“Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Mr. and Mrs. George Laurence.”
Meredith applauded with the other three hundred people in the room, emotion once again trying to get the better of her at the sight of how happy Anne was.
“Miss Meredith?”
She turned. One of their longtime servers stood behind her, a tray of champagne flutes filled with Major’s secret recipe fruit tea. Meredith gratefully took a glass.
Henry looked at the beverage contemplatively. “Unlike my brother, I’ve yet to grow accustomed to the idea of cold, sweetened tea.”
“Ah, yes, then you’ll want...” Meredith touched his arm for balance as she raised up on tiptoe to look around for a server with a different option. She caught the eye of one and motioned him over.
“What’s this?” Henry took a glass of the clear, fizzy liquid.
“Sparkling water. George’s choice.”
“Excellent.”
Jenn joined them and slipped her arm through Henry’s. “I can’t believe you left me at the mercy of Great-Aunt Edith, Mere. You know how much she likes to harp on me because I’m not married yet.” Jenn batted her lashes at Henry.
“Why do you think I escaped?” Meredith winked at her sister. On more than one occasion, Edith had offered to set Meredith up with some “fine young man” she knew. She considered that a moment. Edith herself had married quite well—Great-Uncle Rodney had been handsome and wealthy.
If things got dire, maybe she’d take Edith up on her offer. She laughed to herself.
“Here you are.” Ward encircled Meredith’s waist with one arm and kissed her temple.
Meredith introduced him to Henry and then to Forbes, again, who materialized out of the crowd of people trying to greet Anne and George. “But Forbes, where’s your date?”
His eyes scanned the crowd, but his face looked a bit redder than normal. “She ... she had something come up at the last minute and couldn’t come.”
“Something?” Jenn cocked her head and gave him a speculative stare.
“She got engaged last night.”
Meredith and Jenn both groaned.
“Not another one who agreed to go out with you just to make her longtime boyfriend jealous?” If Meredith could ever figure this dating thing out, she’d have to teach Forbes how to do it, too.
“Yeah, something like that.” He shook himself slightly, as if trying to dislodge his embarrassment. “Hey, what are we supposed to be doing right now?”
“This is technically what’s considered to be the cocktail hour. At seven, the DJ will announce dinner; once everyone’s seated, Reverend Kinnard will say the blessing before food service begins. At seven forty-five, the toasts begin—Henry, then me, then Uncle Errol and Aunt Maggie.”
Meredith visualized the list in her head. “At eight o’clock is the first dance—Anne and George. Then Anne will dance with Uncle Errol, and George will dance with Aunt Maggie since his mom couldn’t be here, and the attendants will join on that one—me with Henry, Jenn with Forbes. Then the floor’s open to everyone for dancing.”
Around her, Jenn, Forbes, Henry, and Ward all looked at her in astonishment.
“What?”
“Pray, continue,” Henry said. “I had no idea all of this would be happening.”
Heat rushed into her face at her ability to be a dork no matter what circumstance she was in. “Well, at nine o’clock, they’ll cut the cake. Dancing will resume. And at nine thirty, Jenn, Aunt Maggie, and I will go with Anne to help her change out of her dress into her going-away outfit, and at ten o’clock, they’ll leave. Forbes, you’ll need to make sure we get out of here with George’s tux so we can take it with Anne’s dress to the dry cleaner on Monday.”
“I’ll be sure to do that.” Forbes nodded.
“Meredith Guidry, there you are!”
She turned at the somewhat shrill female voice. “Hello, Mrs. McCord.” She let the mayor’s wife take her hands and kiss her cheek—well, kiss the air with her cheek pressed to Meredith’s.
“I tried to find you after the banquet to tell you that it was absolutely the most wonderful event I’ve ever attended. You outdid yourself, young lady.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. McCord.”
“And you looked positively darling on TV afterward. You’re so photogenic. And that Major O’Hara—if he isn’t just the yummiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. How long have the two of you been together?”
“We’ve worked together for a little over eight years now.”
The mayor’s wife simpered. “No, dear, I mean how long have you been dating?”
Meredith was acutely aware of Ward standing right beside her. “I’m not dating Major. We’re colleagues, nothing more.”
“Well, then you must be blind to the way that boy looks at you—as if you hung the moon and stars. I’m sure everyone watching that program thought the same thing I did, that your wedding would be the next one we’d see announced in the paper.”
“Mrs. McCord, may I introduce you to my date, Ward Breaux?” Meredith moved a little sideways to pull Ward into the conversation.
“Oh—my.” The older woman looked like she might attempt a swoon after taking her time to drag her gaze up Ward’s striking figure to his handsome face.
“Ward, this is Mrs. McCord, first lady of Bonneterre.”
He shook the woman’s hand and answered her questions about his family and what he did for a living. As it turned out, Mrs. McCord and Ward’s mother had been in the same sorority together in college.
Mrs. McCord turned to Meredith. “That means your mother would know Ward’s mother as well, Meredith, as Mairee and I pledged Tri-Delt together our freshman year. If I recall, Ward, your mother was two years ahead of us.”
“Really?” Meredith exchanged a raised-brow look with Ward. “I’ll have to ask her later if she remembers Ward’s mom.”
