It All Started With a Lima Bean (42 page)

“Do you sell these?” Bri asked while searching for her color within the crapload laid out on the coffee table.

“No, I just love nail products, and this happens to be my favorite right now. I mean what’s not to love. Look at how cute the little bottles are? I love it. I used to go to the nail salon but now I just do them at home.” She picked up one of the small black bottles and showed everyone. “Orange, this is my color.”

“Red here.” Leah wiggled her bottle in the air, as well.

“I can’t decide between the pink, or this shimmery glitter looking one.” Abby held the two bottles in her hands looking down at them.

“It will still be on for the wedding next week unless you decide to change it so pick the one that you want for that.”

“Okay then the sparkly glittery one it is. I’ll try pink next time.”

“Purple for me as usual.” Bri motioned to her purple halter-top, matching purple jewelry and finally purple-heeled sandals.

“I’ll show you how to apply it, but I only have two lamps so we’ll have to take turns with them.” Dani held up two devices that looked like cell phones.

“Why do you have two?” Abby questioned.

“I normally do my toenails at the same time.” She placed them on the table and they popped open like little transformers.

“So you stick your funky toes in one of those? I’ll pass. I know what your feet smell like Sista.” Leah and Dani always had something funny to say about each other.

“Be quiet. I clean them afterward.” Everything was on the coffee table and ready to go by the time they were all sitting on the floor with their glasses of wine.

“So Leah, you know Stefen is here already right?” Abby asked her bestie who did not appear thrilled with the question, especially in front of other people.

“Why does she care if my brother is here or not?” Bri raised her eyebrows.

“I don’t. There is nothing to tell, right Abby.” Leah gave Abby her best evil eye.

“Hello, Hermana, you haven’t told me anything about a Stefen. What’s up with that?” Dani chimed in before taking a sip of the Cabernet Sauvignon in her glass.

“Nothing, I said. There is nothing up with that.” Leah grabbed her sangria and took a mouthful.

She looked a little upset. Abby didn’t mean to embarrass her. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I was just giving her a hard time. They were a little flirty when he was here for the engagement, but Caleb kept stepping between them, and he won’t tell me why.”

Leah’s face glowed the same color as the polish she’d picked out. “Yeah that sounds about right.” Bri commented.

“Which part?” Dani asked

“All of it. My brother is, well let’s just say that he enjoys the ladies and Caleb will protect anyone he cares about from it.” Bri proclaimed sadly.

“Why did Caleb invite him then?” Dani asked while applying the gel to Bri’s fingernails.

“Surprisingly, they are still best friends. We all grew up together and were inseparable until Caleb met Rene and Stefen started working at my uncle and dad’s firm. I love my brother, but I would protect you from him too unless you are into that sort of thing of course.”

“Not sure what sort of thing you are talking about, but I know he’s a player. No guy looks like that and isn’t one. I’m not interested in that though.” Leah took a smaller sip this time.

“So he’s hot huh?” Dani was suddenly more interested in the conversation.

Leah’s eye widened just as her smile did. “Yeah, he’s pretty much the hottest guy I’ve ever seen in person.”

“Eww, that’s my brother you’re talking about, Leah.” Bri pretended to be grossed out. At least Abby thought she was pretending.

“Hey every hot guy is someone’s son, brother, or cousin, but it doesn’t change the fact that he is HAWT.” Dani added, making them all laugh loudly.

Abby couldn’t help but notice the look on Leah’s face, almost as if she was lost a little. She’d have to ask her about it when they were alone.

There was a knock at the door, and it took all of Abby’s energy to get out of bed.
What time was it
? Her head was throbbing. She grabbed her robe, threw it on, and headed for the door. She passed a completely knocked out Bri on the couch who wore only one shoe and had smeared mascara on her face.

The loudest knock she’d ever heard in her life came from her door again. It seemed like the more steps she took towards the door, the further away it was. She finally got to it and threw it open. The most beautiful man with a worried look on his face stood there staring at her.

“Oh Baby, are you okay? I tried calling you, then Bri and Leah. None of you answered.” He pulled her into his arms and held her.

“I’m fine, just sleepy, and my head is pounding.” She felt someone walk past them, so she slowly turned her throbbing head to see who it was.

“Hey sleepyhead, time to get up.” Stefen laughed at his sister who was starting to stir.

“Be quiet asshat, the room is spinning. Ugh, I think I might be sick.” She jumped up and ran into the bathroom wearing only one of her high-heeled sandals.

“Damn, how much did you girls drink last night?” Stefen asked as he plopped himself onto the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table.

Abby saw Leah coming out of the guest room and down the hall toward them but couldn’t do anything to stop her. Everything hurt. Caleb was the only thing keeping her upright.

“What’s going on?” Abby’s best friend stood directly in front of Stefen only wearing a pair of fire red panties and a small white tank top rubbing her eyes. Abby was horrified for Leah who was still clueless. “I feel like a truck ran me over.”

