Magical Weddings (120 page)

“Why do I get the feeling you’re going to shove a ring on my finger and then leave?”

A look of guilt flashed across Gunther’s face. “You’re too smart for your britches.”

Lindy tried not to sound disappointed. “You mean there won’t be a couples-shower followed by a steamy night of ravishment?”

Gunther’s Adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow. “No shower. No ravishment. I have a plane to catch.”

“Oh-kay. I don’t want to sound like a nagging fiancée but where are you headed?”

“To Florida. My flight leaves in an hour and a half.” Gunther pulled a black velvet box from the pocket of his trousers and got down on one knee. He smiled but the usual arrogance was gone. “Lindy McPherson, will you do me the honor of becoming my…fiancée?” He opened the box to reveal the most dazzling diamond solitaire.

Tears gathered in Lindy’s eyes and emotion projected to her soul. She thought she could go through with the simple business deal. He’d give her a ring. They’d pretend to be in love. After Gun’ got the promotion, they’d go their separate ways. But now, after getting to know him and wanting him with every fiber of her being, she realized it couldn’t happen. None of it. She had to go back on her word. “Gunther, I…” She straight-armed him.

“Don’t freak out. It’s just a ring.”

“It’s so much more than a ring.” Lindy pushed her way past him. “I can’t participate in the ruse. I thought I could but I can’t.”

“Lindy,” he pleaded. “Please!”

“No, Gun’.”

The air charged with anger. Gunther narrowed his eyes. He spun around and stormed out the door. In a heartbeat he came back. His voice was strained and his face was creased with tight lines. “Can you take care of Bankston while I’m gone?”

Lindy bit down on her bottom lip and nodded.

“I keep the house key in a secret compartment attached to the garden hose reel.” With that, he was gone.

A dam of tears spontaneously broke, flooding Lindy’s eyes and rolling down her cheeks unrestrained.

Greta jumped from the back of the couch into her lap. She cuddled the cat while trying to get her tears under control. “I know without a doubt that I love you, Greta. I think I may be in love with Gunther too.” Lindy sobbed harder at the awareness.

****

Gunther grabbed his shoddily packed suitcase from the carousel at baggage claim. He glared at the woman next to him. He’d been giving everyone the stink eye since he left Ohio. Having to find Lindy’s boss to give her a chance to explain why she hadn’t paid on her loan was beyond ridiculous. He thought it odd how Clive insisted he go after her. Lawyers took care of that sort of thing, not officers of the bank. When numerous attempts to secure payment failed they foreclosed on the property and eventually put it up for sale. Never once did they physically chase down a client; especially one who’d flown the coop to Florida. If he didn’t know better… No way. He refused to believe Clive set him up or knew about his agreement with Lindy. He couldn’t possibly know. In fact, when Gunther called him while running through the airport to catch his flight, his boss sounded genuinely distressed that it was over between them. Why he felt the overwhelming need to tell someone, especially his boss, was still vague.

Stepping outside, Gunther hailed a cab.

Fastening the seat belt, his phone chimed with a message. He wanted to know how Lindy was feeling, but he also wanted to lower the window and hurl his phone into traffic. Lindy had come to her senses but it hurt like she’d broken up with him; which was stupid because they were nothing more than
business
partners.

A minute later the phone rang. “Leave. Me. Alone,” he said under his breath so the cabbie wouldn’t look in the rearview mirror. When he didn’t answer, it rang again. Grumbling he identified the caller and sighed. “Hello from the Sunshine state.”

“Did you get my text?”

“I haven’t checked my messages.”

“Do it now.”

What the boss wanted, the boss got. Gunther checked the digital message which was five long paragraphs. He slumped against the seat, downhearted by what he’d read. “You couldn’t have told me this earlier?”

“Would you have jetted to Florida if I had?”

“I seriously don’t know.”

“I needed for you to be there before I delivered the news.”

“Lindy’s heart will be broken, Clive.”

“She broke yours.”

Gunther’s temper got the best of him. He went off on Clive with a string of cuss words, saying Lindy meant more to him than any job ever could and it didn’t matter if she broke his heart, there was no way he could break her spirit.

Clive calmly said, “Then I suggest you spin your magic, Gun’. Make this a win-win for everyone involved.”

