EPILOGUE
WILMA AND FAYE
(The Quylt Queens)
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I CAN’T BELIEVE it.
I cannot believe it.
“A shotgun wedding is one thing.” Arms tight over my chest, binoculars in hand, I squint through the lenses. ”But this—this is something completely different. I can’t believe they pulled this off without telling us.”
Forcing us to hide in the trees, far enough that they can’t see us but close enough to catch every detail, we’ve got a perfect view of the whole thing.
But let me tell you, it’s all wrong.
“But look at them. They're beautiful together.” Beside me, my sister is much more relaxed, binoculars perched on her nose.
She takes in the scene with a more appreciative eye, adjusting the lenses and sighing softly.
“Don’t you think?”
I huff, pulling the binoculars away from my face with a snap. “Don’t you dare make excuses for them, Faye. The whole damn town should’ve been invited. We’ve worked too hard on this. Spent years setting up the perfect match, and now... now, they go and do this in secret?”
I shake my head and then swat one of the huge white feathers from my sister’s Kentucky Derby hat, decked out for a wedding.
I don’t know why.
We didn’t get invited to the wedding on the hill.
Faye chuckles softly. “You're overreacting. It’s a wedding. Just a small one, that's all. Look at Jade. She’s wearing the most gorgeous dress.”
“It’s not even a wedding dress.”
“It’s a simple white, but so perfect on her. That lace, and the way it catches the light. It’s like something out of a magazine.”
I don’t bother looking in the binoculars. “He’s wearing jeans. Jeans, Faye. Jeans at a wedding! It’s disrespectful.” I shoot a glare in the direction of the groom, who is standing at the altar, a little too relaxed for my taste. “I bet he didn’t even bother to get it tailored.”
My sister waves a white lace hand dismissively, still glued to the view through her binoculars. “We know they don’t care about those things, and that’s why it makes them perfect for each other.”
“That is true.” I bring the binoculars back to my face.
“Hart is looking very handsome indeed. But the important thing is the way he looks at Jade. Like she’s the only person in the world.”
“It is perfect.”
“See?”
“Soulmate perfect.”
“That’s right.” My sister elbows me in the side, and the bells on her bracelet chime. “It might not be how we envisioned it, but sometimes, people just want to do things on their own terms. Jade’s not the type to want a big fuss, and Hart? He’s never been one either.”
That’s true.
“If you think about it, Wyatt by his side and Natalie by hers, this is perfect.”
I can’t help but soften a little as we watch and Hart exchange their vows. The way their eyes locked, the soft smiles, the happiness radiating from them—it is undeniable.
But we always knew that.
When Jade says “I do,” something in my chest twists.
“They are beautiful, though,” I admit grudgingly, not taking my eyes off the couple.
“They are,” Faye agrees, smiling.
I sigh, lowering the binoculars. “Maybe they’ll have a big celebration later.”
Faye’s lips curl in a secret smile. “Maybe they don’t need a big celebration. Maybe this is enough for them.”
I let out a frustrated groan. “You’re hopeless.”
But I can’t stay angry. Not when I see how happy they are.
“Fine,” I mutter, more to myself than my sister. “It’s our secret.”
Faye pats my arm. “We’ll keep it our little secret.”
“But I’m not forgetting this anytime soon.”
“Of course not, but we’re also not going to use it against them.”
She really is hopeless.
“Wilma?”
“Alright. Fine.”
Hart steps forward and takes Jade’s face in his hands.
His cousin’s beams, and her sister’s, holding back tears.
Then they kiss.
It’s not one of those quick, awkward wedding pecks. It’s slow and sweet. The kind that says we’ve waited a long time, and we’re finally here.
Faye lets out this soft “Aww.” Like she’s watching a kitten snuggle into a blanket.
“Alright, we have work to do.” I slowly rise to my feet, my body aching.
“We have all evening to appreciate this.” Faye pulls me back down in the folding lawn chair.
“Hannah and Wyatt aren’t going to take the next step without a little push.” I pick up my binoculars.
“But they can wait until tomorrow. Besides, I do have some ideas. And one involves them dog-sitting together at our bed and breakfast while we’re away.”
“How is it going to work if we’re gone away?”
“We’ll be booked full and only one room for them to share.”
THE END