“Julie,” Daddy said tactfully.
“Souporsalad,” Mom said in a desperate attempt to fancy-up the wedding. “Guests could choose.”
Beth drew in a deep breath and said, “Okay, ma’am. We can offer a soup or a salad.”
Trey leaned over and pressed his lips to her forehead, because he appreciated her willingness to compromise with his mother.
“I’ve been married before,” Beth said. “I’ve had the big, fancy to-do. I simply don’t want it this time.”
“That’s actually really good,” Mom said, her fingers tapping again. “I’m putting that in the email. It’s her second time…doesn’t want a big affair…send gifts to…”
“Gifts?” Trey asked, his voice pitching up. “Mom, they don’t need to send gifts anywhere.”
How mortifying. Gifts for a fake wedding?
“He’s right,” Beth said. “I have everything already. We don’t need gifts.”
“I could put something like, in lieu of gifts, please donate to your favorite charity.”
Trey almost rolled his eyes but stopped himself just in time.
“Sure,” Beth said, her voice as normal as ever. An alarm went off on her phone, and Trey had never been happier to hear the chirping chime. “I’m sorry, but that means I have to go get TJ.” She started to stand, and Trey went with her. “Are we in a good place to stop?” she asked.
“Yes, I’ll just go over the rest with Trey.”
“I’m not staying,” he said.
“Yes, you are,” Mom said.
“I don’t need you to come,” Beth said, and Trey got whipped from woman to woman.
“I’m not making wedding decisions without you,” he said, staring into Beth’s eyes and trying to communicate with her so she’d know she couldn’t leave him here alone with his mother. Especially a mother in full organizational mode. Mom could ask questions that went on forever, and did it really matter if the centerpieces were orange or gold? Weren’t they really close to the same color?
“I do need to go with you,” Trey said. “Remember how I drove us, and you don’t even have your truck?”
“The party ends in fifteen minutes,” Beth said.
“Let’s go then,” Trey said, guiding her toward the door with his hand on the small of her back. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll text you later.” He looked further over his shoulder. “Bye, Daddy. Love you.”
His mother and father repeated the sentiment back to him, and Trey got out of the house as quickly as possible.
“You were seriously going to leave me there?” he asked, tossing Beth a dirty look.
“You seemed like you were having fun,” she said.
“You have got to be joking.” Trey opened the passenger door for her, and when he met her gaze, her eyes were full of laughter. “You are.”
“She’s great,” Beth said through her giggles. “Really. She’s a great lady. She’s just so…”
“Intense,” Trey said. “Crazy? Stubborn? Headstrong? Her-way-or-the-highway?”
Beth shook her head, her smile cemented in place. “Be nice. She’s fine. I would probably pick intense out of all of those.”
Trey nodded and went around to the driver’s side. “I’d pick all of them,” he whispered to himself. If he and Beth actually got married in her back yard, with just a few dozen people, while serving a dinner with only three courses, it would be a miracle.
Chapter Six
Beth put her SUV in park and said, “There’s Lucas, Teej.” Her son was already unbuckling his seatbelt, and if Beth didn’t tell him to wait, he’d be out of the car and running across the parking lot before she could collect her purse. “Wait for me, TJ. You can’t go alone.”