To my surprise, she laughed. Not the sophisticated laugh of the typical rich but almost hysterical. “Oh, my dear sheriff, I’m afraid there is nothing you can do to stop one of these girls from getting their claws into a man. Once they’ve got one, they are not going to let him go, no matter what you try.” She shot a sideways glance at Sadie. I almost fainted when Mrs. Dumont winked ather.
Dylan held tight to me. “I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble. My apologies,ma’am.”
“No need, son. I’m sure we can sort this out. Mr. Hendricks, can you get my good friend Mayor Sheffield on thephone?”
Sheriff Milton snarled at the woman, “I am an elected position. I do not have to answer to the mayor. I have every right in the state of Georgia to arrest a man who committed a crime in my jurisdiction and bring him back to mycounty.”
“He didn’t commit a crime,” Zoey said. “As I told you, I’m the one who wasdriving.”
The sheriff looked at Dylan and then at Zoey. “Fine, Ms. Dixon. You can go to jail, too.” He put the cuffs on Zoey, which looked huge on her daintywrists.
A bright light flashed then twomore.
“That isn’t going to be such a great image to have when you’re up for reelection next year. Come to think of it, I’ve been meaning to talk to my friend Mayor Sheffield for a while. From what I understand, his nephew wants to be sheriff.” Mrs. Dumont looked at the deputy, who still stood behind his boss but several feet outside the picturezone.
The sheriff looked between us all and then at his deputy. His expression went from wide-eyed surprise to furrowed-brow angry. “I did everything I could to save this girl. It’s on you when that boy kills her.” He removed the cuffs from Zoey, slid them into his belt, about-faced, and waved his deputy tofollow.
After the sheriff exited the club, Mrs. Dumont offered her hand to the deputy. “Thanks for the call. I realize this puts you in a difficult position, so I promise to offer my assistance with you being elected sheriff nextyear.”
He only nodded and then went out the door before Ashton and Sadie turned toward us. “And I thought our wedding was eventful.” Sadiegiggled.
Dylan hugged me tight and long. “I understand now how you became such an amazing woman. Your sisters are crazier than you everwere.”
We all laughed, except Mrs.Dumont.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to return the club to a sophisticated establishment instead of a romper room for country folks.” And in that one breath, she returned to her snooty Dumont persona. That was okay, though, because she was perfect the way she was, something Sadie had tried to explain to me once but I couldn’t see. Now, I totallyunderstood.
“When is the big day?” Sadieasked.
Dylan cupped my cheek. “I think it would be best if I left town as soon as possible. I wouldn’t put it past the sheriff to still try to make trouble forme.”
“Tomorrow. We have all those decorations in Zoey’s car,” I said, with more excitement in me than I had felt inyears.
Ashton patted Dylan on the shoulder. “We can have it here at the club. I’ll reserve one of the rooms. What else can Ido?”
Dylan looked down at his uniform. “Do you know where I can get a suit? I know it’s strange not to want to get married in my uniform, but I want this to be about Avery and me, nothingelse.”
“I’m sure I can. Come with me.” Ashton walked ahead, but Dylan wrapped his arms around me one moretime.
“Don’t disappear on me,” Iwhispered.
“I won’t.Promise.”
When Dylan was out of sight, my sisters and I squealed and celebrated Dixon-style for a moment, and then Sadie grabbed my hand and headed for the door. “Come on. You need a dress, and we need to let Aunt Cathy know that the party in Magnolia Corners is canceled but there is going to be a weddinghere.”
I walked out arm in arm with my sisters one last time. Tomorrow I’d start my new life. A life that I’d mourned for, hoped for, dreamed of, and now I would live. A life as Mrs. DylanMarkham.
