Adams Grove 03-Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes (2 page)

The thought of a wedding of her own sent her pulse spinning like an ice-skater, and not in a good way. She’d never let her happiness revolve around someone else. Seeing the crushing blow disable her dad when Mom died still hurt, and that wasn’t a risk she was willing to take. “Don’t you be wishing that on me. You know how I feel about marriage.” Carolanne could tell by the dreamy-eyed look on her best friend’s face that Jill was ignoring every word she’d just said.

“When you find the right guy, you’ll be dying to walk down that aisle. Mark my words.”

That’ll be the day. If there’s one thing I don’t need, it’s man troubles.
“I’m perfectly happy just the way I am.”

The front door swung open, and Carolanne jumped. Both Milly and Jill turned to look.

Connor Buckham ambled into the apartment without ever looking up from the newspaper he carried in his hand. “What’s fourteen letters for
neighborhood
? It starts with an
n
and has an
o
in the middle.”

Milly shifted a knowing look in Jill’s direction. “What? You just walk right in with no good morning?”

Carolanne knew exactly what they were thinking.

He lowered the newspaper, looking confused and a bit flustered. “Oh? Sorry.” The fine starched sheen of his blue-and-white-striped shirt made his eyes look even bluer, if that were possible. “I didn’t know you had plans—company—this morning. Sorry.” He glanced at Milly. “Good morning, Miss Milly.”

Connor nodded to Jill, but when his gaze landed on Carolanne, his mouth dropped wide open. “Wow. He-llo-oo, beautiful.” He lowered himself into one of the chairs, never taking his eyes off her. “You didn’t tell me you were in the fairy godmother business, Milly. What have you done to my law partner?”

Carolanne raised her hands to her hips. “Ha-ha. Aren’t you a funny guy?”

“Hey, if the shoe fits.” Connor winked. “A little Cinderella humor for you.”

“Not funny.”

“No? Are lawyers even allowed to look that good?” He motioned to Jill and Milly for concurrence. “In fact, if you dressed like that in court, I bet you’d never lose a case.”

“I’m warning you,” Carolanne teased. “You better quit teasing me, or I’ll have Milly stick you with those pins like a voodoo doll.”

He pretended to back up in fear. “Well, seriously, I’m just saying that I’ve never seen you looking this pretty in the morning. It’s nice.”

“Just how often
do
you see her at this early hour?” Jill turned toward Carolanne. “And you, you’ve been holding out on me.”

Carolanne shook her head, but before she could defend herself, Milly chimed in. “I thought Carolanne renting the apartment up here next to yours over y’all’s office was just convenient until her house was done. No wonder she’s been such a good sport about the delay.”

“And I thought all along it was because she was my best friend,” Jill added with an air of defiance.

Milly wagged a finger at the two of them. “This little early morning visit, it’s a regular occurrence, isn’t it? Maybe there’s a little something you want to share with us?”

Carolanne felt the rush of heat flood her chest and cheeks. “You two can just stop right there. It’s not what you think.”

“No?” Milly raised a brow. “Are you saying Connor is some sort of pervert who just walks into apartments uninvited?”

Connor interjected. “She knew I was coming over.”

Jill’s mouth curved as if on the verge of laughter. “Seems like Pearl was right about you two, after all.”

“Not that again.” Connor held up his hand to silence her. “It’s just coffee. The two of us get together for coffee. That’s it.”

“Sounds cozy,” Jill said. “Even Garrett and I don’t have coffee together
every
morning.”

“You’re not helping, Connor,” Carolanne groaned.

Connor rolled the newspaper in his hands. “Well, you and Garrett don’t work in the same office like we do. Besides, she makes great coffee.”

“Isn’t that thoughtful?” Milly arched a brow. “Carolanne would make a beautiful bride, wouldn’t she, Connor?”

“Well, you do look real pretty.” With a smile, he added, “And tall.”

“I’m in heels and standing on a stool.” She pulled the dress up high enough to expose her feet and the stool. She instantly regretted the movement when Connor’s face lit up like a kid peering into the window of a candy store. She dropped the hem, wishing
for closed-toe pumps instead of the sexy strappy shoes she was wearing.

