Page 25 of Sweater Weather (Sapphire Falls Orchard #1)
BELLS
I t’s late October and while the orchard is mostly done with apple and pumpkin picking, we’ve transferred to other fall activities.
Today is our first of several fall weddings for the next several weekends.
I had put out feelers, wanting to know if there was an interest in couples getting married here and our form was overflowing with responses within hours.
Apparently the orchard was the perfect fall backdrop for engagement photos and wedding receptions.
“Did the bridesmaids bouquets arrive okay?” One of the wedding planners asks.
“Yup, they’re in the cooler so they don’t wilt before the ceremony.” I smile.
“Perfect!” She saunters off to check on more details while I check off my to do list.
“Hey, I was looking for you.” Tilly smiles as she catches my arm. She’s holding a tray with two lattes in her other hand.
“Thank you, I completely forgot to have breakfast.” I admit.
“I know, which is why I grabbed one of these as well.” She pulls out a fresh croissant in a paper wrapper from her back pocket.
I laugh, “Keeping it warm back there?”
“I didn’t have another hand.” She laughs. “Everything going okay?”
Tilly looks around, taking in the space.
It looked exactly like the mood boards we helped the clients put together.
The colors were dark orange and auburn, melting beautifully into the natural colors of the trees changing.
The bride was wearing a traditional white dress but the groom was also wearing white so their outfits would pop against the autumn scenery.
“Looks like everything we planned.” Tilly says answering her own question.
I take a sip of the pumpkin latte she got me and I melt. I would have to ask Lina if this is something we could have year round.
“Do you ever think about getting married?” Tilly asks and I almost drop my latte. My eyes must show it because she quickly adds, “Not right now! I just meant in general. To be clear I was not proposing.”
I laugh, watching her flail over her anxiety was cute as heck. “Yes, I do think about getting married. I know I’m almost thirty and my parents think about it way more than I do, but I’m not in any rush. I’d rather wait and make sure I only get married once.”
“That makes sense, I feel like I’d be fine either way. Like if my partner wants to I’d get married, but if they didn’t want to I’d also be okay.” Tilly explains.
“I get it, there’s way too much pressure these days to get married when I’m not sure how much it actually changes except stuff for your taxes.” I joke.
“Pretty sure our taxes are a pain in the ass next year anyway now that we’re owning an orchard.” Tilly adds.
“Excuse me, do you know where I can find the bride?” A dark haired woman asks with a camera around her neck.
“You are…?” I remember meeting her but her name was failing me right now. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t letting some upset ex through to the bride.
“Sorry, I’m Max. The photographer, we met a few months ago when I did their engagement shoot here, but don’t feel bad if you forgot. I’m used to people seeing the camera, not me.” She jokes.
“I’m so sorry, today’s a busy day. But yes, the bridal suite is right through there and I’m Bells if you need anything else.” I smile shaking Max’s hand.
“Tilly? Bells? There’s guests arriving but I know it’s a little early, is there something we should be doing?” One of our assistants asks over the walkie talkie’s we have. Sometimes the cell service could be spotty up here and it was easier this way.
“I’ll handle it, can you walk Max to the bridal suite?” I ask Tilly.
“Sure, but babe just relax. It’ll all work out.” Tilly smiles and briefly touches my arm to reassure me. I take a deep breath before I take a trek to the gates to welcome anyone who’s here early.
“Arabella? Is this your doing?” I stop in my tracks as I see both my parents being held at the gates.
“I’m sorry, do you know them? I just assumed they were here for the wedding.” Our assistant, Lisha says.
“They’re my parents, you can let them through. But anyone else should be from the wedding.” I tell Lisha. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We have the paperwork from the lawyers for you to sign, I didn’t know there was a wedding going on. Who in their right mind would want to get married here?” My mother says, her face twisting in disgust.
“Come with me.” I say, sighing. There was no way I was signing those papers but there was also no way I could have this conversation out here.
I lead them to the back of the empty storage hall. My parents look around in disgust and I know in about five seconds they’re going to be looking at me that way. But I also knew it was going to be worth it.
“I’m not interested in selling the orchard and I will not be signing those papers.” I tell them sternly.
“What?” Both of their jaws drop.
“This was your idea, how could you back out of it like this?” My father asks.
“It’s not my idea. It was the family’s idea and frankly I’m not interested in what the family wants to do. I turned this place around and we’re making an actual profit so I’m going to keep this place running.” I explain.
“You’re going to keep it running?” My mother laughs.
“That’s rich! What do you know about running an orchard?” My father adds in.
“I know enough, and my co-partner has been teaching me everything else I need to know.” I say crossing my arms over my chest.
“Your co-partner? So one of these farmies talked you into keeping the place? Of course, that makes more sense.” My mother scoffs.
“It’s not feasible for you to keep this place.” My father says seriously.
“I’m not quite sure why you think that since it’s not like you’ve seen the finances of the place.
We’ve been doing incredibly well for ourselves and we’re only on target to exceed our expected goals for the quarter.
” I say confidently. I’ve been looking at the numbers and it wasn’t like I was about to let this place suffer.
“Sweetheart, you’ve been here for less than six months. I understand you think you can handle this, but it’s much more complicated than you think.” My mother says in the most condescending done.
“I appreciate your thoughts, but frankly I didn’t ask. I’ve already told you I’m not interested in selling or signing the papers today so if there’s nothing else…”
“You might change your mind and the place won’t be so lucrative then.” My father says angrily.
“Then that will be a problem I’ll have to figure out, and I will figure it out.” I say sternly.
“Fine, then I guess we have no other reason to spend another moment here.” My mother says in a huff.
“No problem, I have a wedding to get back to.” I shake off the feelings of my parents not wanting to stay for me. I knew all along what they were really here for. I’d unpack those later, I didn’t want them getting in the way of me doing my job.
My parents take off and I head back for the wedding, only stopping once to will away the tears that were threatening to come. I didn’t have time right now to stop and redo my makeup. On the way back, I run into Tilly, literally.
“Fuck!” My chest slams into Tilly’s and she catches me by the waist.
“Are you okay?” She asks stopping to look at me.
“I’m fine, I’m sorry. My parents were here and I wasn’t thinking. I have to get to the?—”
“Wait, your parents were here?” Tilly stops, cutting me off.
“Oh, yeah but it’s—” I’m about to say it’s fine when she holds her hands in my face.
Which of course causes all the tears I’ve been holding back to fall.
“My parents wanted me to sign the paperwork releasing the orchard over to them, but I said no. And I’m pretty sure that’s the last time I’ll see them because in their eyes I disappointed them. ”
“I’m so sorry babe.” She tilts her head looking solemnly at me.
“It’s okay, I’m fine. I just want to get through today and?—”
“I can handle today if you need the day.” Tilly says.
“I know you can, but trust me I’d rather be working. We can talk it out later, but for now I want to be working.” I decide.
“Okay, then today we work and I don’t ask if you’re okay, but you can tell me if you aren’t. And as soon as the day is through you come over for a hot bath, apple cider donuts and a twilight marathon at my place.” Tilly says with a smile.
“I love the sound of that.” I smile.
Tilly leans in to kiss me, hands me a tissue to clean up my face and we head into the wedding together. Making me feel like I can accomplish anything, with Tilly by my side.