Page 92 of Of Literature and Lattes
“I was wrong.” She placed her hands on the island in front of her and spoke only to her grandmother. “I said I thought Mom was manipulating the situation.” She glanced to her mom. “But that was when I had a vested interest in believing that. If I could point the finger at her, I didn’t have to look at me.”
“Now don’t go blaming yourself, dear. That’s not what we’re talking about here.” Grandma reached over and covered Alyssa’s hand with her own.
“But we are.”
Alyssa slid her hand out from under her grandmother’s and walked over to her mom. She hugged her from behind, facing her grandmother over Janet’s shoulder. “And I say it’s going to be a gorgeous wedding, just what they deserve, and Lexi and I are going to finish planning it.”
Janet spun. “It’s going to be small and it’s all set.”
“You’ve got Pastor Zach coming to the living room and a booth at Mirabella. I don’t think so.”
Janet stared at her. Her expression tender, eyes glistening. Alyssa nodded. She understood. The currents were changing.
Grandma cut across the moment. “That’s all it should be. Anything more would be inappropriate. This is a second wedding, to the same person. We don’t celebrate indiscretions.”
A shocked “Grandma” and a “Mom” issued simultaneously from Alyssa and Janet.
Alyssa looked at her mom, who stepped away and turned back to her coffee making.
“Grandma, we are celebrating a marriage. And I hope you’ll come ready to have a good time, because it’s going to be beautiful... Excuse me, I’ve got to go call Lexi.”
As she walked out of the room, she heard her grandmother huff. “Fine. Have it your way. You always do.”
Alyssa glanced back. Her mom’s eyes were fixed on her own. Her face beamed.
Neither replied to Grandma.
Alyssa watched Lexi pour champagne into a dozen flute glasses as she crossed Mirabella’s dining room. “I’m sorry you’re working and not enjoying this.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m having a blast.” She slid the flutes to Liam one by one. He poured fresh peach puree into each, transforming them into his famous Bellinis. “To see your parents so happy. This is the least I could do.”
“We actually pulled it off.” Alyssa twisted to look out into the restaurant. She now saw what they’d been too tired to recognize at 3:00 a.m. What they thought veered toward kitschy and simple, homemade and underwhelming, looked beyond lovely—and felt like the first “good thing” Alyssa had done in a very long time.
Mirabella glowed with white linens, tablecloths, small mixed bouquets on each table, and lights, strung between the chandeliers, so tiny they looked like fairies had dropped dust on the festivities. Those had been Jeremy’s idea. He’d purchased the lights for Andante but had never strung them. And the storm that had dumped rain all Monday shifted south around sunrise and left them to celebrate under clear blue skies. Bright light shot through the windows, and the stained-glass red borders created a warm ruby cast dancing with the gold across the black-and-white tiled floor.
Alyssa shifted her attention from the scene to her mom. Janet outshone it all. Resplendent in a lavender linen dress, she stood laughing near the buffet table with one arm tucked tightly within Seth’s.
Lexi tapped Alyssa’s back. “That’s Rich Farin over there. He’s on the town council. Go talk to him.”
“Down, girl.” Alyssa spun back to her with a grin. “He already talked to me. He said he opened my application as soon as it hit his in-box yesterday morning. Then he forwarded it to the entire council.”
“And?” Lexi pressed.
“My interview, which he called a ‘mere formality,’ is on Friday. It seems you and Eve hold real sway in this town.”
“That was all you; we simply shared the work you did. Jeremy did too.” Lexi passed her a glass and lifted one for herself. “Congratulations, Miss Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce.”
“Not yet.”
“Fine.” Lexi lifted the glass an inch higher. “Then to my best friend who has finally come home.” She sipped her champagne to end the toast before Alyssa could protest again. “And to seal the deal, I’ve got a lead on an apartment for you. A studio just opened in my building.”
“I don’t need it. Dad is letting me take over his lease.”
“That’s wonderful, and convenient. That’s just a building away from Jeremy.” She lifted her chin and gazed over Alyssa’s head. “Are you pleased with your new neighbor?”
Alyssa felt Jeremy’s touch on her back as he joined her at the bar.
“More than pleased.” He leaned closer. “I’m sorry to do this, but I need to get Becca out of here. She’s getting super squirmy and I think we’re at her end.”
