Page 58 of A Wedding in the Bay

Johanna took a deep breath as she drove along the coastline. It was a beautiful winter day. The sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky, lighting up the snow below with dazzling white light.

She was on her way to talk to Marsha, since she felt that her friend deserved an explanation about everything that had happened with her and Everett. She was also eager to talk to Marsha about the whole thing. Ever since her dance with Everett at the wedding, she’d been a bundle of nerves.

It’s like I forgot all about how nerve-wracking relationships can be, she thought as she turned onto Marsha’s street. But I’m sure some tea and a good talk with a good friend will help settle these fluttery feelings that I’m having.

She sighed as she parked her car in Marsha’s driveway. She had to admit, she felt jittery even about talking to Marsha. She knew her friend would have a million questions for her, and although she was looking forward to telling Marsha all about her relationship with Everett and how it had progressed, she also felt a little sheepish about having kept it a secret from her friend. She didn’t know how Marsha felt about that—would she be upset with Johanna for not telling her? After all, Johanna and Everett could have told just their close friends and family members about their relationship without telling the whole town. Johanna hoped that Marsha would understand where she and Everett had been coming from.

She stepped out of the car, shivering a little as soon as the cold wind made contact with her cheeks. It was a deceptively sunny day, she thought—it looked warm and inviting, but was actually fiercely cold.

She stepped up to Marsha’s front door and rang the doorbell, her heart thumping with nervousness.

Marsha opened the front door, smiling at her as warmly as ever.

“Hi,” Johanna said, clasping her gloved hands together. “Are you mad at me?”

“Of course not!” Marsha laughed and gestured for her friend to come inside. “I’m thrilled about the whole thing—you have no idea. Come on in here and we can talk all about it.”

Smiling with relief, Johanna stepped inside the house and Marsha shut the door behind her. The friends hugged, and then Johanna hung her coat on a rack by the front door.

“Come on into the kitchen for some tea and scones,” Marsha said. “I baked them especially for us.”

“Wonderful,” Johanna said, noticing a sweet, faintly citrusy aroma in the air. “I can’t wait to try them.”

They went into the kitchen together, where Marsha set out little China plates for the scones and teacups for the tea.

“Choose any kind you like,” Marsha said, handing Johanna a well-organized basket of tea bags. “I recommend the elderberry and echinacea. Or cinnamon with some milk and honey added is always very nice.”

“I’ll go with the elderberry and echinacea,” Johanna said, smiling. “Thanks for having me over, Marsha. You always make our visits special.”

“Well, I’m always happy to have you here,” Marsha said, smiling warmly. They settled down at the kitchen table together, holding their hot teacups carefully. “So,” the craft maker continued, “tell me about dating Everett.”

“Oh my, where to begin.” Johanna patted her cheeks breathlessly, feeling all her jitters return in a rush. “It all started when he stopped by my house. I mean, he didn’t stop by on purpose. He happened to be passing, and—well, I’d gotten myself locked out, and—”

“Take a deep breath,” Marsha advised, laughing good-naturedly. “We’re not in a rush. Take your time. Besides, I want to hear everything. Hearing Everett say that the two of you were dating out of the blue like that absolutely floored me. I still feel stunned. I want to know about all of the details.”

Leaning back, she took a sip of tea.

Johanna sighed and smiled gratefully at her friend. “Okay.” She took the deep breath that had been suggested and started over. She told Marsha all about how Everett had helped her get back into her house, and how afterward they had started talking.

“I just found that I liked him,” she said, feeling herself blushing a little. “It was like—well, underneath that rough exterior, he has a heart of gold.”

“Look at you, you’re smitten!” Marsha crowed. “Oh, I’m thrilled. I’d thought there could be something between you two, and then everything at the dinner party made me think that I’d been wrong about that.”

“Oh, the dinner party,” Johanna groaned, covering her face with her hands.

Marsha laughed. “I’m sure he wasn’t all that offended by your comment.”

“He wasn’t—he says he has thick skin. But I still feel so embarrassed for not having realized that the smell was coming from him.”

“You’ll get used to our country ways soon enough. Look at how well your knitting is coming along.”

“Oh! I did want to tell you, but I knitted a whole sweater for Everett. Personally, I think it looks pretty sloppy, but he loves it.”

“Goodness, I can’t wait to see it. We should go on a double date sometime and you should ask him to wear it!”

“I could.” Johanna laughed. Her heart fluttered at the thought of going on a double date with Marsha and Willis. “He’s worn it a few times when we’ve been on the boat together, but I asked him not to wear it out in public yet in case anyone asked him where he got it.”

“That reminds me—tell me more about how you two were keeping your relationship a secret. I can’t believe you managed to fool all of us! Were you two dating when we all went bowling?”

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