Page 58 of Coming Home

The rectangular sheet cake had been a suitcase, with a US passport in the upper left corner and two wedding rings in the lower one. The center of the cake had been a showstopping Eiffel Tower, with the right side having the Seine flowing from top to bottom. Gus had etched their names in the water of the famous river and had a couple strolling alongside it.

The cake had been spectacular, and she had burst into tears on the spot. Fortunately, she was dressed in sweats and wore no makeup at that point. They took the cakes inside Boo’s house, and Willow also began to weep, telling them she had never seen such beautiful art on two cakes.

“I can’t wait to see them both,” Jackson said, bringing her back to reality. “I’ll let you go. I know you need to get ready. I love you, babe. I can’t wait to stand up and make our vows.”

“I love you,” she said, her throat thickening with unshed tears.

Ainsley climbed from her bath and dried off, opening the door to let out the steam from the bathroom. She slipped into her wedding lingerie, a delicate bra-and-panty ensemble that were mere wisps of lace, and then threw on a robe over them, leaving the bedroom to find Rylie. Gillian had arrived, looking chic in a pearl-gray suit.

She hugged the older woman, who said, “Your bouquet is in Rylie’s refrigerator. I spent the morning arranging the flowers I picked up. All of them are now at Willow’s. She helped me set them out throughout the house. And I saw the cakes!” Gillian’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you and Gus outdid yourselves.”

“Thank you for taking on all the floral arrangements, Gillian. I’m so happy to have you be a part of our wedding and celebration.”

“I’m delighted to do so, Ainsley. I thought the world of Boo, and I feel I am her eyes and ears today, watching over Jackson and Willow now.” She cupped Ainsley’s cheek. “Boo would be so pleased that you and Jackson are marrying. Boo always had a lot of faith in you, Ainsley. She told me you were as much of an artist as she was, albeit in a much different medium.”

Ainsley hugged Gillian, grateful for having this woman in her life, especially since her mother and Boo wouldn’t be here today.

Rylie entered the room. “We need to get you ready,” her cousin said, looking smashing in a navy mini, which showed off her legs. “Gillian is going to do your makeup. I’ll take care of your hair.”

“I hope that’s all right with you, dear,” Gillian said.

“You always look so pulled together, Gillian. I would be happy to have you handle my makeup. Just be sure you’re using waterproof mascara,” she joked.

Twenty minutes later, Ainsley looked at her image in the mirror. “I’m... beautiful,” she declared. “Thank you so much, Gillian. You’re going to have to teach me your tricks. You did this so quickly.”

“I think your glow is due more to being so much in love than my makeup job. Let’s get you into your wedding dress so that Rylie can work her magic.”

Ainsley shed her robe as her cousin retrieved the dress. Once she donned it, she turned, looking at it from various angles in the mirror.

“Oh, my, you look fantastic in that, Ainsley,” praised Gillian. “Jackson won’t know what hit him.”

Rylie pursed her lips in thought and then said, “I had wanted to go with soft, sexy waves, but we really do need to show off the back of this dress. I think an updo will be perfect.”

She seated herself in the chair before the mirror again.

“You can watch every step of the way,” her cousin told her, brushing Ainsley’s locks until they shone and then beginning to braid and artfully twist sections of hair.

As she watched Rylie at work, joy filled her. Yes, she was sad her parents had not lived to see her wedding day, but she hoped to be as happy as they had been in their marriage. They had struggled with money throughout it, but their hearts had been full of love for one another, as well as for her, giving her a wonderful example of what a marriage should be like.

Rylie finished her work and gave Ainsley a hand mirror. She stood and used it to inspect the back and sides of her hair. Having her hair up showed off her long neck, making it appear elegant, and the deep cut of the dress’ cowl, which draped her slender back to perfection. She placed the mirror on the vanity and gently hugged her cousin so as not to wrinkle her dress.

“You did an incredible job, Rylie. You not only have a great eye for furniture and how to put a room together, but I only hope I can return the favor someday soon. Maybe Jackson has some hot lawyer friend that will decide to chuck it all and move to the Cove and become his partner. Then you’ll fall madly in love with one another and have half a dozen babies.”

Rylie laughed. “Not happening, I’m afraid.”

Ainsley clasped her cousin’s hands. “You will find someone to love,” she promised. “And when you do, it will be magical. And forever.”

Gillian said, “We better leave for the courthouse soon. You don’t want to be late for your own wedding.”

Rylie retrieved the shoes that matched the wedding dress, and Ainsley slipped into them, thankful again for how fashionable and comfortable they were.

“One last thing,” she said, retrieving her purse and slipping out her mother’s earrings. “This way Mom will be with me. Dad, too, since he gave these to her.”

As she placed the earring’s stem through her lobe and fastened the back to it, her eyes misted with tears and she blinked them away.

They all went to the courthouse in Rylie’s car. Ainsley was grateful for the sunny day and the fact there was little to no wind. They entered the courthouse and cleared security, heading to the county clerk’s office. When they arrived, Dylan was waiting to greet them. He took Ainsley’s hands in his and kissed her cheek.

“My almost sister-in-law looks incredible.”

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