Joshua looked at Ivy. “Don’t expect any help from me,” she said. “Sounds like you’re busted.”
Putting his hand on top of Rachel’s, he said, “Luke doesn’t want you to know. Yet.”
“Know what?” Rachel asked, feeling weak with fear.
“I warned him I’m no good at keeping secrets,” Joshua said, brushing the hair back from his forehead. “The results came back on Luke’s x-rays. The doctor said his wrist is broken.”
“Oh, no!” Rachel realized her outburst attracted the attention of the people at nearby tables. Lowering her voice, she said, “I’m going to the hospital right now.”
“No, no. That’s the last thing Luke wants, for you to be out on the roads in this weather. He made me promise to keep you here.”
“And how do you expect to accomplish that feat?” Ivy asked.
“A little cooperation from Luke’s prospective in-laws would be a good start,” Joshua answered. Turning back to Rachel, he continued. “The doctor told Luke he needs surgery, nothing major, merely a procedure to put a pin in his wrist. They can’t operate until the swelling goes down. So Luke told them to patch him up as best they can for now, and he’ll have the repair work done when he gets home next week.”
Rachel closed her eyes and tried to stay calm. “What’s your role in this scheme?”
“First to keep you from worrying,” Joshua said.
“Strike one!” Ivy muttered.
Joshua shot Ivy an irritated look. “Second, to arrange transportation for Luke from the hospital to the hotel. They said he can come home now, as long as someone is keeping an eye on him through the night, but he told me he couldn’t convince the local taxi drivers to drive up the mountain in this weather for any amount of money.”
“Stepping into the batter’s box for strike two,” Ivy said.
“Luke is determined nothing is going to spoil this wedding,” Joshua said. Turning toward Ivy, he added, “No matter what anyone else has in mind.”
“You may as well have dinner,” Rachel said. She nodded toward the window. “Nothing is moving out there.”
When the waiter delivered salads to Rachel and Ivy, Joshua said, “I’ve changed my mind about dinner. I’ll have what they’re having.” While the women ate their salads, Joshua sifted through a litany of possibilities. “Luke has already tried taxis. I tried to get a rental car at the airport this afternoon—no dice. I don’t suppose a helicopter could get off the ground until the weather clears.”
“Helicopter?” Ivy put down her fork. “You can’t be serious.”
“Flexibility is the key to air superiority,” Joshua answered with a smile.
Rachel did a double take. “What?”
“Something I learned in the Air Force. Never allow your thinking to be limited by past experience.” The waiter brought Joshua’s salad, only to hear, “Thank you. There’s no need to bring my entrée. I’ve changed my mind again about dinner.” Joshua rose and tossed two twenty dollar bills on the table. “Excuse me, ladies. A possible solution is calling to me.”
“The guy is nuts,” Ivy said.
Rachel peered through the restaurant window, watching Joshua dash toward a snowplow scraping the road in front of the lodge. “Maybe not,” she said.
CHAPTER THREE
Rachel led the way back to their hotel room on the second floor of the beautiful Sky Ridge Lodge. There was no news about Joshua or Luke yet, so her feet felt mired in cement. She was also worn out from travel and worry. Every window they passed presented a view of the snow storm that kept Luke from her, a mirror image of the storm that raged within her spirit. When Rachel finally spoke with her mother earlier, letting her know that she was waiting for ease in the weather so her plane could take off, her mother had reminded her that prayers never worry and worriers never pray.
One of the hardest things to master on her spiritual journey, she concluded. What she needed right now was a good night’s sleep. As soon as Luke called her back, she planned on climbing into her cozy hotel bed. Rachel was thankful for her mother’s counsel. After this whirlwind day, it was just what she needed.
She shuffled into the room, then immediately went into the bathroom to shower and get ready for bed. She turned her cell phone volume up to the loudest level and laid it on the counter top. Then she stepped into the large shower and let the world slip away down the drain for a few luxurious minutes. Refreshed, she dressed and curled up in bed with her cell phone. Getting through the next twenty-four hours wouldn’t be an easy task for her.
