CHAPTER NINETEEN
There was no time for a nap when they returned to the B&B. After thanking Angie for stepping in at the last second for breakfast, Taylor found that her cleaning staff had an emergency elsewhere and couldn’t come. Justin insisted on helping to scrub bathrooms and change sheets and vacuum, but when his sister called to let him know that they actually did need his help setting up for the rehearsal dinner that night, Taylor insisted that he go.
It was hard to believe that the wedding was tomorrow, she thought as she took a breather on the foot of the king bed in one of the upstairs suites. Where had the week gone?
The mattress and duvet that she’d picked out for this room were so soft and cozy that she was tempted to curl up and take a little nap. But not only would the rooms not clean themselves, she also had treats to bake for afternoon tea and a mountain of paperwork to get through before Justin came back to collect her for the rehearsal dinner.
Thankfully, all she needed to perk up her flagging energy was to look down at the beautiful engagement ring sparkling on her finger. She finished cleaning and then moved on to baking, and every time the sunlight caught in the petal-shaped diamonds, she was surprised and delighted all over again.
Justin would be telling his family this afternoon—and she hoped they’d be happy that she would soon be joining their family. The only one she was worried about, to be honest, was his father.
She couldn’t imagine Michael Morrison would be happy to hear that one of his sons was marrying a woman with kidney disease. Not after the family had already been through so much with Lisa’s illness and death.
Taylor had been planning to call her parents immediately after the hot air balloon ride, but when her mom texted to say that they were heading down to Saratoga Springs for the weekend to a little B&B they’d been to for their honeymoon, she decided her call could wait. She couldn’t remember her parents ever doing anything for themselves—everything had always been about Taylor and her brother. Their talk yesterday had helped Taylor feel better about things. Maybe it had helped her mother too—enough that she was off to have a romantic weekend with her husband for the first time in nearly thirty years.
Before she knew it, the afternoon had wound down, Taylor had given all of her guests restaurant recommendations, and it was time for her to get ready for Drew and Ashley’s rehearsal dinner. She longed for a bath, but she’d likely fall asleep in the warm water. Thankfully, after forcing herself into a briskly cool shower, she felt much more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Justin walked into the cottage just as she was putting the finishing touches on her makeup at the antique table in her bedroom.
“I keep thinking I’m going to get used to how beautiful you are.” She was wearing pink silk tonight, her dress cut in a figure-hugging style that flattered her curves while not giving away any intimate secrets. “But it’s never going to happen.”
“I feel exactly the same way.” He was beyond gorgeous in a dark suit. So gorgeous that she was sorely tempted to peel the fabric off his broad shoulders. “How did I ever get so lucky?”
He moved behind her in the mirror, and as she looked at the two of them together, she felt like a princess who had miraculously found her prince.
“Something tells me you’re going to get even luckier after dinner tonight,” he told her in a husky voice as he held out his hand to help her up.
She slipped on her heels, grabbed her purse, and then they headed out through her garden to the car. “What did everyone say when you told them we were engaged?”
“They’re thrilled.”
“Even your father?”
He looked at her like she was nuts for even asking. “He wasn’t there this afternoon, but I know he’ll be overjoyed by the news when we tell him tonight. And honestly,” he continued, “none of them seemed particularly surprised. In fact, I’d say there was plenty of credit-taking going on, given that they all conspired to book my week here.”
“I hope Ashley and Drew don’t feel as though we’re trying to overshadow their special day.” Maybe it was lack of sleep that had her worrying about everything so much right now.
“If you ask me, they were the happiest of all. Two giddy people in love always think everyone else should be in love too. And to be honest, I get that now.” He shot her a devious look. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could figure out how to get Grant to fall for someone? Especially if it’s the last woman he ever thought he would fall for.”
“It sure would,” she agreed. “But what about Olivia and Maddie? Don’t you want to see them fall in love too?”
His mouth flattened into a stubborn line that she couldn’t help but find cute. “No one will ever be good enough for them.”
“You’re going to have to stop protecting them at some point, you know.”
“Nope,” he said, pretending to put his fingers in his ears. “Not listening.”
Clearly, this was an argument for another day. Good thing his sisters had her and Ashley and Serena on their side. Otherwise, who knew what shenanigans the Morrison brothers would pull to keep them forever locked up in chastity belts? Taylor knew firsthand how overrated safe was.
The venue Ashley and Drew had chosen for their rehearsal dinner was extraordinary. Rather than booking a private room in the back of a restaurant, they had found a wine cellar that had been carved into the mountain, with large windows on one end that looked over a pond that reflected the rising moon.
And yet, even though the beauty of her surroundings was undeniable, Taylor still couldn’t settle her nerves. Not even when Justin’s brothers and sisters embraced her with open arms as soon as they stepped into the cellar.
“Congratulations!” Maddie cried.
“We always knew you two would end up together one day,” Olivia stated with a huge smile on her face.
“I’m so happy that I’m going to have another great sister-in-law soon,” Sean said as he bear-hugged her.
