Adams Grove 03-Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes (14 page)

“I better be,” Garrett said, then gave her a quick kiss. “That’s twenty. Open the doors.”

Two young men opened the giant arched doors and Jill and Garrett made a dash for it.

Carolanne could see the crowd of friends in front of the church cheer and toss dried lavender as the bride and groom walked all the way to the curb to Izzy’s navy blue stretch limo.

The lavender flew like so many snowflakes in the air around them. Garrett swept Jill up into his arms, just like in the old
An Officer and a Gentleman
movie, and made the last dash for the limo.

Carolanne rushed behind them to help Jill get into the car with all that dress to maneuver.

Jill gasped and sputtered as she climbed into the car. “Tossing lavender sounds neat, but it’s kind of like running through a gnat storm. I should’ve gone with the bubbles.”

Carolanne swept the fabric behind Jill like it was a pile of snow, and then Garrett slipped inside the back of the limo next to her.

They rode off as friends and family began to disperse to follow them to the reception.

Carolanne stepped back, feeling the love those two shared even from a distance, and that filled a spot in her heart that she thought had closed long ago.

Chapter Twelve

Connor hustled the wedding party over to Scott Calvin’s restored 1940 Pontiac Woodie in the side parking lot, then jumped behind the wheel to lead the long line of cars that flowed like a stream of colorful floats in a parade from the church on Old Horseshoe Road out onto Holland Parkway to the brand-new Adams Grove Artisan Center. The wedding guests would get a sneak peek of the new building, which would host its grand opening on Memorial Day weekend, just a week away.

When they pulled in front of the artisan center, Connor took a twin in each hand. Carolanne followed alongside, holding Robbie’s hand and Clyde’s leash in the other. Jill and Garrett waved from the long country-style porch of the artisan center.

“Y’all look like one big happy family,” Garrett said.

“Don’t we, though?” Carolanne laughed at the thought. She’d never thought of herself as the marrying or mothering kind, but she seemed to be managing kids, man and beast just fine. She dropped the leash and let Clyde run to Garrett.

Carolanne caught up with Jill and they all went inside to get ready to greet the guests.

“Oh, Garrett. Look at the cake! It’s gorgeous.” Jill made a beeline toward the cake.

Carolanne darted in front of Jill. “No time for that, my friend. Folks are starting to head up the walk.”

“That’s the bad thing about being the bride—you don’t get to see anything!”

Garrett walked up behind her and tugged her close. “You get me. I’m the prize.”

“You’re a prize, all right,” she said in a mocking tone.

Carolanne rushed off to position their bouquets into the centerpiece on the wedding party table like Teddy had instructed her. Teddy had placed cards right where she was supposed to put them.
I could hardly screw this up.
She fussed with the greenery. Jill’s smaller bouquet to toss later was sitting next to the large arrangement. It was almost as pretty as the one she’d carried down the aisle.

She stepped back from the table, still admiring Teddy’s work, then backed right into someone. “I’m sorry.”

Connor grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her.

“You’re beginning to make this sneaking-up thing a habit. Quit scaring me.”

“Didn’t mean to scare you.” He scanned the room. “This place looks amazing. I could see lots of people wanting to book it for events.”

“That’s the idea, but it wasn’t me. Jill handled all of that by herself. It does look pretty, doesn’t it?”

“Pretty as you.”

“You’re such a flirt.”

“It was a compliment. Why can’t you just trust my intentions?” He leaned in, but Carolanne braced her arm between them.

How can I answer that?
“You scare the heck out of me.”

“We’ve known each other our whole lives. Why would you be afraid of me now?”

“Not scared of
you
, scared of what you’re making me
feel
.”

“Well, that’s different. That’s good. It’s time that razor wire fence you’ve piled up around your heart gave way.”

“Not so fast. We’re partners. We could ruin everything.”

“We won’t let that happen.”

She crossed her arms. “You can’t promise that.”

He pulled her back to the corner of the room out of earshot of the other guests and leaned in close. “You liked that kiss the other night as much as I did, didn’t you?”

She glanced across the room.

“No one’s looking. All eyes are on the bride and the groom. Look at me. I’m talking to you.”

“I hear you,” she said.

“Admit it.” He pulled her close and tickled her. “Say it.”

“Fine. Yes. I admit it—the kiss was nice.”

“Nice?”

“Really nice,” she said with a smile.

“I can do better.” He leaned in and kissed her neck.

“No!” She spun away from him. “Not today. This is Jill and Garrett’s day, and we need to really think about this.”

“Why do you always have to be so practical? What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

“Well, we could start this thing and figure out that we’re not a good couple.”

“So?”

“So, it would make work really awkward.”

“OK, so if that happens, we’ll just dissolve the partnership, and you can work from another building. That’s easy. What else could happen?”

“You could break my heart,” she said.

He looked into her eyes and swept her bangs from her face. “Carolanne, I’ll never hurt you.”

“What if you do? What if I go crazy like my dad?”

He pulled her into a hug. “Is that what has you so afraid?”

She nodded into his chest, unable to even utter a word.

“We won’t get you a straitjacket and put you away, and I promise if I break your heart and you go crazy, we’ll find an answer. But that’s not going to happen. I know it.” He tapped his heart. “In here.”

