Chapter 54
The next morning Suzy found a quiet booth at The Coffee Drip, ordered a cappuccino, and Googled the number for the Crystal City Park Board. Once she was transferred to the appropriate person, she asked about having a wedding in the park and discovered it was allowed but a band was not permitted due to a noise ordinance, as she had suspected. Alcohol was also prohibited which was no surprise since they couldn’t control minors who might try to sneak alcoholic beverages.
After the available park dates and times were determined, she texted the info to her Halloween bride with apologies about the band and alcohol. Suzy asked if they wanted to proceed with using Crystal City Park as a venue.
While she waited for a response, she got a refill and switched gears to Google Florida beachfront hotels for Jon and Fernando. This is multitasking at its best. As she studied one large hotel in comparison to a smaller B&B, her phone vibrated.
Priscilla gave her a green light and mentioned something about an after-party in someone’s basement “anyways.” Suzy chuckled at the slang, wrote down the date the bride chose, and called to reserve a section of the park near the pavilion and cave. After the date was on the park’s books, Suzy confirmed the date with her bride and asked Priscilla to finalize the invitations and get them in the mail pronto.
One down. Suzy viewed several more beach wedding destinations before she settled on her top three favorites. She emailed the links to Jon. Eating one almond after another while waiting for his response, her mind drifted to Fernando’s mother. I hope she doesn’t meddle in their lives. When Jon called, her mouth was full of nuts.
“That was fast. You’re a rock star, Mom.”
Suzy mumbled, “I am pretty good.”
“What? I can’t understand you.”
She swallowed. “You caught me with my mouth full. Do you like any of the resorts I sent? There are a lot more I could sug—”
“Let’s don’t get bogged down in the weeds. All three of these are beautiful, but Fernando and I prefer the Pink Shell. We both love pink—”
“You do?” Suzy asked.
“I’m joking. What a cliché for two gay guys to love pink. We like the fact the resort looks like it’s on the far end of Fort Myers Beach, so we’d have privacy, plus that powdery white sand is inviting.”
Suzy smiled into the phone. She could tell her fast-talking son was excited.
He continued, “I scrolled through the resort’s wedding photos. It looks like they have weddings often, so they’re obviously equipped and organized.”
“Plus their reviews are excellent,” Suzy said. “Do you have a date in mind?”
“How about next month?”
Suzy sucked in her breath. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. I’d say two weeks but I know that would stress you out, plus we couldn’t get invitations out in time. We’re ready to be married.”
“My goodness. Let me contact the Pink Shell and see if they have dates available next month, but I have to warn you places like this usually book a year or more in advance. You’ll be lucky if you can get in anywhere this quickly, especially this resort. Sorry, son.”
Jon’s tone changed. “You can do it. You’re a wizard. I have faith in you. Gotta go, Mom. Love you.”
Suzy’s head swam. A beach wedding in a month? I have to make this happen for my son. But how?
She took a deep breath and called the Pink Shell, and just as she had suspected, the inn, so to speak, was full—for two long years. She ran her fingers through her hair. This will never work. Jon and Fernando won’t wait that long. Regardless, she left her phone number with the rushed, impatient clerk. “In case something opens up . . .” She didn’t have much faith. She knew it was “the season” when spring breakers, families, and wedding parties descended upon Southwest Florida.
She needed to see her girlfriends and texted them.
Let’s meet at Coconuts in thirty minutes.
Alex responded first.
Hope and I are already here. We were just going to text you. Come over. Hope apparently has big news!
Before she left The Coffee Drip, Suzy called her second and third resort choices to check availability—just in case. She drummed her fingers on the table while she waited. Her phone pinged and she learned the hotels were booked for six months and nine months, respectively. Sighing, she emailed her name and number for the first open date.
She made a few notes, refreshed her pink lip-gloss, and headed to Coconuts, curious about Hope’s news.