A Wedding on Sunflower Street: An uplifting story about friendship, love and marriage Read online

  A Wedding on Sunflower Street

  An uplifting story about friendship, love and marriage

  Rachel Griffiths

  Cosy Cottage Books

  For my family, with love always. XXX

  Cover design by Berni Stevens

  Proofreading by Noble Owl Proofreading

  Copyright © by Rachel A. Griffiths

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  A Wedding on Sunflower Street

  Summer has come to Sunflower Street and there’s excitement in the air …

  Lila Edwards is enjoying her pregnancy and counting down the days until her June wedding. Lila's fiancé, Ethan Morris, has decorated the nursery, and everything seems to be going to plan until an unexpected visitor arrives in the village.

  Roxie and Fletcher Walker are enjoying the summer with their two dogs and Roxie is busier than ever helping Lila with her wedding plans. Roxie is determined to ensure that Lila and Ethan have a wonderful day.

  Joanne Baker and Max Jenkins have moved in together and are making the most of lazy weekends and country walks. They’re keeping an eye on the property market but nothing they’ve seen is quite right. If only they could find the perfect home to make their own.

  Join the residents of Sunflower Street as they prepare for the wedding of the year, discover a long-hidden secret and look forward to a new arrival.

  Contents

  1. Lila And Ethan

  2. Roxie

  3. Lila

  4. Lila

  5. Roxie

  6. Lila

  7. Joanne

  8. Lila

  9. Roxie

  10. Joanne

  11. Lila

  12. Joanne

  13. Lila

  14. Roxie

  15. Lila

  16. Ethan

  17. Lila

  18. Lila

  19. Roxie

  20. Lila

  21. Ethan

  22. Roxie And Lila

  23. Ethan

  24. Lila

  25. Roxie

  EPILOGUE - LILA

  Dear Reader

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  1

  Lila And Ethan

  ‘It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.’ Lila said as she closed the car door and looked around. ‘I mean, I know I’ve been here before, when I picked up wine from the shop, but I’d forgotten just how lovely it is.’

  ‘It’s pretty special, isn’t it?’ Ethan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him.

  ‘It’s just perfect,’ Roxie Walker nodded. ‘I can see it all now … a perfect June day, the sun high in the sky, the birds singing, a gentle breeze toying with your veil.’

  They had come to the Chester-Linden Vineyard to see the wedding venue there. So far, they’d only just got out of the car and they’d been overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape. Lila had asked Roxie to accompany them in case she needed a second opinion, and also because Roxie was her closest friend and Lila wanted to know what she thought of the place too. Roxie had offered to help with the wedding planning and Lila was glad to have her support because making so many decisions was daunting and she knew that Ethan would just go along with whatever she wanted. Roxie’s critical eye would help Lila avoid making any mistakes.

  The thirty-five-minute drive from Wisteria Hollow had taken them through green-hedged country lanes where the scents of fields and hedgerows permeated the air, sweet and floral, rich and peaty. As they’d crested a small hill, the patchwork of fields had spread out before them, green and gold, fresh and fertile. There was so much beauty on their doorstep and Lila would never tire of getting outside and enjoying the sights and sounds.

  Ethan had slowed the car when they spotted the sign for the vineyard then he’d taken a left turn and driven along a narrow lane that ended in a gravel car park. From there they could see the large manor house where the Chester-Linden family had lived for generations. The house and estate had an 800-year history and Ethan had been excited when he’d discovered that, reading the information from the website to Lila. The vineyard that had been planted in 1979 occupied a gently sloping four-hectare site adjacent to the house. The winery buildings and shop were off to the far left of the house, while opposite it was the wedding venue itself, a large barn that had been extended and renovated recently to cater for weddings, parties, barn dances and more. When Lila had visited the shop some time ago, the barn had been in the very early stages of a renovation, so she was keen to see the finished changes.

  There were three other cars in the car park and Lila wondered if they belonged to other couples planning to get married there. She’d gone through a roller-coaster of emotions as she and Ethan had discussed where they’d like to say their vows. The village church in Wisteria Hollow had initially been disregarded because it was where Lila had been due to marry Ben the Bastard, but then she’d thought that wouldn’t matter as it was in the past. However, when they’d gone to speak to the vicar after Christmas in order to test the waters, Lila had started to shake and she’d known that she couldn’t get married there. The place held far too many unpleasant memories of the day Ben had failed to show, of how her heart had raced and her knees had threatened to give way beneath her as reality washed over her like an ice-cold wave. Ethan had been wonderfully understanding and they’d embarked upon a search for the perfect venue, but each one had either been fully booked for the foreseeable future or just not right.

