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He grinned. “What are you doing today?”

“I’ll be working on Julie’s gown. And once she’s home from school, we’re going cake tasting. Nothing that can get me flattened.”

“Then I approve.”

“Good. I was worried. Wouldn’t want you coming to my rescue a third time.”

“Just promise me if you continue jogging, you’ll be more careful. Not everyone has quick reactions.”

She titled her head and regarded him, taking him seriously now. He wasn’t being glib. He seemed truly concerned and that put a smile around her heart. “I promise.”

*

“I love it.”Julie gazed at her reflection in the mirror, a big smile on her face. She’d had parent-teacher conferences today, which meant no glue or crayons or paint, so as soon as she arrived home, she asked to try on her dress. “It’s absolutely perfect. Just what I wanted, Taylor. You promised me a gorgeous gown and you delivered.”

“I’m glad you like it, hon.” And she was doubly glad she was able to give the dress a good cleaning. The stains were only on the surface and they’d come out without a problem.

Julie moved from side to side, twirled around in her mother’s master bedroom, which was now her own, never once taking her eyes off the gown.

The sign of a satisfied bride.

“Mom would’ve loved it.” Then Julie’s face fell, the hurt behind her eyes clearly evident.

Taylor understood that look, the pain and loss that Julie was feeling as she touched the side of the veil, fingering the fine lace.

Taylor came up beside her and squeezed her shoulders, looking at her through her reflection in the mirror. “She’s here with you, Jules. Always. As long as you keep her memory close to your heart.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Here I am going on, when you lost your mother too. Auntie Sable was a great woman.”

“She was. And I miss her every day. But you know what?” She perked up her voice deliberately to change the mood. “This is a fun day and we’re going to keep it that way. Now where are Aunt Suzie’s pearls you wanted to wear with the dress?”

“I have them right here.” Julie rummaged through a five-tiered jewelry box, coming up with a crushed velvet necklace box. She opened it and weaved her hands through the pearls. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

“They are.”

Julie roped the long strand around her neck and faced the mirror. “Oh, no. Gosh,” she said quietly, frowning at her reflection, tears touching her eyes. “What do you think?”

The pearls were clearly not a match to the dress and Julie’s expression said it all. She’d had her heart set on wearing them. It was important for her to feel close to her mother on her wedding day. It was always in the plan.

But now, seeing the pearls lying over the bodice of the gown, Taylor hated to admit they were an eyesore. “I think…we’ll work around it.”

Julie’s shoulders slumped, her mouth turned downward. “How?”

Taylor shifted her mind into design mode. The gown she’d fashioned for Julie was an off-one-shoulder angular design that was held together by a thin strap overlaid with lace from front to back. Perhaps a choker or a shorter strand of pearls might’ve worked around her neck but this long strand clearly didn’t. Unless…

“Julie, take off the pearls. I have an idea.”

And once she had the pearls in hand, she doubled them up and set them over Julie’s shoulder. “What if we use them as your strap? They’re delicate enough not to look obtrusive. I can sew them on from front to back with a bit of lace underneath and then add some pearl details to the bodice, to make it all look cohesive? See, it would go from here to here.” Taylor demonstrated her idea. “I promise you, I won’t damage the pearls in any way, and it’ll look as if it was the original plan.”

“I was going to wear a pair of pearl and diamond earrings.” There was hope in Julie’s voice.

“That’s perfect,” Taylor said. “With the decorative pearl strap and earrings, you won’t need a necklace at all. The only thing prettier than the gown itself will be the bride wearing it.”

“That’s sweet, coz.” Julie’s expression softened. “And I love the idea. Mom will be with me, just like I wanted. You sure solved the problem in a quick hurry. Must mean only one thing. You’re a genius, Taylor.”