“It’s basically a very heavy, opaque lace veil.”
“Why opaque? Doesn’t the groom get to see what his bride looks like? I mean, what if he marries the wrong girl?”
Lucy smiled. “It’s because this is an arranged marriage. Something about how it doesn’t matter what the bride looks like because the bride and groom have to learn to love each other or something like that.”
“Huh? Weird.”
“My parents, especially my mother, will insist on following that particular tradition, I’m sure.”
“Will they be okay with bridesmaids and groomsmen hanging around with the bride and groom instead of standing in the first row in the audience?”
Lucy shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out.”
Valene smiled. “Want me to go with you to tell them?”
“Sure. Why?”
“If they are anything like other Alphas I know, if I suggest it they will be less likely to tell me to get lost rather than you trying to explain it.”
“Good point.”
“Since you are the wedding director, that makes you the maid of honor, too, right?”
“Yes. It does. I looked that up.”
“At the very least, we should insist the maid of honor and best man be up there with the bride and groom.”
“Okay, we’ll ask for everyone and plan to settle on one attendant each.”
“Cool. Are we going to have a bachelorette party?”
“Maybe. What is it?”
“The night before the nuptials, the girls in the wedding party go out for one last hurrah. There is typically drinking and occasionally half-naked men dancing around.”
Lucy’s eyes narrowed. “Oh? I don’t know about that. Are the mothers invited?”
Valene made a face. “Of course not. What would be the fun in that? We might want to invite Aunt Dixie, though.”
“Aunt Dixie?”
“She’s a hoot. You’ll love her. And she probably knows the best places in Arkansas to find half-naked men dancing. I’ll call her.”
Lucy wasn’t sure about half-naked men at a party for the bride and bridesmaids, but she did like the idea of standing next to Francine during the ceremony instead of watching her mother gloat.
She would also be able to see Axel better.
One last time before he was no longer free.
Chapter Eleven
Axel moped all week and dreaded the coming wedding. His wedding. His parents had read carefully through the arranged marriage papers and there didn’t seem to be a way to get out of it without causing hard feelings between the families.
He didn’t want his parents to have a Designer family mad at them for defaulting on the agreement. A galactic grudge spanning decades like the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys was not a good idea. He still hoped for a miracle because the only way he could see this wedding not taking place was if the bride’s parents called it off.
If Francine had been a different kind of person, unkind or cruel, perhaps he would have had a chance. Lucy was adamant that she be spared any embarrassment or problems resulting from a cancelled wedding. She was right. Even if the wedding could be called off, that didn’t mean he and Lucy would get to marry each other. Her parents likely had some rich guy on Alpha-Prime ready and waiting to marry Lucy in an instant and ruin his life.