“Your toes look pretty, too.” He tilted his head slightly, like he was sizing her up, and that made Carolanne even more uncomfortable. “Your hair—it looks good like that. You never wear it down.”

“Stop!” She ran her hand through her hair, wishing she’d pulled it up this morning. “Connor, you’re just trying to egg on Jill and Milly now. You’re not funny. Jill, would you tweak the thermostat? It’s hot as heck in here.”

“I wasn’t being…” Connor’s voice trailed.

Jill headed to the thermostat, muttering, “It’s the sexual tension sparking up the heat in this place, if you ask me.”

“Sounds like Pearl’s magic is kickin’ in.” Milly pinned the hem of Carolanne’s dress. “And it’s about time. I’m not getting any younger, and neither are y’all.”

Carolanne silently cursed Pearl for making that silly claim at the end of her video will about Connor being her perfect match. Doggone if Jill hadn’t taken up where Pearl had left off, playing matchmaker of Adams Grove.

Carolanne let out a long breath, then almost too loudly said, “Neck of the woods.”

“What?” Jill and Connor both said at the same time.

Carolanne rolled her eyes. “Your answer. The crossword. Fourteen letters. Another name for neighborhood. Neck of the woods.”

Connor raised his paper and started plugging in the letters. “Damn, it fits. How do you
always
know these answers?”

“Lucky guess.” Carolanne pivoted to the right at Milly’s poke to her calf.

One more pin and Milly stood, still clenching at least five more between her thin lips. “All done, sweetie. Step down and let me see what we’ve got.”

Connor jumped to his feet and held out his hand to help Carolanne down from the stool.

What are you up to?
She hesitated, then placed her hand in his and stepped down.

“Isn’t that sweet?” Milly tsked. “I didn’t know you had that in ya, Connor.”

Connor leaned toward Milly. “I didn’t know Carolanne had
this
in her. Did you?”

Carolanne swatted his arm. “It’s just a dress. Quit making such a big deal about it.”

“Well, excuse me for noticing how pretty you look.”

An awkward silence fell over the room.

Jill snapped her fingers. “I almost forgot. I have another surprise for you, Carolanne. This one is even better than the dress.” She crossed the room to Carolanne’s side and took her hands in her own. “Garrett shifted both of his crews to your place. They’ll be done with your house this week.”

Carolanne squeezed Jill’s hands. “Oh my goodness. That’s almost a month sooner than he’d promised.”

“I know. Isn’t it great? You should be able to start moving your stuff in just a couple days. You’ll be the first official resident of Bridle Path Estates.”

Connor looked stunned. “So soon?”

“That’s awesome news,” Carolanne said. “I’ll have to get some boxes. Get on the schedule for the truck. I’m not even ready. It doesn’t matter. I’ll get it done. I can’t believe it. Finally!”

“I know. We’ll practically be neighbors,” Jill said. “You can do coffee with me at the artisan center. I can’t wait.”

“What about coffee with me? You’re not going to miss me?” He held up his finger and thumb in a gesture of a tiny bit, and squinted. “Not even a little?”

“Maybe a little.” She smiled playfully. “But you’ll miss
me
like crazy.”

Milly took the last pins from between her lips and poked them back into the pin cushion. “We’re all set, sweetheart.”

Carolanne gave her a hug. “Thank you so much for doing this for me.”

“It’s my wedding gift to Jill. Go, change, and I’ll get out of your way.”

“Don’t rush on my account.” Connor headed to the kitchen and filled his coffee mug. “I’ll leave y’all to do your girly stuff.” He sipped his coffee, calling out a good-bye as he closed the door behind him.

Carolanne rushed off to the bedroom to change, then came back with the dress in a garment bag. “Here you go,” she said, handing it off to Milly.

Milly draped it over her arm. “Connor’s smitten. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

Carolanne squared her shoulders. “He is not.”

“Yes. He most certainly is. Did you see the way his mouth hung open when he saw you in that dress?”

“It’s the dress.”

Jill folded her arms across her chest. “No. It was you. And what is this with him making himself all at home—coming and going from your place? Something hot is in y’all’s future.”

