Page 32 of Holiday Wedding
Something tickles in the back of my mind. A memory. “Wait— What—?”
“Jenny,” Caleb says as he walks over to us, breaking my train of thought. “Can you look at this? Could we use this for Gwen’s bouquet?” He holds out a wide, glittering, red satin ribbon.
“Just a minute,” I tell him, then swing my gaze to Dean, but he’s already retreating, muttering “Forget it” as he strides away with his back rigid and his shoulders stiff.
Caleb and I turn to watch him go.
“What’s up with Dean?” Caleb asks me.
“Heck if I know,” I answer. The memory that was forming disintegrates, tattered wisps of recollection that fade quickly. “What do you need help with?”
He gives me the ribbon. It sparkles prettily under the overhead lights. “Gwen will like this,” I say, handing it back.
“I think so too.” Caleb smiles wistfully, running the fabric through his hands. “I want this wedding to be perfect for Gwen. For it to be everything she’s ever dreamed of.”
“It will,” I tell him, sensing a sadness beneath his words.
“She’s giving up a lot to be with me.” There’s despair in how he says it, like it pains him.
“She’s getting a lot in return,” I remind him gently. “She gets to be with you. That’s all Gwen wants. She doesn’t care about the details. She doesn’t need everything to be flawless as long as she has you in the end.”
“I don’t want her to regret it, marrying me.” He doesn’t look up, but I see the droop of his shoulders.
“She won’t. I’ve never seen Gwen like she is with you. She’s light, happy. Less focused on making things okay for everyone else. She’s more herself.” I pause, emotional when I think back to the transformation my friend has undergone in the past few years.Sure, she still has things to work on, but don’t we all?
“I’d do anything to keep her from suffering because of who I am.” He shifts on his feet. “I wanted her to take the jet to her conference, so she could be safe. I don’t want her accosted by fans or the press.”
I sigh, understanding what he’s referring to. Gwen told me about it. “Youcan’t always protect her. Gwen will figure out how to deal with your fame,ifyou give her the chance. Hiding her away from the world won’t help you in the long run.”
“Sure, it will,” he argues stubbornly. “She can avoid all the people who love to criticize me and anyone involved with me.”
“No,” I counter, understanding his logic but also seeing the flaw in it. “She needs exposure, time to adjust. You haven’t given that to her.”
That makes him pause. His jaw tightens as he considers what I said. “Maybe,” Caleb says, but I don’t think he believes his own words.
His eyes slide to the aisle Dean just walked down. “What’s up with you and Dean?” he asks.
I notice the deliberate change of conversation, but I don’t call him on it.
“What?” My voice squeaks, high-pitched.
Now Caleb’s acting like the reporter. He rubs his chin and stares at me with narrowed eyes. “He talks to you.”
“So?” I give a nervous laugh.
Caleb tilts his head. “He’s not much of a talker.”
Interesting, since I sat in a car and talked to Dean for over two hours last night. “Oh, is that so?” I pretend to not care, but a strange thrill goes through my body. “I guess I’m easy to talk with.” I toss my hair and smile, to distract him from this conversation and also to lighten his mood.
It works. Caleb relaxes and grins back. “You are. I like talking to you, Jenny. Thanks for being a great friend to Gwen.” He grows bashful and looks away before saying, “And to me.”
Caleb lets out an “oomph” when I grab him and give him a quick hug, squeezing tight.
“Thanks for being a good friend to me, too,” I say, happy Gwen chose him, of all people, to fall in love with. “This wedding’s going to be amazing. Just wait and see.”
11
Friday,December 13
