Page 91 of Banter & Blushes #1

ZAKI

I let out a long breath and waved to Arwyn’s mother, who was now jogging toward us. It had been over a year since they’d seen each other.

As I watched their reunion, I couldn’t have been happier.

When Mrs. Baughn had called me for a video chat after Arwyn emailed her about my proposal, I’d never been more nervous in my life.

This woman was most likely a CIA operative or something similar, and I knew I was about to get grilled.

She introduced herself as “Baughn. Alyce Baughn.” I laughed so hard, and she didn’t crack a smile.

After over a half hour of questioning, she’d finally smiled but insisted on meeting me before the wedding.

Not because she didn’t approve—I’d emailed her before I proposed to ask permission to marry her daughter.

She’d done a full background check before she gave her blessing.

She wanted to see her girl and meet me and the twins.

It had been my idea to move the wedding up so that she could be there for it.

But I still worried how Arwyn would take it.

Was I being too presumptuous? Too eager?

Too— Zaki? The last thing I wanted to do was add to any wedding nerves or doubts that she had.

I sure had enough of those for both of us.

Not about our love or commitment to each other.

I worried that I’d mess it up, like I had my first marriage.

I’d grown up and learned a lot since then, but at the core, I couldn’t change who I was.

Wanting the best for those I love and for them to experience life to the fullest was both my strength and my weakness .

They walked arm-in-arm back to me, and I held out my hand. “Great to finally meet you, Mrs. Baughn.”

“Call me Alyce.” Her grip was firm, just what I’d expect from a military professional. “We have a lot of work to do. Where are you with the planning?”

“Mom, I haven’t even said ‘yes’ yet!” Arwyn smiled.

“Well, tell the man ‘yes’!”

“I…” She looked from me to her mother. “I haven’t finished my dress. There’s so much to do! Where? How? The girls?”

I held up my palms. “Here, on Sunday. Late morning ceremony, then brunch on the beach. The team will still be here. Montgomery Biddington booked a private jet to fly in our friends from Colorado that aren’t already here for Flynn’s wedding.

I’ve already booked accommodations for them all.

My parents will drive down from Quebec City on Friday.

They’ll stay in our cabin overnight with the girls on Sunday so we can stay there. ” I pointed to the lighthouse.

“What? Oh my gosh! How?” Her eyes were wide. “I don’t understand. And what about your sisters?”

“Sofi will be driving down with Mom and Dad. Mirette and her family can’t get away, but they’ve extended their stay in Montreal so the girls can have more cousin time.

” My older sister lived in England with her husband and kids.

“Flynn and Meggie are leaving Sunday afternoon, so they don’t need their second night.

And …” I pulled out the ring box that had been burning a hole in my shorts’ cargo pocket.

“Our rings were ready early, so I had them shipped here.”

“Wow, I … yes! Yes, let’s do it!” She jumped into my arms, knocking off her hat.

I blinked back tears, I was so happy. Hugging her close, I whispered, “I thought you might want your mom here, so…”

“This is the best gift, Zaki. Thank you.” She pressed her lips to mine, and I didn’t care that her mom was a yard away. I kissed her like she should be kissed. Long, deep, and tenderly.

She pulled away all too soon. “I need to know everything you’ve planned so far. Names, places, contacts, everything. Then I need to make lists. Separate them by day. When do you want to tell the girls? And who is going to marry us?”

I shrugged. “The pastor from the church up the road. Or the assistant pastor. They said they’d get back to me.”

She blinked at me, then turned to her mom.

Alyce laughed. “Don’t worry, Wyn. We’ve got this. I’ll fly someone in to conduct the ceremony if I have to.” She patted Arwyn on the shoulder, then checked her watch. “I should go check into my room. We have an appointment with the wedding planner in an hour.”

“In an hour?” Arwyn squeaked.

“In the conference room,” I supplied. “Can we drive you back to the lodge, Alyce? ”

She shook her head and gestured to the steps at the other end of the beach. “I’ll walk back. It’s a beautiful day.”

Arwyn stepped out from my embrace to hug her mother. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Me too, sweetie.”

We hurried back up the steps to the golf cart.

I’d underestimated how long it would take to get from the beach to the diner and back to our cabin.

I left Arwyn in the vehicle while I ran into the RV to retrieve the folder that had all the plans and a brand-new legal pad for Arwyn to write notes and make lists.

We made it to the conference room with five minutes to spare. Alyce was already there, chatting with JC and a woman with curly blond hair.

“There they are! The happy couple!” JC grinned. “Arwyn, Zaki, this is my sister and our event planner, Molly Dalton.”

“Of the blueberry tea!” Arwyn’s face lit up. “I’m going to need to buy a crate of that before we go.”

Molly grinned. “Thanks!” She gestured to the table.

“Shall we get started?” We sat down, Molly and JC across from Arwyn and I, with Alyce at the end.

“All right. I’ve confirmed with the church, and the assistant pastor, Ryan Engstrom, will marry you at 11a.m. on Sunday, on the beach.

He’ll meet you today at camp pickup. His daughter, Nicki, is in camp with your girls.

I’ll need the guest count by Thursday so we can plan food and chair setup. Here’s the catering menu and…”

The meeting flew by in a blur, but when we left, Arwyn looked relieved.

“So all I really have to do now is finish my dress? They’re taking care of everything else?”

“That’s all,” I said, as we walked into the dining room. “I need to run out and do a few things. I’ll meet you at camp pickup, okay?”

“Okay. Wait—you need to eat, too.”

“I ordered my food to go. Enjoy this time with your mom.” I kissed her and said goodbye. “I’ll walk the dogs while I’m at the cottage, so no need to rush back.”

