“I won’t ask you again.”
“Tell me what went wrong between us.”
Wide eyed, Doreen stared at him. “You’re what went wrong between us. You wanted me to stay home and take care of you. I have other plans for my future and Alonzo supports them.”
“I wanted to share my life with you.”
Doreen shook her head. “But you didn’t want to share mine.”
“What do you mean?” He looked confused.
“You gave me an ultimatum, remember?” Doreen settled her hands on her hips. “Be the person you wanted me to be or you’d find someone else. When I didn’t fall in line, you started dating Yvette.”
“Why did you have to run for mayor?” Leonard pressed his hand to his chest. “I wanted you to be my wife.”
“With you, it’s either-or. With Alonzo, I can have it all.” Doreen walked past Leonard and mounted her steps.
“This isn’t over between us, Dorie.”
Doreen waved her left hand over her shoulder, showing him her engagement ring as she continued up the stairs. “Yes, it is.”
Benita sat back on the fluffy pink armchair Wednesday evening and considered Doreen and Alonzo, seated beside each other on the matching overstuffed sofa. “April Fool’s Day was last Wednesday. Is this some sort of belated joke?”
The couple exchanged a look, silent communication that reminded Benita of her and Vaughn.
“What do you mean?” Doreen asked.
Benita blinked and Vaughn’s handsome features faded
from her vision. She was back in Doreen’s family room. “You’ve just told me you haven’t reserved a church, caterer, or ballroom. You haven’t created a guest list or identified groomsmen or bridesmaids. What have you done to plan your wedding?”
Alonzo gestured toward his fiancée. “Doreen bought her dress and I reserved my tuxedo.”
Are they kidding?
“That’s a relief. At least you won’t be naked.” Benita glanced at the wedding task list she’d taken from Doreen earlier that day. She’d affixed it to the clipboard on her lap.
Doreen folded her arms. “We can take care of this ourselves. We don’t need your help, especially if you’re going to criticize us.”
“My criticisms are designed to bring home the urgency of your situation.” Benita balanced the clipboard on her lap. “Today is April eighth. You want to get married June twentieth. Who chose that date?”
“I did.” Alonzo squirmed under Benita’s regard.
Benita froze. With sudden clarity, she understood why the sheriff had asked for a wedding date that was so close to his January first proposal. He wasn’t waiting a day longer than necessary to make a public commitment to the woman who’d held his heart for more than forty years.
Is there a similarity between Alonzo and Doreen’s love story and my relationship with Vaughn?
Benita struggled past the uneasy feeling that question gave her. “Luckily, in Trinity Falls, we don’t have to book wedding locations and services as far in advance as we would in L.A.” She drummed her fingertips against the clipboard. “However, Trinity Falls has fewer venues and vendors. We can’t take these things for granted.”
Doreen glanced at Alonzo, then back to Benita. “You’re right.”
“No more fun and games.” Benita stilled her fingers and gave her friends a stern look. “I’m going to knock off this list. When I call for your input or information, you’re going to give me an answer yesterday. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Alonzo gave her a chastened look that she didn’t buy for a minute.
“Before I get started, do you have any ideas or preferences for your ceremony?” Benita turned to a blank page on her clipboard.
“We want the ceremony to be different from Doreen’s first wedding.” Alonzo sat straighter on the sofa.