“But it could.”

“It’s highly unlikely. Besides, Jill and Garrett would kill me if I did that.”

“True, and that
is
somewhat comforting.”

He swatted her butt. “Come on. We have celebrating to do. Relax and have a good time.” He kissed her shoulder. “OK?”

His touch sent a charge through her, unexpected, but not bad. “This might be a long day.”

He winked and led her back to where Jill and Garrett were greeting the last stragglers.

Gifts were piled high on long tables near the entryway, and people gathered in clusters sharing stories and catching up, feeling extra relaxed and appreciative on this special day.

Connor stepped to the microphone. “May I have everyone’s attention?”

The loud chatter dropped to just a hum.

“Let’s invite Garrett and Jill to the dance floor for their first dance together as husband and wife. Friends, family, let’s give them a round of applause.”

Garrett led Jill to the dance floor.

“I asked the band to play a song that I think is pretty special and appropriate, seeing how long we’ve waited for these two to finally make it all official.”

The band started playing the first chorus of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

Carolanne shot him a warning look.

The crowd laughed and nodded. Someone in the back of the room let out a loud whoop.

Connor raised his hand, and the band stopped. “OK, OK. I thought that was a good pick, but it seems the couple had a different tune in mind.” The band regrouped and started playing “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” by Bryan Adams. “I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Malloy.”

The music filled the room, and Connor stepped away from the microphone and joined Carolanne alongside the open space where Jill and Garrett shared their first dance.

“It’s so romantic.” Carolanne swallowed back tears. Between the wedding, the stress of the previous week, and Connor being so doggone sweet, she didn’t know if she was coming or going. She spotted her dad across the room. He nodded and waved. She smiled and wiggled her fingers in a wave back.
Baby steps, but we’re taking them.

“Are you crying?” Connor asked.

“No.”
Why do you notice everything? I thought men were supposed to be so oblivious to our feelings.

“You are. I didn’t know you were such a softy.”

“I’m not. But I’m happy for Jill. And Garrett. I’m just happy.”

He put his arm around her and tugged her to him, hip to hip. “Come on. We can join in now.”

On the dance or the happy?

He led her to the dance floor.

“Come on, folks,” Connor called out to the guests, “the dance floor is now open.”

The dancing continued, and folks lined up to help themselves to the food that sprawled on long tables down the entire walkway through the building. Benches and café table toppers had been placed from one end to the other, making it feel like a river of people floating in with the tide.

Waiters in formal attire swept through with trays of appetizers and noshes, keeping everyone well fed between buffet visits.

Carolanne checked her watch and then gathered Jill and Garrett to cut the cake.

Jill leaned toward Carolanne. “Have you seen Mac? I wanted to thank him and get a picture of him with the cake before I cut into it.”

“No, he’s not here. He must have had another event after yours.”

The cake was huge, and all five layers of the white fondant cake shimmered under the light. Mac must have spent hours placing each of the tiny translucent pearls. Delicate pink rosebuds looked so real that, for a moment, Carolanne thought maybe Mac had gotten them from Teddy, like the ones in Jill’s hair, but upon closer inspection, she could see they were indeed edible creations.

Garrett picked up the champagne flute with the little black tuxedo on it and tapped it with a fork. “Folks are coming around with champagne, or whatever beverage of your choice. Please join us in a toast and the cake cutting.”

Everyone moved in closer to the cake table, and Carolanne took that opportunity to go grab some quiet time. She needed just a moment to catch her breath. So much was happening, and that made her feel a little out of control. Not something she was accustomed to or sure that she liked.

She knew she should be happy for Jill, but in a way it made her feel lonely. Surely there wouldn’t be the dozens of sleepovers and girl weekends that they’d become spoiled with.

Carolanne saw Garrett stand on a chair, and everyone began cheering.

What is he doing?
She walked back over. This wasn’t part of the plan, and she knew how important Jill’s plan was to her.

Garrett had everyone’s attention. “So, for everyone who agrees this is the most beautiful wedding ever, you can give all that credit
to Jill. The only thing I had anything to do with was the groom’s cake, and I think it’s pretty fan-tabulous.”

Mr. Malloy wheeled a cart with a huge box on top of it into the room.

Garrett stepped down from the chair, and he and his dad started to lift the box to unveil the groom’s cake. “Wait a second,” Garrett said. “Jill, you might want to close your eyes. This doesn’t match the wedding colors.”

Jill pretended to fan herself.

Garrett and his dad lifted the box and set it to the side.

A huge cake in the shape of a bulldozer rose from a chocolate cake with a ganache pedestal that had
The Malloys
in cursive on each side. The bright-yellow cake was so realistic that, at first, some folks thought it was a toy. Then Mr. Malloy did the honors of pushing a button on the platform, and the bulldozer chugged and blew steam from an exhaust pipe. Then slowly, ever so slowly, the bucket rose, and when the bucket tipped forward, a flag with
Congratulations, Garrett and Jill
unfurled from it.

Everyone cheered.

“Now, that’s man stuff!” Connor hollered and reached over to high-five his best friend.

Carolanne laughed as she watched Connor and Garrett enjoy the moment over the truck cake.

“And chocolate, to boot.” Garrett smiled and accepted the pats on the back from the guys.