“To be fair, I didn’t recognize him right away.” I dropped my hand to the table and Autumn took it, giving my fingers a supportive squeeze.
“He’s changed.” Her voice had a far-away tone, and her eyes became unfocused. “His hair is all silver now.”
Witnessing my friend’s clairvoyance first hand had a chill rolling down my back. “What do you see?” I asked her.
“Dancing...the Black and Gold Masquerade. The man you danced with that night... he didn’t wear a wedding ring, but he also never spoke to you, did he?”
“No,” I admitted. “I thought it was sort of cool at the time. Gothic atmosphere, this masked, buff, silver-fox held out his hand and invited me to dance without saying a word...” Suddenly it hit me. “Shit! That was him wasn’t it?”
“He recognized you during the Masquerade, but he didn’t last night. He was too terrified searching for his daughter.” Autumn released my hand and shook herself out of wherever she’d been.
“Can you see if Matthew has been here in town for a while?”
Autumn shut her eyes and concentrated. “I see an old two-story brick house by the University. Pumpkins on the porch... So I’d say he’s been here since October.”
“I wonder if he’s still married,” I said before I thought better of it.
Autumn opened her eyes and studied me. “I’m sorry about all this, Violet. Are you alright?”
“No, I’m not,” I admitted, my voice shaking. “I never stopped loving him, and this hurts like hell. But I need to suck it up. The William’s Ford gossip mill will be exploding about this soon enough, and I don’t need to add any fuel to the fire.”
“You are allowed to feel hurt and angry,” Autumn said. “He cheated on you all those years ago, got some other woman pregnant…then he rolls back into town and tricks you into dancing with him.”
I was humiliated just thinking about it. “Damn it,” I muttered. “He played me the night of the Masquerade.”
Autumn nodded in agreement. “It was sneaky. Would you have even danced with him if you’d realized who he was?”
“Hell, no.” At least I didn’t think I would have.
“He’ll come back,” Autumn said with conviction. “To the shop. He’ll want to thank you in person for finding his little girl.”
“I appreciate the head’s up.” He wouldn’t catch me off guard this time. I’d be cool, calm and distant as the moon. I decided. He would never have any reason to guess now how I felt.
“I figure he’ll show before the day is up. Late this afternoon probably.”
“Well then.” I drummed my fingers on the table top and considered my options. “I’ll be more than ready for him.”
Autumn crossed her arms. “You gonna go all bad-ass Witch and turn him into a newt for acting like such a jerk?”
I wiggled my eyebrows. “Oh I’ll be much more creative.”
“You’re my hero.” Autumn gave me a knuckle bump.
I sat back in my chair and considered my friend. “You know what?” I said. “We’re not here to use the hour before I open the shop to talk trash about my ex. We are here to choose your May wedding flowers.”
“We can do both.” Autumn raised a single eyebrow. “I can multitask.”
Her serious face had me grinning. “Let’s put it aside for now.” I rubbed my hands together to make her smile. “Now, what do you have in mind for those flowers?”
“Well I made a few pin boards, like you suggested,” Autumn said, taking her phone out of her purse.
I pulled out my wedding notebook. “Good. What are you thinking?”
“Please don’t smack me,” she pleaded. “I have lots of boards, and lots of pictures.”
“Of course you do. Every bride does. What sort of budget do we have in mind for the flowers?”
Autumn cleared her throat. “Ah...Duncan’s uncle is paying for everything. The tents for the reception, the music, the food, and the flowers. We tried to talk him out of it, but he wants us to have a perfect day...”
“That’s wonderful.” I jotted the information down. “Stop feeling guilty, honey. Thomas Drake can afford it.”
“Still, I don’t want to take advantage of his generosity, so I don’t want to go too crazy.”
“Noted,” I said, dryly. “I’ll restrain myself from doing a bunch of thousand dollar centerpieces.”
“I knew I could count on you,” Autumn said soberly. She sat for a moment and pressed a shaky hand to her heart. “Gods! I’m getting married, Violet!”
“You know, I heard that somewhere...”
“Well I was thinking, since the date is close to Beltane...and I had this vision, white tents on a green lawn, a ceremony in the garden. Maypole ribbons in sherbet colors...” She stopped herself. “And I’m babbling. Sorry.”
“You’re fine,” I assured her, writing as fast as I could. “That’s a fabulous idea by the way. A ‘Beltane Garden’ theme.”
“What would it look like if we did a mixture of different flowers, in a rainbow of pastel colors?”
“Pretty.” I nodded.
“You know, so it matched each of the bridesmaid’s dresses?”
“Sure.” I made a note. “What color dresses?”
“All different colors, but probably the same style chiffon dress,” Autumn said. “I was thinking pale pink, butter yellow, mint green and sky blue... maybe lilac.”
“How many bridesmaids will there be?” I started counting the colors she’d listed.
“Well that depends,” Autumn said, taking a deep breath. “Violet, will you be my bridesmaid?”
I dropped my pencil. “Really?”
“Yes really,” Autumn replied. “Duncan and I would both be honored if you’d be one of our bridesmaids.”
“Of course!” I jumped up to give her a hug.
She stood and hugged me in return. “I’ll put you in the lilac dress, of course.”
“You’d better,” I laughed. “Otherwise it will clash with my hair!”
“I can’t imagine doing this without you.” Autumn squeezed me tight. “Promise that you’ll help keep me sane for the next six months.”
I swiped a finger across my heart. “I promise. I’ll keep you from going Bridezilla.”
The back door opened and my mother called out a cheery hello. “What’s going on?” she said as Autumn and I
