Turning to Lance, who had asked for everyone’s attention, she saw he was looking right at her. “We at Landstad High would like to take a moment to thank Coach Beckett for coaching this team. Most of you know that after Coach Miller left, volleyball was going to be dropped due to a lack of coaching staff for the team. But we were lucky enough to get our own Natalie Beckett”—he made her name roll through the building again—“back to coach these fine girls. Maybe not to victory today, but soon. Can I get a cheer for Coach Beckett?”
The crowd around her erupted, and she waved at her dad, Della, and their families behind her. Turning, she waved at the book club across the gym, who were standing and cheering. Mia let out a wolf whistle, and Tess joined her with one of her own. Laughing, Natalie should have known Tess could make that noise also. Tess was full of secrets she only revealed when she wanted to.
“Natalie, can I have you out on the floor for a moment?” She turned back to Lance Kelley in confusion, but he used his hands to motion her to the middle of the floor. Were they going to present her an award or give her flowers? She had only coached one game, and maybe they were making too big of a deal about it. As she walked, she heard him continue. “Now Natalie was on her way to playing basketball and softball for the University of North Dakota when her life changed. But now we have you back in Landstad and hope that you will continue coaching for our girls in many sports.”
Natalie was starting to feel all the eyes on her. Was there an actual point to this, or was Lance Kelley getting her back for something? Sweeping her eyes over the crowd, they were just sitting and listening to him talk. When they turned their heads, she followed, and saw Sam get up and walk out to her. Maybe he was coming to save her.
“Tonight is a first for me, but when Mr. Sullivan asked for a favor, of course I said yes,” Lance was saying as Sam made it to her and pulled her into his arms for a hug.
“I love you,” he whispered in her ear. Then he let her go, and to her shock, went down on one knee. Was he wanting to huddle in the middle of the gym floor, just the two of them in front of everyone? Her breath stopped when she saw he was holding a ring. She slammed a hand over her mouth at the scene before her, finally realizing what was happening. All her family being there for a game that was nothing to them. The book club coming, not that they wouldn’t have supported her anyway.
Lance’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Are you going to say yes, Coach Beckett?”
She turned to Sam and said as loud as she could, “Yes!”
Sam got up and lifted her into his arms, and spun her around the center of the court. The crowd cheered, and Natalie heard Mia’s whistle again.
This time she didn’t look for them in the crowd as Sam’s mouth crushed hers, and she heard, “People, mark your calendar for April 24th. It was her parents’ anniversary. And plan to attend, she has a tendency to run.”
Pulling away from his kiss, she said, “I could never run from you, sexy Sam. Never.”
And his mouth covered hers again.
CHAPTER28
Here she was again,standing in the basement of a church in a white dress. But this time, there was no panic, no worries. Mia was rushing back from upstairs, doing her check, pushing Natalie into the back room as she came with her information. Again.
“Your mom is here, or I think she is. There’s a redhead sitting next to your dad. I’m going with that’s her. But there are quite a few redheads, so still iffy on if that is her,” Mia said as she jumped up onto the table to sit and wait. Just like before, but more relaxed.
“Good. Mom and Dad are here, and that’s all I need to know.” She leaned against the table with Mia. Today she could barely remember the panic of the summer before. She was marrying Sam Sullivan come hell or high water, and since it wasn’t raining, high water wasn’t likely. Even if the snow was melting and filling in the low spots with water, she was in no way worrying this time.
There were still another fifteen minutes before the wedding started. Only fifteen long minutes to get this thing over with so she could finally be married to Sam. She remembered her last wedding, where the wedding was the big event, and the marriage was the scary part. This time neither were bothering her, except she wanted to get the wedding over with so they could just be married—and off on a honeymoon.
“Did you want to go out the window? You fit.” Mia pulled a bottle of whiskey out from a bookshelf she could reach from her spot on the table.
Laughing at her friend, she hugged her. “No, it hasn’t even crossed my mind.”
Mia handed her the bottle, and she took a drink, then handed it back. “So, he’s the one?”
“Oh, yes,” was all Natalie said as she smoothed the creamy material over her body. It was tight. A week after they had gotten back from meeting her mom, she had found the garbage bag with her first wedding dress in. It was still moist, muddy, and by then, moldy. She had left it in the bag and sent it out with the trash. She, Mia, and Hazel had gone looking for another dress around Christmas and had found this one. It fit, and it was gorgeous. There was no train, and it was more form-fitting than the big puffy one she had forced out of the window months before.
Though it showed some of her scars, she didn’t care anymore. Sam loved her scars. As for herself, she was working on not being so self-conscious of them. They were a part of her, a part that she couldn’t forget, and now she didn’t want to. The accident had changed her, and not just her body. It changed her from the selfish teenager to who she was today. Hazel had been right. The younger her could never have been a part of the book club. But to the older her, they were her best friends. And she couldn’t see her life without them.
Suddenly the door flew open, and Hazel came rushing in and slammed the door shut behind her. Her blue dress was as tight-fitting as Natalie’s white one was. No breathing for either of them today. Her short hair was styled with a single daisy in it, the same flower that was in the bouquets.
When she had started to plan the wedding, she had asked them all to be bridesmaids. Slowly they dropped out—Ruth because she was pregnant, Tess because she had a baby, Mandy had said she wasn’t comfortable in a dress in front of everybody, and Mia had begged to be her personal attendant instead—which had left Hazel and Hazel alone. But it was perfect. It was to be Hazel the entire time. Just Hazel.
Over the months, Natalie had been able to let go of most of the guilt about surviving the accident. There would always be some guilt over it, but it was manageable, and she had been able to think about the twins with less pain than she had in the past. So far, she hadn’t looked at a lot of the videos her dad had made, but sometimes she just needed to see her friends again. Just for a few minutes.
“Has she left yet?” Hazel asked Mia with a grin and then looked at Natalie. “Oh, she’s still here.”
“Thanks, Haze,” she replied, smiling at her friend.
She was back as her friend. They may still not be in the same place regarding the accident, but they were both willing to admit they didn’t have to be.
“Hey, it’s not me. You have a reputation in this town.”
Mia handed her the bottle. “Have a drink, Haze. She’s staying. Apparently, this one is way better than the last one.”