Maileah called out her name and swept her into a hug. “Junie just told me the good news.”
“Your news is better,” Jo said, squeezing her hands. “Tell me everything.”
“I think you know it all,” Maileah said, laughing. “We’d planned to elope on a beach in Tahiti, but we didn’t think it would make the sports channel.”
“Sailor has become kind of a big deal,” Jo said, playfully punching him in the arm.
He laughed and kissed her on the cheek. “The only one I care about is this woman,” Sailor said, putting his arm around Maileah’s waist.
“The sports channel,” Jo said, grinning. “I still can’t get over that part.”
“It was Sailor’s fault.” Maileah elbowed him. “Another guy overheard him on the phone, arranging the time with the island minister who married us.” She spread her hand in the air. “Champion surfer weds on the beach. Who knew it would be major news? At least they spelled my name right. I half expected May Raines, like a weather report.”
“It’s such a feel-good story,” Jo said. “I thought maybe you’d planted it.”
“I try to plan everything, but not that,” Maileah said. “We wanted a quiet, simple ceremony. No fuss, no seating chart, no argument about whether my father gets an invitation. Just us and the minister and his wife to take photos. And someone who snooped on us, evidently.”
“We’ll have another party for more friends in a couple months when I get a decent break,” Sailor said, catching Jo’s eye. “Tonight is just for family and our closest friends.” He kissed Maileah’s cheek.
“I like that you did it your way,” Jo said.
Someone called Sailor’s name from the yard, and he went, speaking to everyone he passed.
“I’m so happy for you,” Jo said, squeezing Maileah’s hands. “Go catch your husband. There are a lot of people who want to congratulate you two.”
“I’m glad you weren’t upset about us doing it all on our own. I thought Mom might be upset, but she’s okay.”
“She’s happy for you. You should have seen her crying with joy at the diner when we found out.”
“Thanks for telling me that,” Maileah said, hugging her again before she followed Sailor outside.
The back doors stood open to Ella’s garden. Small white lights were strung from trees even though the sun hadn’t begun to set. Citrus trees still had oranges on them, and roses bloomed along the back fence.
Someone had set out a folding table of lemonade and appetizers, which Jo picked at. She liked the cheese and cracker assortment.
Adrian sat near the edge of it all with his guitar, strumming a smooth, easy tune, and beaming at his son and Maileah. She made her way to him.
Adrian nodded to her. “Isn’t this something? I can hardly believe the kid eloped.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“Oh, sure.” Adrian looked at Maileah with admiration. “They’re good together.”
“Have you had anything to eat?”
He shook his head. “I’ve been sitting here playing for everyone and taking it all in. Things like this don’t happen every day.”
“I’ll bring you something.” Feeding people was natural to her.
Jo prepared a plate of appetizers and lemonade and took it to Adrian. She wove past Deb and a cluster of neighbors. After leaving it with Adrian, someone called her name.
Rocky was standing off to the side with a huge smile. He motioned her over, looking like he was bursting with news.
“There you are,” he said, and the grin that broke over his face made her laugh before he’d said a word. “I was hoping you’d get here early.”
“Candy kicked me out. What’s going on with you?”
“Well, first, Junie told me about you hitting your goal. That’s fantastic,” he added, giving her a high-five.
