She blinked three times.
“It’s true, Melb. There are no secret solutions in life, no magic words. It’s just practical stuff, like exercising, that shows results.”
Her mouth fell open. But then her eyes blazed. “Are you telling me I’ve been paying you all that money, and the reason I lost weight was because I’ve been exercising?!”
Dr. Hass shrugged, an amused look accompanying a wry smile. “Con men aren’t con men for no reason. People are gullible. I’ve made a career out of that human fault.”
“Well. Well! Ah!” She found herself speechless. “I … I spent nearly all my wedding budget on you!”
He swallowed. “I promise to pay you back.”
She shook her head, disbelief stopping anything else from coming out of her mouth.
He said, “And Melb, you look really good. Your wedding’s tonight, right?”
She nodded.
“Then why are you here? Go get ready for the best day of your life. Only a few get to find the love of their life, you know.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and she took his hand. “Thank you. I think.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled.
Ainsley found herself dizzy with stress. The reception hall was filled with lights and cameras and tons of people she’d never seen before in her life. She’d been disgusted by Alfred only four days ago, but now she longed to see his familiar face. Instead, she had a person every minute coming to ask her questions. She felt as though she was directing traffic on the freeway.
The last thing she was concerned with was how she looked, but she was now being whisked away by her hair and makeup person, Maude, who insisted she was the most important part of the team. “What every woman wants,” Maude explained, “is to see a woman do all this … this … this homemaking with perfect hair and makeup. They say they hate it. But then they try to do it themselves.” Ainsley smiled mildly.
The woman dusted her face, ratted her hair, and made a fuss over her, rambling on about how she couldn’t understand why, with all that help, Martha Stewart could never get her bangs out of her eyes. But there was only one thing on Ainsley’s mind. One person. Wolfe.
Her heart longed for him. But right now, it was time to get into character. Alfred wanted a show. He was going to get a show.
Oliver was on the top floor of the community center, adjusting his tuxedo and staring out the window. He turned to find Martin standing in the doorway with a big grin on his face. “Martin!”
Martin enfolded him in a big hug. “What are you looking at?” he said, walking over to the window.
“All the news crews out there. I’ve been watching tons of people walking in and out with microphones and lights and cameras. Poor fools,” Oliver said. “Probably heard about that cloning thing and rushed out here for the big story. Who has the heart to tell them it’s not true?”
Martin turned back to him. “I’m happy for you. What a grand day.”
He grinned. “I never thought I’d marry a woman as beautiful as Melb.”
“You two will have a wonderful life together.”
Oliver looked into the full-length mirror that stood before him. “You know, I can’t imagine much can go wrong in a marriage when it’s based on truth and honesty and love.”
Martin smiled. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Don’t worry, Martin. You’ll find the right woman some day.”
Martin gazed out the window. “That’s the least of my worries right now.”
Ainsley finally got to a breathing point. The chefs were in the kitchen, complaining about the double ovens but seemingly under control; the cameras and lights were set, the tables were decorated. She stood and took it all in. It was the most gorgeous thing she’d ever seen. Candles would soon be lit all over the place, creating a mystical and glowing palette for the room. The tables were decorated with delicate sophistication, each with a red rose, red votive candles, and greenery.
Staring at it all, she sensed the sad reminder that her wedding was going to be nothing of the sort. She was going to have to pull things together in a week, and that was going to produce nothing but the basics.
She comforted herself, though, that it was not about the fancy table linens or the gourmet food. It was about her love for Wolfe, and that had not diminished an iota.
Still, a sadness lingered at her failures. She’d indeed not been able to do both. Something had to be sacrificed, and in the end, it was her dream wedding.
“How’s my superstar?” Alfred said, slipping up beside her. He threw his hand out dramatically and flung it around the room. “Perfection.”
She smiled. “It is beautiful, isn’t it? Are you sure Melb hasn’t a clue?”
