Page 67 of Consuming Logan

“Don’t let them get to you,” he whispered, not answering her question. “Our wedding will be perfect.”

She looked up at him. Eyes filled with love. “Are you saying this rehearsal is a bust?” Thankfully with all the recent turmoil, the final rehearsal would happen the day before the wedding, on Thursday. She lowered her voice. “Who knew Robert Lee could be a stubborn mule.”

Logan regarded her. “You look tired. I’ve got my parents, Ava mine. You sit. Put your feet up,” he ordered.

And that was why she loved him. From that first night in the Towers ballroom, he’d come to her rescue.

“Dad be reasonable,” Logan grumbled, approaching his parents.

Robert Lee held up his hand to stop Logan. “No. I’m done with your mother.”

It was painful to witness the troubling turn the relationship had taken. Ava couldn’t imagine her life without Logan’s love. His parents had been together for forty plus years. Though there was no affection lost between she and Maribelle. Ava certainly didn’t want to see the older woman starting life over without her husband.

“I’ll be more than happy to escort you, Mrs. Masters,” Tyson winked.

Fire lit in Maribelle’s eyes. Ava braced for impact. At the last minute, she cut her eyes to Logan and tempered her comments. “No thank you,” Maribelle said in a clipped tone.

The doors to the sanctuary opened. In walked her brother and his wife, Zari. Aron still sported his Baker’s Pharmacy logo lab coat. Since completing his doctorate in Pharmacy, Aron had assumed the position of pharmacist at Baker’s in Old Town Shell Cove. He and Zari had built a comfortable life, close to family, in Shell Cove.

Ava inhaled. The sweet scent of fresh bread and warm sugar wafted past her nose. Zari must have baked one of her signature cakes.

“What’s up big sis?” Aron asked, placing a kiss on her cheek. Zari, dressed in a flowered yellow blouse with a red pencil skirt and neutral wedge heels, followed behind him. Voices grew louder as the two made their way down the aisle, smiling as if the surrounded chaos were on mute.

“You,” she grinned. Sometimes, she thought her parents still struggled to support her decision to join the Navy. She knew a part of them wanted her to stay close to home, like Aron.

“Zari brought Death by Chocolate cupcakes,” he whispered. “Here’s to soothing all the fantastic beasts.”

The deployment had been hard on them and the thought that she might be transferred out of the area to another assignment weighed heavily on both her mom and her grandmother. Granny Lou was well into her 70’s now and Ava didn’t want to miss a moment with her, but at the same time all her dreams for her future were finally coming true. She’d been promoted to Lieutenant in less than the customary four years.

“Can’t get any worse.”

Zari, Aron’s wife of five years, stepped in front of him, throwing one arm wide, and embracing Ava in a bear hug.

“How you holding up, lady?”

Zari was the best sister-in-law. A teacher at the same school where Ava’s mom had served as principal before retiring, Zari’s entrance into the Walters’ family was seamless. Unlike Logan, she grimaced.

Ava gave an unladylike snort. “Knot in rope, palms burning.”

“Yay,” she cheered, “that’s the spirit.”

Ava gave her a doubtful look. “I hope so, Zari,” she said glancing at the disgruntled crowd.

Aron snapped his fingers and then pointed at her. “Your prescription popped into my processing queue today. Dr. Jared ordered your three-month supply of prenatal vitamins and the Zoloft.”

“Keep your voice down,” Ava whispered.

The antidepressant was precautionary. With the wedding and the project wrap-up fast approaching, Ava wanted to be at top performance. She’d be Mrs. Logan Masters by the end of the week. And, she’d be a mother before the end of the year. Her life was perfect, more extraordinary than she’d dreamt possible. So why did she feel like she was on the verge of physical and emotional collapse?

“Do you need help with anything, Ava?”

It was so like Zari to offer a helping hand. Like a flag flapping back and forth in a fierce wind, she would moor to the pole, hold strong lest she be ripped to shreds and taken away on a slight breeze.

“Yes,” she said taking her sister-in-law by the arm. “Let’s stuff a cupcake into everyone’s mouth, and then shove them into position.”

Just then, the sanctuary door swung open and in walked Darwin, Rebecca Lynn, and Susan Holbrook.

Their eyes met and the bottom fell out of her stomach. Why did Darwin bring Susan, a woman Logan greatly admired, to this crazed family gathering?