Rebecca Waites held too tightly to the tiny hand in her own and struggled to breathe despite the fist in her chest. "Remember what I said, okay? If you're good, and stay right here and play your games, when mommy's finished, we'll go for ice cream. As many scoops as you want. Okay?"
Becca stared down at her son's precious face, praying for the miracle that would result in the never-quiet behavior of a typical four-year-old.
"Bex? You made it! Oh, I'm so glad you're here!"
Becca turned at the sound of the nickname coming from her younger sibling, a smile forming on her lips because of Kaitlyn's squeal and how it echoed through the elegant old mansion where Kaitlyn's wedding reception would take place. "We're here. I told you before, no worries," she said, catching a nearly-flying Kaitlyn in her arms for a massive hug.
Kaity was four years younger and the only one who had ever called her Bex, the name born of Kaity's inability to say Rebecca or Becca when she began talking.
"They still don't know," Kaity whispered urgently into Becca's ear. "When are you going to tell them?"
Becca squeezed her sister before releasing her. "When the time is right."
"It's been a year. The time hasn't been right in a year?"
Kaity's big blue eyes reminded Becca of a doll she'd had as a child. Blond, blue-eyed and perfect in every way. Everyone loved Kaity because she was as kind and good-hearted as she was beautiful. "Officially, it's only been six months since it was final," she said, referring to the day she and her husband of six years had divorced her to marry his mistress and raise his illegitimate--or his normal as Bryce liked to call him--son.
"Well, I hate the thought of them knowing as much as you, especially since Mama's on the warpath. You have no need to worry about me turning into bridezilla because Wynonna Waites has it covered, trust me. Thank you so much for coming to take over the wedding planning. I know people usually contact you a year or two in advance, but David and I don't want to wait and Mama insists on a big wedding with all the fuss."
"It's-- I'm happy to help. I needed to get away from Charleston for a bit anyway. And since I had a cancellation..." Becca said, forcing another smile.
Fake it till you make it. Wasn't that the saying?
"Uh-oh. What now?"
Becca closed her tired eyes briefly and shook her head. Even Kaity didn't know about Eli's official diagnosis of selective mutism. It had taken years of doctor visits to rule out physical issues and autism as the reason her bright, beautiful boy didn't speak to anyone but her--and that was only on rare occasions. When he was ready he would talk, they said. ”I’ll tell you later. For now, get me up to speed on what's been done."
Kaity linked her arm through Becca's and tugged her toward the end of the long ballroom. As they walked away, Becca glanced over her shoulder to where Eli sat, head bowed and his concentration fully on the video game in his hands.
Thankfully the room was devoid of any childish items of intrigue that Becca could see, so Eli should stay focused and not wander off.
"Well, I told you David and I wanted to elope and avoid all of this, but Mama insists and Daddy backs her because I'm--"
"His last little girl," they said in unison.
"Exactly. So, big, elaborate, and over the top is apparently the theme," Kaity said.
"The theme being?" Becca asked, taking in the huge ballroom windows and ornate moldings. The Wickersham Estate and barely existing town of Stone River had escaped Sherman's march through Georgia, and over the years the family had added on and expanded the already massive house before gifting it to the historical society when the last living family member passed on.
"Black, white and tiffany blue," Kaity said. "Oh, I know it's been done a million times but I do so love the colors. Mama wanted all white, but Daddy reminded her of our plans to elope and Mama decided to go along with my color scheme."
"Nice of her to compromise," Becca said with a wry shake of her head. She loved her mother, truly, but Wynonna had a way of taking over and doing things her way. That boldness and determination was great for charity fundraisers and the like, but not a wedding where the bride and groom where already being held hostage for "the show."
"I know, right? Anyway, I've picked black on white damask--"
"Elegant," Becca added.
"With small touches of tiffany blue. To make Mama happy I told her we would only use white flowers."
Becca pulled her notebook tablet out of her large purse and began to take notes. "How many people?"
Kaity rolled her eyes. "Last count was 300 and Mama hadn't even gotten to the country club or her book club yet."
Becca smirked. “Four hundred it is."
Kaity groaned and crossed her arms over her front, tapping her foot against the antique marble floor.
"Please don't let this turn into a circus. I feel as though it already is. If only Mama would be happy with just a bridal tea or something."
"You know that's wishful thinking," Becca murmured, still making notes and drawing a quick sketch of the room. She'd take measurements of the windows, doors and floors to know exactly what space she had to work with.
Somewhere behind her, a door opened and closed and Becca vaguely heard Kaity suck in a sharp breath.
"Um, Bex? There's something else I haven't mentioned."
"Oh? What's that?"
"It's, um, about the photographer."
"What about it?" Becca asked.
"I've already hired someone. Actually, I've hired... him."
Zack Dupre watched as Rebecca turned to face him and waited for her to recognize him. It didn't take long. One second she wore a fake, welcoming smile, and the next she paled to the color of the antique white walls behind her. "Ladies," he said softly, never taking his eyes off of the elder sister.
