Sebastian took my hand as we followed the wedding procession off the lawn and up to the terrace.
“Time for food?” he asked hopefully.
I snorted. “Dude, the food is for people outside of the wedding party. We have several hours of photos to complete.”
* * *
“You were not exaggerating,”Sebastian said when we had finally taken the last group shot.
Meg changed into white tennis shoes that Brea had bedazzled, then we all hit the wedding reception for snacks.
“I’m beat,” Sebastian said, sitting down in the shade under a tree after we ate some lobster puffs, chicken skewers, and other snack foods Elsie had prepared.
“Prepare thyself, because the wedding festival is just getting started.”
People were lined up along Main Street when the train chugged into town. There was a spur that went out of town close to the Broughton estate, where we had climbed aboard the historic train. I had spent the night before festooning it with flowers and ribbons, and it felt very festive as it chugged into town, steam whistle singing, and the crowd cheered as Meg and Hunter waved from their spot of honor in the caboose.
“Totally worth it!” I said to Sebastian as we all threw flowers to the crowd from the train. “Best festival idea ever!”
When the train arrived at the other edge of town, by Svensson PharmaTech, the hot-air balloons drifted gently upward, the colorful forms sailing through the perfect blue summer sky.
“Wow!” Sebastian said, impressed. “That was perfect timing.”
I smirked. “It’s almost as if someone planned it.”
He grabbed me and kissed me. “I have something else planned for you later.”
“I want cake first,” I said.
The train took us back to the town square, where we all got off and headed to the gazebo, where the official wedding cake was set up. Surrounding the gazebo were more free cake stalls. They were also scattered around town to avoid any bottlenecks. We had had a surge of townspeople who were aspiring bakers pitch in to make the free cake happen. But none of them were as glorious as the cake Sophie had baked. It had a dozen tiers and was decorated with a cascade of sugar flowers.
“Wait! Wait!” Meg said as Hunter helped her onto a nearby chair.
“Take my picture,” she told Grace. “Let it be known that my wedding cake was taller than me!”
“To be fair, you’re not that tall,” Hunter said.
Meg jumped on him and kissed him.
“I made it taller than him,” Sophie offered.
“No way,” Hunter said and stepped up on the chair.
“Two of my favorite things in the world, side by side.” Meg swooned.
They cut the first piece of cake and gave each other a bite. Then Hunter fed Meg the rest of the plate of cake.
“Man, I need another piece. Which flavor is that?” I asked.
“Raspberry-almond ganache on a vanilla-and-orange blossom cake,” Sophie said, preening.
“Guests first,” she admonished me when I tried to snag a piece. “You have cake every day, Amy.”
“Psst, Sebastian,” I hissed at him. “Get me some cake.”
He left and came back with a plate and a fork and fed me a bite. We sat on the railing of the gazebo, and I leaned against him. The townspeople celebrated around us, and people brought Meg offerings of her favorite fair food.
“A hot-dog churro on a stick!” she exclaimed.