“You do that.” Mrs. McCord waved at someone beyond Meredith. “I’ve got to run—oh, but I will be calling you Monday to set up a time to come in and talk about Easter in the Park. It’s time we get in the hunt on that.” Her laughter trailed behind her after she walked away.
“Was that supposed to be funny?” Jenn asked when Meredith and Ward turned to rejoin the group.
“Hunt—the Easter egg hunt. Get it?”
“Oh. Ha-ha.” Jenn smirked. “So, Ward, Meredith hasn’t told us much about you.” Even hanging on to Henry’s arm, Jenn seemed to have no shame in flirting with someone else.
Ward talked a little about his family and his business. Meredith allowed her gaze to wander around the room, catching details that most attendees at this soiree would never notice—Lori talking to the DJ, the number of black-and-white-clad servers walking around with the trays of hot hors d’oeuvres, the little knot of servers gathered at the mouth of the hall leading to the kitchen.
Without really thinking about what she was doing, Meredith excused herself and crossed the room to the service hallway. By the time she got over there, the servers had dispersed. But now that she was this close to the kitchen, she might as well stick her head in and see how everything was going.
She’d barely pushed the door open when the nearest person yelled, “Civilian in the kitchen.”
Though on a smaller scale, the frenetic pace of the kitchen was very much like what it had been on Valentine’s Day.
“May I help—oh, it’s you.” Major wiped his hands on a towel and draped it over his shoulder. “You look beautiful, Meredith.”
She was pretty sure even her shoulders were blushing. “Thanks. How’s everything going in here?”
“Is it my imagination, or are you supposed to be not working tonight?” The dimple appeared in his left cheek, though he tried to keep his expression stern.
“I just...” She shrugged. “Busted.”
“Since you are a guest and not part of the staff tonight, I have to order you out of the kitchen.” He pressed his fingertips to his earpiece. “Especially since I just got the five-minute warning until salad service. So,” he reached behind her and pushed the door open, “please vacate the service area of the premises.”
She caught the tip of her tongue between her teeth—he was so close to her. All she had to do was raise up on her toes and she’d be within a millimeter of kissing him.
She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “Yes, Chef.” Her voice squeaked, and she turned and fled the kitchen.
She was halfway through her Chateaubriand before her heart returned to a normal rate and she stopped imagining what would have happened if she hadn’t backed away and practically run from the kitchen. Major would have been mortified if she’d kissed him in front of his staff, and possibly offended.
Mrs. McCord’s words had wrecked Meredith’s ability to ignore her romantic thoughts about Major. And even if Major did feel something for her, she couldn’t do anything until she had a conversation with Ward to tell him the truth about her feelings toward him.
“And now, the bride and groom will share their first dance.”
George led Anne out to the open space in the middle of the room to the guests’ soft applause. Out of the three songs Anne had narrowed the choices to, “True Love” had been Meredith’s favorite. And she was really glad that Anne had been able to find the recording of Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly singing it, because it was a little slower, more romantic, than the Dean Martin version Anne had played for her a few weeks ago.
As soon as that song ended, the DJ invited Errol, Maggie, and the attendants to join Anne and George on the dance floor. When the first notes of “That’s Amore” started playing, Meredith giggled, nerves pressing at her throat. Even though Anne had taught her several different steps, Meredith was by no means comfortable with the task of dancing, especially since Henry was so graceful it made her feel like an elephant trying to balance on a tightrope.
Thankfully, it was a short song. Meredith was just about to escape when Ward stopped her.
“May I?” He extended his hand.
She shook her head. “I’m not really a dancer.”
“You looked wonderful out there.” He took her hand and led her back onto the dance floor. “If you’re truly awful, we’ll stop, I promise.”
Not only was Ward good, but he also softly sang along with “It Had to Be You” as he whisked Meredith around the floor. But two dances were enough for Meredith. She went and sat down with Forbes while Ward partnered up with Jenn.
“Do you think Jenn’s seriously interested in Henry, or is it just because he’s new and different?” Forbes asked.
“New and different. She’s got her eye on Ward now, too.” And from the way Ward was looking at Jenn while they slow-danced to a song Meredith had never heard before, he might not mind spending some time with Jenn.
“You don’t think she’d try to steal him away from you?” Forbes leaned forward, concern evident in his slate blue eyes.
“It won’t be stealing.” She leaned across the table to retrieve her glass of tea.
“I see.” Forbes resumed his more relaxed posture. “You’ve already told Jenn that?”
“Yeah. But I need to tell Ward.”
“Best do it now.” Forbes nodded at the two of them coming toward the table together.
She’d hoped to put it off as long as possible, but she could see the struggle in Ward’s eyes when he sat down beside her.
Forbes sighed and stood. “Come on, Jenn. Dance with your decrepit old brother.”
Ward reached over and took Meredith’s hand. “You don’t look like you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Ward ... there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Sounds serious.” He rubbed his thumb against the palm of her hand.
“It is.” She pulled her hand out of his and rested it on her lap. “It’s something I should have told you awhile back, but I’ve been putting it off, hoping things would change.”
