“He does,” I said, bringing my arms around her. I was starting to believe that.
“Come on, y’all. We’ll find them. They’re back here somewhere,” came Jamie’s voice. “This one’s empty. That one’s empty. If they aren’t in the last one, it’s because they took it on the run which is a different issue. Hello? We’re coming in. Final warning.”
The curtain flung open, revealing Audrey, Jamie, and Shay. They stared down at us, locked in a haphazard hug on the floor.
Jamie dropped her hands to her hips. “I know one thing and it’s that there’s a boy to blame for this.”
“Always a boy to blame,” Grace said.
Shay tucked her rose-gold hair over her ear, saying, “I don’t know what I missed but I expect you’ll catch me up soon enough.”
With that, she dropped to her knees and scooped us both into a hug.
“Me too,” Audrey said, following her lead.
Eventually, Jamie gathered up her maxi dress and joined us on the floor. Glancing between me and Grace, she asked, “Are we still trying this dress on today? Don’t feel like you have to say yes. I’m just covering the exits.”
Grace laughed. “Yeah, we’re trying on this dress.” She smiled at me and gave my hand a squeeze. “When I’m done, Emme’s going to try a few too.”
“It’s your day,” I said.
She shook her head. “I’m tired of it being my day. I have to be happy and gracious all the time. It’s exhausting. I’m ready for it to be your turn so I can stop playing nice and go back to being a nightmare.”
A true, warm smile filled my face. And then Shay said, “Okay so I love you all but half of my ass is asleep and I don’t know where Gennie went.”
“Everyone up,” Grace said. “Find my flower girl.”
“One last thing,” I said as we climbed out of our pile on the floor. “And it would really help if you didn’t tell anyone until next weekend when the media release goes out but…Ryan and I eloped.”
Shay let out a shriek as Jamie jabbed a finger in my direction. “I knew it! I knew something was different!”
As they folded me into another hug, I heard the battle cry of, “Auntie Gracie!Look at my badass dress!”
Gennie, Shay’s husband’s niece who lived with them on their farmland in Rhode Island, came barreling down the hall and bounded onto the round platform in front of the mirror. She shimmied her hips, watching as the black and white tulle swished. Officially, Grace’s colors were the hydrangea palette:blue, green, and cream. But for Gennie, a pirate at heart, she’d picked a dramatic dress.
“Stunning, my dear,” Grace said.
“You’re going to knock ’em dead,” Jamie said.
“I’m gonna be the best goddamn flower girl you’ve ever seen,” Gennie said.
“That’s right.” Shay glanced at me and, dropping her voice, she said, “Don’t you dare ask her to be your flower girl until a few weeks before the wedding. She wakes up every single day and asks if it’s time for the wedding yet. We’re going to have to hide the dress so she doesn’t wear it to clean out the chicken coops. I love you and I support you but I’m putting you on notice, Ahlborg.”
I laughed, holding her closer. “My lips are sealed.”
“Yeah,” Gennie said, mostly to herself. “I’m a badass fucking flower girl.”
chapter thirty-one
Ryan
Today’s Learning Objective:
Students will fly a little too close to the sun.
“To kick off your birthday weekend,”I said, leading Emme onto the plane, “I have a few surprises.”
“Is it a soft pillow to sit on? Because I’m still recovering from all the surprises you gave me this morning,” she said with a wry laugh.
