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Epilogue

Wearing a beautiful pale-teal silk worsted suit with rhinestone buttons, dyed to match her shoes just like the sixties had returned, with her hair swept up into a chignon, Rose Angel looked like an angel as the mother of the bride. She was scurrying around Saint Anthony Padua Roman Catholic Church, which was decorated for Christmas, getting the florist to rearrange the poinsettias. The event planner was making sure the candles were in place and lit, and the printed wedding programs were ready to be handed out to guests.

The doors to the church opened and people streamed in, so many familiar faces from the years she had lived in Cypress Cove as a young girl, and old family friends from Pensacola who had already been to one of Maggie’s weddings but wouldn’t miss this one so they could get the latest scoop on Rose and her new man.

Among the guests were Gus Hebert and his wife, Grace Breaux, and Justin’s friends from the Wild Horse Preservation Group, including Gloria and Bubba, Kelly Casson from the rescue and her partner, Ted LeBlanc, the other vet in town, friends of Doc Chastain’s, and all the staff from the clinic.

The bride and her bridesmaids were at Creole Cottage, Katrina and Dave’s house. The groom and his brothers, and his few close friends were at the lodge.

“Justin, I have to say, you in a tuxedo, wow. I’m getting hot just looking at you,” Dave said, while the others roared with laughter.

“You clean up nice, bro,” his friend Luke said.

“The limo is here,” Chris said.

“I can’t believe I’m getting married,” Justin said. “I can’t believe she said yes.”

“Well, she still has to say I do, so get moving,” Dave said, pushing him out the door.

Back at Katrina’s house, Maggie was trying not to freak out. “You guys, I’ve been through this before, got it? I’m not having fun. It’s for Justin because, as you know, I’ll do anything for the guy. But honest to God, this is the last friggin’ thing. Don’t ask me to do anything else!”

“Be still. I’m trying to get this head thing just right and you keep moving!” Katrina said, swatting her arm.

“Honey, relax,” Annie said. “It’s just us.”

“Us and five hundred people. I know about twenty of them.”

“Ha! You know what I love? That you guys invited Aunt Elizabeth and Val,” Annie said.

“We didn’t have a choice, really. Everyone has forgiven everyone else, and the omission would have opened the door for gossip,” Maggie replied. “Anyway, Chris says Val is on his best behavior all the time, so that’s a good thing.”

“I still can’t believe your mother pulled this off in eight weeks,” Annie said.

“She must be sleeping with the priest,” Katrina said.

“Kat! Bite your tongue,” Annie said, barking out a laugh.

“I wouldn’t put it past Rose,” Maggie said. “There must be a superstition about it somewhere. I’m sure she’ll let us know at the church.”

The friends looked at each other, concerned. “Oh God, she wouldn’t say anything inappropriate, would she?”

“Remember, it was my mother and Aunt Elizabeth who told me that Russ was having sex with Claudia in the back of the rectory.”

“Well, nothing like that is going to happen today.”

“I hope you’re right,” Maggie said.

“I’m finished. Do you like it?” Katrina asked.

Maggie turned around and looked in the bathroom mirror. “Oh, Kat. Thank you so much. It’s beautiful. I feel like a princess.”

“You look beautiful,” Annie said. “I can’t wait to see the men in tuxes.”

“You know, Justin looks a little strange in a suit. He’s so big and brawny. He reminds me of Arnold Schwarzenegger in a suit. The man looked better in a T-shirt.”

“Ha! I can’t wait to see Dave dressed up,” Katrina said.

“I’ve seen Chris in a suit, and he’s like Justin. It took me a while to get used to those arms in sharkskin.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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