Page 86 of Wedding Season
Right. They were in the middle of talking about Heather, and Mariella had spaced out on a design tangent. Her feet might not have moved, but she’d run away just the same. Emotional maturity. Focus on what she could handle at this moment.
“I think I owe you a huge debt of gratitude,” she said to Kay, forcing herself to be vulnerable. “For becoming my daughter’s mother. I think she’s incredible, and I think you’re incredible. And you’re beautiful. Although you should never wear that color blue.”
Kay’s mouth dropped open before she shut it again. She inclined her head. “I asked if you wanted to have dinner with Heather and me at the Italian place in town?” She smoothed a hand over her dress. “Do you really think this is an awful color on me?”
“Yes...on dinner,” Mariela clarified. “You could do better with the dress.” She glanced over her shoulder toward her darkened storefront. “I’m pretty sure I have one that would look stunning on you in the shop right now. One of my Raleigh clients brought in a whole load of consignments for this weekend. She’s a bit of a shopaholic, which benefits me and my customers. And you, if you’re interested?”
“We’re going to freak out our daughter in a massive way,” Kay said.
“But in a good way,” Mariella added.
Kay flashed a bright smile. “A good way. Why don’t you show me that dress?”
OFALLTHEcontingency plans swimming through Mariella’s mind, the one she’d least expected to employ was how to deal with a monsoon rainstorm that coincided with the timing of the fashion show.
Avery didn’t seem fazed by the dark clouds that swirled high overhead on the festival’s second afternoon. The day before had gone off without issue. According to Avery, this year’s Magnolia Blossom Festival was on track to be the most successful event in town history.
As expected, legions of people from around the area had shown up for the chance to see Drake Simpson and Amber Turner in person. Mariella had taken a bit of satisfaction in the fact that most of the visitors were interested in Drake.
While Amber had enough adoring fans to keep her satisfied, the charming leading man was the real star at this show. The cast and crew had finished filming at the inn, and Emma was nearly giddy with excitement at the social media shout-outs the Wildflower was receiving. One of the supporting actors had even booked a weekend to celebrate his parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary later that summer.
Reservations and inquiries about the property had started to tick up after the first Instagram mention by Drake. Even Mariella had to admit Amber had done her part, posting a few vibey shots of herself around the property.
By silent agreement, she and Mariella were avoiding each other. Heather had been charged with managing Amber’s involvement in the fashion show. The girl grumbled and complained about including the starlet with the other local models, mostly because she knew Mariella was trying to pretend like Amber’s presence didn’t bother her. Mariella had a lousy poker face.
But Mariella was concentrating on the things she could handle and the positive parts of the weekend outweighed the challenges. Dinner with Heather and Kay had started awkward. Eventually, the three of them had settled into a rhythm of conversation and asking questions without prying.
It was worth forming a bond with her daughter’s other mother—something that would last even after Kay went home and Heather moved to Chapel Hill. She had never thought that she would be friends of a sort with the woman who’d raised her baby, but once Heather got over her shock, it had been clear the girl liked having her two moms together.
Mariella groaned as a distant rumble of thunder reverberated through the tent behind the festival’s main stage.
“We’re prepared for this,” Avery reminded her as she handed out matching umbrellas to the models gathered in clusters around the tent. This was the final event of the festival. The rain had held out so far, and Mariella prayed they could eke out another dry hour before the skies opened up.
“I wasn’t thinking about the potential for rain,” she told Avery. “The forecast said sun in the morning and cloudy skies for the afternoon. Clouds are not rain.”
“Clouds bring rain,” Avery observed.
Mariella snorted. “Thank you, Al Roker.”
That earned a laugh from Avery. Very little ruffled the woman as far as Mariella could tell. Avery patted Mariella’s Fit Collective sweatshirt-clad arm. “Afternoon showers are typical this time of year. It’s going to be okay.”
Mariella wished she could be so sure. A feeling of unease had plagued her all day. She should be used to pre-show jitters, but this felt different as if her body was taking its cues from the charged air around them. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and her stomach refused to settle.
She peeked between the curtains to where Alex sat in the front row, flanked by reporters on either side. Several Fit Collective investors had also come to town for the weekend, although she’d refused to meet them in any sort of official capacity. She was still nervous about the future.
Like Avery, Alex seemed so sure things would work out for the best. It was that faith he relied on and expected her to trust as well. She wanted to trust. But faith didn’t come easy to a chronic non-believer.
Mariella had relied too heavily on her resilience and stubbornness to plow through life’s challenges. Magnolia gentled her spirit, but it was tough to enact lasting change, especially in moments that meant as much as this one.
Alex seemed to sense her gaze on him because he glanced over and gave her a private smile and a nod. Some of the nerves fluttering through her settled. As she’d told him before, he was her calm in any storm.
She pointed toward the sky, which continued to appear ominous. He shrugged and saluted her with his umbrella.
They would be okay, even if the skies opened mid-fashion show. If nothing else right now, she had faith in him and his belief in her. The tightness in her chest eased.
Alex was more than the calm in a storm. He was her person. She loved him more than she wanted to because allowing herself to be vulnerable meant opening up to the potential of being hurt.
From a young age, Mariella had been disappointed and discarded by the people she’d loved. She’d closed her heart because that had been the best option for keeping it safe.