“Not a clue,” he said. “I told her not to come in here until after her wedding.”
“She’s going to be delighted!”
He guided her away from the tables. “Now, there are a few more things we need to—”
She held up her hands. “Alfred, there’s a time when nothing else can be done. I’m going to go upstairs, visit with the bride-to-be, and wish her blessings. You can handle everything, can’t you?”
He forced a smile. “Sure. You’re the boss,” he winked. “You’d better start thinking like that. From this day on, your life will never be the same.”
Not even excitement stirred in her spirit. But she smiled at him, then headed upstairs. Carefully opening the door, she spotted Melb in a chair with Marlee in front of her.
“Ainsley!” Melb said. She was wearing a denim shirt and blue jeans.
“Hi there, soon-to-be bride!”
Melb gushed. “Marlee here offered to do my makeup for free.”
Ainsley smiled. “Marlee will do a good job for you.”
“Right now she’s trying to pencil in the eyebrows I nearly yanked completely out this afternoon. I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“That’s normal,” Ainsley said, sitting next to her. “Everyone gets nervous about the idea of spending the rest of their lives with someone.”
“Oh, I’m not nervous about that. I know Oliver is the one for me. I’m concerned the dress won’t fit.” She looked at both of them. “I haven’t actually ever tried it on.”
Ainsley’s eyes popped. “Melb! Never?”
“Never,” Melb sighed. “I just decided to have faith that it would fit. I had to drop four dress sizes, and I think I’ve done that. Now it’s a matter of getting it all zipped up, you know?”
The other two exchanged glances.
Melb said, “But girls, it’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. Ever. And I got it for a heck of a deal.”
Ainsley checked her watch. Forty-five minutes until the wedding. “Melb, um, what do you say we go ahead and get that dress on you. Just to make sure.”
Melb nodded. “That’s probably a good idea.” She looked at Ainsley. “You’re looking awfully sophisticated.”
“Thanks,” she said, managing a smile.
Melb went to the table and unzipped the garment bag. She pulled out the satin white dress, and Ainsley thought she’d never seen a more frilly wedding dress. She thought it looked like a Cinderella dress! “Melb! Oh! That is beautiful!”
“Isn’t it?” she said. “Well, let’s see if I can get this thing on, shall we? If not, I guess I’m going to be marching down the aisle in denim!”
They helped Melb slip on the dress. With all the ruffles and such, it was not an easy dress to get into. But finally, with her arms through the armholes, it was time to zip it up.
“All right!” Melb breathed. “I’m sucking it in! Let’s go for it!”
Ainsley carefully tugged at the zipper. At first, it wouldn’t budge, and the room seemed void of all oxygen. But then, with a slightly greater tug, the zipper moved, and everyone’s eyebrows shot up. “Keep sucking, Melb!”
She did, and before they knew it, the zipper had climbed all the way to the top! Ainsley and Marlee cheered and turned Melb to the long mirro
r in the corner of the room. She took a long look at herself. Ainsley could hardly contain her excitement.
“Well?” Marlee said. “What do you think?”
Melb looked at herself from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet and said, “It makes me look fat!”
Missy Peeple wished the nurse had pulled the covers a little more over her shoulders. Her whole body was cold, and now her shoulders felt like ice. But she was too weak to do anything about it. Her mind drifted and she hardly knew if it was day or night or if things were real or imaginary.
It was as if her soul had left the very center of her body and was now clinging to the outer edges, wanting to escape the prison that had kept it tied to this earth.
If ever there was a time to believe in heaven, this was it. And she did. She always had. She believed everything the Bible said. For heaven’s sake, she could nearly quote every part of it.
But she also knew she’d fallen short of what it had asked of her.
All because of secrets. Lies. Pride. Yes, pride. The center of it all.
She’d done all she could now. She’d given the key away. They knew where to find the secrets. She prayed she’d be gone from this earth when they did.
“Safely keep and restore you,” she mumbled. It came from the recesses of her mind, far away, like a distant country.
