Page 33 of Take Me to the Wedding

“Hi,” I said to them both, carefully omitting the “Tater.” I offered my hand to Marin. “Samantha. I’m with the wedding party.”

“I have your key right here. The bride’s already in your cabin.”

As Marin explained how to put the farm app on my phone, which had a map and info, I felt another nudge. Another solemn, expectant gaze met mine as the pup dropped the soggy toy onto my sandal.

I couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “You really are persistent, aren’t you?” This time I did a sneak attack, quickly snatching the knot and tossing it as far as I could. The dog flew after it, grabbed it, lay down, and play-growled with it.

“She’s really a nice dog,” Marin said, peering over the counter. “Labs are high energy. I don’t think those people had a clue what they were in for.”

I couldn’t imagine, but I just smiled.

After giving me directions to the cabin, she added, “Hope you brought some tennies.” She gave a chuckle. “It’s an active weekend. The square dance tonight, hunt your own breakfast first thing in the morning, then a long hike. You’re gonna love it.”

Ani, Ani, Ani.The things we endured for friends’ weddings. Square-dancing? And did she just sayhunt? That would be a hard pass. I hoped there was a vegetarian breakfast option, because I absolutely was not hunting anything more animal than milk for my coffee.

“Don’t worry if you don’t know how to square-dance,” Marin said. “Ted, our caller, is great with beginners. My husband Brent and I usually come too.”

Okay, great. I thanked her, waved goodbye to boy and dog, and began my trek on a winding path that led down a rolling hill toward a necklace string of log cabins surrounding a little oval lake. I counted two down as Marin had instructed and walked up a few concrete stairs onto a porch with blue ceramic pots overflowing with red flowers.

The main room had a little sitting area and a kitchenette. There were potted plants near a big window and the same clean white decor as the main farmhouse. Cute. I found Ani in one of the two bedrooms, lying on a twin bed, scrolling on her phone. She was wearing a white sweatshirt that saidBride. Mia sat across from her on the other twin bed. She gave me a weak smile as I dropped my duffel and jumped into bed next to Ani, giving her a giant hug. “Hi, bride. Nice place.”

Her smile seemed a little weak too. The fact that she was lying down seemed strange too—I wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d walked in to see her practicing her do-si-dos. “It’s a great farm, isn’t it?” she asked in a lukewarm tone.

“Yeeees,” I said, literally knowing nothing about farms. Ani usually didn’t ask basic questions, and she looked a little off.

“How was the drive with my brother?” Mia asked.

“Great.” You know the first thing I thought of? Not the luggage fight. Not the dumb answers to art questions. But rather the apology.

I never thought of Caleb as someone who would apologize, and it had thrown me. It did more than that. It had dissolved the grudge I’d carried for years.

Uh-oh. That was not a good thing, I realized.

“That good, huh?” Mia said. “I hope you two can keep it together this weekend.”

I was a little offended. “Of course we will. We worked it out.”

“You and Caleb actually talked about getting along?”

“We actually did.” Sort of. Somehow, I knew that we both understood that this wedding wasn’t about us. Besides, I was committed to getting Lilly on his side.

Wasn’t I?

Yes, of course I was.

Maybe I needed to lie down too.

I was pulled out of this inner turmoil by Ani holding out her hands and wiggling her fingers (including the one with the honking huge emerald-cut diamond that was glinting in our eyes) for both of us to hold her hands in support. “I’m so glad you both are here.”

Mia and I grasped her hands. “Me too.” I glanced at Mia.Was something wrong?I telegraphed. She gave a tiny shrug in return.

“Where’s Lilly?” Ani asked.

“She went out on a hunt to find some flowers to sketch,” Mia said.

I found it a little odd that she wasn’t with Ani having some bonding time, but art was calling, I guess. Historically, Lilly was Ani’s best friend through grade school and high school. I knew they often saw each other when Ani went home, but my sense was that they weren’t quite as close as Ani, Mia, and I were.

“You two should go check the place out too,” Ani said. “We have some time before the square dance.” She sat up and seemed to force a smile. “What did you think of Quinn?” she asked me. “He stopped by and said he’d love to be your partner tonight.”

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