“Stop it. We’re friends. Just like he is with every other girl who grew up in this town.” Carolanne knew Connor lumbering into the apartment was going to fuel their romantic hearts. OK, well, he didn’t really lumber. Why was it she still thought of him as the overweight kid from school? The only thing big about Connor Buckham these days was his lumberjack-size arms and tight abs. Oh, and that snoring. She could hear that from across the hall some nights.

“He’s a great guy,” Jill said, “and it’s clear he’s crazy about you. What’s not to love?”

“Don’t throw that L-word around so casually. Connor’s a huge flirt. That’s why we all loved him in school, even now, but not like
that
.”

“Now he’s a grown man—a fit, hot, and successful man—and he’s not flirting with everybody. He’s flirting with you. Flirting of that kind is very different.” Jill hugged her arms across her chest. “Admit it. It’s romantic.”

“No. It’s not romantic.
You’re
romantic—a die-hard romantic.” Carolanne knew she was venturing down a blind alley when it came to shaking Jill off this subject. When it came to love, Jill Clemmons was like a hound on a rabbit trail.

“Friendship’s a great foundation for a relationship,” said Milly. “Look at Jill and Garrett.”

“That’s different. We’re not that kind of friends. It’s business between us. He barely dates since his mom died, and you know I’m not going to be running down the path of sharing my life with someone else. I like making my own decisions and living by my own rules.”

“You need to let that go,” Milly warned. “That’s your baggage talking. Leave the past where it is and move on.”

“I have dealt with it. I’ve totally moved on,” Carolanne said.
Why do I have to defend myself?

“Well, you don’t really deal with stuff, you kind of ignore it,” Jill said. “I’m sure it was a coping mechanism as a little girl, but eventually, you do have to deal with this stuff.”

“There’s nothing to deal with. I’m fine.” Carolanne wished sometimes that it was just that easy, but she knew better. “Besides, this isn’t just about dad baggage. Some people just weren’t meant to be a part of a couple—like me—and that’s OK. Everyone thinks it’s so easy to deal with the past. Well, it’s not.”

“You’re the only one making it
not easy
—making every man pay for everything your daddy ever did wrong. It’s not right, Carolanne. If your momma were here, she’d tell you so.”

“If Momma were here, it never would’ve happened.”

“Probably true.” Milly’s voice softened. “Your daddy loved your momma. When y’all lost her, he lost a piece of himself. He’s not a bad man.”

And he stopped being a good father the day momma died, too.
“He was the town drunk.”

“He wasn’t a drunk. It was the reaction to your momma dying, and you know that. Everyone knew how much he loved your mother. He was a well-respected part of this town for years. Everyone still loved him, and he’s made great progress. He hasn’t slipped in a couple years now.”

“Or he’s just getting more discreet, which would’ve been nice when I was a kid. What’s the difference?”

Jill moved closer to Carolanne and took her hand.

“That’s not fair. I know it wasn’t easy for you, but it wasn’t easy for him, either. Don’t discount the road he’s traveled.” Milly settled her gaze on Carolanne. “And more important, don’t let it shortchange your own happiness.”

“I’m happy just the way I am. I have a wonderful job. I’m getting ready to move into my dream house. I have great friends. What more could I want?”

“You know the answer to that question.” Milly gathered her things. Her lips pulled into a tense line. “I know you wish I’d drop this, but I’m at the age now that I don’t have time not to tell you what’s on my mind. Honey, you need to take the past and throw a big ol’ shovel of dirt over it and leave it be. Your future is in your hands. It’s time you gave yourself the chance you deserve.”

Carolanne started to say something, but Jill gave her a look that made her hold back. “Thanks, Milly,” she forced.

Milly smiled, looking quite pleased with herself for winning that round. “I’ll have this back to you in a jiffy, dear.”

“I’ll drive you home, Milly.” Jill grabbed her keys and followed Milly toward the door.

“It’s just a block or two. I can walk if you want to stay and visit.”

“I have to get to the artisan center and get that inventory on the shelves for the grand opening.” Jill hugged Carolanne. “Thanks for getting your butt up out of bed so early and being pleasant. I know how you hate mornings.”

“You got that right, but that’s what best friends do.” Carolanne closed the door behind them. Milly’s words replayed in her head.
Your future will be as good as you let it be.

Chapter Two