“Miss Peeple?”
She heard her name called, but she couldn’t open her eyes. It echoed through her mind as if spoken through a tunnel.
“Miss Peeple?”
Again. Lord? Is that you?
“Miss Peeple? It’s Reverend Peck.”
She couldn’t open her eyes. Her mind would not allow her to come out of her dizzy sleep. But she wished she could. She wanted to hold his hand, tell him she was sorry she’d missed church. But her lifeless body only sank further into the bed.
“Safely keep and restore you,” she heard him say. “Yes, my dear. The Lord Jesus will safely keep and restore you. Do not be afraid. He stands waiting for you, my child.”
But something kept her soul nailed to this earth, and what it was she did not know.
CHAPTER 36
AINSLEY SAW ALFRED rushing down the stairs and into the reception area, heading straight toward her. She was standing behind the wedding cake where a director named Dolph was shining lights on her and setting up cameras. “Don’t squint your eyes!” he’d instructed, but how could she not with all the lights?
“Okay, darling, the wedding upstairs is about to begin! We’re going to do some of the first part of the script now, and then the real heavy stuff starts when everyone gets down here.”
Her stomach flip-flopped, but she ignored the fear. “Darling, this is child’s play.” She deepened her voice too.
Alfred’s face froze in a stunned expression, but then he smiled. “I like it. Good. That’s good. My goodness, woman, you wrecked the whole career of the most famous novelist alive, simply with your charm.”
She flashed a grin and winked at him.
“That’s my girl! Hold your head high, have confidence that you are the perfect person for this, and make love to the cameras.”
She frowned. “Excuse me?”
“It’s just a term,” he said sheepishly. “A bad one.”
“I’ll say.” She eyed him. “I can’t imagine Martha putting up with that sort of language.”
“Sorry. Anyway, just do your best.”
“I am the best, Alfred,” she said, facing the camera directly in front of her. Dolph was standing next to it, giving her hand signals she didn’t understand. But Alfred moved out of the way, and within a few seconds Dolph pointed at her, and a red light glowed on top of the camera.
She looked at Dolph and said, “Can you stop smacking your gum?” Dolph’s eyes widened and he nodded a little, handing his gum to the man next to him. Alfred’s mouth was wide with awe.
Smiling, she pushed her shoulders back, commanded her hands to stop shaking and said, “Good evening. And welcome to The Ainsley Parker Show. Tonight I will be demonstrating how to create the most divine wedding reception you will ever see. And with some easy tips and extra planning, you can have the reception of your dreams too. Just remember, this isn’t your mother’s kitchen.”
“Cut!” the director yelled.
She stared at him.
He added, “Perfection.”
Alfred watched from behind the cameras as his protégée prepared to charm the world. It was just a matter of time. Arms folded in front of him, he laughed to himself. Once, just a few short weeks ago actually, he’d thought his life was over. He was to the point of questioning his very existence. The one man he’d relied on had failed. And in failing, had wrecked the career of a very successful editor. It did amaze him how quickly everything one builds up can come tumbling down. A lifetime of building. A second of destroying. But now, he was back on top, with the lady who was soon to be crowned Queen of Croissants, or something like that. He was going to have to come up with a more catchy title if he was going to base his whole life’s happiness on her success.
He caught her eye and gave her a reassuring nod. It was like a new Ainsley had arrived. She barked orders. She stared down incompetent people. My goodness, she was fabulous! Dolph said, “Okay, we’re going to do the wedding cake part now.” And Dolph, a normally edgy person, seemed to be trying to be overly polite, apparently afraid of what might happen if he wasn’t.
Ainsley smiled confidently and waited for Dolph’s finger to point at her. As soon as it did, she said, “Welcome back. At any wedding reception, you’ll always find the wedding cake, which is a true reflection of the bride and grooms personality. These days, you’ll find all sorts of different cakes at weddings, some of them sophisticated, some charming, and some just downright crazy!”