  When Ethan had seen an online advert for the barn renovation at the Chester-Linden Vineyard, something inside Lila had lifted. The website had shown a venue that was everything she could have wanted and more. She’d tried to caution herself against getting her hopes up, but her belly was getting bigger by the day and she was aware that if they didn’t find somewhere soon, she’d have to resign herself to waiting until after their baby was born. That would have been fine too, but Lila liked the idea of being married before their baby came along, something she knew was linked to her own need for security after her difficult childhood. Besides which, she was a bit afraid that if they delayed the wedding, they’d be too busy and they might not get around to it for months or possibly years because the baby would be their priority.

  ‘What if those other cars belong to people who want to book their wedding here too?’ Lila asked as they made their way across the car park in the direction of the barn.

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Ethan said, holding her hand tight. ‘I’m sure lots of people will want to get married here when they see how lovely it is.’

  ‘Yes but there might not be any availability in June or July and then we’ll have to wait.’

  Ethan stopped walking and turned her to face him.

  ‘If we have to wait, we can wait, but I have a feeling that the first Saturday in June will be free.’

  ‘You do?’ Lila looked into his brown eyes, noted the smile playing on his lips. ‘How do you know that?’

  He winked. ‘I might just have secured it as soon as we saw the website.’

  ‘But how?’ Roxie was standing next to them, her head cocked on one side. ‘I’d have thought this place would’ve been booked up months in advance.’

  ‘It was.’ Ethan nodded. ‘But there was a cancellation and I swooped in and paid a d
eposit immediately.’

  ‘So we can get married here?’ Lila gasped.

  ‘We can. As long as you like the inside of the barn too. I mean, it’s perfect out here for photographs, but we need to ensure that you like where the ceremony will take place too.’

  ‘I can’t wait to see it.’ Lila tugged at his hand.

  ‘It looked wonderful online,’ Roxie said.

  ‘I’m hoping it will be even better in person.’ Ethan grinned, raising Lila’s hand and kissing it. ‘Now let’s go and meet the wedding planner.’

  Ethan’s heart was brimming as they walked towards the barn. He’d known as soon as he’d seen the venue that it would be perfect and that Lila would love it. He thought it was better than a church. He understood why people wanted to get married in churches but he wasn’t religious and had liked the idea of a different kind of venue. With Lila being pregnant, he hadn’t wanted to suggest going abroad – although it would have been a possibility – and they’d been busy decorating the nursery and getting things ready for the baby’s arrival. Staying close to home seemed like a better idea, and he hoped it would be a bit cheaper too. The fact that the vineyard had a cancellation for just five weeks’ time had meant that he was able to barter for a lower price, and the fact that their guest list was small, meant that he’d got a very good deal. His mum had insisted on helping out and so, as long as Lila approved of the venue, everything was good to go.

  Outside the barn, they stopped and looked around. A tall woman in a lilac suit with short black hair was striding towards them, a clipboard tucked under one arm. Ethan recognised her from her photo on the website.

  ‘That’s Cesca Howes, the wedding planner.’

  ‘She was on the website,’ Roxie said. ‘She seems taller in real life.’

  ‘Hello! Hello!’ Cesca reached them, bringing with her the scent of expensive perfume and a perfectly white smile. ‘So good to meet you.’

  She shook their hands firmly then balanced the clipboard on her hip. ‘So this is for the Edwards-Morris wedding?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Ethan replied.

  ‘And you wanted the first Saturday in June?’

  ‘Right again.’

  ‘Wonderful!’ Cesca smiled. ‘I just had to double-check because there’d be nothing worse than getting the date wrong. Or the names of the groom or bride confused.’

  She looked at Roxie. ‘Are you the bride’s mum?’

  Roxie coughed then laughed. ‘Well—’

  ‘This is my friend, Roxie Walker,’ Lila interrupted.

  ‘I thought you looked far too young to be her mum. But hey-ho, I’m terrible at judging ages and these days people often look so good it’s hard to tell if they’re thirty or fifty.’ Cesca shrugged then gave a long sigh. ‘Huge apologies for my faux pas, Ms Walker.’

  ‘It’s not a problem,’ Roxie smiled. ‘I like to think of myself as a kind of foster mum to Lila anyway.’

  ‘Wonderful!’ Cesca made a note on her clipboard. ‘Will anyone else be joining us this morning? Mums or dads? Grandparents? Other family members?’

  Lila and Ethan shook their heads and Ethan’s stomach plummeted. He had hoped that these subjects wouldn’t be raised but then Cesca was probably used to greeting bride and groom, or bride and bride, or groom and groom, along with extended family, and so wanted to ensure that everyone was included.

  ‘It’s just us three today,’ he said, keen to clarify before Cesca asked anything else.

  ‘Wonderful.’ She nodded, making Ethan wonder if everything in Cesca’s life was wonderful. ‘Let’s show you around then, shall we?’

  Cesca opened the door to the barn and stepped aside, gesturing for them to go in.

  The interior of the barn was cool and smelt like a summer meadow; the sweetness of roses was combined with the honey-mint of freesias. Lila realised it was due to the beautiful flower arrangements on stands either side of the doorway.