Or for anyone involved in this wedding for that matter. Delayed flights, dangerous travel conditions, and a raging snow storm weren’t a part of the sweet, romantic Valentine wedding she’d originally planned. It affected those closest to her, too.
Ivy took her turn in the bathroom, then sat down on the edge of the adjacent bed. She preferred showering in the morning, so it hadn’t taken her long. Something heavy hung in the short distance between them. She’d known Ivy long enough to know when something was on her mind. Any minute now, she’d let her know what it was.
Rachel leaned her head back against the rustic headboard and closed her eyes as she clutched her cell phone tighter. It wasn’t yet eight o’ clock, but she could go to sleep anyway. When she felt her muscles start to relax, her cell phone rang, and she jumped. The volume was still set to the loudest setting possible. The back of her head banged against the headboard. “Luke, I’m so glad to hear from you. I’ve been worr…er, praying. How are you feeling?”
“My wrists hurts pretty bad. Even with the pain medication they gave me, it’s throbbing and aching constantly. It’ll feel a lot better when I see you.”
“Did you and Joshua come up with a plan?”
Luke laughed. “You could say that. I must hand it to him for thinking outside the box. He made a friend with an all-terrain vehicle who agreed to drive me all the way. Provided the roads aren’t closed, he’s on his way.”
Rachel relaxed a little as she listened to Luke and Joshua’s plan. She didn’t like the idea of Luke getting back out on the roads, but what choice did they have at this point? She’d also hoped to have Luke here to help with all the final wedding arrangements. Now she was on her own to get the job done. She was determined to make everything come together beautifully in spite of the weather and circumstances. No time for tears or complaining. It was all up to her now. Glancing out the window at the heavy snowfall against a black sky, she smiled. Luke needed her to be strong for the both of them.
“I’ll make sure everything is taken care of here. I can’t wait to see you.” She switched her cell phone to her other ear, then reached for the tissue box sitting on the nightstand and wiped at the silent tears that fell.
She looked over at Ivy and smiled, who reached over and patted her leg. They both had things to discuss this evening.
“I know I can always count on you, sunshine or rain.”
“Or heavy snow.” She laughed, then sniffed.
“Are you crying?”
She nodded, even though he couldn’t see over the phone. “A little, but I’m okay. I feel much better now. Mom called, by the way.”
“Is she going to make it?”
“She’s waiting for the weather to ease up, so her plane can take off.”
“I’ve heard from my parents and my brother, too. They’re taking a train and everything seems on schedule with that. They weren’t planning on arriving until tomorrow anyway. You know how my dad hates to sleep anywhere but his own bed. The photographer canceled, so I guess we’ll have to be thankful we own a decent digital camera.”
“I suppose that’s not the end of the world. What about your cousins?”
“Again, canceled, but it’s my parents I was most concerned with. So that leaves your Aunt Mabel, right?”
“Dear Aunt Mabel. She hasn’t called, but you know that doesn’t mean anything is wrong. She never knows if she’s coming or going, but always manages to make it on time. And since she’s
survived exotic trips to the Outback and Africa and a tropical rainforest in South America, I’d say she can handle a little snow storm.”
Rachel felt better already. Talking with Luke always had that effect on her. His cool head was highly contagious.
“Very true. I’ll work on an alternate plan for your mother just in case. If I have to pack her in a crate and send her by ship, she’ll be there.”
“I don’t think there are any harbors nearby.” She laughed again.
“Just don’t worry, please.” He lowered his voice, soothing her with his words. “I have faith that everything will turn out just fine. I’m going to let you get some rest now. Promise me you won’t stay up late writing.”
“I promise. Promise me you’ll call every so often and let me know you’re safe.”
“That’s a promise. Everything is going to work out. Our family will be there very soon. And I’ll be there very soon. Then we can all be stuck in the snow together.”
“I couldn’t think of a better plan. Goodnight, Luke. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Goodnight, Rachel.”
