Epilogue

Two months later

Rosie buttoned the last of the tiny little silk-covered buttons on the back of CanDee’s antique-white wedding dress. The dress was a simple sheath that was cut low to show a good amount of cleavage.

“I can’t believe today is finally here.” CanDee turned around to look at herself in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. Even though she’d had the dress fitted before she knew she was pregnant, it still fit perfectly.

Rosie glanced around the bathroom. It was the one and only bathroom in the old Victorian house CanDee and Cinco shared. If one had to live with only one bathroom, this was the bathroom to have. A seventeen-head shower took up the whole back wall. A marble bathtub big enough to swim in took up a good chunk of the right wall, and two substantial pedestal sinks took up the left.

“You’re the last one of us to get married.” Justus tilted her head to the left like she was trying to puzzle it out. “How did that happen? It feels like you’ve been engaged forever.”

“I know… right?” CanDee stared at herself in the mirror. “Is it time for the veil?”

CanDee was using Cinco’s great-great-aunt’s wedding veil.

“Yes, it’s almost ten forty. The guests started arriving almost an hour ago.” Rosie walked to the window at the back of the shower. “Looks like most everyone is seated.”

Today, she wasn’t a wedding planner, she was a bridesmaid.

And yesterday, she’d been a bride. She and Dallas had tied the knot in the front yard of the Villa with just a few family and friends in attendance. It had been a perfect day.

Their wedding gift to each other had been the Villa. It had been the place where they’d fallen in love, and now it would be their home.

“Give me a hand.” Justus nodded to the veil. “It’s so fragile.”

Rosie picked up the end of the veil’s long train, and she and Justus walked it over to CanDee. Justus bobby-pinned it on the top of CanDee’s head.

Rosie smoothed down the train.

The bathroom door eased open, and a head with lots of fluffy gray haired peeked in.

It was CanDee’s grandmother. “There’s my beautiful girl.”

“Come in, Grammie.” Justus waved her in.

In true Grammie style, she was wearing an unconventional mother-of-the-bride purple lace top and purple leather pants. Rosie had to give it to the older woman, she did things her way, even if it was hard to watch.

Grammie pulled a small black velvet box from behind her back. “This was my grandmother’s. She gave it to my mother on her wedding day and then it came to me. Now it’s your turn.” She opened the box, and a beautiful sapphire and diamond pendant glittered in the overhead lighting. She unhooked the pendant from the velvet-covered clips and placed it around CanDee’s neck.

“It’s so beautiful.” CanDee’s eyes teared up so she fanned her face. “I’m going to cry and my makeup’s going to run.

“If you cry then I’ll cry.” Justus fanned her face too.

“Not us.” Grammie put her arm around Rosie. “No sympathetic crying here.”

“That’s because you two are emotionally challenged.” CanDee took the tissue Justus offered.

“I prefer to think of it as emotionally guarded.” Grammie waved her hand. “All of that emotion’s too much trouble.”

There was another knock at the door, and Lefty’s head poked around the door. His eyes locked on Grammie and his shoulders went back. “Lois, I didn’t know you were in here.”

She sauntered over, pulled him into the room by his lapels, and gave him a big smacking kiss on the lips. “Last night was fun.”

Lefty blushed a deep red.

Rosie had never seen a man blush quite that glowing shade of red, and she hadn’t expected it from an old, ornery, rough-and-tumble cowboy.

“Yes, it was fun.” His eyes were glued to Grammie’s.

A thought struck Rosie. “I didn’t know your name was Lois. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone use it.”

“I’m Grammie to most people and Hot Stuff to others.” She hip-bumped Lefty. “Did you see my Harley parked out back?”

“Yep, but it’s missing a seat. I ain’t never seen no motorcycle that didn’t have no seat.” Stiffly, Lefty put his arm around Grammie. “I could fix it for you.”

“That would be nice.” Grammie put her arm around him. She was a good four inches taller than Lefty. “I’m always happy to trade sexual favors for work.”

Rosie and CanDee gagged in unison.

Rosie might not be overly emotional, but her gag reflex worked just fine.

“You two are such prudes. I think it’s nice that they found each other.” Justus picked up CanDee’s bouquet.

“If you’re so open to it, how would you feel if your dad and stepmom talked about their sex life in front of you?” CanDee looked a little green.

Justus thought about it for a minute. She gagged. “I stand corrected.”

A string quartet started up.

Rosie checked the time. It was ten forty-five. “They’re right on time.”

CanDee went totally still and leaned closer to the closed door. “Is that Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’? Who even knew there was string quartet sheet music for that?”

“You agreed to let Cinco pick out the wedding music.” Rosie smoothed out the wrinkles in her peach racer-back bridesmaid’s dress. The deep orangey-pink complimented her olive skin. “It’s time.”

“Okay.” Grammie kissed CanDee on the cheek. “I love you, kiddo.”

“I love you too.” CanDee smiled at her grandmother.

“I need to go get my seat.” Grammie patted Lefty on the butt. “I’ll see you later.” She slipped out the door.

Rosie checked her watch again. “We need to head downstairs.”

Lefty offered CanDee his arm. “If I’d had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be just like you.”

CanDee took hold of his arm. “Thanks for walking me down the aisle.”

Lefty held out his other hand like he wanted to shake hands. CanDee took it and yelped.

“I got you, I got you, I got you,” Lefty sing-songed as the unicorn glittered on the eye patch covering his right eye. He waved around the buzzer he’d had in his hand so that everyone could see it.

“Good one.” CanDee leaned down and gave him a peck on the cheek. “You got me.”

Fifteen minutes later, Rosie walked down the aisle on the arm of her newly minted husband.

Dallas whispered, “Are you sad we didn’t do something like this?”

“Not even a little. I enjoyed our small ceremony. I didn’t miss the pomp and circumstance a bit.” She glanced up at him. “How about you?”

“Are you kidding? I’m wearing a tuxedo. Nobody in their right mind wants to wear a tuxedo.” He winked at her. “I love you.”

“I love you more.” She winked back at him.

“How about you show me later how much you love me?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“You’re on.”

He looked down the front of her dress.

“Stop looking down my dress.” She elbowed him ever so slightly.

“It’s a date, Rosie Rose.” He loved using her new name.

“I really should have thought that out before I agreed to change my last name.” It was a terrible name, but she didn’t care. She wore it proudly.

“Sorry, no take-backs.” He blew her a kiss as they parted in front of the minister and went to stand on their respective sides.

He eye-flirted with her through the whole ceremony.

She loved the way that he loved her—without reserve… without limits… without the expectation of something in return.