He leaned forward and braced his hands on his knees. “Hoping things would change—as in the way you feel about me?”
“Yeah.” She drew the word out. “I have had so much fun going out with you, and I have never felt more cherished and admired than I have since I met you.”
“But you aren’t falling in love with me.” Kindness permeated his voice and soft smile. “Would it surprise you to learn that I’m not in love with you either?”
Breathing came a little easier. “A little. Why keep asking me out if...?”
“Because I wanted to fall in love with you. On paper, Meredith Guidry is the perfect woman for me.”
“But I’m not the same person in real life that I am on paper?”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean that every quality that I’ve ever dreamed of finding in a woman, I found in you.”
“But the spark isn’t there.” She began to relax, understanding that he really did feel the same way she did.
“Exactly.”
“I was seeing definite sparks between you and Jenn.” She grinned at his surprise. “Henry leaves day after tomorrow, and while she’s having fun flirting with him, when I told her I was going to break up with you, she wanted to know if that meant you were fair game. So I’m giving you the same blessing I gave her: go for it.”
And he did. As soon as Jenn came off the dance floor with Forbes, Ward took her right back out and relinquished her to Henry only twice.
“I’m proud of you, Mere.”
“Hmm?” Meredith hadn’t caught all of what Forbes said. She was too caught up in watching Major make his way around the room. It must be almost time for the cake cutting, since he’d said he was going to make an appearance for that.
A sudden welling of emotion took Meredith by surprise. She’d wished, wanted, hoped, desired, prayed for so long that what Mrs. McCord had said would come true—that she would marry Major O’Hara. The desire to melt into a heap of tears, in private, drew her to her feet, but before she could disappear and give into the temptation, Anne waved her over to the table where the enormous cake Aunt Maggie had created stood.
As soon as Anne and George had finished feeding cake to each other and the servers had taken over cutting the masterpiece into pieces for the guests, Meredith slipped out the front door and followed the wraparound porch to the place overlooking the lake that lay between Lafitte’s and the university campus.
She immediately wished she’d stopped to get her wrap as the cool, damp air prickled her arms and cheeks. But she didn’t feel like going back inside to get it. She’d come out here to feel miserable, and being cold only added to her self-pity.
Leaning against one of the pillars, she wrapped her arms around her middle and gave into the tears that had been building for weeks, months, years. Tonight she’d lost Anne and Ward. Though Anne would never cease being her cousin and friend, their relationship would never be the same again—she’d seen the hints of that over the past six months since Anne and George met. And even though she hadn’t been in love with Ward, at least she’d had the appearance and comfort of having a boyfriend for a couple of months.
“Lord, what’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t anyone want me? Are You trying to show me that I’m going to be alone for the rest of my life?”
She wasn’t really sure she expected an answer. For years, she’d been praying the same prayer in different ways, but basically asking for one thing: a husband. Someone, as the song said, to watch over her. The one person who would not only flatter her vanity and make her feel cherished, the way Ward had, but who stirred the very embers of her soul, the way Major did.
But maybe Anne had been right. Maybe she should be praying for something other than for Major to come to his senses. She closed her eyes. “Lord, I’ve been begging for You to make Major return my feelings for a long time now. And I’ve never once prayed to ask You to show me Your will in my relationship with him—or any relationships. Father, please help me to be content with where I am and what I have in my life, and to be looking for the ways in which I can make myself a better person and serve You better.”
The muscles in her shoulders cramped with the cold, and she shivered violently. But she couldn’t go back inside. Not yet. Not until she got all the tears out of her system. She hoped God would start giving her that contentment soon, because right now, all she had was a great big, empty, gaping hole of loneliness.
“You know, you really shouldn’t be out here without a coat.”
Warmth enveloped Meredith’s shoulders—and the scent that was unmistakably Major’s. She snuggled into his leather jacket even as she tried to wipe away any evidence she’d been crying.
“How’d you know where to find me?” Hoping her supposedly waterproof eye makeup hadn’t run, she turned, her heart wrenching at the familiar and beloved sight of him in his pristine white chef’s jacket.
He reached over and pulled the collar of the jacket closed under her chin. “I always try to make sure I know where you are.”
The gruffness in his voice nearly keeled her over. “Oh.”
“Meredith, I—” He swallowed a couple of times. “I’m sorry Ward Breaux hurt you the way he did tonight. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him blatantly and openly flirting with Jenn right in front of you.”
A sob-laugh burst from Meredith’s throat. “He didn’t hurt me. I told him tonight that I don’t have any feelings for him—not romantically anyway—and I gave him and Jenn both my blessing.”
“Your blessing?” Major moved closer, clasping her shoulders, his eyes midnight blue in the faint moonlight. “You’re saying you’re not in love with Ward Breaux?”
“Yes, I’m—”
Major’s lips pressed to hers in a kiss that buckled Meredith’s knees. She kissed him back with all the intensity eight years of hoping for this moment had built inside of her.
When the kiss finally ended, Major pulled her into his arms and pressed his cheek to her hair. “I love you, Meredith. I have for a very long time.”
She laughed. God hadn’t taken very long in answering her prayer for contentment.