“Emily Jewell was my best friend.”
At those words, Eric heard Lexi and Britta give a quick little gasp.
On the screen, his mother was still talking. “I remember the day Lexi was born and how proud Emily and Bob were of their little bundle. She was cute as a newborn, too, that girl. Lots of red hair, those big green eyes.”
A photo of Emily showing off her rounded belly appeared then faded into one of her holding newborn Lexi, all bundled in blankets, in front of the inn. That image faded, cutting to video of Frank, who owned the Pump ’N’ Go gas station.
He repeated Eric’s question. “What would Emily Jewell say if she knew Lexi was marrying Austin? She’d say, ‘Did that boy ever get out of diapers?’”
Laughter.
Eric looked over at Lexi and Taylor and saw they were laughing, too, tears running down Lexi’s cheeks, Britta wiping tears away with her fingers. He nudged Victoria, who followed the direction of his gaze, then looked up at him, tears in her eyes too. She moved closer, slid her arm around his waist.
Oh, yeah. He liked that.
Then Mrs. Beech, who’d been everyone’s English teacher in Scarlet Springs for the past century or so, appeared on the screen. “Why Emily would be pleased as punch to hear her daughter was marrying that Taylor boy. He was always such a nice boy. He was a good skier, too. He grew up to be a park ranger. Did you know that?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Eric’s own voice answered. “We work together sometimes.”
More laughter.
The video cut to Rose. “Oh, Emily knows. Of course, she knows. Whatever journey her spirit has made, she knows more about us now than we know about ourselves. She’s thrilled that Lexi and Austin are together. She used to come to me for readings. She had a lot of second chakra energy just like Lexi—very fertile, very sexual.”
And so it went, the stories of so many intertwined lives being told on the screen in personal anecdotes and faded photos, Lexi and Austin growing up before everyone’s eyes. Then music began to swell, and Eric’s mother appeared on the screen again as the video came to its end.
“Emily was my dearest friend. This town lost something precious the day she was killed. I believe in my heart that she’ll be with us on Lexi and Austin’s wedding day, watching. She’d be so proud of the woman Lexi has become, and she’d be happy that her baby girl found love with a good man.
“Congratulations, Austin and Lexi. We’re all so happy for you.”
The image faded, and credits scrawled across the screen. “With love to Lexi and Austin on your wedding day, from Hawke and Victoria.”
The tent erupted in cheers and applause, event staff hurrying to tie back the tent’s flaps again to let in light.
Lexi stood, dabbing her eyes with a tissue, a bittersweet smile on her face. “Leave it to you two to make me ugly cry at my own wedding reception.”
More cheers.
She hurried over to them, planted a kiss on Eric’s cheek, giving them each a hug. “Thank you both so much. That meant the world to me. Can I have a copy?”
“Of course,” Eric said. “That’s why I made it.”
Taylor stepped up, drew Eric into a crushing hug. “Thanks, man.”
As they walked off to cut the cake, Victoria wrapped her arms around Eric’s neck. “That was a beautiful thing you did.”
“I didn’t do it alone, you know.”
Then he kissed her, not giving a damn who saw.
* * *
Vic ranher fingertips over the bride’s bouquet—tiny lavender buds, soft rose petals, fragrant eucalyptus. She hadn’t tried to catch it. She’d stood in the back, figuring one of Lexi’s other unmarried friends deserved some excitement. She’d been maid of honor, after all. But the darned bouquet had hit her right in the boobs.
Lexi ran over to her. “I can’t believe you caught it.”
Vic narrowed her eyes. “Did you do that on purpose?”
Lexi shook her head. “No! I swear I didn’t.”