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  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Synopsis

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Other Books by Laina Villeneuve

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Author's Note

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Bella Books

  Synopsis

  Wedding bells are ringing for Kat Morehart—just not her own. When the church she works for refuses to let a gay couple marry in the sanctuary, she aims to make it up to them by offering her home as the perfect venue. It will take an act of faith to pull it off at the historic home she shares with her quirky parents.

  Caterer Wendy Archer enjoys the business Kat directs her way and their friendship even more. Though she loves how much Kat cares for others, Wendy has to wonder at times how she fits into Kat’s life.

  As they work together to create the perfect setting for the wedding, Kat and Wendy struggle to fight what simmers between them.

  Copyright © 2018 by Laina Villeneuve

  Bella Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 10543

  Tallahassee, FL 32302

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  First Bella Books Edition 2018

  eBook released 2018

  Editor: Cath Walker

  Cover Designer: Judith Fellows

  ISBN: 978-1-59493-608-1

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Other Books By Laina Villeneuve

  Return to Paradise

  The Right Thing Easy

  Such Happiness as This

  Take Only Pictures

  Acknowledgments

  I am so grateful to my colleague Eric, who said just the right thing when I posed my dilemma of revising a finished draft of one book or starting this new book. Many thanks to my early cheerleaders, Roberta and Diane, who encouraged me chapter by chapter. I am also indebted to my Bella colleagues for their keen suggestions: Jaime Clevenger for her insights on writing a first page that grabs a reader, Rachel Gold for her tutelage on description, and Blayne Cooper for advice about pacing. Ruth, thank you for sharing all you know about commas!

  I’m so lucky to have been able to work with Cath Walker on this fifth book. She had a special knack for leaving suggestions with me and patiently waiting through the drafts for me to figure out she was right. I may not have learned my lesson about certain verbs or rules of capitalization, but I have learned a lot about deleting details that detract from the plot. This is a tough story for me to launch, and the confidence I have in it now comes a lot from the faith Cath had in the story and in me.

  My friend Heather has been my best fan from before I even started publishing. She and her wife Samantha gave me great reader’s perspective before I sent in the final draft.

  Thank you again to my mom, who read pieces of the draft when she could and answered all sorts of questions to help me understand my characters better. My dad filled in factual details, especially in terms of the legal vs the religious response to the legislation of same-sex marriage. My wife and kids graciously accepted the eighties soundtrack delivered by warbled mix tapes I dug out of the garage to help find the right songs for this couple. My wife has weathered a lot of emotional turmoil in the working of this book and has been especially gentle with me during each step. She also deserves all the credit for Wendy’s culinary backstory, graciously filling in when I left [some cooking thing] in the draft.

  When I was a kid, there was a commercial that ended with the line “Big sisters always make things easier.” My big sister has done just that from day one, and this story is my attempt to say thank you.

  About the Author

  Laina Villeneuve is the baby of three. She and her brother and sister grew up with the handprint of a famous silent-movie star in their backyard, a fact her own three children have yet to appreciate. In real life, her sister has never kissed a girl. Her mother has. The AIDS crisis in the ’80s significantly changed her father’s dating habits, and her parents celebrate fifty years of marriage this fall.

  Dedication

  For my sister, Katherine

  Who deserves a happily ever after.

  I wish hers had come sooner

  And lasted longer.

  Author’s Note

  By 2015, thirty-seven states in the USA had made same-sex marriages legal either by state action or federal ruling. Because Ohio was not one of those states, Jim Obergefell and John Arthur flew to Maryland to marry. John Arthur had Lou Gehrig’s disease. They sued the state of Ohio when they learned that the union would neither allow them to be listed as married on Arthur’s death certificate, nor recognize Obergefell as his surviving spouse.

  The case was reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States, and on June 26, 2015, with a 5-4 decision, the court legalized marriage for gay and lesbian couples in all fifty states. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote, “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.”

  The ruling did not, however, end all conflict. In many states, couples continue to be denied services from many in the wedding industry, such as bakers, florists and photographers. Liberal churches celebrated the opportunity to officiate weddings for gays and lesbians. Though many conservative churches authorized clergy to perform these weddings, the decision is ultimately left to individual clergy.

  Step by step, the LGBTQ+ community continues to move toward true equality.

  Chapter One

  “Guess who’s getting married!”

  Kat looked up to find her favorite couple in her doorway. “Married?” she said. She knew the couple refused to wed until marriage equality was available throughout the United States.

  “The Supreme Court’s r
uling is out, and it’s time to celebrate!” Evan said.

