“What are you talking about? What wedding dress?” Matt rotated his head. Three sets of eyes stared at him.

“Nothing you need to know,” Emma Lynn said with a laugh. “This is between us girls!”

Matt shrugged his shoulders. “Come on, Jorden, we’ve got calls to make.”

“Call my mother?” Jorden rolled her eyes. Her head exploded. Her heart raced.

Twenty minutes later they were at Matt’s place. His roommates seemed happy for them but somewhat dubious. Matt called his grandmother first, then his aunt and uncle and a few close friends. Jorden listened to his side of the conversation, wondering what she would tell her parents.

When Matt finished, he backed away from the phone. “Now it’s your turn.”

“I think I should wait a few days.”

“Jorden, the wedding is less than three weeks away. You have to let your parents and family know.” Matt slid the phone over to her.

She forced her fingers to dial the number. The phone rang three times before her father answered.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, Honey. What’s up? Are you and Alex leaving soon?”

“Dad. Alex already left. There’s . . . there’s been a change. I’m marrying . . . Matthew Ulster in three weeks.

A long silence followed, with faint words in the background. Next thing she knew her mother had come on the line.

“Jorden? What’s this nonsense your Dad is saying? I think he needs a hearing aid. When are you and Alex driving to Trenton?”

“Mom. We’re not. I’m not marrying Alex. I’m going to marry Matthew Ulster. I think I mentioned him at Christmas—the Native American.”

“I don’t understand. What happened to Alex?”

“We broke up. I’m with Matt right now. I know you’ll like him. I met him last October so it’s really not sudden. I hope you, Dad, Bobbette, and Mark can come. We don’t have the details worked out yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as we do. We’re looking at Sunday, the fifth of July.”

“I don’t know what to say. This seems awfully sudden. I want to be at your wedding—really . . . I want to come . . .” Silence . . . then the line went dead.

Matt’s eyebrows darted upward. “Well?”

“Mom hung up on me.” Jorden rested her head in her palms. “For once Mother didn’t know what to say.”