Page 18 of Fa-La-La-La Faking It
“I wanted to stop by and share some news with Gram. This works out great, because now I can talk to both of you at the same time.” Ford’s hands were clasped loosely in front of him, but Adaline was gettingfamily meetingvibes, which gave her pause.
Her leg started jiggling as she narrowed her gaze at him. She’d had enough surprises lately. She wasn’t sure if she could take another one. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He arched a brow at her and made a big show of pressing down on her knee, forcing her leg to go still. “Dramatic much?”
The collective voices of the Ghosts of Boyfriends Past boomed in Adaline’s head.This is a lot...you’rejust a lot.
“Sorry.” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. When would she learn to just chill for half a second? “We’re excited to hear your mystery news, whatever it is. Right, Gram?”
“Right,” Gram said as she took two tiny Milk-Bone biscuits from the pocket of her pink terrycloth housecoat—a Valentine’s Day gift from Adaline—and offered one to Fuzzy and the other to Coco.
Fuzzy chomped his down in record time and then delicately plucked Coco’s biscuit from her mechanical mouth after Gram had switched her focus to Ford.
“Go ahead and tell us.” Gram pushed a button on the arm of her chair and the recliner’s footrest popped open. Fuzzy gave a start in her lap. Coco, as always, remained perfectly unruffled.
“Maple and I are getting married.” Right on cue, Ford’s face split into a dopey grin the way it always did when he talked about Maple. It was both adorable and nauseating in equal parts.
You’re happy for them,Adaline reminded herself.You don’t really want what they have anyway. You’ve already decided to live happily-ever-after with Fuzzy.
The love and devotion of a dog was purely unconditional. Never mind the fact that Fuzzy’s life expectancy was significantly shorter than Adaline’s. And never mind the fact that even though Fuzzy was the sweetest, most wonderful thing that had ever happened to her, she still felt the tiniest bit lonely every time she thought about attending her brother’s wedding without a date. She’d made up her mind, or rather, circumstances had made up her mind for her.
“We know you’re getting married.” Adaline tried her best to keep an edge out of her tone, but honestly, was a repeat grand announcement of their engagement truly necessary? “You proposed months ago. We heard all about it.”
They’d also seen the video of the proposal Ford had captured on a nanny cam he’d hidden in the belly of a stuffed dog toy tucked on a bookshelf in Maple’s living room. Adaline was mortified to admit it had made her cry big, fat, ugly tears—even the part where Lady Bird had snatched the dog toy off the shelf, affording viewers an up close and personal view of the golden retriever’s tonsils.
“We’re so happy for you, Fordy,” Gram said, using the pet name from his childhood that only she could get away with now that he was a grown man. “But even I haven’t forgotten you’re engaged. Just how bad do you think my memory is, anyway?”
Adaline bit back a smile.Sharp as a dang tack.
“Clearly my excitement has gotten the best of me and I’ve botched this announcement. Let me start over.” Ford took a deep breath. “Maple and I talked things over last night, and neither one of us wants to wait for a spring wedding. We’re in love, and we just want to be together. Sooner rather than later.”
Adaline’s eyes filled, but she blinked away the tears before anyone could see. At least, she hoped so.
“Fordy, that’s wonderful news. Just wonderful,” Gram said while Adaline swallowed against the lump in her throat.
Joy leapt in Ford’s eyes, and despite the tug of envy Adaline felt deep in her chest, she’d never been happier for her brother. He deserved this. It had taken a long time—and ultimately, falling in love with Maple—for Ford to stop taking care of others long enough to let someone tend tohisheart andhishopes and dreams. He and Maple were a true partnership. A perfect match.
“We’re moved the ceremony to Christmas Eve,” Ford said, abruptly pulling Adaline out of her reverie.
Her head snapped toward Ford. “But that’s in just a few weeks.”
“Exactly.” Her brother shrugged one shoulder. Ah, the poor lovesick fool. Had he and Maple both lost their minds?
“You can’t just throw together a wedding in less than a month. At Christmas, no less.” Adaline glanced at Gram, expecting her to jump in any second and back her up.
But her grandmother simply pressed a hand to her heart and smiled. “You grandfather and I got married during Christmas, you know. In that sweet white chapel on Dogwood Drive.”
“I know.” Ford regarded Gram thoughtfully. “So are we. It was our first choice.”
Gram’s eyes went glassy, and suddenly, Adaline saw the whole picture. Ford and Maple didn’t simply want to accelerate their plans because they were too in love to wait for spring. In part, they were doing this for Gram. Ford wanted her there, and no one knew what the future might look like for their grandmother. Tomorrow wasn’t promised to anyone, as Ford knew all too well. When he was just a kid, he’d lost his best friend to leukemia. The loss had changed Ford so profoundly that Adaline had scarcely recognized her brother afterward. As an adult, she’d watched him channel all that grief into caring for his patients. And now here he was, doing what he could to treasure their grandmother before it was too late.
“A Christmas Eve wedding at Bluebonnet Chapel sounds perfect,” Adaline said, throat going thick.
“I knew you’d come around.” Ford flashed her a quick wink. “We won’t even need to decorate the chapel because the pastor told us they’d leave the poinsettias up from the twilight Christmas Eve service. We want to keep things simple and intimate. Close friends and family only.”
“And Lady Bird, of course,” Adaline and Gram said at the exact same time.
Ford nodded. “She’s going to be the flower girl.”
