Page 54 of Love Letter Lost
I was debating if we needed to head back to the church when my phone rang. Glancing at the screen, I saw that it was the auto shop. I answered, fingers crossed that it was good news.
“Your car is ready for pick up.” The cheerful voice on the other end informed me.
“Wow. I didn’t realize it would be done so soon. I’ll be right over. Thank you.” I ended the call, a huge smile on my face. I was ready to be able to drive again and put distance between me and Ridge.
“Do you mind dropping me off at the repair shop? My car’s done,” I informed Ridge.
“That’s great. Of course, I’ll take you.” Ridge pushed to standing, picking up our garbage as he went.
The drive to the shop was quick. In a few short minutes, I was walking to my parked car, keys in hand, ready to drive.
“It looks great,” I observed as I circled to the back of the car and took in my perfectly shaped and painted bumper.
Ridge ran his hand along the bumper and nodded his head. “They did a good job.”
“Thank you for being my chauffeur.” Only an hour earlier, I would have hugged him as I spoke the words but felt I’d be out of line now. “But no offense, I’m so happy to be able to drive again.”
“It was my pleasure.” Ridge patted me on the shoulder in an odd side hug. “But does this mean I have to drive to the other wedding festivities alone?”
I shrugged. “Do you really want to drive out to Pleasant Grove and back every time you need to pick me up or drop me off? This will make things a lot easier for you.” And for my traitorous heart. “Besides, won’t Amber be back?”
Ridge dipped his head in a self-conscious gesture that looked strange on him. “I didn’t mind. It was nice to catch up with an old friend.”
His sincere words gave me pause and I looked up into his face, unsure of how to read what I saw there. He almost looked disappointed that our forced time together was coming to an end, despite our latest argument. I shook my head, sure that it was just wishful thinking.
“I’ve enjoyed being with you too.”
An awkward silence filled the space between us, and I scuffed my toe in the dirt, unsure what to say next.
“Anyway.” Ridge broke the silence. “I guess we’d better get back to the church. Those centerpieces won’t assemble themselves.”
I nodded and climbed into my car, surprised to feel a hint of disappointment mixed in with my celebration.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
The church parkinglot had emptied, and I took the opportunity to circle the lot a couple of times, reveling in the ability to drive again. I kept rubbing my hands along the steering wheel as I blasted the AC and the radio, shivering as the cool air hit my skin. How I’d missed my country music.
When I walked into the gym, Ridge was looking over the stacks of centerpiece materials we’d deposited. I stood next to him, taking everything in. The gym looked like a completely different place, and it wasn’t finished yet. Kyle and Uncle Ben were still making adjustments, but the tulle and lights draped from the ceiling looked incredible, giving everything a softer feel. Tablecloths had been placed on all the tables, and Aunt Jenna was in the process of bedecking chairs with ribbon and tulle bows, giving the folding chairs a fancier feel.
“Wow,” I breathed, shocked at how the combination of peach and silver made the room feel soft and romantic. “This is beautiful.”
Aunt Jenna spotted us and rushed over, wrapping an arm around each of us. “Perfect timing. We’ve finished all the groundwork, and we’re ready for your details. David even brought back the photos, though he had to lock Livvy in the car to keep her from coming inside. I promised she could review everything tomorrow before the reception, but she’s not allowed back until then.”
“We’ve got this,” I assured her.
I decided to start by putting the pictures into their frames. I’d told Livvy that we would need one picture per table with maybe a couple extras. Instead of printing 12 to 20 pictures, Livvy had printed a huge stack that would take forever to sort.
Ridge and I sat at a table, trying to find a variety of photos that depicted Livvy and David’s love. I propped up my ankle, trying to help with swelling. While it felt much better, it was still a bit stiff at times.
“Definitely this one.” Ridge held up a photo of Livvy in her wedding dress, hands on hips, glaring at the camera.
I giggled. “Only if you want her to turn that look on you.”
“Luckily, looks can’t kill.” Ridge put the photo in his top picks pile. We’d decided that we’d each take half of the stack and select our top choices. Once we had two smaller stacks, we’d work together to pick the best of the bunch to fill the 12 waiting frames.
As I looked through photos from Livvy and David’s engagement shoot, my heart warmed. Seeing the obvious love and joy on both of their faces reassured me they were meant for each other. David looked at Livvy like she was his whole world, a look that the photographer had captured in a gorgeous mountain setting filled with spring growth.
I finished with the engagement shots and started in on the bridals, admiring Livvy’s dress. It reminded me of a princess ball gown with a full skirt, lace, and sparkling beads. It was bold but still beautiful and classy. Her hair was curled and pinned up with a tiara, not a veil, resting on her head. She looked like a fairytale princess, and David, who’d joined her in later photos, looked like her handsome prince.
