room
where Clare was finishing up Lydia’s makeup.

“Oh, you look beautiful,” Pearl sighed as she
looked at Lydia, but the compliment hadn’t brought any joy to
Lydia’s face.

Clare finished the last of Lydia’s makeup.
“All done. I think Audrey is ready for you.”

Lydia waited for Clare to remove the small
cape from around her neck, then walked past both Pearl and Bethany
without a word.

Bethany watched her walk away. “What’s wrong
with her?”

“I don’t know. Should we talk to her?” Pearl
watched her disappear as she sat down in Clare’s chair.

Clare put the small cape around Pearl’s neck.
“I asked her if she was okay, and she says she has a mess to clean
up. That’s all she said. Doesn’t seem as though she’s too much for
talking about it.”

Pearl nodded as Clare gathered her makeup
tools.

She understood just wanting to handle things
in her life. But she couldn’t help but wonder what had gotten into
her like that. Well, they were business partners. She would
certainly talk to her when the moment was right.

By the time Clare had finished her makeup,
Lydia had left the salon. She guessed that there hadn’t been too
much to do to her hair.

Audrey had told Pearl that Lydia was just
quiet today and that she shouldn’t read anything into it. She
supposed she was right. They might be business partners, but she
didn’t know Lydia all that well. She’d butt out until Lydia was
ready to talk.

~*~

Why did women always have to run in bunches
and why were they always late, Tyson wondered as he looked at his
watch. He looked like an idiot standing outside the Walker’s house
pacing in his tuxedo and shiny shoes. Susan had sent Glenda to make
sure he was okay. Eric had happened by, dressed to the nines and
looking mighty sharp as Tyson had told him.

Everyone from the bridal party had arrived
except Audrey and Pearl.

Lydia had walked right past him and said not
one word. He needed to intercept Pearl before it got out of
hand.

He could see the dust kicked up from the road
before he could hear the car. They’d both arrived in Audrey’s
car.

Tyson watched as she parked and then held his
breath as Pearl climbed out in her bridesmaid’sdress and her hair
all done up.

She saw him immediately, and her brilliant
smile took over.

“I did get you the right size,” she joked as
she walked near him casually.

“Wow, Morgan, you do clean up,” Audrey added
as she walked past them and into the house.

He scanned another look over her. “You look
beautiful. Though I’m not sure that’s a good enough word.”

“I think it does the job.” She looked around.
“What are you doing out here? I didn’t expect any alone time
today,” she said with a wink.

“We have a problem.” He swallowed hard.
“Lydia knows about us.”

Pearl’s shoulders dropped. “That’s why she’s
not speaking to me.”

“You’ve seen her?”

“Seen her, yes. Talked to her, no. She
ignored all of us this morning and…”

“Do you know what it’s like to feel as though
you were stabbed in the back?” Lydia’s voice came from the
doorway.

Pearl and Tyson looked toward her.

Pearl took a step in her direction. “Lydia,
you have to understand.”

“I do understand,” she said curtly, stopping
Pearl from advancing. “You both think so little of me that you’d go
behind my back and sleep together. We’re partners.” She said
looking directly at Pearl and then at Tyson. “And you’re my
brother. I should have been able to trust your word. But it means
nothing to you.”

“Lydia, you know that’s not true.”

“Do I?” She narrowed her eyes on Pearl. “I
want to be bought out. I can’t have you as a partner, so I want
out.”

Pearl’s eyes widened. “I can’t do that. I
don’t have that kind of money.”

“Your lover does,” Lydia snapped.

Tyson stepped up to his sister. “We are going
to stop this right now, and we will talk about it tomorrow. This is
Eric and Susan’s day.”

“Fine.” She turned around and started for the
house. “I assume that you’ll get married behind my back too? It
would be fitting.”

“You’re getting married?” This time, it was
Susan’s voice that came from behind them as she, her sister, and
the photographer walked from the garden. Her eyes fixed on them and
went wide. “You two? What did I miss? You’re getting married?”

Pearl shook her head. “Misunderstanding.
That’s all.”

Susan moved closer to them, leaving her
sister and photographer behind. “I don’t think so,” she said
smiling. “How long has this been going on?”

“Nothing is going on,” Pearl said shifting a
glance to Tyson.

Susan glanced his way as well. “Nah,
something is going on.”

The photographer had whisked Susan and Pearl
away. Tyson stood alone again in the driveway contemplating what
had just happened.

He didn’t like this side of his sister. He’d
rarely seen it, so he didn’t quite know what to do with it
either.

Tomorrow, they would all sit down and discuss
what was going on. He wasn’t about to cause a family rift between
him and his sister over some woman.

That hurt to think of her in that way. She
wasn’t just some woman.

The door opened again and this time, Eric
walked out to him. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah. Just have a lot on my mind. But it’s
not my day, it’s yours.” He made sure there was a smile on his
lips. “You ready for this?”

“I am. Never thought I’d say it, but I am.”
Eric gave him a slight nod. “Are you?”

“For you to be married? Sure, why not?”

“I mean you.”

Tyson fought off the urge to stick his hands
in his pockets, as Glenda had been very strict about that ruining
the crispness of the tux. “What do you mean?”

“I hear you and Pearl are getting married. I
didn’t even know you guys were seeing each other.” He leaned in.
“She’s not pregnant is she?”

Tyson raked his fingers through his hair and
sucked in a breath. “This is worse than high school.”

“She is?”

“No.” At least, he didn’t think so. “No. And
no, we’re not getting married.”

“Susan’s sister was telling her mother that
you were. And Bethany overheard and became very excited about it.
Looks like you’re getting married.” He laughed and a moment later
eased back. “But regardless of rumors, which I’ll put a stop
to…”

“I’d appreciate that,” Tyson interrupted.