Rachel hung up the phone and gave her eyes another good swipe with the tissue before wadding it up and tossing it into the trash. Ivy moved over and sat cross-legged on the mattress beside her. It felt like one of those times when they were teenagers having a sleepover. “I’m so glad you’re here, Ivy. I only wish things weren’t such a mess.”
“My whole life is a mess, so it seems normal to me.”
“Is that why you were so rude to Joshua? Talk to me, cousin.”
“It wasn’t so much him as what he represented.” She looked down at chewed fingernails and picked at the chipped nail polish.
“I figured it was something like that. I’m tired, but not too tired to listen.”
She sighed. “I can tell you really love Luke.”
Rachel’s head nodded automatically. “Without question, absolutely yes. I do. I wish you had someone to love like I do. If only you’d give the guys a chance…”
“I do give chances. That’s how I ended up this way.” She shrugged. “It’s like I have a sign that says tread on me stuck to my back.”
“You still shouldn’t give up. Think about what all I’ve been through when it comes to relationships. By the time I met Luke, I was convinced that all men were angry, disapproving liars. About as useful as a flat tire. Then Mr. Sunshine moved in upstairs. He was the opposite of all that—positive, supportive, honest. And the most helpful man I’ve ever known, willing to give the shirt off his back if needed. I immediately disliked him because he made me that spark of hope return. With hope, as you know, comes heartache.”
Rachel studied Ivy’s face in the dim hotel lighting. How could any man have been so cruel to such a dynamic person as Ivy Tower? She was exotic and exciting, just like her mother. But with a sense of balance. That ability to balance her traveling toes with her practical side had landed her a stellar career in the travel industry. Ivy was a sensible girl who knew how to have fun, and that was difficult to find these days.
“I know what you mean.”
“There are lots of good, Christian men out there still to be found. Men that like to travel.” Like Joshua, she thought, who thrived on the chance to sing anywhere he could. “Men that also appreciate down time at home.” Also like Joshua. “Men that are looking for that one, special girl to spend forever with.” Joshua had loved one girl until the day she died. He was fiercely loyal.
Since she’d only heard about Joshua but never met him until today, she’d never given matchmaking a thought. The more she thought about it, the more she thought Joshua might be good for Ivy.
“That sounds like such a beautiful dream.” Ivy shook her head. “I want to believe you, but it’s hard for me right now. I need to focus on getting my life right with God and my mother.”
“I think you should start by joining a church. You’d be surprised how beneficial it is to fellowship with others. In fact, I think I remember seeing a nice-looking church close by your house. Have you visited it?”
Ivy shook her head. “I’ve heard great things about the music program there.”
“It couldn’t hurt to visit.”
“I will.” She gathered her cousin in an awkward hug, considering they were sitting on a springy mattress. “I’m so glad we got to have this heart-to-heart. I’m going to have a little chat with God before I go to bed. Then tomorrow, I’ll start working out the issues I have with my mother.”
“Sounds like a good plan. See you in the morning.”
“G’night.”
Rachel stared out into the dark room until she heard the steady rhythm of her cousin’s restful breathing. Distraught as she had been only hours earlier, she was glad for this special time with Ivy. It was no wonder they adopted the motto cousins by birth, sisters by choice.
* * *
Even though the well-insulated hotel kept most external noises silent, Rachel heard the wind howl. With a pounding heart, she sat straight up in bed and glanced at the bedside clock—a few minutes after seven o’clock.
Throwing aside the cozy, warm comforter, she ran to the window and flung open the draperies. “Oh no!”
Ivy groggily sat up and rubbed sleep from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“The gale is in full force. We’ve got a whiteout.”
Ivy joined her, and they stood shoulder to shoulder. Through the murky, gray dawn, nothing but a thick blanket of white greeted their gazes. Mountains, trees, hotel parking lot, decorative miniature twinkling lights—all had disappeared.
