The Strawberry Hearts Diner(86)

Vicky hopped up from the swing and crossed over to where he was sitting. “I’d love one.”

He worked one out of the plastic ring and put it in her hands. “How did your day go? I bet you were so busy that your feet are killin’ you. Will you be ready for a good foot massage after this wedding is over?”

“You have no idea, and yes.” Rather than going back to the swing, she eased down beside him. Something about his presence brought calmness into her life.

“It’s a date, then. Meet me on your front porch.” He smiled. “Where are all the kids?”

“They’ve gone to Tyler for last-minute honeymoon things, plus Ryder needs to pick up the rings and Shane said something about a wedding gift for Emily. I hope she remembers to get him something. Hey”—she bumped a shoulder against his—“thanks again for making the cake on such short notice,” she said.

“Hey!” Woody stepped up on the porch, grabbed a beer, and settled in beside Nettie on the swing. “I was out for a walk and decided to see if y’all might be on the porch. So what are they going to name the baby? Woodrow is a good boy’s name.”

“That’s their job. Ours is to get them married and settled into the trailer,” Nettie pointed out. “Y’all did a fine job of that porch.”

“I just supervised. Them young’uns did the work. I still can’t believe that Emily is going to marry Ryder. I love them both, but . . .” He hesitated.

“Everyone in Pick knows what he’s been, and if I remember right, before you got married all them years ago, you might have given him a race for his money. You and Leonard both were pretty ornery in your day,” Nettie reminded him.

Woody rubbed his chin with his hand. “But this is our sweet little Emily.”

“I imagine Darlene’s and Irma’s folks felt the same way,” Nettie told him.

Woody chuckled. “Probably so. I always felt like the luckiest man in the world just to get to spend my days with Irma. I imagine Ryder feels the same way. Hey, how much you bet me that Jancy and Shane are married by Christmas?”

“Christmas of which year?” Nettie teased. “It sure won’t be this one. She’s taking things too slow for that.”

“Betcha a hundred dollars.” Woody stuck out his hand.

Nettie shook it. “I’ll take that in five twenties on the day after Christmas.”

“I want mine in a hundred-dollar bill on the same day,” Woody said, laughing.

“Have you met Andy Butler?” Vicky motioned to her right with a slight wave of the hand. “He’s got the Southern Pastry Shop down in Palestine.”

Woody stuck out a hand. “I know your dad. Saw you at the picnic when Carlton was trying to hoodwink us into selling off our town. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Andy shook with him. “Glad to know you.”

“My late wife loved them little macaron cookies that you make down there. I always got her a dozen for her birthday. We’d eat at the diner and share a tart. Then she’d eat one macaron a day for twelve days.”

“Thanks for tellin’ me that story.” Andy grinned.

Nettie chuckled when the Ryder’s truck came to a stop in the front yard. “And here they are already back home. I figured they might be gone until midnight.”

“Well, look here what the cats dug up,” Woody called out as all four of them got out of the vehicle.

“Not cats, just part of a wedding party that’s sugared up on cotton candy and who rode the carousel,” Emily said as she crossed the last six feet toward them in long, easy strides.

It was near midnight when Vicky finally got to bed that night. Her feet ached so badly that she wished Andy had offered her a foot massage that night. She was already looking forward to the one after the wedding. Andy had better have been serious when he offered that.

For the first time ever, they’d decided to close the diner for two whole days. They’d need Friday for the wedding preparations, but Nettie insisted that they would be open on Sunday. Andy would take care of the cleanup, and if anyone needed them, they’d take turns helping him.

She wiggled her toes and shut her eyes, but her mind kept going in circles. Tomorrow morning by ten o’clock things would start popping. The dress had been bought, and it was exactly what Vicky had envisioned. Emily would look like a princess in all that fluff, and the train went on forever.

“Shoes!” She sat straight up in bed then fell back. “We decided she would wear the ballerina slippers that she used for her last sorority party. Lord, I’m losin’ my mind.” A gentle knock on her bedroom door brought her back up again. Nettie was sick again, she just knew it.

“Mama,” Emily whispered.

Oh, no! Something was wrong with the baby. Cold chills covered Vicky’s whole body as she threw back the sheet and hurried to the door.

“Are you okay?” Vicky voice quivered.

“I’m fine. It’s just so late . . .”

“Are you sure?”

Tears flowed down Emily’s face. “It just dawned on me that after I get married, you won’t come into my room and kiss me on the forehead anymore. I’m going to miss that, Mama.”

Vicky wiped away the tears with her hand. “You go on and get into bed. I’ll come and kiss you on the forehead. I’ll miss that, too, but now it’s your turn to be a mother.”