“Well you look absolutely mouth-watering.” Stefen’s deep voice slapped Leah into consciousness before he chuckled.

Leah’s eyes popped open and blinked a few times. “Shit.” She turned and ran for it. Abby heard Caleb start to scold Stefen as she tried to catch up to her bionic woman friend darting back down the hallway to her room.

The door slammed in her face, which made her head throb even more. Reaching for the knob, she opened the door slowly, stuck her head in just to have a pillow slam into her pounding temple.

“Ouch!” Abby entered as Leah was freaking out.

“Oh my gosh Abby! I just walked into the living room half naked ready for a wet t-shirt contest in front of Stefen and Caleb, and now I’m gonna throw up.” She ran into the bathroom and began to hurl. Yeah, there was a lot of that going on this morning. Abby crawled back into bed and curled up with her pillow just as she heard a knock on the door.

“Can I come in?” Caleb spoke from the other side.

“Hold on...Leah, are you staying in the bathroom?” Abby regretted yelling as soon as she did it.

“Yes I’m going to jump in the shower.” Poor Leah, it sounded like she was crying, but Abby just couldn’t get back up to go comfort her.

“Okay, come in Caleb.” She whispered hoping he would hear.

Thank goodness he did. Opening the door, he stepped in then closed it behind him. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I think we all over did it last night though.” She could only imagine what she looked like peering up at him with one eye.

“You think?” He chuckled.

“Stop teasing and lay here with me.” She reached up gesturing for him to join her.

“Okay but only for a minute, we have to get going.” He popped his shoes off and curled in bed behind her, bringing her back up to his chest. “You’ve got to take a shower before we go.”

“Do I smell that bad?” Tempted to smell her underarms, Abby remember all the times Leah told her that was not sexy and to never do it in front of Caleb.

“You smell like you drank too much last night and it’s probably not a good idea to have our final meeting with the pastor smelling like a winery.”

“Don’t make me laugh I have a headache.” And boy did she.

“Well you are better off than Bri. She’s trying to stop puking.” Running his fingertips up and down her arm, he then kissed her temple.

“Should I go help her?” Sitting up too quickly, she then held her head with both hands.

“No Stefen is in there with her.” Caleb pulled her back to snuggle.

“Is it okay for him to be in there with Bri? He wasn’t very nice to her.”

“You have to remember that they are siblings. They fight hard and love harder.”

“If you say so.”

“So why did you guys drink so much last night?” He pulled her hand to his lips for a kiss.

“Oh man, I don’t know but it will never happen again.”

“That’s what they all say.”

They’d spent the last week working on final arrangements for the wedding, and besides minor details, the backyard was set up, ready for the next day’s big event. They’d already gone through the rehearsal the day before, and Abby was more than ready to spend this evening relaxing with those that were closest to her. She also couldn’t wait to show Madison the gift she’d kept secret for so many weeks. There was a little surprise for a few of the adults tonight as well.

Madison had been put to the side a little lately, and Abby’s plan for the evening was to make it special for her. Knocking on the bedroom door she asked, “Are you ready in there Pumpkin?”

The door opened to Madison standing with her new brown and white giraffe print sundress with pink trim and a pink bow on the waist back. “Mama, I chose the dress you got for me after the zoo since it reminds me of Daddy asking you to marry him.” Was there anything this little girl could say that wouldn’t make Abby’s heart swell? And with the little lisp she had pronouncing the word ‘since’, the cuteness never stopped either. “All ready for our movie night.”

They’d bought a projector and outdoor screen in anticipation of this night. The screen sat in front of Madison’s present so the little girl wasn’t too surprised at the set up when they got into the backyard. Blankets and picnic baskets lay on the grass, to the side of where the reception would be held the following day. The list of guests for Madison’s special evening included Leah, Dani, Bri, Stefen, Grace, Robert, Abby’s mom, Dave, Julianne and of course Caleb, along with herself. All, but Abby, stood in a line, holding up pieces of paper, waiting for the little girl’s arrival.

Confusion covered Madison’s face until Caleb approached, and handed her an invitation. “I heard there was a special evening going on here tonight.”

Madison took the invite from his hand and read the simple words out loud.

She looked up from the invite, still confused until Robert and Dave moved the movie screen to the side exposing her surprise.

The highest pitch squeal came out of Madison’s mouth before she took off running toward the little girl-sized reproduction of the dollhouse she’d gotten for Christmas. Thanks to Robert and Dave’s carpentry skills, the structure of the house looked exactly like the dollhouse. The front doors and window shutters were open so everyone could see inside. A small sofa, coffee table, and side table were the only furniture that fit, but she was able to manage getting lots of girly accessories sprinkled here and there including a lamp with a feathery and beaded shade.

Abby struggled, fighting back her tears just as she heard Caleb’s breath hitch beside her. “Oh my gosh, you didn’t.”