  Ethan took her hand as they walked further into the barn and looked around. The ceiling was high and skylights had been set above the exposed beams, letting in plenty of light. Their footsteps echoed on the polished wooden floorboards and Lila felt Roxie take her free arm and squeeze it. Around the edges of the barn were narrow tables and benches in different colours including pink, blue and green. They were clearly upcycled and gave the barn a shabby chic feel. Each table had three colourful glass votive holders along the middle with heart cut-outs and Lila could imagine how they would look with candles burning inside, casting flickering hearts across the tables. Dried flowers were wrapped around the ceiling beams and in between them, tiny lights twinkled; something that would no doubt look even better as darkness fell outside.

  ‘We could set the aisle up along here with chairs either side. Well, actually you can have chairs, benches or hay bales.’ Cesca pointed at the centre of the wooden floor. ‘And you could have the desk with the registrar at the end there.’ On the opposite side of the room were glass bifold doors. ‘The doors can be open or closed and, as you can see, they have a wonderful view of the fields beyond.’

  ‘Hay bales?’ Lila asked, imagining the smell of hay filling the barn then picturing some of the guests complaining about the effect it would have on their clothes. It would be difficult to please everyone and that was another reason why she was glad they’d opted for a small wedding.

  ‘We’ve had special requests since we opened as a wedding venue.’ Cesca nodded. ‘So added it to our list.’

  ‘Surely hay would destroy a silk dress?’ Roxie asked, ever the fashionista.

  ‘We can cover the top of the bales with cushions,’ Cesca explained. ‘It’s more for the authentic barn effect and believe me, it would smell magnificent.’

  ‘I can imagine.’ Ethan smiled at Lila, his eyes bright. He was clearly pleased with his choice.

  ‘If you want a band, we can organise that too, whether you want a covers band, string band, harpist or something else. This could be for during the ceremony and afterwards as well if you intend on having the reception here too, which we are hoping you are. There’s a space in the corner to the left of the doors where we can set up a raised area for the band. While you all have photos done, the barn can be rearranged for the reception and, weather permitting, guests can enjoy some time outside with Pimm’s or our own sparkling rosé or a combination. There are many possibilities, so today I want to check that you like what you see and then we can get to work on your list of wants.’

  Lila nodded. ‘It sounds perfect.’

  ‘Why don’t we have a sit down and I’ll send for some refreshments then we can start planning?’ Cesca gestured at a table near the door so they headed over to it and sat down, Cesca on one side, Lila flanked by Ethan and Roxie on the other.

  ‘Do you mind if I take some photos?’ Roxie asked. ‘So we can show them to Lila’s friends.’

  ‘Of course not. Carry on.’ Cesca smiled then turned over the page on her clipboard and looked at Lila and Ethan. ‘Okay then you two. Let’s get some ideas down.’

  Half an hour later, Lila felt like they were getting somewhere. Following a quick text from Cesca, a young man wearing a white apron had arrived with a tray of tea and cake. They’d eaten the lemon drizzle cake and drunk the Earl Grey tea as Cesca had talked them through the options available.

  ‘It feels real now,’ Ethan said.

  ‘It does.’ Lila felt almost breathless as everything whirled around inside her mind.

  ‘It’s very exciting, isn’t it?’ Cesca smiled. ‘I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful day. Regarding that … will you be walking along the aisle alone, Lila, or do you have someone to walk with you? Traditionally, of course, we’d ask if you have someone to give you away but I like to think that’s a bit old-fashioned now. However, it is nice to have someone to hold your hand as you walk towards your future spouse.’

  Cesca waited, pen poised above the paper, and Lila opened and closed her mouth. Of course Lila should have thought about this, but it was one of
those things she’d pushed away. She had decided that she wouldn’t be inviting her parents not long after Ethan had proposed. What would be the point? They’d have some excuse not to come or they’d turn up and ruin the wedding in some way. They were like strangers to her now and she didn’t want to ruin the day by worrying about what they might say or do, about the tension that having them there would cause.

  ‘I’ll do it.’ Roxie spoke quietly. ‘If you’d like me to, that is.’

  Lila looked at her friend and her throat tightened. ‘Really?’

  ‘Of course. I don’t see it as giving you away though, like Cesca said. It’s more about being there with you, showing you off and supporting you.’

  ‘Thank you so much.’

  ‘It’ll be my pleasure, Lila.’

  ‘How lovely!’ Cesca made a note on her clipboard. ‘Have you got the dress yet?’ Her eyes roamed over Lila.

  ‘Not yet.’ Lila placed a hand on her tummy. ‘I wasn’t sure how big I’d be.’

  Cesca tilted her head. ‘Do you mind me asking how far along you are?’

  ‘About six months.’

  ‘Really? But you’re tiny. My sister was enormous at five months. You have the neatest little bump. It’s just adorable.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Lila’s cheeks were warm. ‘I feel like a hippo.’

  ‘That’s because you’re so tiny usually.’ Roxie gently nudged Lila.