I had a bunch of phone calls to make. But first, the lobster roll on the toasted split hot dog bun was calling my name.

Pickup today was at the stables, and as I rounded the corner of the barn, I saw that Arwyn was already there, speaking to a tall blond man holding a towheaded toddler. I checked my phone. I was ten minutes early. When had she gotten here?

I stopped for a minute to take in the full scene.

A few feet from them, a teenage boy with Down syndrome was instructing Isla and Amelie as they helped brush down a dappled gray with a black mane.

The rest of their age group was standing at the fence of the pen while another teen boy held the reins of a brown horse with a white diamond on its muzzle and he took their questions.

A ponytailed girl sat primly in the saddle as the boy pointed to her helmet.

I walked toward the girls slowly with a finger over my lips so they wouldn’t shout a greeting when they saw me and startle the horse.

They grinned and waved, causing Arwyn to turn around.

Her face was glowing with happiness, and I wanted to think I was the reason—or at least part of the reason—for it.

“Zaki!” I gave her a kiss, then turned to the man as she introduced us. “This is Dr. Ryan Engstrom, local pediatrician and the assistant pastor at Crane’s Cove Congregational Church.”

Ryan shifted the boy to his left side and shook my hand. He was a beefy guy, built like an offensive lineman. “This is Ned.”

“Nice to meet you, little guy.” I shook the toddler’s hand.

“Zaki hockey!”

“Yes, sir, are you a fan?”

Ned smiled again, then buried his face in Ryan’s chest. “He’s shy, but he loves to skate and shoot pucks.

I thought he’d play baseball like me and his older brother—that’s Noah out there in the pen with the kids.

And his sister Nicki plays softball—she’s the one on the horse. But Ned has zero interest.”

“Maybe it’ll come later,” I replied.

“Maybe.” He shrugged good-naturedly. “So, Sunday morning is a go, I hear. I was just telling Arwyn about the procedure. We don’t need to do a rehearsal, unless you want to. With a wedding the night before, you’d have to do it a few days prior, but we can figure that out if you want to do it.”

I shook my head. “We can skip it. My girls know what to do with flower petals. We won’t have a formal wedding party, just them and the dogs. We’ll write our own vows. What do you think, Wynna-bun?”

She nodded. “I agree. We’re here this week for Flynn and Meggie. I don’t want to take any time or attention from them or their events.”

Ryan pressed his lips together. “Just because your wedding is small and last-minute doesn’t mean it’s not as important.”

“I know,” she said. “But we’ll be having a second wedding in Montreal. It’s too much to ask?—”

“Wynnie,” I said firmly. “It’s not. I told you. I’ve spoken with everyone. They understand. They’re all getting an expenses-paid weekend away and are thrilled to be here. And they sure won’t miss the party we’re going to throw in Montreal when we get there, either.”

“Okay. It just seems like … a lot.”

“And you would do it for them if it was the other way around,” I reminded her.

“True,” she conceded.

Meggie emerged from the barn with a cowbell, striking it five times to signal the hour—or the end of camp. She set it down on a table next to a plastic bin and called all the kids over. The girls gave their brushes to the teen and ran to her.

Parents and babysitters filed in around us as we waited for our children. Noah released the other kids, and soon the lot of them were standing in a huddle, each with one arm extended into the center.

“Count us off, Bianca,” Meggie said.

“One, two, three!” Bianca shouted.

“Sandpipers!” the kids cheered. Then they turned towards us parents and began to sing to the tune of “Eight Days a Week.”

We’re the pipers, yeah Sandpipers

We don’t have nothin’ but fun, yeah!

Five Days a week!

Five days a week, we luh-uh-uh-uh-love it!

Five days a week, is not enough to strut our stuff!

Apparently, each child had come up with their own special walk to strut, which they demonstrated as they filed into a single file line. Meggie handed each of them a large mesh tote bag and sent them off.

“Daddy!” Isla exclaimed with glee as she and Amelie reached us. “We have a song! Did you like it? Did you see us brushing Slade? He’s such a nice horse. That’s Mocha in the paddock. Can you buy us a horse?”

“Please, Daddy? Jamie said we did such a good job brushing her!” Amelie begged.

Before I could answer, Ryan’s daughter caught up with them. “Daddy, can Isla and Amelie come to dinner with us? Please?”

Amelie chimed in. “They’re going to the milk jug stand for hot dogs and ice cream! And Hallie and Harlan are going, too! They’re cousins!”

Crane’s Cove was starting to sound like a Lilo and Stitch cartoon with all the cousins. Was everyone here related?

“I thought Hallie and Harlan were cousins with Paisley and Bianca?” Arwyn asked, as if reading my thoughts.

“They are,” Nicki said. “That’s the other side of the family. Bianca’s mommy and Paisley’s mommy are sisters, and my mommy and Auntie Shelby are sisters.”

As Ryan tried to explain all the connections, my head started to swim. I didn’t need to worry, though. I’d bet a year’s salary Amelie would go home tonight and make lists.

“Please, Daddy? Wynnie? Can we go? And can we bring the pups? Jamie is bringing his dog, Rodeo.” Isla pointed to the golden retriever who was sitting calmly by a set of mounting steps. “And Hallie said her dad might bring their old dog Fenway, too. After work. Cause he’s a policeman.”

“We-ell…” I looked at Arwyn.

“Sure” she said. “ Is that Dockside?”

Ryan nodded. “Best ice cream in town!”

Arwyn’s face lit up. “That’s what I heard. I was reading about a flavor they have that I’d love to try. Blueberry coffee crumble.”

I cringed. “That sounds … interesting.”

She laughed. “I know!”