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“Thomas wouldn’t sell.I knew with him out of the way, you’d sell to the first big developer, and they’d tear the house down and put up a resort.But you didn’t sell right away.I had to move it along.Framing you for murder was a brilliant way to make you spend all your money paying the extortion fees.Then you’d have to sell to the highest bidder.”
“You did all that to get me to sell?”Mrs.Crabtree shook her head.“No matter how much I hated living here, I couldn’t let developers destroy the building.I didn’t donate the property to the historical society for Thomas.I did it for me.It helped me lay my anger to rest.Now, I can leave with a free heart and conscience.”
“Where will you go?”Felina asked.
The older woman smiled.“I bought a condo on the outer banks in North Carolina.I was going to leave in the morning to get away from Big John’s extortion and threats.”
“Now that Missy’s confessed and Big John’s dead, he can’t threaten you anymore,” Lucas said.
“Good riddance,” Mrs.Crabtree said.“I’m still leaving, but I’ll take a few more days to pack everything I want and donate everything else.”
Lights flashed on top of the two sheriff’s vehicles coming up the driveway, followed by an ambulance.
Lucas slipped an arm around Felina and pulled her up against him.“Think they’ll give us a ride to my truck?”
She nodded.“We just have to ask.”
“After all this excitement, will you find it hard to return to our normal, boring lives?”Lucas asked.
Felina chuckled.“Are you kidding?There’s nothing boring about being the only florist in Bayou Mambaloa, especially with Colonial Day and a wedding coming up sooner than you think.And I haven’t placed orders yet.”
Lucas stared up at the star-studded sky and smiled.“I’m gonna love this town.”
Felina sighed.“It is a wonderful place to live.”
“Any place you are is a wonderful place to live,” Lucas said.“You’re like a bunch of forget-me-nots, etched in my mind forever.”
She leaned into him.“That’s a good one.”
Epilogue
“Felina!”Trish hurried toward Felina, careful not to trip on the train of her wedding gown.“You’ve completely outdone yourself.I love you so very much.Thank you for being my best friend and the sister I never had.”
Felina carefully hugged the beautiful bride.“I’m glad you like everything.We’ve been at it since the wee hours of the morning to get everything in place.Especially the floral arch.”
“It was so nice of the entire town, pitching in to fix up my shop and adding to the floral decorations.Our town is the absolute best.”
“Yes, it is,” Felina agreed.
“Who did you get to help with all this?”Trish shook her head, looking around the room in awe.
“Lucas, of course, and Bernie, Shelby, Danny, Gisele, Camille and...”Felina laughed.“It might be easier to ask who didn’t help.They were the same folks who helped on Colonial Day getting Crabtree Manor ready for visitors and the Historical Society.”
“You did Crabtree Manor proud.I never saw Mrs.Crabtree so happy as when she handed over the key.”
Felina grinned.“She offloaded a huge burden.”
“Yes, she did.And look at this,” Trish said.“Everything today is perfect.”She waved at the vases of flowers around the room where she had spent the morning with a makeup artist and a hairstylist.Her hair was pulled up in a sophisticated updo with loose ringlets framing her face.
Felina’s heart swelled at her friend’s beauty.“You’re stunning,” she said.“Marty is a lucky man.”
“I’m a lucky woman,” Trish said, her cheeks flushing a pretty pink.“He’s been so kind and attentive.I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.”
After one more glance around, Felina turned toward the exit.“I’d better go find my seat.It’s about that time.”
“Felina…” Trish stopped her before she reached the door.“Thank you for understanding about me and Marty and for not giving up on our friendship.It means more to me than you can ever know.”
Felina reached for Trish’s hand.“You two were meant to be together.How could I be anything but happy for you both?”
Trish’s eyes filled.“And just think...if I hadn’t stolen Marty from you, you would never have found Lucas.”
Felina stared down at the engagement ring on her left hand, still amazed at how full her heart was.
“I was surprised he proposed so soon,” Trish said.“And even more surprised you said yes.”
Felina lifted a shoulder and let it fall, happiness filling every part of her being.“Well, when you know he’s the one for you...you know.”
