“Too bad you couldn’t do what Bowie and I did,” Katrina said with a grin. “We eloped to a private island in the Caribbean.”
It wasn’t precisely the entire story. The private island was correct but they hadn’t really eloped. The wedding had been more of a destination event off the coast of Colombia. All the Baileys and their significant others had flown over for it. Sam had been there, too, along with her mother, who had complained the entire time about the heat, the food, the ridiculous expense that could have been spent on other things.
While there were a few moments when Samantha might have been envious, she would never begrudge Katrina her happiness. She and Bowie were ridiculously happy together and were doing an amazing job raising two special-needs children, Bo’s younger brother whom they had adopted and who had been diagnosed with autism, and a young girl from Colombia with Down syndrome who had found her way into Katrina’s heart before she ever met Bowie.
“I will say a private island destination wedding sounds heavenly. It really does. But I’m afraid it’s too late now. For one thing, Josh’s family would kill me if I did that. For another, Eliza has been working for weeks to have Snow Angel Cove ready for the wedding. And finally, my brother and his children are here now and my parents will be here soon.”
“I think you’re stuck at this point.”
Gemma gave a good-natured smile. “Ah, well. Might as well make the best of it.”
“It will be wonderful,” Sam said. “What’s more romantic than getting married on the shores of the lake at sunset at Snow Angel Cove, one of the most gorgeous spots on Lake Haven?”
“True enough. Thank you for reminding me.”
Gemma kissed her on the cheek, then picked up her purse. “I really do have to go. Thank you again for everything. I mean that. I adore you both.”
When she left, Gemma seemed to take all the energy of the room with her, leaving Samantha suddenly exhausted. She wanted to flop to the ground right there on the floor of her workroom and close her eyes for five minutes.
“It really is an exquisite gown,” Katrina said when the room was quiet once more. “I especially love the neckline that highlights her gorgeous shoulders and collarbones.”
“I agree. That’s my favorite part, too. She’s going to be a beautiful bride.”
Gemma was only the latest in a string of beautiful brides Sam had helped to shine on their special day.
“Are you okay?”
She looked up quickly, wondering if Kat had heard that wistful note in her voice she hadn’t meant to reveal. “Sure. Terrific. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. You seem a little down. Is it because your mom’s birthday is coming up?”
She had almost forgotten Linda’s birthday would have been the following week. Her mother had never much wanted to celebrate her birthday. She supposed it was the mark of a true friend that Kat had remembered, anyway.
“That must be it,” she lied.
Katrina gave her a hug. “I’m sorry. I know how much you miss her.”
“It’s just different, you know?”
“I can’t imagine how hard you must find it now that she’s gone.”
Charlene, Katrina’s mother, was just about the exact opposite of Linda. She was funny and kind, supportive of all her children, no matter what they chose to do with their lives.
“I’m doing all right. To be honest, the past few months I’ve been so busy with the puppies and the wedding dress orders that I haven’t had much time to think about how empty the house feels.”
“Those puppies are so adorable. I still can’t believe my mom is taking one when they’re old enough to leave Betsey.”
Charlene had fallen for the puppies and had been the first to claim one. She would be the perfect puppy mom to Oscar, the smallest of the litter. All the puppies had been placed, which was a relief. In a few short weeks, she hoped to have them ready for their forever homes.
“So. Gemma’s brother. I’m imagining a sexy blond Jude Law type. Am I right?”
She pictured him for a moment, big, muscular, dark-haired with his collar button undone and his hair mussed. “No. He does have blue eyes but that’s about the only resemblance. I gather he’s a biology nerd. He’s doing research on Lake Haven’s salmon population.”
“Maybe a summer romance with a handsome Brit who will be leaving in a few weeks is just what you need. That would certainly shake you out of your blues.”
She frowned at her friend. “Ha. When would I have time for a fling, even if I wanted one? I’m working every waking moment either at the store or on my own projects at home. I’ve got orders for four wedding dresses to be created by the end of the summer and I’ve gone from never having responsibility for a pet to now having a dog with three puppies who need attention. All. The. Time.”
Suddenly the weight of everything was too much. The sleepless nights working, the worry over the business, missing her mother. Gemma’s upcoming wedding to the man of her dreams...who had for a very short time once been the man of Sam’s.
The loneliness.
Everyone in her world had someone else to love. Everyone but her.
The tears came out of nowhere, bursting out before she could stop them.
Katrina gave her one astonished look, then hugged Sam hard, which only seemed to intensify her sobs. Though the gesture was comforting, kind, it only made her feel more stupid.
“You’ve got so much more on your plate. You’ve got Milo and Gabriela and Bowie. I have no right to feel so overwhelmed.”
“You’re dealing with a lot. And dealing with it on your own, without Linda there to help you out. I understand how tough that can be.”
“Nothing like you have.”
“You can’t compare our lives, honey. My life is busy in my way, your life is busy in yours.”
“I feel as if I’m running a hundred miles an hour and never catching up. I always have something I should be doing.”
“That’s the blessing and the curse of being good at what you do. People want your designs, which means more work and more stress but more job satisfaction, too.”
“You’re right. I know you’re right.”
She would be embarrassed about this in about an hour but right now it felt good to vent to her best friend. “If I could only design the dresses, that would be wonderful. But I have to manage the store, too. Payroll and inventory and employees who call in sick last-minute and need me to cover their shifts.”
Katrina looked as if she wanted to say something but then closed her mouth.