  The volunteers in the outer office squealed with delight. Kat joined them and rushed to the pair to give them both a tight squeeze. She had only ever seen them in their Sunday slacks and ties. Seeing them in baggy cords and sweaters made them seem more like friends than parishioners. “I hadn’t heard!” she said.

  “The news just broke,” Evan gushed. Years had done nothing to minimize his strong jawline with his cleft chin, and his pale blue eyes shone brightly. “I was still glued to the news report, and this one was already popping the question!”

  Jeremy’s salt-and-pepper beard almost hid the smile on his rounder face, but he was clearly emotional when he took Evan’s hand and said, “We have a big anniversary coming up, and we want to talk to Reverend Thorn about making it our wedding day.”

  Kat clasped her hands over her heart, a surge of happiness lifting her. A wedding! Even though her own fifteen-year marriage had ended in divorce, weddings still thrilled her to her core. She loved every detail of a couple’s plan for the ceremony and the reception: the music, the food, the favors! While her official duties at Kindred Souls Church did not extend beyond managing the facilities, she got pulled into many of the other details since she had the keys and alarm codes for the buildings. She had worked with so many photographers, florists and caterers that she often knew what couples needed before they did.

  The phone rang, and a volunteer reached across the desk to answer it while Jeremy reflected on the Court’s decision. “It’s exciting news for the country,” he started to explain, but emotion tightened his throat. “We’ve been waiting so long for this day.”

  The volunteer, phone to her chest, leaned over. “Kat, it’s for you.” Hating to step away from Jeremy and Evan, Kat was about to ask the caller to leave a message. “It’s your mom. She says it’s an emergency.”

  Pushing away her irritation, Kat stepped back into her office and picked up the phone. “Mom, this is the church line.”

  “I know. You didn’t pick up your cell.”

  “What’s the emergency?” Kat groused wondering why her mother couldn’t have had her drama some other time when Kat needed an excuse to get away from the Altar Guild ladies and their fretting over new stains on the linens.

  “I’m out of donuts.”

  Kat sat at her desk and closed her eyes. She pulled her blond hair over her shoulder and ran the soft ends back and forth over her lips, searching for serenity. She took a deep, even breath.

  Her mother, Millie, must have heard her. Resigned, she said, “You’re right, I’ll survive.”

  “I can probably make a run between closing the office and bells.”

  “Oh, no. You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine. I can make some sugar toast. I don’t think the bread is that old.”

  “I just bought the bread last week.”

  “Yes, exactly.”

  “I’ll see you at five twenty,” Kat said. “If I get my work finished,” she added, disappointed to see that Reverend Thorn was already shaking Jeremy and Evan’s hands and ushering them into his office. She returned to preparing the Sunday bulletin, trying her best to ignore the volunteers’ chatter.

  “I don’t think we have enough hangers or bags,” one said.

  “Have you seen the huge pile of donations? There’s no way we have enough.”

  “Of course it’s much easier to pull in some hangers than it is to pull in volunteers.”

  “How about Suzy?”

  “Are you kidding? Suzy is such a gossip!”

  “Suzy? I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say more than two words.”

  “Oh, but she listens. She’s the one who told Reverend Thorn about the Heyman’s daughter.”

  “No!”

  Though it was tempting to insert that they were gossips themselves, Kat finished proofing the order of service and printed the final copy. She carried the original from her small office to Verna, the most technologically savvy of the volunteers, to run the copies.

  The door of the priest’s office swung open. Reverend Thorn wore the self-satisfied look that always followed an opportunity to explain the Bible. He smoothed his tie, his hand pausing at his soft middle, a disingenuous smile on his pasty face.

  Disappointment radiated from the men. They barely glanced up. Kat shot an angry look at the priest’s closing door. “What’s that about?” Kat asked.

  “He refuses to marry us,” Evan said. Time had diminished some of the musculature on his tall frame, but he always carried himself with dignity. Now his shoulders slumped forward and the muscles by his jaw rippled as if he was trying not to cry.

  “But the law!” Kat exclaimed.

  Jeremy wrapped an arm around Evan’s shoulder. “It’s okay. We can go to the courthouse.”

  “I want a church wedding,” Evan said. “All these years, I’ve been waiting…” He swallowed hard, fighting tears.

  Kat opened her mouth, but no words came. Verna rescued her. “Why won’t he marry you?”

  Forming air quotes, Evan lowered his voice and said, “While I recognize your excitement, you have to understand that the Bible forbids such unions.”

