Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze

Val had Nora looking at cowboy boots, a tradition that the girls in the Hughes’ family had on the wedding date. The shoes were always a big hit in the family, and Val knew she couldn’t get away with not wearing a pair.

Since Val was getting married in the barn, they thought it would be even more perfect.

Nora had planned to have an engraving on the bottom as part as her gift to Val. She had the note written and now she just had to pick out the boots for all the girls.

She was holding a pair of light brown and a dark brown pair in the other hand. She would hold one up and envision the dresses, then hold the second pair up. Deciding against the light color, she placed them back and found another dark pair with a white stitching she thought would go well with Val’s dress and the purple color palette.

Her phone sidetracked her and digging around for it, she found it and caught it before it sent to voicemail.

“Hello?” She asked without looking at the name. She placed the first pair of boots down and decided to go with the white stitching pair.

“Hughes, I need your help. And since I picked you up the other night, you owe me.”

“Who is this?” Nora asked then looked at the screen at an unknown number. She placed the phone back on her shoulder under her ear and carried the pair to the front of the store.

“It’s Isaac; you didn’t save my number by now? I’m hurt.” She rolled her eyes, picked up the pair of boots and started towards the register.

“What do you want? I’m busy.” She dug through her bag for her wallet after she placed the shoes on the counter.

“Yeah well so was I the other night, I need you to help me pick Brian’s gift.”

“Hold on,” She smiled at the clerk, placed her phone onto the counter, and held out the boots. “I need these in two size sixes, a five, and two sevens please.” He nodded and began ringing up the purchase.

“When will they be ready?”

“I can go get them in the back as soon as I swipe your card.”

“That would be fantastic, thank you.”

He smiled and handed her a slip while he went to the back.

“Hello?” She looked down at the phone after hearing the yelling from Isaac’s end. Rolling her eyes, she picked up the phone.

“What now?” She asked as she waited for the employee to return.

“I said I need your help picking out a gift. Val is busy, and I know you know what to get him.”

She smiled at the employee who now had several bags for her. Sliding down her sunglasses she left the store into the bright sunshine.

Unlocking her car, she slid the bags onto the floor behind the front seat. “Where should I meet you?”

------

“What about golf clubs?” Nora asked as she forked a piece of lettuce and plopping it into her mouth.

“He has everything he needs, this is impossible.” Isaac mumbled through a mouthful of hamburger.

“First of all, eww, it’s called keep your mouth shut while eating. Second nothing is impossible.”

Nora sat eating and looking around the restaurant. They were seated outdoors and the middle of lunch hour had the place packed.

“How did you know about this place? It’s good, I’ve never been here.” She asked before putting another forkful into her mouth.

“My studio is down the street,” He smiled pointing south down the main strip. He pushed his black Oakley’s up his face. “I eat here all the time for lunch.”

“Oh yeah, I knew your studio was around here somewhere.” He nodded and sipped his soda. “Is it a large space?”

“Yeah, for this part of town, it’s a decent size.” He stuck a fry in his mouth and chewed.

“What about a flask?”

Nore sent him and look and he shrugged. His light blue tee shirt clung to his chest and she kept avoiding looking at it.

“You look good by the way,” he said with a grin.

“Thanks, can we get back to the task?”

Ignoring her he asked, “How did your meeting go?”

“I got the building, I am starting construction but it’s the biggest pain in the ass.” She said with a shrug. “That reminds me,” she leaned down and scooped out a small notebook before making a note.

“I know that feeling, took a month longer than scheduled for my studio to open. But, you need to be firm with them, also if they start saying things will cost more, get a second opinion. I learned that the hard way.”

Nora’s eyes widened. “You built it? I assumed it was already there, and you took over.”

“Nah, it’s all my creation.” He said with a smile.

“I never knew that.”

“Yeah, it’s my pride and joy.” He slipped his credit card into the bill folder. “Plus, there’s a lot you don’t know about me Hughes.”

She looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, but there is a lot I do know, I think you’d be surprised at what I do.”

“Possibly.” He flashed a smile at the waitress, who blushed and immediately headed back inside the restaurant.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but, can’t you like make your own music from home now?”

He put down the pen after signing a neat signature on the paper, folded a copy of the receipt for his wallet and looked at her.

“Yes you can, but it’s not the same. It really isn’t. You have the instruments, but they aren’t the same quality.” He nodded and folded his hands together on top of the table. “Come by sometime and I’ll show you.”

------

Nora sat with Valerie, Claire and Rachel as Brianna tried on her bridesmaid dress. Brianna was one of Valerie’s co-workers, and hadn’t been able to make a fitting.

Claire and Rachel had been friends with Valerie since high school. They lived in the town nearby and soon became close friends with Nora as well.

Brianna had long brown hair, which went to her mid back, her curly hair made Nora envious. She’s always wanted curly hair, and her Valerie could never make the curls last in her hair when they did curl it.

“What do you think?” Brianna asked stepping out. Her bright blue eyes popped against the fabric, and she smiled. Twirling to look at herself in the mirror, Nora left out a breath.

At least all the girls’ dresses fit, that was one thing they could cross off their list.

All the girls had dark purple dresses. Nora’s was strapless, and ended at the floor. Since Nora was so short, she had to get it altered so much, but she was used to it. The bridesmaids all had one-shoulder dresses that ended at their knees. Valerie allowed the girls to pick, but Nora had ended up finding both selections.

“Looks really good,” Val said as she smiled. “I’m glad they look good on everyone. Thank you Nora for finding beautiful dresses, I would never let you guys wear ugly dresses.”

Nora smiled and glanced at her watch, the girls had been at the dress fitting for an hour, and she was ready to call it a day. After lunch with Isaac she had to meet George to go over the fitting rooms. And she still needed to pick color swatches for the walls and the floors.

“I heard you had a lunch date with the best man,” Val said as she down on the couch next to Nora.

“It wasn’t a date, you were busy and he needed help.” Val winked and nodded at her cousin’s words. “You weren’t busy were you?”

She shrugged and got up to go look at jewelry.

“I may have told him I was, and that you knew Brian almost as well as me…”