Page 46 of Chasing I Do
But this wasn’t her friend, it was her client. And she’d hired a planner not a therapist, so Darcy said, “This day is about you and Rhett. And I know how mothers-in-law can be.” She also knew firsthand how Margo could be. “I will do everything I can to make sure the day remains about celebrating you and Rhett.”
“Oh God.” Stephanie covered her mouth, a look of embarrassed horror taking over her delicate features. “Here I am going on and on, and I forgot that you went through all of this. I don’t know the whole story, but Rhett told me enough that I should be thanking you for even letting us get married here, not complaining about Margo.”
“Rhett was always wonderful, so I’m happy he wants to get married here.” If she left out how he’d never contacted her after the wedding, it was the truth. “And you shouldn’t have to miss out on the venue you want because of a situation you had no control over.”
“Which is why this wedding has to be perfect,” Stephanie said, and she sounded so close to tears, Darcy slid her another watermelon shooter. “I want to look back and have it be about us. Not about if one of the warming trays went out, or if the food didn’t reach expectations.”
“Yours and Rhett’s expectations are all that should matter, and if we stick with that, it will be all that you imagined.”
“Although I am hopeful, the follow through is yet to be seen.”
Darcy didn’t have to look up to see who had crashed their tasting. The censure and oversweet scent of Margo’s perfume was enough to have Darcy cringing—and Stephanie turning pale.
Bracing herself to look into the woman’s eyes who made her life a hell, Darcy turned around. And the first thing she noticed was how frail Margo looked. She’s always been a petite woman, but the sorrow she’d worn like a coat all those years had taken its toll. Instead of feeling angry, Darcy just felt sorry for the woman who had buried two men she loved.
“Margo,” she said, standing and offering her a seat. Margo was dressed in a flowered skirt and blouse, perfect for tea—or the mother of the groom. And if Stephanie didn’t ask her to leave, Darcy wasn’t going to. She might own Belle Mont, but this wasn’t her wedding. So it wasn’t her place. “I didn’t realize you were coming today.”
“And miss my daughter-in-law’s tasting?” Margo gave Stephanie a kiss on the cheek, then took her seat. She didn’t kiss Darcy. Didn’t even look her way. “As soon as I heard Rhett was in New York, I drove right on over. No bride should have to do a tasting alone.”
“Thank you, Margo,” Stephanie said, sending Darcy an apologetic look.
Darcy winked at Stephanie, to put her at ease, then picked up the empty glasses. “You’re right on time, Margo, we were just about to go over the options for hors d'oeuvres. If you ladies will give me a moment, I can see where the chef is at with the plating.”
“Actually, I need to use the powder room. Can you show me where it is?” Margo asked, and Darcy momentarily froze. She didn’t know how much the woman knew about Kylie, or how she felt about the information, only that Gage had told her she had a granddaughter.
“I can take you,” Stephanie offered, her eyes going between the two women.
Darcy nearly wept with relief.
The last thing she wanted was to be alone with that woman. Nothing good could come from it. Then again, Gage had said she’d softened, and he had hope. Darcy would have to take heart in that. If there was any chance for forgiveness and a fresh start, then, for Kylie’s sake, Darcy would even take the first step.
“That’s okay, Stephanie, I’ve got it.” Darcy put an arm out to usher Margo. “You finish up that last watermelon shooter and I’ll take Margo to the ladies’ room, then check on the hors d'oeuvres.”
“Thank you.” Margo stood.
Neither of them said a word as Darcy led her into the house, nor when they were in the empty hallway, so when they reached the bottom floor restroom, Darcy pushed her pride and feelings aside and said, “About Kylie—”
“Gage told me how much you have taken under consideration, and how generous you are being with our family,” Margo interrupted, and the weight that Darcy had been choking on slowly started to lighten. “He said that you have been more than accommodating for Rhett and Stephanie.”
Darcy blinked. “Rhett and Stephanie?”
“Yes, that is what we are here to talk about today, is it not?”
Unsure of what Margo wanted her to say, or even why she was there, Darcy decided to follow her lead. Gage had promised to handle his mother, promised that she’d changed, and maybe this was her way of proving to Darcy that she was willing to work in the confines of what was best for Kylie.
“I want them to have their dream wedding,” Darcy said. “And that means having their family be a part of it. I understand that.”
“Do you?” she asked, and suddenly Darcy didn’t feel so light anymore. “Then why would you shut us out of Kylie’s life all these years? You and I planned your entire wedding, and not one word about the pregnancy. That is not how family behaves.”
The sorrow in Margo’s face was heart shattering. Darcy didn’t know how she’d feel if she were in the older woman’s shoes. Losing Kylie would be like losing a part of herself, finding out that a piece of Kylie was still out there—and Darcy never knew?
A deep ache formed, just thinking about it.
The difference was, Darcy would have never lashed out at someone the way Margo had lashed out at her. And instead of regret in the older woman’s eyes, which should have been beneath some of that sorrow, there was residual anger.
And that had Darcy worried.
“You weren’t my family, Margo. You made that clear the night I came to you for advice,” she said, feeling every helpless emotion she’d felt that night. “As for knowing about Kylie, that was Kyle’s call to tell you or not. He chose to keep you in the dark, not me.”