“You and Pearl?”

Tyson winced. It was out there now, and he
saw no reason to deny it any longer. “Yeah. Me and Pearl.”

“That’s crazy. How long has that been going
on?”

“Couple weeks. It’s hit or miss. Lydia
disapproves.”

“Why? They’re partners.”

“That’s the problem. Mom’s track record of
getting involved with business partners hasn’t been a good
thing.”

“And now she’s marrying her banker?”

Tyson nodded. “Yeah, but she sold off her
businesses so that she didn’t lose anything.”

Eric rubbed his hand over the back of his
neck. “I fall in love, decide to marry a woman, and suddenly I’m
totally out of the loop,” he laughed. “I think Lydia is a smart
woman. She’ll accept it.”

Tyson shrugged. “She holds grudges. She
hasn’t said a decent word to Phillip Smythe in fifteen years.”

“I’m out of the loop on that too. You might
have to fill me in there. But I’ll do what I can to stop the rumors
when I hear them. Bethany is a bit too excited for her own good I
think.” He slapped Tyson on the back. “Maybe you’d better just
consider getting married if you love her. It might be easier.” He
chuckled to himself. “C’mon, we’re gathering for pictures,” he said
as he walked back toward the house.

Tyson stood there for a moment longer. He
certainly hadn’t meant to fall in love with a Walker, but he
thought maybe that was just what he’d done. Now the thought of
marriage was in his head. He wasn’t getting any younger, and he’d
still like to have a family of his own someday. But Lydia’s
feelings needed to be dealt with. He couldn’t hurt her like this.
Family didn’t hurt one another.

She’d been hurt enough. He needed to settle
it.

The tension was thick, Pearl thought, but
there were smiles on everyone’s faces. Lydia was gracious and
didn’t let on that there was a problem.

Bethany had discreetly pulled Pearl to the
side to congratulate her on her marriage, but Pearl had corrected
her.

“That’s too bad. I was very excited for you,”
Bethany said as she touched Pearl’s arm. “Everything’s okay
though?”

“Yes.”

“And you and Tyson?” she whispered.

Pearl didn’t have it in her to lie to her.
Besides, when she heard the name she couldn’t help but smile.
“Yeah. We’ve been seeing each other, though it’s become a
problem.”

“I’m sorry.”

Pearl shrugged. “Nothing to get worked up
over. It’ll work itself out.”

A moment later, Bethany turned the
conversation to Susan and Eric. That was certainly a more
comfortable topic and really what the day should be about.

The photographer had taken pictures of the
wedding party and the garden had filled with guests. They were
moments away from walking down the aisle and watching Eric and
Susan tie the knot.

Pearl had excused herself to the restroom and
checked herself in the mirror one last time.

“You can’t fix perfection,” Tyson’s voice
came through the door.

She opened it and saw him leaned against the
door jamb, a broad smile on his face. “You’re very sweet.”

He pushed open the door and stepped inside
the room, closing it behind him. “I needed just a moment.”

“They’re going to start getting antsy.”

“Only one moment.” He cupped her face in his
hands and gazed into her eyes. “I’m not very good at this. I’ve
never been sentimental or able to express my feelings very
well.”

“So far, so good,” she said, feeling her
cheeks warm .

“Maybe it’s the wedding atmosphere, but I
wanted you to know, despite my sister’s rejection of us, I really
do like you.”

She laughed and took his hands in hers. “I
really like you too.”

“I thought so. So maybe we’d better just use
the right words.” He leaned in and kissed her softly. “I love
you.”

Her heart hitched right there, and she found
it hard to breathe. “You do?”

His eyes were big. “You don’t feel the same
way? I just did that for nothing?”

“No,” she chuckled. “No. I just didn’t think
you felt that way. I’ve never had anyone feel that way about
me.”

“You do now.”

She placed her hand over her heart. “I’ve
been thinking about it the past few days and kept trying to talk
myself out of it, but I feel the same way. But what about
Lydia?”

“Lydia is a grown woman. We’ll all sit down
tomorrow and figure this out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Today of all days, I’m most sure.”

Pearl pulled him in, wrapping her arms around
his neck. “I guess if that’s how you feel about it, then I can tell
you too. I love you.”

“Good. You were starting to worry me.” He
nipped her lips with another soft kiss. “We’d better go.”

Susan had been sucking back tears since her
father had walked into the room, readied to walk her down the
aisle. That had set off Bethany’s tears, and Pearl had then noticed
Lydia as well. To extend an olive branch, she handed her a
tissue.

“Thank you,” she said quickly as she dabbed
at her eyes.

“You’re welcome.” She’d have taken it as an
opportunity to work her into the first conversation all day, but it
was time. They all lined up in the kitchen, ready to walk out to
the garden.

As the music began, Lydia led the procession
out to the altar. Pearl thought of how wonderful it was to be part
of such an elegant wedding, which she’d had a hand it. It was what
she lived for day in and out—helping make the perfect day for the
bride.

Though, the moment she saw her cousins all
lined up at the altar in their tuxedos, and not a baseball cap in
sight, the tears tugged at her. This was what she did for a living.
She made everything beautiful.

Of course, she’d seen Tyson already, and she
couldn’t help but melt when she looked at him looking so perfect in
that tuxedo. Her mind flashed to the day she took the chance to
push the boundaries while measuring him for the tux. It had paid
off. He loved her. He’d said the words to her.

He winked as she neared the altar and she
swore his eyes were moist.

Would this be where they were headed in time?
Would things work out for them?

But then she heard the soft sobs of Lydia to
her side.