"Jessica... so good to see you again." Harry took her hand and helped her out of the car, leaning down to press a warm kiss to her cheek. He inhaled her sweet fragrance, lilies of the valley. His wife had planted them all around the foundation of their house when they married. Elise was gone but the flowers continued to bloom every year, just when it was time to start opening the windows.
Jessica smiled delightedly up at Harry. "Harry! I was afraid I was going to be terribly late. My plane was late taking off and then they kept us in a holding pattern for ages!" She tucked her fluffy silver hair behind her right ear in a schoolgirl gesture. She turned back to the car and pulled her roll along suitcase from the back seat then pulled up the handle.
"Anything in the trunk?" Harry asked.
"Nope, this is it. I managed to fit everything in. Melissa has my dress that she picked out for the wedding. I only hope it fits well enough without any adjustments. She said she has a seamstress on standby tonight for any last minute alterations anyway."
"Let's get you checked in then."
Harry led the way to reception where they checked Jessica in.
"I'll just go up and stow my luggage and I'll be right back down. We're in the Stafford Lounge?"
"That's right." Harry took Jessica by the hands and kissed her cheek. "It's so good to see you again Jess."
"It's good to see you again too, Harry."
"Hurry back."
Jessica hurried up to her room and stowed her luggage. She stopped to splash a little water on her face and run a comb through her hair. She wanted to make sure she looked better than presentable.
She'd only met Harry six months before when her son, Nicholas, got engaged to Harry's daughter, Melissa. Jessica had flown in for the weekend. She and Harry had hit it off immediately. It had been thirteen years since her husband had traded her in for a younger model, younger than his own son in fact. This was the first man she'd met who made her consider the possibility that there might just be a sex life for her after divorce. She wasn't sure how the kids would take it if anything happened but they were both adults. They'd just have to deal with it.
When Harry and Jessica met, they'd spent the entire night talking and laughing at the hotel where the party was held. She'd thought briefly about inviting him up to her room but they'd only just met. It might be the alcohol talking, something she didn't really indulge in all that often. So she'd just enjoyed his company and slept on her flight back to the west coast in the morning.
Now, here they were again, at the hotel for the wedding rehearsal dinner. The actual wedding would be held the next day at Harry's home. Jessica had never seen it but from what Nicholas said, it was beautiful.
Jessica went down and found her way to the lounge where the small rehearsal dinner party had gathered. Harry was waiting for her at the entrance.
"We're at the head table up here." Harry offered Jessica his arm and she took it lightly with a smile, allowing him to lead her to her seat. Thankfully, someone had seen fit to seat them together instead of on opposite sides of the bride and groom.
"So, why are we having the dinner before the rehearsal? That seems a little unusual."
Harry held out her chair and seated her at their table but didn't take a seat himself. He nodded at her question. "Yes, but apparently the pastor had another appointment and couldn't be here until 8:30. It seemed silly to wait and have dinner afterwards."
"Of course." Jessica smiled.
"I'm just going to grab a drink from the bar quickly. Can I get you something?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you. Sparkling water with a twist would be lovely."
"I'll be right back." She watched Harry walk toward the bar, so tall and handsome.
A voice in her ear startled Jessica. "Are you making googly eyes with the father of the bride already? I should have known. The two of you were worse than Melissa and me at our engagement party."
Jessica laughed and turned to see her son. "Oh, don't be silly. Give your mother a hug."
"Now, don't push, Nick. They're doing fine on their own." Melissa was standing next to him and Jessica hugged her next. "I have your dress all ready in my room." Melissa winked. "I think you're going to love it."
"Honey, I think they're ready to serve dinner now. We'd better take our seats." Nick put his arm around his bride's waist.
"Oh, okay, I'll show you the dress after the rehearsal Jess."
"That'll be great," she said. She was so glad that her son had found such a wonderful girl. They already got along well and if she left them to their own devices, unlike her own mother-in-law, they'd all continue to get along.
Harry arrived with their drinks. "Sorry that took so long Jess, the line at the bar was already a bit tipsy and having trouble finding their money."
Jessica laughed and took her sparkling water from Harry. "Thank you, Harry."
Dinner was quickly served to everyone in the group. It was a lovely fresh chicken dish in a light lemon sauce with fresh steamed vegetables and herbed rice.
"So, what have you been up to Jess?" Harry inquired as they ate.
"Oh, the same old thing. Get up every morning, enjoy that first cup of coffee looking out my kitchen window into the woods, take myself off to work at the registrar's office of our community college, come home at night and make dinner. Do a little reading, a little gardening, maybe watch a little television. Turn in and do it all over again in the morning... punctuated by the occasional evening out at the theater or with the girls. How about you?"
"Same thing, evening out with the girls," he joked, sotto voice. "No, seriously, I retired."
Jessica looked surprised. "Aren't you a little young for that?"
