Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze

“It’s perfect,” looking over at her cousin, Nora smiled. The corners of her pink lips lifted and she felt herself nodding. Pushing her long straight brown hair out of her eyes, she turned and faced Valerie.

“You’re right it is perfect. And on your wedding day it will be even more spectacular.”

Valerie turned and squealed. Wrapping her small arms around her shorter cousin, she jumped up and down.

The long white gown glittered in the store light. Small beads cascaded over the fabric. The princess style gown had be one Val always dreamed of, even at the age of 6 years old. When Nora believed man had cooties.

Valerie ran her hands down the smooth fabric, admiring the pearl buttons that ran all down her back. She held the veil in her hands, picturing the final touches.

“I can’t believe it’s all coming together, finally. Only a couple more months.”

Just five months ago Brian Holder proposed to Valerie Hughes in front of her entire family and all their friends on New Year’s Eve as the ball dropped on the TV behind them. The countdown seemed to go silent, the crowd held their breaths waiting for the response, and finally they got one.

Wiping away a tear she grinned and nodded. Only then to have the ring slipped onto her finger, share a kiss. She then turn to hug her best friend, who happened to be her cousin named Nora.

Immediately asking her to be the maid of honor, in which Nora more than happily agreed, remembering that pinky promise all those years ago.

The tall blonde and shorter brunette had always been inseparable. From learning how to swim, ride bikes, apply make-up, prom dress shopping and now wedding dress shopping.

Nora and Valerie had grown up together in New Bern, North Carolina. Their houses were on the same street, and backed up to the docs. Their families had boats out on the Trent River and the two would lounge all summer for as long as they both could remember, even at the mere age of three years old.

The girls were both only siblings, and the rest of the cousins were boys, so naturally, Valerie was more than excited when baby Nora was born.

When Valerie left for college, a small piece of Nora went with her, but they talked every week, and Nora followed her older cousin’s footsteps and attended the same school and even graduated with the same degree.

Brian was introduced to Valerie her junior year at school, where he was finishing his law degree. They stumbled into each other at a late night coffee run and instantly hit it off.

“The only thing that would make the wedding more perfect would be if Isaac suddenly caught the flu,” Nora mumbled.

Unfortunately for Nora, with Brian came his best friend Isaac.

Valerie grinned at her cousin, “He’s not that bad Nora.” Nora rolled her green eyes and sighed.

“Not to you, you’re marrying his best friend. Plus you two are like identical twins.” Valerie laughed and looped an arm through the brunette’s.

“Wait till he hears that one,” Valerie suggested, they then backtracked through the grass to Valerie’s white SUV and she unlocked the doors. “You’re still coming out for drinks tonight right?”

Nora shifted in the leather seat. “Well, I made plans, plus I have to get up early for my meeting.” Not making eye contact with her cousin, she could feel Val’s eyes glaring.

“Um no. You need to relax tonight, and not be stressed. So you’re coming.”

“Val,” Nora started when she made the mistake of catching the blonde’s eyes. “Fine, if he’s an asshole I’m out though.”

Val was always the decision maker for the two, even when they were kids choosing a game to play. Nora didn’t usually mind, but she really wasn’t in the mood for Isaac.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have Brian keep an eye on him.” Nora rolled her eyes and knew how well that worked.

---------------

Sipping slowly on a Malibu Bay Breeze, Nora sat on a sticky red barstool and sighed. Brian was in the middle of telling a story from the high schools days with Isaac, when she caught Val’s eyes.

Nora’s head tilted toward the door and she stood, before Valerie could break away from the story and stop her. She had been at the bar for three hours, chatted with the couple’s friends, and finally decided her maid of honor duties ended an hour ago.

Their usual hang out Jo’s was getting crowded for a Wednesday night, and Nora really wanted to bail before Isaac could ruin her night.

He was always hanging over her, touching her, then immediately chatting up another girl. She knew he was the date and sleep with kind of guy. She never once met a girlfriend of his, and wasn’t even sure if he knew what a commitment was.

Of course he was gorgeous. His soft brown hair begged for any woman to run her hands through it. His chocolate brown eyes made your knees weak. His southern accent made most tourists sweat, but Nora was used to his charms.

His dimples couldn’t trick her.

As she pushed through the crowd, she was at the patio doors when she noticed the tall figure. Turning, she strolled to the front exit.

“Out so soon?” A smooth deep voice stopped her. Closing her eyes, she spun on her brown boots and faced the 6’2’’ muscled frame of Isaac Wright.

Isaac and Brian had been best friends since high school baseball and stayed in touch over the years. While Brian went on to law school after college, Isaac partied too hard but scored a job through his uncle, only to ditch it and start his own recording company.

“Yeah, long day tomorrow.” He grinned and shook his head at the petite girl.

His jean clad legs stopped at his leather brown shoes. His white button down shirt was rolled to his elbows, popping his eye color.

“Okay, sure I’ll buy it. It seems anytime we’re near one another you find a way out,” he told her with his hand rubbing the stubble along his strong chin.

“You finally caught on. Good night Isaac.” She said as she spun and walked across the gravel lot. She sidestepped the many potholes, committing them to memory of the drunken nights and falling into them.

“Come on Hughes, what did I do that was so bad?” Waving her hand over her head, she continued to walk. She found her jeep and slid into the car. Clicking her seatbelt, she rolled the windows down, about to turn up the music she stopped when Isaac appeared at her window.

“But seriously, what did I do so wrong?” He asked her. His lips tugged down into a frown. His eyebrows pushed together, and he rested his hands in his pocket.

“Isaac, let’s not do this tonight. I’m tired and I have a meeting in the morning.”

“To start your business right?” She looked at him and sighed.

“How did you know?” He smiled and shrugged.

“I do have ears, I listen when you speak believe it or not.” He reached into his back pocket, pulled out a card, and held it between his middle and pointer finger. “Call me and tell me when you want to talk. Good luck tomorrow. But I know you’ll be fantastic.”

Slipping his brown leather wallet into his dark jeans, he saluted her, then turned and headed into the bar.