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“And I almost forgot. Eat worms, sucker,” Aria bellowed with her arm raised and pumped her fist like one of Jude’s gladiators.
The amphitheater exploded with laughter and applause as the audience ate up the child’s performance.
Vance, on the other hand, made like a cockroach seeing the light of day and bolted off the stage.
Aria dusted off her hands, hamming it up like a consummate performer, then turned to her. “Aunt Harper, Uncle Landy and I want you to join us on stage.” She turned to the crowd. “Everybody, clap for my Aunt Harper.”
“We love you, H!”
She turned and saw her friends, their fiancés, and her favorite little nose pickers in the crowd.
Libby pressed her hands into a prayer position.
Charlotte held up her camera and started snapping shots.
Penny smirked a devilish smile and mouthed, “How long have you been wearing that shirt?”
Heaven help her. She loved those women.
A flash of red caught her eye, and she spotted Madelyn. The woman smoothed her scarf, flashed that coy nanny matchmaker smirk, then tossed her a wink.
Had this been the woman’s plan all along?
“Go on, little miss,” her grandmother said. “I have a feeling your melody is about to change.”
At the mention of her grandfather’s words, a wave of emotion washed over her. Overwhelmed by the romance scale of devotion of Landon’s response to her double-dog dare, she couldn’t speak. She nodded to Babs and made her way to the steps leading to the stage. The crowd cheered as Aria took her hand and led her to the center of the space to stand next to Landon.
Staring into a sea of people was like something out of a dream.
No, this was her exact dream.
She took in the periphery of the seating area. Tents and vendors had been set up in the space. Tanner, Barbie, and Schuman waved from a Cupid Bakery stand. A mini Mr. Cheesy Forever food cart sat next to it.
And there was more.
She spied a tent with Pun-chi Yoga printed in swirly letters and several tables next to a sign reading Register for New Beats Music Programs Here.
“What do you think, bonbon?” Landon asked.
She parted her lips, unsure of what was about to come out, when a man’s deep voice cut through the air.
“We love you, Harper and Bartho-lala-mama!”
Jude?
She studied the crowd and noticed a mass of gladiators and tutu-clad women waving and cheering. “Is that Katrina and Jude and the wedding party?”
“Yeah, the Luxes contacted them for me. I’m not sure why they showed up hammered and wearing their costumes. I guess that’s how they roll. And you need to say hello to Grandma Bootsy.”
Her jaw dropped. “Grandma Bootsy’s alive?”
A tiny older woman wedged between Katrina and Jude and wearing a tutu and a tiara waved to them.
“She wasn’t at the wedding because she was practicing with her choir,” Landon explained.
For what had to be the millionth time that day, she gasped. “I recognize her, Landon. That’s Granny B from the first challenge. She was the only one who voted for our penis and ball sac cookies. She’s a singing granny who just happens to be Jude’s granny.” She shook her head and laughed. “Hi, Granny Bootsy!”
The lady blew her a kiss as the ballerinas and gladiators hooted and hollered.
