“I agree. I have a couple of ideas. I’ll email you pictures and then get at least three dresses in right before Christmas.”
“Should we hold this one as a backup?”
“Absolutely.” Madeline knew they would find the right dress for Ginger, but also didn’t want the other woman worrying. If having a backup dress allowed her to let it go for the next couple of weeks, then they would have a backup dress.
After Ginger changed back into the street clothes, she walked out of the dressing room.
“You’ve been so great,” she said. “Thank you for all your help. There’s no way I could do my work and plan a wedding.”
“I’m happy to do it,” Madeline told her. “I’m having fun and learning a lot about planning a wedding. There are a lot of details. Your brother always has interesting ideas.”
She’d meant the comment to be teasing, but instead of smiling, Ginger shifted her backpack from one shoulder to the other.
“We should probably talk about him,” she said with a sigh.
Madeline felt herself flush. Oh, no. Was it that obvious that she had a thing for him? Was Ginger going to warn her off? Talk about humiliating.
“My brother is going to be a problem,” Ginger said softly. “It’s already started. That huge flower cake? What was he thinking? I’ve told him I want a small, simple wedding. He says he gets it and then he tries to buy a cake like that.”
Madeline nodded without actually getting the problem. “Too much involvement?” she asked.
“Trying to show me how much he cares.” Ginger pressed her lips together. “You two are friends, aren’t you?”
“I think so. He’s nice.” She didn’t know what else to say. Mentioning the tingles wasn’t appropriate. Talk about the weirdest conversation ever.
Ginger smiled. “Not many people would describe him as nice, but you’re right. He is. He loves me. A lot. Which shouldn’t be a problem. Only he wants me to know he loves me and, for Jonny, that means showing, not telling.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He can’t say the words. I think it’s all the loss he’s had in his life.”
“Like Kristen?” she said before she could stop herself.
Ginger’s green eyes widened. “He told you about her?”
“He, ah, mentioned what happened.”
“Then you can see the problem. First our mom, then Kristen, then my dad. Nearly everyone Jonny’s ever loved has died. He doesn’t want to risk pain again. I can’t blame him, but I’m his sister. He’s stuck with me. So he doesn’t tell me he loves me, he shows me. When I first went to college, he tried to decorate my dorm room. He crammed in so much stuff I couldn’t move. He’s going to try to do the same with the wedding.”
Madeline thought about the giant cake, the extra courses he’d wanted for the dinner and the ice sculptures. “I see what you mean. You want me to keep things in check.”
“If you can. I’m not sure it’s possible.”
“Have you talked to him about this?”
“Dozens of times. He says he gets it, then goes right out and does exactly what he wants. Any help you can give would be really appreciated. Oliver and I want a simple, low-key wedding. I know there are couples who spend years planning the perfect wedding. Oliver and I are more interested in being married than getting married.”
“I understand completely. I’ll talk to your brother. If that doesn’t work, I’ll make sure he doesn’t fly in the Vienna Boys’ Choir.”
Ginger winced. “Please don’t mention them to him. I’m sure he would do exactly that.”
“It would make for a great story.”
Ginger smiled. “We’ll have pictures. That’s enough.”
* * *
Madeline hung up the phone and knew that her until-then perfectly wonderful day had been ruined and she had no one to blame but herself. She’d been stupid. Sure there were other words, but that was the truth of it. Dumb her.
She couldn’t say why she’d done it, either. The second she’d looked at her cell phone and seen the 509 area code, she’d known. But she’d taken the call, anyway.
“I have to stop,” she said aloud as she paced back and forth in her office. “I have to say no. Of course, if I refuse, he wins. If I don’t take the call, he wins. And when we go out to dinner, he wins.”
“Sounds like you’ve got a problem.”