Chapter 23

If there was a more picturesque place in all the Midwest for the celebration of Megan’s wedding, Kelsey hadn’t seen it. Nestled in the rolling hills of Augusta, the winery was surrounded by brilliantly hued trees, farmlands, and the quietly meandering Missouri River in the distance.

The historic brick buildings throughout the vineyard were quaint and inviting, the trees were lit by white marbled lights, and the reception hall was a sea of white, silver, dove gray, and blush. Megan had flown home yesterday, and she looked radiant and refreshed from her magical week away.

Kelsey had left Sabrina’s house a little before noon, run by her apartment, and headed out to Augusta. After a few hours of helping Megan see to last-minute details at the winery, it had been pampering time.

Megan had done Kelsey’s hair. It was mostly pinned into a gorgeous updo, but a few strands hung loose and would hopefully hold the curl.

After Megan left, Kelsey finished getting ready on her own. The inn’s inviting king-size bed piled with pillows and a plush comforter made her salivary glands activate the way they did right before she ate something tart. It made her think about her and Kurt having the whole night here after the reception, and was probably the most exciting but intimidating thing she’d ever imagined.

A few of their make-out sessions had been more astounding than she’d ever thought possible, but none of them had been on a bed. Sabrina’s kitchen, porches, and the darkened front yard by the cars had been impromptu rendezvous spots where she’d gotten to know him physically in the same way he’d gotten to know her. But a whole night with no dogs and no interruptions and a giant, cozy bed—and a Jacuzzi for two—was almost too much to process.

Focusing on her reflection in the full-length mirror didn’t do much to ease Kelsey’s nerves. Blue jeans and shelter T-shirts were her safety net. Sweaters and boots and sundresses were a fun escape here and there, but evening gowns and Kelsey Sutton didn’t feel like they fit in the same sentence. Megan had helped her find a great dress, so she was thankful for that. The strapless, shimmery, champagne-colored dress hugged curves she had a hard time believing were hers, and the strapless push-up bra did exactly what it was supposed to. The dress was a great color with her skin and her warm-blond hair too. Added to that, her matching champagne-painted nails and three-inch heels gave her so-sexy-it-didn’t-feel-real thoughts.

The reception was down the street, less than half a mile away, and a glance at the clock reminded Kelsey it was time to get moving. Kurt had texted nearly an hour ago that he was leaving the city and he’d meet her at the winery. He’d run out and bought a suit last week just for the occasion, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to see him in one. He wore jeans and snug-fitting T-shirts so well that she wondered if he’d feel like he was playing dress-up too.

Her phone rang, startling her in the quiet room. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, dear. We’re here, fifteen minutes early, as usual. I’m not sure what I’ll do if we ever end up being casually late somewhere. It’s gorgeous though. Where are you?”

Kelsey drummed her fingers on the back of her phone. Her mom knew nothing about the room here. Kelsey didn’t plan to go into it either. With any luck, most of her mom’s and dad’s attention would be on the newlyweds tonight. “Just down the street getting ready at the inn where Megan has a room.” It was the partial truth, at least. “I’m on my way out the door though. I’ll be there in a few.”

“Don’t rush on our account. The bar’s open, and there are some delicious hors d’oeuvres.”

After hanging up, Kelsey did a quick brush of her teeth, spritzed both herself and the bed with her nearly empty bottle of Happy perfume, and slipped into her heels. It was go time.

She stepped out of her room to a burst of applause from Megan down the hall. “Look at you, Kels. I actually had to do a double take to be sure it was you walking out of that room.”

Kelsey stuck her tongue out playfully. “When I trip in these heels, you’ll know it’s me for sure.”

The whole Williams crew was heading to the center stairway: Craig, Megan, and Sophie and Reese, his kids from his first marriage.

Megan had told Kelsey yesterday that after a bit of indecision, she’d chosen to take Craig’s last name for her own and change her middle name to Anderson. The baby on the way helped with the decision, she’d said, and Kelsey understood.

Dressed in a high-waisted, full-length wisteria evening gown, Megan looked elegant and not even close to six months pregnant. She’d been married in a different dress, a cream one that Kelsey liked just as much. Photos taken during their ceremony would cycle on two large-screen TVs at tonight’s event. Kelsey wasn’t versed enough in men’s clothing to know if Craig was wearing a suit or tux, but it was black and fitted, and with a white shirt and a wisteria tie, he not only complemented Megan, but looked absolutely stellar.

Craig nodded her way. “You look great.”

“Yeah,” Sophie said. “Beautiful.”

“Well, so do you,” Kelsey replied, admiring the gold flowered cocktail dress that complemented Sophie’s changing thirteen-year-old figure, and saying nothing to directly acknowledge Craig. He was simply too good-looking for her to feel comfortable taking a compliment from him.

“I thought I was running late.”

Megan wrinkled her nose. “I think we all are. Getting this group ready was nothing short of a miracle. But we’ll make an entrance, and there isn’t a single cell phone or video game on one of our bodies.” She waggled her eyebrows in Reese’s direction. “We’re hoping to entice everyone to dance and have fun and make the most of a special night. And just saying, we may have had to bribe them with all-you-can-eat pancakes tomorrow.”

“I’ll go, but I’m not going to dance,” Reese said, his hands shoved into his pockets. Kelsey had gotten to know the sweet but standoffish boy fairly well, and she’d certainly seen him look less interested in going somewhere, so that was something at least.

“That’s a shame,” Kelsey said, “because I was really hoping you’d help me break the ice out on that floor. I kinda feel like I won’t see you in a suit again until you graduate.”

Craig chuckled. “If Reese has any say in it, not even then.”

“Do you want to ride with us?” Sophie asked as they descended the stairs together. “We’re riding over together, but our housekeeper is going to bring us back here at eleven. Reese and I have our own room with two double beds, and we’re allowed to stay up as late as we want.”

“That’s cool. And thanks, but I’d better drive. If I had to ride back alone with your dad and Megan, I’d feel like I needed to serenade them or something. If you’d like, you can ride over with me. I haven’t seen you in a month, I don’t think.” Sophie was one of the shelter’s junior volunteers and one of Kelsey’s favorites.

She was thankful when Sophie took her up on the offer, giving her a bit of companionship and keeping her calm before her big night with Kurt.