A Haven on the Bay - Nicole Ellis Page 0,21

to sit next to her, and squeezed her hand.

“But…” Melinda’s words dissolved into another fit of blubbering.

The pacing bridesmaid sighed again, and Melinda’s mother glared at her. “Missy, your sister is upset, and your attitude isn’t helping.”

Tia had been coordinating weddings for years, and this wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before. She turned to Melinda’s mother and sister. “Could I have a moment alone with her?”

The older woman looked at her with skepticism, then threw her hands up in the air. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt. I can’t seem to talk any sense into her.” She peered at the clock on the wall. “Is that clock right? Is it already four?”

Tia nodded.

“The wedding’s supposed to start now.” Melinda’s mother’s face paled. “All those people are out there, waiting for her to walk down the aisle. Derek is waiting for her.”

Melinda gave a loud sob and buried her face in her shredded tissue.

Tia looked in the direction of the lawn in front of the gazebo, where the ceremony would take place. The long brocade curtains in the living room were closed tightly to provide privacy to the bride as she got ready, but Tia knew the mother was right. The guests would already be seated, and as soon as Tia gave the cue, the staff would play the Wedding March. Still, they had time before anyone knew something was wrong.

“It will be fine. Let’s get the two of you out to the porch so you can join up with everyone else to prepare for the ceremony. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s time to begin.” Tia firmly nudged the older woman out of the room. The bridesmaid followed them outside to where the rest of the wedding party was gathered.

When she returned to the living room, Tia pushed the door closed and walked slowly back to the couch. Although she was confident she could turn the situation around, it didn’t stop her pulse from thundering in her ears. She hadn’t worked at the Inn at Willa Bay for very long and having a runaway bride wouldn’t look good on her track record.

However, she didn’t think that would be an issue with this bride and groom. She’d met with both Melinda and Derek several times during the wedding planning process and had rarely seen two people who were more in love. She saw a lot of engaged couples, and although she didn’t know the fates of their marriages after they left the reception, she had her suspicions about some of them.

Melinda and her fiancé were different. Derek seemed genuinely sweet with her—always happy to run back to the car to get his fiancée a jacket if she was cold, or give input on the wedding with a willingness to compromise. Yes, Melinda had found herself a good man. Tia herself would be thrilled to have someone like Derek in her life.

Melinda sniffled as Tia approached her. “Do you think I’m being silly?” she asked.

“No, I don’t think you’re being silly.” Tia pulled the armchair closer to the couch, gently pushing the delicate material of her skirt out of the way. “Marriage is a big commitment.”

Melinda nodded. “I know. And I thought I was ready, but…”

“But it’s scary.”

Melinda nodded again.

“Do you love Derek?” Tia leaned forward and locked eyes with the woman. “Do you want to marry him?”

Melinda’s eyes lit up through the mist of tears. “I do,” she whispered. “He’s everything I ever wanted.”

“Okay, then.” Tia smiled at her. “It’s perfectly normal to have some doubts, but I think you’re ready for this.” She reached behind her to grab a clean tissue and handed it to Melinda.

Melinda gave her a weak smile.

“Let’s try taking a few deep breaths.” Tia inhaled to the count of five, then slowly exhaled, watching to make sure Melinda followed suit.

After a few rounds of focused breathing, Melinda closed her eyes and relaxed into the sofa for a moment. When she opened them, she said, “So what do I do now? According to my mom, I’ve wrecked my hair and makeup. I don’t have time to go back to the salon and get them fixed.”

Tia sprang to her feet. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got you covered. Follow me.” She led the bride over to a small white vanity tucked against the wall and pulled out the swivel chair for her.

“Oh no,” Melinda’s eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the long oval mirror. “I look horrible.”

Tia smiled at her reassuringly. “Only