Page 88 of Clean Sweep
Blake, Nicholas, and Max shuffled in behind me, carrying boxes of various sizes. Garlands, Christmas lights, wrapped presents in shiny silver-and-red foil filled their arms. There would be several more trips for them, but at least it would keep them busy and out of trouble. Even as adults, mischief found them.
Or I should sayespeciallyas adults.
“Landon is supposed to meet us here,” I murmured as I crossed through the shop and into the back room, where the ceremony would happen.
Several days of final preparation—mostly last night—meant we were 60% of the way there. Five hours would be just long enough to doll up this place, get ready ourselves, receive the bride and groom, and coordinate the growing chaos as family arrived from out of town.
Hopefully, Tanner would show up for the wedding and I could talk to him after. Maybe it was for the better, anyway. Now that I’d snapped at him, and he’d held things from me, neither of us were under obligation to fix it before we were ready. Except, I wassoready to fix whatever we had.
At this rate, I’d be lucky if I had a chance.
The boys finished unloading all of the boxes, and I organized them into piles according to what needed to be completed first. Dahlia slipped into the back, caught my eye, and crooked a finger. Startled by her worried expression, I set aside another coil of lights and followed her to the counter.
She slipped behind it and stood at the window. A steady line of cars lined up outside. In the corner, Bastian typed away at his computer, brow furrowed into lines. Whatever he did with such intensity, I’d never know.
“Your girl is upstairs.” Dahlia pointed up. “She didn’t look good. They showed up a few minutes before you. Landon asked if they could go up there for a moment.”
“Thank you.”
Cold, snowy air pelted my cheeks when I stepped back outside, hooked around the side of the Frolicking Moose, and into the back. A door there led to the loft. I pulled open the door and stepped inside.
A few steps up a spiral staircase later and I heard a quiet sob. With quick, pattering steps I made it all the way up and slipped inside the canted door.
Landon and Starla sat against the far wall. Today, she didn’t appear pale or sick, which might be a short-lived miracle or miraculous makeup work. Instead, tear streaks tracked down her face.
The two of them sat side-by-side, hands linked. He murmured something and she laughed under her breath. Seeing no one in imminent danger, I slowed.
Both of them looked up at the same time. Starla’s eyes swam with tears again. Relief crossed Landon’s face.
“Hey,” I said.
“Gratitude,” Starla quickly said. She motioned to her face with a swirl of her hand and a half-laugh, half-sob. “I saw the room downstairs and I just . . . I can’t believe what you’ve done for me. For us. There’s so much glitter!”
Landon squeezed her hand a little tighter as I advanced into the room.
“Honey, you haven’t seen anything yet,” I said with a smile.
I lowered onto the ground next to them, pressed my back to the wall near her, and sighed. For almost a full minute, the quiet descended around us. Chaos would fill the rest of the day, so I took the moment to enjoy the stillness with the two stars.
I reached over, grabbed Starla’s free hand, dotted with tears, and asked the question that had bothered me all along.
“You’re already married, aren’t you?”
Landon sighed and tipped his head back.
“Yes.”
“We went to a justice of the peace,” she whispered, gaze downcast. “In the courthouse.”
“Insurance?”
They both nodded. I squeezed Starla’s hand. “Good for you.”
Her head jerked up, brow furrowed in silent question. I smiled and said, “You needed to get it done to get on his insurance for treatment, and I think that was wise.”
“You’re not upset?” she whispered.
“Nah.” I tossed my hands in the air. “What’s a wedding, anyway? A time for everyone else to celebrate the union of two lives. Whether that happens as a party, an actual ceremony, or whatever else, doesn’t matter. Still, I think the boys will enjoy being part of it, so I say let’s keep it a secret and proceed as planned.”