“And can I just say how happy I am to know that there’s another woman out there I can call when my own Morrison twin is making my head spin?” Serena said with an affectionate eyeroll in Sean’s direction.
“You know you love the way I make your head spin,” Sean said, giving her a kiss clearly intended to make his point.
Drew and Ashley hugged her as a pair. “We’re so happy for you.”
“You’re both so sweet,” Taylor said, “but I feel bad about coming in with our news when this weekend is supposed to be all about you two.”
“Are you kidding? Your engagement has made our wedding weekend even more epic!” Taylor was relieved to see that Drew genuinely meant it. “And now that we’ve got the love vibes really cooking,” he said as Grant walked over, “I’m thinking it’s time to set our sights on some of the bigger holdouts in the family. Cupid’s arrow is unavoidable, you know.”
Grant seemed not to hear—clearly, he had a great deal of practice in not letting himself be wound up by his siblings. He leaned over to give Taylor a kiss on the cheek. “It’s great to see you, Taylor. Justin gave us the good news earlier. Congratulations. We’re all very happy for you both.”
She believed he meant it, but she could also see a hint of reserve in his eyes. “Would you mind if we talked privately for a moment?” she asked.
“Sure.” Ever the gentleman, he asked if she would be too cold talking outside. When she said she would be just fine, he led her into a private corner of the garden.
“I know you must have some questions about how quickly Justin and I got engaged,” she made herself say despite her nerves.
“Not at all,” Grant replied before she could say anything more. “You’ve been a part of our family for nearly a decade. The truth is that we’ve always hoped you and Justin would become more than friends.”
“That’s a lovely thing for you to say.” The Morrisons were all protective of each other, but Taylor knew that Grant, as the oldest, looked out for his siblings with an eagle eye. “I promise you, I won’t ever do anything to hurt him.” She couldn’t leave it there, though. “Not intentionally.” She clasped her hands in front of her to try to stop their shaking.
“You’re cold. We should go in.”
“Not yet. I know you must have terribly mixed feelings about the idea of Justin donating his kidney to me. And I want you to know that I do too. If it turns out that he’s a match, I don’t know what I’ll do. Because I could never live with myself if anything happened to him.”
He stared at her for a long moment. Taylor knew that Grant was never one to make flash judgments or jump to conclusions. He looked at everything from as many angles as possible before making decisions—decisions that were nearly always the right ones. She could hardly breathe as she waited for his response. What if he thought it would be selfish of her to accept Justin’s offer?
“None of us can make Justin’s decision for him. Nor can we make yours.” He was as serious as she’d ever seen him. “But I want you to know that I understand why he wants to give you one of his kidneys. If I were in his shoes, I believe I would do the same thing.”
Relief swamped her. A beat later, however, she realized relief had come too soon.
“I didn’t want you to come here tonight unaware of the fact that my father is having a tough time with it, though.”
She swallowed hard. “Of course he is.”
“I don’t believe he’ll actively stand in Justin’s way,” Grant said, “but at this point, I’m not sure he’s ready to support him either.”
Suddenly, Taylor felt every minute of the sleep she’d missed. Her skin felt dry and tight, her limbs heavy, and she had to fight the urge to weep.
“I won’t let him do it.” She couldn’t stand the thought of coming between Justin and his father. “I’ll find another donor, but even if I don’t, I won’t let my situation pull Justin and your father apart.”
Grant put his hand on her arm as though to soothe her, but she barely noticed. “Dad just needs some time to get used to the idea.”
“No.” She’d been right in the beginning when she’d told Justin she couldn’t let him be her donor. “I need to tell your father that even if Justin is a match, I won’t let him go into surgery. I won’t risk anything happening to him.”
“Taylor—” Grant stepped in front of her before she could dash into the cellar to find Michael Morrison. “None of us are going to be able to keep Justin from doing what he wants to do, what he believes is right. He loves you, and he’ll do anything for you. And it seems to me that rejecting a donation from him would have as many risks as saying yes. Maybe even more, since he’ll never forgive himself if your health takes a turn for the worse and he could have done something to stop it but didn’t. Our father just needs some time. He knows how much you mean to Justin and how much Justin means to you. He also knows how much you loved our mother and how much she loved you.” It was the most she’d ever heard Grant say at one time, the most impassioned speech she’d ever heard from him. “Grief can make a person blind sometimes,” he added in a rough voice, “but he’ll come around. Can you trust me on that?”
She knew what Grant wanted her to say. And even though she’d sworn she wouldn’t follow other people’s plans for her life anymore, she couldn’t stand the thought of spoiling Ashley and Drew’s wedding weekend.
She nodded and forced her lips up into what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’ve always trusted you, Grant. You’re the best big brother Justin could ever have.” Feeling tears about to rush in again, she gave him a hug. “I’m just going to pop into the ladies’ room for a second. See you back inside.”
Thankfully, it was a large private room, complete with a small daybed that she could sit on while she put her head in her hands and tried not to feel as though everything had just gone terribly, horribly wrong.