“Wow! It appears as if the Almighty erected a dirty cement wall up against the building and imprisoned all of us inside.” Ivy shivered. “Not good for my claustrophobia.”
Tears streamed down Rachel’s cheeks. “My wedding!”
Ivy placed her arm around Rachel’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, but it will work out, I know it will. Quick, turn on the television for a weather report.”
Sitting on Rachel’s bed, they tuned into a local station where a meteorologist gave the latest account.
“The brunt of the blizzard is blowing through at this moment. The squall is expected to rage its way out of the Sky Ridge Mountains by mid-afternoon, and state crews are set to clear roads as soon as the storm dissipates. The Trans-Mountain Pass should be open by nightfall, but all other roads will remain closed. Expect travel delays.”
Rachel hiccoughed through her sobs. “You think I should postpone the wedding for a day or two?”
“And miss your Valentine’s Day wedding? No way. You and Luke chose for your two hearts to become one on this elite date. Joshua will make sure Luke is here for the ceremony, and in case the others can’t arrive in time, we’ll prepare a second party so they can congratulate the married couple. It’ll be fun.”
“Since when do you have faith in Joshua?” Rachel blew her nose noisily into a tissue.
Ivy finger combed her hair. “I decided to try optimism for a change, even if it means trusting Joshua.”
“What brought about that transformation?”
Ivy shrugged. “My complaints weren’t helping, and as the maid of honor, I should assist you in finding solutions in this rather bazaar circumstance. So, my friend, let’s have breakfast and attend to those details. An additional nuptial function will be perfect in case the guests can’t gather for the main event or the customary party that follows.”
Giggling, Rachel hugged Ivy. “Okay, while we eat, we can make our prep list for two parties. We’ll need to order more food—the whole nine yards. I’ll try to call Luke and tell him what we are doing.”
Picking up the cell, Rachel punched in Luke’s number.
“Good morning, my love. How’s your wrist?”
“Hello, sweetheart. It throbs a bit, but no worries, I’ll soon hold you and caress your sweet face. And…” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Maybe a few other places too.”
“Oh you.” Rachel laughed. “Have you looked outs
ide?”
“Yes, but I understand the bluster will be gone by this afternoon, and we’ll only have mounds of snow to contend with. Crews intend to plow the main road, and Joshua is with me now. He has an idea to get us over the offshoot road that leads to the inn. If all goes well, we should be there by tonight.”
“Ivy and I are going to arrange a second reception, kind of a contingency strategy in case all the guests don’t make it to the ceremony.”
“Good idea. This is an exciting way to start our life together. We’ll have such cool stories for the grandkids.”
Rachel laughed. “Cool stories? You mean icy cold stories, don’t you? As in freezing blizzard sagas?”
Luke chuckled. “Might make a good novel someday. Since we’re both writers, maybe we’ll publish it. How about this for a title? A Snow White Wedding.”
“That’s an awful heading! You’re simply trying to make me forget my worries.”
“Am I succeeding?”
Rachel giggled, and after a few words of love, she disconnected.
“Feel better?” Ivy finished her ablutions and came out of the bathroom.
Rachel grinned. “Luke always restores my sense of humor.”
After Rachel donned a warm jogging suit, they avoided the elevator and walked downstairs to the dining area. Over eggs, toast, and coffee, Ivy pulled out pen and paper to go over ceremony preparations and make a detailed list for two parties.
“What about music? The pianist may not be able to come in from town. We might need a back-up minister too.” Ivy munched a buttered bite of bread.
“Joshua brought his guitar.”
Ivy nodded. “Yeah, I suppose he can play the thing.”
“He’s the music minister at his church, and if the local pastor doesn’t make it, Joshua can unite us.”
“Yeah, Mr. Goody Two Shoes.” Ivy scrunched her nose.
Rachel reached over to pat Ivy’s hand. “Just because Barry was a dud doesn’t mean all men are bad news.”
“Maybe not, but Barry came on strong and seemed a prince of a guy at first, and look at how he treated me.”