"Bex, you remember Zack, right? Um, I mean, of course you do, but-- Zack is a fabulous photographer and he's agreed to be our wedding photographer."
Zack watched as Becca turned her surprised stare into a glare when she glanced at her little sister.
Kaity went on babbling about the photography awards he had won and how pleased she was to snag his services when he's usually booked a year or two in advance.
"Thankfully someone cancelled in his lineup as well," Kaity said. "I mean, I feel bad for them because it means no wedding, but what are the odds of both of you being available now? Perfect timing, isn't it?"
Zack wondered at Becca's thoughts, but her expression gave little away. He didn't imagine it was easy coming face-to-face with the man she'd tossed aside like trash ten years ago. Harder still to know she was going to have to work with him during all of the wedding preparations.
"Zack's taken our engagement photos and he's agreed to do a comprehensive photo package for us. Oh, did I mention the magazine article?"
Zack watched as confusion gathered in Becca's blue-green eyes. While most men would probably find Kaitlyn the prettier of the two sisters, he considered Becca's bright gaze and reddish-brown hair more to his liking. He had ten years ago, too. Not that she had felt the same way. Apparently he was good-looking enough to fool around with on the sly, but socially unacceptable given how she'd run away at the first sign of trouble.
"No. You haven't mentioned a magazine article," Becca said, her tone almost hiding her upset at the situation, but not quite.
"Yikes. I'm sorry, Bex. I thought I had. Things have just been so crazy lately it must have slipped my mind. I can't remember who knows and who doesn't. Anyway, David and I are being featured in the magazine from proposal to marriage. He and daddy are the attorneys for the magazine publisher and when they heard about the proposal, well, the rest is history. I didn't think you'd mind since it's free publicity and you could use--uh, you know. All publicity is good publicity, isn't that what people say?" Kaitlyn ended awkwardly.
Zack wasn't sure what Kaitlyn had been about to say about Becca needing good publicity, but the silence that followed made it clear he needed to call in a favor and do some digging out of curiosity, if nothing else.
As a teenager under court-ordered community service, he'd worked for a blind woman who raised service dogs in training. The woman had wound up being his half-sister and she had later married a man whose brother owned an Altanta-based private security company.
As convoluted as it all seemed, things couldn't have worked out any better. He'd gained a loving family, and when he'd first started his photography business and bookings were slow, he'd worked for the security company.
The job was obviously meant to help out a family member in need, but he'd grown close to his brother-in-law's brother and all the men who worked for the company. They had become the brothers he'd never had and good men to look up to.
"Yes, of course. How exciting for you," Becca said. "And for you," she added, glancing at Zack. "A magazine spread is a big deal."
"Oh, it's nothing for Zack," Kaitlyn said with a friendly smile. "He's had lots of them."
Given what he knew of Becca's occupation he found himself slightly offended that she hadn't kept up on his successes. But then again, why would she? It wasn't like she'd expected him to become anything worthwhile, was it?
"Bex, you've had to have seen his work. It's been featured in bridal magazines, parenting magazines… His photos are the bomb."
A quick poke of satisfaction filled him when Becca's eyebrows rose and an expression of genuine surprise flickered across her face.
"That's wonderful. I'm happy for you," Becca murmured, making eye contact briefly.
"Not bad for a high school drop out, eh?" He hadn't meant to blurt out his thoughts but the words came without warning, bringing with them a wealth of anger.
He'd forgiven her, put the things she and her parents and said about him behind him and moved on. Built a good, satisfying life despite the way Becca had made him feel about his inadequacies, and lack of education and money. But it all came back to him in a rush of emotion he couldn't ignore. Apparently he had more issues to work on than he'd thought.
"Oh, please. No amount of schooling can teach art and the ability to have an eye for light and contrast and all the other phenomenal stuff in your photos," Kaitlyn said. "I'm serious," she said to Becca. "His work is ah-mazing. Oh—there's the manager of the Wickersham. I need to ask him a question. Be right back."
"Kaity, I'm the one who should be asking que—”
Becca broke off and closed her mouth with a pained sounding sigh as Kaitlyn took off toward the man, the flowy dress she wore reminding Zack of a butterfly.
Shifting his attention back to Becca, he stifled a laugh at the grumpy expression on her face. Looked like few things had changed between the sisters over the years.
When he and Becca had secretly dated, Becca had complained about Kaitlyn's flightiness and compared her sister to a hummingbird unable to light. Hummingbird, butterfly... He now saw what she'd meant.
"I-I-- I suppose I should get these measurements."
Becca turned to walk away but Zack snagged her arm, his grip on her elbow gentle but firm. "Are you going to be able to work with me? If not, speak now."
The muscles of her throat moved up and down as she swallowed hard. She avoided his gaze, but he noted the flush traveling from her neck to her face.
"I should be the one asking that question of you."
"So ask," he ordered, daring her. After everything that had happened over the course of that long ago summer, asking him the loaded question was the least she could do.
"Okay, fine. Do you have a problem working with-- Eli, no!"