  Kat tried to bite her tongue but failed. “His interpretation of the Bible. That isn’t the church’s official stance. It’s my understanding they have left it to the discretion of each individual priest.”

  Verna nodded vigorously, the reading glasses strung around her neck bouncing against her ample bosom. “Yes, that’s true. My sister’s church in Massachusetts has performed weddings for same-sex couples. But Reverend Thorn takes the Bible very literally. You might have better luck with Reverend Munson. She has a more progressive interpretation. Perhaps she could perform the wedding.”

  “We asked about that. He said no same-sex ceremony would take place anywhere on campus.”

  “Ceremony?” Kat said. “You’re planning a wedding, not a ceremony.”

  Evan threw his arms around her. “Oh, Kat. I knew you would understand. I just knew it. What can we do? I’ve dreamed about our wedding, the garlands, the flowers at the end of each pew. I wanted the organ. The choir. Timpani. I wanted to be Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.”

  “She wasn’t Von Trapp until she got married. What was her last name before?” Jeremy asked.

  “Don’t try to distract me,” Evan answered.

  Jeremy turned pleading eyes on Kat. If she didn’t shut him down, Evan was going to cry. “And handbells?” she offered.

  “Of course the handbells. That wonderful peal you do! You’re the sun itself when you swing those bells.”

  Kat blushed at the compliment. “Well there you go. The bells are portable, and we’ve provided music at all sorts of venues.”

  Jeremy searched Evan’s eyes. “And we could probably still have someone sing?”

  “Absolutely!” Kat chimed in. “You could hire a soloist. I know a couple. He plays the harpsichord, and she is a lovely soprano.”

  “Keep talking.” Evan sat on the edge of the desk, tilting his chin and closing his eyes.

  “So much of what you had planned can be done just about anywhere. Maybe you have a favorite park?”

  “We love the Huntington. Or Griffith Park.”

  “There’s no way we’re getting one of those in a month,” Jeremy said.

  “One month?” Kat asked.

  “Next month, we will have been together for fifty years. We want to get married on the anniversary of the day we promised to spend the rest of our lives together. It’s mid-week, so we were sure the church would be free.”

  “So you want a place that is grand but private and available in a month.”

  “I want a sanctified wedding.” Evan returned to the problem.

  Kat shared his disgust at how appallingly Reverend Thorn was treating them. Frankly, she was surprised that he would risk upsetting two of their largest donors. Her mind spun for a solution and stopped on a tenuous alternative. “Have Reverend Munson consecrate
a space.”

  Some of the sparkle she always saw in Evan’s eyes returned. “She can do that?”

  “She declares that people are gathered in the name of the Lord, and it becomes holy ground. Verna’s right. I bet she’d be happy to perform your wedding. Shall we call?”

  Jeremy took Evan’s hand. “Would that work for you?”

  “Where would we do it?”

  “Let’s call Reverend Munson and see if I’m right because I have a spot in mind.”

  Kat led them to her office and dialed. She handed Jeremy the phone and linked her arm with Evan’s while they listened. Her grip on Evan’s arm tightened as Jeremy’s smile widened. Finally, he handed back the phone and wrapped his arms around Evan. “She’ll do it!”

  Verna whooped from the outer office, and Kat hoped that Reverend Thorn was getting an earful of their shared glee. “Okay! I have the perfect location!”

  “Where?” Jeremy asked.

  “How about a beautiful historic home with space in the backyard for fifty to a hundred guests?”

  “Sounds nice,” Evan said. Kat could still hear resignation in his voice.

  “You know Rock Hudson?” She almost laughed out loud at their twin expressions of confusion.

  “She asks the man who swoons at anything he’s in,” Jeremy said.

  “The former owner of my parents’ house once dated him.”

  Evan’s eyes lit up, illuminating the dashing man Kat was accustomed to seeing at church. “How do you know?”

  “His handprint is in the cement of the patio. Come check it out and see if you can picture getting married there.”

  “An outdoor wedding in March?” Evan sounded doubtful. “What if it rains?”

  “It’s Southern California. It never rains. Last year, by mid-March, we were in the high eighties. And Rock Hudson! We have to see this!” Jeremy said.

  Kat had suspected she could capture the interest of the retired stage manager with the history of her parents’ house. She glanced at her office. She still had work to do, but then she looked at her boss’s closed door, and fury coursed through her. Their church had no moral right to deny this couple their dream, not when so many sanctioned marriages fell apart. “Let’s go right now. Verna, hold down the fort. We’re going on an adventure!” Kat ducked into her office to grab her purse. She fished out her keys and held them up like bait as she passed the guys. “Ready?”