“How exactly am I to pull off a win-win?” Gunther retorted sarcastically.

Clive chuckled but Gunther sensed there was little mirth attached. “You’ll find a way. What time do you fly back tomorrow?”

“My plane lands around seven in the evening.”

“Great. Meet me at the coffee shop on Main around nine. We have plenty to discuss.”

The taxi merged onto the toll road from Jeff Fuqua Boulevard. Gunther was tempted to tell the driver to turn around and go back to the airport. He didn’t want to rendezvous with Cerise Stockingten. He didn’t want to be Clive’s pawn. The desire to become second in command at the bank was no longer his main objective. Nothing mattered except fixing things with Lindy.

****

Lindy stacked shelves and greeted her customers in zombie-like fashion. Everything from breathing to smiling took effort. She’d cried herself to sleep last night; cried all the way to work, and more tears were imminent. She sniffed to hold them back so she could wait on the tiny grey-haired lady who placed a fluorescent pink cat collar on the counter.

Aged blue eyes drilled into her. “Everything okay, dear?”

Lindy obliged the woman with a courteous smile. “Allergies.”

“I see.” The woman continued to gawk. “In my day, we didn’t call it allergies.”

“What did you call it?” Lindy ran the bar code for the collar under the scanner.

“Guy trouble.”

Lindy grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. After a pump of hand-sanitizer she bagged the collar and handed the woman her change. “How did you know?”

“I’m old. I know things.” Stuffing her change into a weathered coin purse, the woman asked, “Can I say something without you thinking I’m a senile old bat?”

If her fragile heart wasn’t shattered to the point it would completely fall apart at the slightest movement, Lindy might’ve chuckled at the quirky lady. She pressed her lips tightly together and slowly nodded.

“Life’s too short to spend it crying. Tell the guy how you feel. If it’s love, throw your arms around him and don’t let go. Kiss him until you both pass out.”

Lindy was shocked and oddly happy that this stranger could sum up what was going on without knowing the particulars. She went around the counter to the woman. “Gunther and I haven’t known each other long enough to say those three little words.”

The sweet woman shrugged. “Take it from someone who’s made her share of mistakes when it comes to love–don’t wait or you may miss out on the best thing that could ever happen to you.”

Lindy impulsively enveloped the woman in a hug. “Thank you.” For the first time today her smile was real.

“You’re welcome,” the spry woman focused on Lindy’s name tag, “Lindy.”

“What’s your name?” Lindy asked.

“Jeannie.”

Lindy’s mouth dropped open.

****

Gunther tapped his coffee cup, not wanting to look his boss directly in the eye. “It’s done.”

“Did it go off without a hitch?”

“It did.”

“I’m proud of you, Gun’.”

Gunther was pleased things had gone well but he wasn’t feeling especially triumphant. “Do you want all the particulars now or later?”

“Later.” Clive clammed up when the waitress wandered over with a fresh pot of coffee and topped off their cups. After she left he pulled an envelope from his pocket. “Lindy’s loan application.”

In a rash move, Gunther snatched the envelope and tore it in half.

Clive raised both eyebrows. “I expected that. Now, want to tell me what went wrong between you two?”

“This meeting isn’t about business, is it?”

“Yes and no.” He motioned to the torn envelope. “Dig deep, Gun’. Answer the question about you and Lindy–for you, not me.”

Gunther took a careful sip of the piping hot coffee. “I’m not sure what went wrong. It happened so fast.”

Clive drummed his thumbs on the table. “The engagement? Or the breakup?”

Gunther exhaled noisily. “Both.”

“You know the old saying - only fools rush in.”

Gunther rubbed a hand over his tired face. “There’s some truth in it, I suppose.”

Clive’s mouth split into a smile. “On the flip side, only fools rush out.”

“What are you saying?”

“That’s for you to decide.”

“Would I be a fool if I rushed out of the coffee shop?”

“You’d be a fool if you didn’t.”

Restless, Lindy decided to leave for a while instead of going to bed. There was actually life that happened after nine-thirty at night. She seldom took part in it. But the silence at home was deafening. She needed noise and confusion to distract her emotions, if even for just an hour. She’d gone over the things the grey-haired lady had said and decided the woman was right. If you loved someone you shouldn’t keep it to yourself. The only problem, Gunther wasn’t home to tell him how she felt. He hadn’t said when he’d get back. It could be a week or a month. Until then, she had to find ways to cope.

