Page 22 of Love Among Vines

Rett: Just so you know, I’m purposely tying an Eldredge knot to upstage the groom.

What the hell was an Eldredge knot? She turned to Google and admired the intricate knot. Just how deft were those fingers? Maybe tonight she would find out.

Jade: Very nice. I assume you’ll be riding in on a white horse with carriage attachment?

Rett: Best I can do is a Palomino and a Radio Flyer wagon.

She smiled. Nate had been a lot of things—charming, for one—but funny wasn’t one of them. Not that it mattered. Because she would probably never see Rett again after the winery’s anniversary party. Hopefully by then her life would be back on track.

Footsteps clattered down the hallway outside. Oh, hell. Maybe the other bridesmaids had the same idea. She was not in the mood to speak to anyone or catch more sympathetic glances. She scooped a handful of cheese off the plate and darted behind the folding screen in the corner.

The door opened.

“I’m fine. I’ll just be a minute.”

Shit. It was Ashley. And now she was hiding in the corner with a handful of cheese. Should Jade announce her presence?

“Hi, Dr. Bennett. This is Ashley Moore. I would really appreciate it if you could give me a call back in the next half an hour. It’s kind of an emergency.”

Jade’s ears perked up. Dr. Bennett was the therapist Ashley swore by. Why did she need to talk to her therapist on the happiest day of her life?

A muffled sniffle came from the other side of the folding screen. Her breath caught in her chest. The bride was crying. Comforting her was definitely listed in the official bridesmaid duties.

Resolved to step out and speak to her, she took a step sideways. A triangle of gouda slipped out of her hand and landed on the carpeted floor with a muffled thump.

“Hello?” Ashley’s voice was still teary.

Fuck.

“Hey, Ash,” Jade said in a way she hoped sounded casual. She inched out from behind the folding screen.

“What were you doing behind the screen?”

“Sorry. I thought the other bridesmaids were coming in. I just wanted a break from all the—you know what? It doesn’t matter.”

Ashley sniffed again, and tears started streaming down her cheeks. If Jade didn’t do something right away, there would be a full-blown makeup emergency.

“Whoa, hey. What’s going on?”

“This,” Ashley said, gesturing at her. “This is exactly why I’m upset.”

Jade glanced down at her bridesmaid dress. It wasn’t wrinkled. She hadn’t even sat down. What was so distressing about her appearance?

She tossed the handful of mangled cheese back on the plate and came to stand next to her friend.

“Tell me what it is, and I’ll fix it. Do you hate my hair? I’ll call the stylist back in.”

“No.” Ashley choked back a sob. “It’s not you. Well, it is you. I can’t keep this secret anymore.”

A secret? That didn’t sound good. If Ashley was pregnant, Jade would be honor-bound to slap the champagne out of her hand.

Ashley trained her tear-stained eyes on Jade. She was still lovely, but the makeup artist was definitely going to have to take a second pass at her.

“You have been so kind and understanding during this whole process. If I was in your position, I would have punched me in the face. Maybe even burned my apartment to the ground.”

Jade smiled and handed her a tissue. “I told you before. I know what it’s like when Nate sets his sights on you. He’s like a whirlpool, sucking you in no matter how hard you fight against the current.”

“He is. He really is.”

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