Alfred smiled at her whimsy. That was going to win hearts.
With perfect timing, she used her hands to guide the camera lens to the tall cake standing beside her. “Now,” she said, “as you can see, this cake is three-tiered, with white icing and delicate gold and silver flowers all around it, appearing to free-fall off the edge of the cake like a waterfall.” She grinned at the camera as though it were a person. She was a natural! “What a fine job our caterers did, don’t you think?”
“Cut!” Alfred hollered. Everyone turned to him, Dolph waving his hands and shooting him irritated glances.
“What’s wrong?” Dolph asked.
Alfred stepped toward them both. “Ainsley, my dear,” Alfred said with a chuckle, “you can’t refer to caterers or chefs or anything like that. The illusion has to be that you’re doing this all yourself.”
Ainsley frowned. “Alfred, trust me. I am the best. The best. Do you hear me? Don’t question me again.” Her eyes flashed rare confidence. A tense smile was all he could muster.
“Okay, then. I guess you can say that.” He nodded to Dolph and then stepped out of the way. Turning his back, he gathered himself.
What he hadn’t counted on was the small-town values side of Ainsley that apparently he was going to have to wrestle to death. Looking up, he saw Wolfe standing in the doorway. Had he been watching the whole time? By the look on his face, he wasn’t happy, and when he caught Alfred looking at him, his eyes blazed with anger and he turned and left.
Wolfe stood for a moment, taking in the scene before him. The front of the church was thoroughly decorated with beautifully colored flowers of all kinds, and there was also a unity candle to one side. An arch decorated with white roses, centered on the stage, was where Oliver and Melb would soon stand to become one. He felt his entire body become rigid. What he’d seen downstairs was nothing short of grotesque. The beautiful woman he’d known and loved had become another product of Alfred Tennison. It made him sick. He didn’t even recognize the woman down there, shouting commands, nose in the air.
He turned to find Reverend Peck looking very frazzled. “It hasn’t started yet, has it?” he said, out of breath.
“I don’t think
it can start without you, my friend.”
Reverend Peck nodded, zipping up his black robe and running his fingers through his windblown hair. “Right. How do I look?”
“Just fine, sir,” Wolfe said, adjusting his robe slightly. “You’ve got three minutes to spare.”
The reverend seemed to settle a bit. “Okay, good. I’ve been at the hospital with Miss Peeple.”
“Oh? Did she say anything, um … meaningful?”
He shook his head. “Not really. She just kept mumbling, ‘Safely keep and restore you.’ Over and over. I think she’s near death.”
Wolfe sighed. “You better get up there.”
“Right,” he said, and rushed to the front. Wolfe spotted his future father-in-law and went to sit next to him.
“Hi Wolfe,” the sheriff said, greeting him with a firm handshake.
“May I sit here?”
“Of course.” The sheriff scooted over.
“How are you?”
“Well, I’m okay, except I can’t find Thief.”
“Really?”
The sheriff nodded somberly. “He used to leave for a day or so. But he’s been gone for three days now, and I have no idea where he could be. I’m getting really worried.”
“I’m sure he’ll turn up. Now that he’s feeling better, maybe he just needed to roam around.”
The sheriff nodded, though not convincingly. Then he turned to Wolfe. “I wanted to tell you something else. I’m not sure I should, because sometimes a father should just stay out of his daughter’s business, but I think you need to know this.”
Wolfe’s heart skipped a beat. “Okay.”
“Ainsley is a mess. She’s been trying to do this secret reception, and I’m assuming she’s pulled it off, but what she hasn’t done is …”
“Is what?”
Regret flickered across his face. “She’s hardly done a thing for your wedding, Wolfe.”
Wolfe looked down at his feet. Emotions tickled at his throat.
“And I know Ainsley, and I know she’s going to try to pull all this off next week. I just wanted to warn you, since she might seem a little crazy.”