Before she got to her car she retraced her steps back to the bedroom.

Rifling through the closet, she produced a stretchy dress with a plunging neckline. The sales tag was still attached. She’d bought it over a year ago after watching a chick flick where the actress said every girl should own a little black dress to make herself feel like a million dollars. If ever there was a day she needed to feel better, today was the day

Slipping out of her boring jeans and t-shirt, she slipped into the dress and smoothed it over her curves. She plugged in her curling iron. While she waited for it to heat, she became a makeup artist. A splash of eye color here, a hint of color there. Next, she gave her stick straight hair some bounce with the curling iron. A smidgen of life seeped into her weary soul.

She was almost out of the bedroom but stopped to consider the lava lamp. A girl not only needed a little black dress she also needed to believe magical things could happen. Lindy touched the lamp and closed her eyes. “I love you, Gunther,” she whispered.

The dress wasn’t exactly shopping attire but the grocery store was as good as any place for noise and confusion. Grabbing a cart, Lindy headed to the dairy aisle for a gallon of milk, a brick of Colby cheese and a carton of eggs. As always she found herself in the pet aisle. She checked out the cat treats. Tossing a bag of salmon-flavored bits into the cart she also decided on a box of dog biscuits for Bankston. Although, when Gunther returned she wasn’t sure if she’d see him or his mischievous dog again; except in passing. Her eyes watered and she scolded herself. “Not here.”

In the produce aisle, she tapped a watermelon for ripeness.

“Lindy McPherson.”

Lindy tightened at the familiar voice. It would be impolite not to acknowledge Clive Wilks but she wanted to ditch the grocery cart and run from the store without turning to speak to him. “Hello, Clive.”

Clive held her immobile with those steely blue eyes of authority. He’d made her squirm when she applied for the loan. He was making her squirm now.

To her surprise he backed down the bossiness and spoke softly. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out with you and Gun’.” He hem-hawed; which was odd for a man with his level of confidence.

Gunther told his boss they were done? Tears sprang to her eyes again and Lindy willed them not to fall. “We weren’t meant to be.”

A few heavy seconds of silence followed.

Lindy wished she could snap her fingers and vanish into thin air, or click her heels and escape to Kansas.

Clive looked her over. “There’s something you should know.”

Her lashes thick with moisture, Lindy blinked to clear the tears. “I’m not sure I can handle what you have to say.” She looked around the busy grocery store. “Especially here.”

“I know you’d rather run me over with your cart than listen, but please, sweetheart, hear me out.” He fished a monogrammed handkerchief from the inside pocket of his suit coat and handed it to her.

Lindy refused the hankie, sniffed and squared her shoulders. “Go ahead.”

Clive tucked the handkerchief between the gallon of milk and carton of eggs in Lindy’s cart. “Regarding Gunther…” He ran his fingers across his forehead.

Lindy finished his thought. “He didn’t get what he wanted.”

“Do you mean the VP job? Or you?”

Lindy swallowed a clog of emotion. “The job.”

“I haven’t made it official but he got the job.”

“Awesome.” The deluge of tears she tried to restrain ran down her checks.

Clive produced the handkerchief again.

Lindy blew her nose and it sounded like a foghorn. “I’ll wash this and get it back to you.”

“No need. I have dozens.” Clive looked as though he wanted to put a consoling arm around her but he didn’t. “We’re tickled to have Gun’ but this isn’t about his promotion.”

Lindy gripped the metal handle of the cart so tightly it could’ve easily bent. “This is grueling, Clive. Please get this over with so I can leave.” She closed her eyes.

“Open your eyes. You need to hear and
see
the truth.”

Fluttering her lashes, she found Clive’s own eyes brimming with emotion. “When you dumped Gun’, he was a mess.”

Lindy wanted to scoff but Clive kept talking.

“I asked if he wanted to exact a bit of revenge by delivering the news that you’d been turned down for the loan.” Clive chuffed out a breath. “Cold, I know, but I care about him and hated to see him hurting.”