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Fifteen minutes of cool reasoning and heated reproach later, Evie had left for the Keyes mansion in silent shock, and Brenda had gone back to the Brenda Belle, the Real Estate King’s yacht, in outraged fury.
Agnes grinned. “So, flamingos.”
“Of course not.” Maria stuffed the dress back in the dress bag. “The dress was the giveaway, wasn’t it?”
“I’d pay good money to see you in it,” Agnes said. “If I had any good money.”
Maria sighed. “Well, I had to do something. Evie’s being so snotty about everything that I’d tell her to fuck off if she wasn’t going to be my kids’ grandma someday. And she’s an angel compared to Brenda. Did you see that dress? She really expected me to wear it. And she really did cancel my dress, too, but Palmer ordered another one and they’re going to express it here Friday if that’s okay.”
Agnes nodded. “I’ll keep it for you.”
Maria shook her head. “I swear to God, Palmer told Brenda four months ago that he’d pay for the wedding, but she said no, I was her granddaughter and she was going to take care of it all, and now she’s pissed off the baker and the florist and wants to use the leftover flowers at the country club. Why did she offer to pay in the first place if she was going to act like this?”
“I don’t know,” Agnes said. “This is not like Brenda. I could see her insisting on wearing white to your wedding because it’ll look good with her tan, but meddling like this? She’s lost her mind.”
Maria picked up the dress bag. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ve settled her hash.”
“So, just checking to make sure here, no flamingos?”
“Oh, the flamingo pens are coming,” Maria said. “I don’t know how far I have to carry my bluff. But the wedding is just like I planned it, white butterflies and daisies. I’m going to let them both stew for a while and then graciously agree to go back to the original plan, and they’ll be so grateful, they’ll get out of my way.” Maria looked out over the lawn and waved to Palmer, who obediently turned and trotted back toward them.
She watched him with an odd expression on her face, and Agnes felt a chill.
“Are you two okay?”
“Yes,” Maria said, and then frowned toward the house. “Is that Bobbie Hammond?”
“What?” Agnes said, and turned to see Detective Hammond coming out of the house. “Yep. So Palmer?—”
“Robbie and I dated one summer,” Maria said, watching him instead of her fiancé, who was now approaching the gazebo.
Oh, great. “He doesn’t seem real bright,” Agnes said.
Maria scowled at her. “He’s a nice guy.”
“Not much of a future,” Agnes said.
“He serves and protects,” Maria said.
“I think he has a girlfriend,” Agnes said, having no idea what Hammond had.
“I’m engaged,” Maria said coolly.
“Okay, then.” Agnes began to clear up the cake plates. “Now I have to get Maisie Shuttle back on the job with the daisies and bake you some cake. What kind do you want?”
“Whatever holds up the icing,” Maria said. “The coconut was good.”
“Thank you,” Agnes said. “I’ll give you the chocolate raspberry for the rehearsal dinner.”
“Wonderful,” Maria said, but her voice was flat as she looked past Agnes to her intended, coming up the steps.
“Everything okay?” Palmer said.
“Yes, dear,” Maria said.
They looked at each other in fairly cold silence.
No, no, no, Agnes thought. “I have some cake,” she said to Palmer and prayed that whatever it was, they’d get over it by Saturday.
