Page 20 of Never Quiet

Such things would likely happen a lot in the coming years.

She thought it was better if she didn’t reply to his message. Considering the mental and emotional maturity of most girls his age, it probably wouldn’t be appreciated by his date.

Part of her felt petty and she didn’t like the way it felt at all.

* * *

After the first of the year, her grandmother hired Mandy to help her and Tara with exhibits.

One afternoon, it was just Mandy and Caroline in the gallery. She thought it was a good time to get to the bottom of her grandmother’s hesitation to plan her nuptials.

“When is your wedding? I’m so ready for another one.”

Caroline placed her hands on the podium and looked like she was gathering her thoughts. “I’m fifty-seven. It seems odd for someone like me to have a wedding.”

“No. It doesn’t. You and Pops are a gorgeous couple.”

“Pops. I could strangle Noel.” Sighing, she said, “It…I feel a little embarrassed to make a big deal.”

“But you want to. Don’t you? That’s what it is. You want magnificent luxury to celebrate your relationship and that’s what you feel guilty about.”

“I want the entire thing. Three days of rehearsal dinner, an extravagant wedding, and post-wedding brunch. Then I want a honeymoon to somewhere I’ve never been.”

Walking around the podium, Mandy took her hands. “Then that’s damn well what we’re going to do. We’re going to go nuts and give you the wedding you deserve. When?”

Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, Caroline confessed, “I want to get married in the spring. When everything starts to bloom.”

“Are we doing it here?”

“I want to get married on the roof and have the reception here.” She looked nervous. “We’d have to take apart Noel’s obstacle course.”

“She’ll deal. A tent wedding on the roof with tons of flowers and then the reception down here. Art?”

“Photos of our life together and our family, our friends. All done in black and white, stretched canvas, no frames.”

“Your caterer is awesome. The florist you always use can handle this. See? We have the entire thing planned. Let’s do it. It’ll be our secret until everyone gets invites.”

“I love you, Mandy. So very much.”

“I love you, too. I want you to have everything you want and deserve, Grandma. Start looking for your dress and we’re going to get everything done by a date in mid-April. You pick and we’ll get the stationery done.”

The wedding held on the nineteenth day of April in the year 2014 was the height of luxury, beauty, and class.

It was also one filled with incredible love.

Caroline Lang married William Woodring on the roof of her warehouse with her daughter, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and Tara standing beside her. William asked Nate, Rick, Morgan, and Harrison to stand with him. Callileah walked down the aisle without a cane as she and two-year-old Heather scattered white rose petals.

Mandy stared at her grandmother’s face as she appeared in the threshold leading to the third floor. The love and nervousness on her face made tears well in Mandy’s eyes. Turning to look at the man who swept a discerning woman off her feet every day they were together, her breath caught.

The way Bill looked at Caroline.

That’s what she hoped to have one day. A man looking at her the way her grandfather looked at her grandmother.

At that moment, Mandy made a promise to herself to never settle for less than she wanted, less than she deserved.

For ultimate happiness, one required ultimate patience.

* * *

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