"Anything you need to know, just ask me," Amanda continued.
"Don't listen to a word she tells you," Emma put in, laughing.
As they made their way across the grassy yard of the church, Amanda began listing Emma's virtues. Emma's face grew warm at her friend's compliments, but her protests went unheeded.
She gave Sam an apologetic glance, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, nodding now and then in agreement, asking questions to encourage Amanda for more details.
Emma sighed. "You two--"
"Are going to get along fine," Amanda said, then leaned up to kiss Sam's cheek. "Just don't hurt her, Sam."
Sam's eyes darkened, and he turned to face Emma as he responded to Amanda's command. "I won't."
"Good. That's all I ask. Now come on."
Sam and Emma followed Amanda to the rear of the church and opened the door to the church hall. Emma clasped her hands in delight as she went inside and saw what the townsfolk had done. Behind her, she heard Amanda say, "See, Sam. I told you she loved surprises."
Three chairs sat empty on a makeshift stage near the door. A fiddle leaned against one of the chairs. A guitar and a banjo rested against the wall behind it.
At the far end of the hall, two long tables had been set up and covered with white linens. Platters piled high with meat and bread, bowls of salads, and plates of pies and pastries filled the surfaces, along with two glass punch bowls filled with lemonade. In the centre of the table was a frosted slab cake decorated with pink ribbons and rosebuds.
The guests began to applaud as Sam and Emma made their way to the tables.
Emma turned to Amanda. "Oh, my go
odness ... how did you ...?"
"I didn't do anything. The ladies in town got together ..."
"And the cake ..."
"Compliments of Mrs. Sanchez."
Emma’s eyes filled with tears. Her neighbors, her friends, these people she'd known her whole life ... How precious they all were to her.
Someone handed her a cup of lemonade and she took a sip. She should say something. She should thank them, but her voice couldn't get past the lump in her throat.
Sam smiled at her, those dark eyes of his reading her mind.
"Ladies and gentlemen." Sam's voice boomed through the hall. Gradually, the conversations faded away as the guests waited for Sam to speak.
"Emma and I are deeply touched by your kindness." He glanced at Emma and gave her a soft smile.
Emma's eyes widened in surprise that he seemed to be able to express exactly what she wanted to say.
He continued while Emma looked on. It was apparent to her that he wasn't comfortable speaking in public. She could tell by the way he stood, his hands clenched together behind his back. Yet he stood there, so tall, so handsome, his voice clear and steady, speaking as if this was something he did every day.
A strange sensation flowed through her. Pride? No, it was more than that, but she couldn't put a name to it.
"... so we'd like to thank you for joining us to celebrate this very special day."
Applause thundered through the hall. Within moments, voices and laughter again filled the air.
"Hell, you oughta be a politician," Fred said, coming up beside Sam and slapping him on the back. "Never knew ya had it in ya to talk so good."
"It's just a damn good thing I only have to do it once," Sam grumbled good-naturedly.
Once. Yes, Emma thought. This day will only happen once.