Welcome to Valley View (Valley View Book 1)

Chapter 28

DECEMBER

The Fourth of July was the best night of my life, so far, when Jimmy got down on one knee in front of our family and friends and asked me to be his wife. I’m not even sure he got the question totally out before I said yes. I love this man so much that I cannot wait to be his forever.

I think Jimmy would have been satisfied turning around that night and getting married, but I told him I was going to make him wait, but he wants me to have the wedding of my dreams and so he agreed. We decided on an April wedding and even though Betsy wanted us to get married in the church that Raymond and she did, Jimmy had a better idea, something that would represent us a little more.

His idea was to have our wedding ceremony up on the overlook to the valley and I couldn’t agree more. It kind of feels like “ours” and the moment he suggested it, it just felt right. So we will be renting chairs, an archway, aisle runners, and all that other stuff in order to have the ceremony up there. Our reception will be down closer to the farmhouse where we will have a huge tent with tables and chairs. 

Today, Candy and I are going to Harlington to check out their local baker. The director of the preschool ordered a cake for them for the November birthdays and it was so good. I took a piece home to Jimmy and he agreed that we should check them out.

“I can’t believe you aren’t letting me make your wedding cake. I’ve made dozens before, I’m the go-to baker in Valley View!” Candy whined once again. She’s been giving me crap since I first nixed the idea.

“I love your cakes and I’m sure you would make a beautiful wedding cake, but you’re my maid of honor and I’m not going to have you worry about how the cake looks when I need you to make sure my mascara isn’t running and my panties aren’t showing.”

“I could do both!” Candy bemoans.

“Nope! The only duty you’re pulling on my wedding day is Tiff duty,” I laugh.

Candy just sighs, following my lead to the door of the bakery. The doorbell rings as we walk inside and we hear a faint call from the back of the shop, “I’ll be there in just a moment! Sorry!”

“You’re fine, we’ll just look around,” I say back to the voice coming from the back of the bakery.

“Oh look, a cake book.” Candy sees a cake book on a small table near the cash register and she pulls me over to it. We glance through the cakes and see beautiful cakes that would fit the theme for our day perfectly. After a few minutes of flipping pages, a woman with auburn hair, freckles, and about my height and age walks out from the bake with a tray of delicious-looking cupcakes.

“Hi! Welcome to the new and improved Harlington Sweets. My name is Holly, the new owner.” She shakes both of our hands.

“New owner? What happened to Mary?” Candy asked.

Holly shrugged her shoulders, “Florida, I think? I don’t know too much except that she was ready to retire and I pounced on the for sale ad right away.”

“Dang, Candy, I thought you were supposed to know all the gossip between Harlington and Valley View. I’m disappointed in you,” I rib her while nudging her with my elbow.

Holly closed the display case of cupcakes and walked around the counter to wash her hands. “It has only been a couple of months. I kept a lot of Mary’s popular items and make them with the same recipes, but I added my favorites to the menu as well. What can I do for you two ladies today? I see you checking out the cake book.”

“Yes! I’m getting married in April and although my bestie here is an excellent baker at Rickie’s Diner, she’s also my maid of honor and I refuse to let her do the cake as well.”