Epilogue
Lettie and Liam’s Wedding
Caroline
I arrived a couple hours early to help with any last-minute details for Lettie’s garden wedding.
Jane was feeling much better, or was at least no longer plagued with morning sickness.
Six months pregnant and with a cute little soccer-ball belly, my sister-in-law managed all the wedding planning with her usual calm competence.
She hardly needed my help, but it mattered to me to help her on this all-important day.
Particularly since I had been an absolute disaster on Jane’s wedding day, which happened to fall just six months after Greg dumped me.
At the time I was sick with jealousy that my brother was getting married before me, certain I was doomed to live my life alone.
To add to all that, it was the first time I had to face all of my relatives who’d been invited to my canceled wedding. That was not my best day.
Thankfully, Jane and Charlie overlooked my embarrassing behavior at their wedding. There’s no way I could have made it through that day without Lettie’s help. That was why I was determined to do everything I could for her wedding to say thank you to both her and Jane.
The last item on the checklist Jane had given me was to prepare the getaway car.
This was a fun job. I carried a box with the sign, flowers, and ribbons to a back entrance of the Darcy estate.
My heart did a little skip when Wyatt pulled up in Lettie’s Red VW Bug.
The retrofitted electric car was a surprise wedding gift from Liam to Lettie.
When the engine had died in late in August, Liam begged Wyatt (and paid him a handsome bonus) to put refurbishing Lady (Lettie’s name for her car) at the top of his list. Thankfully, Wyatt had recently hired another engineer as well as an assistant to help manage the paperwork for Class E Motors.
Otherwise, he would never have finished on time.
Business for Wyatt had been booming. He had been working long days for the last few months.
It’s been hard getting enough time together because I’ve also been swamped creating my own website for selling gently used luxury accessories.
Wyatt climbed out of the car, looking like a miracle in his new black tuxedo, which he had purchased just for this event.
I gave a long wolf whistle. “You look amazing in that suit.”
“Thank you. Some pushy lady made me get it even though I already own three suits.”
“Now you have something to wear to formal events—like, say, your wedding .” Wyatt didn’t even blink at my not-so-subtle hint. He simply straightened his bow tie and winked. “Why do you think I agreed to buy it.”
We weren’t engaged—yet. Though we had been casually looking at vintage rings, and I may or may not have started my Pinterest wedding page.
We didn’t feel any huge rush. The Spyder had been granted to the first married grandchild.
Mary, Greg’s sister, shocked everyone when she showed up on the last day of the reunion married.
She had eloped with Colin Funkhauser of all people.
After Samson gave them the Spyder, they were only too happy to sell the car to Mo.
So, in the end, we all won—except Greg, who was dumped by his fiancée shortly after the reunion.
I think she was in it for the money. Mo assured us that even if he hadn’t been able to buy the Spyder back, he would have been happy with the results of My Fair Wyatt.
Because he had achieved his real goal—bringing us together.
“C’mere and kiss me before you get all made up for the wedding.” For once, Wyatt was dressed fancier than me. Since I was still helping with the setup, I wore jeans and a white button-down shirt.
“Not like lipstick ever stops you,” I said, stepping into his arms. He broke into a mischievous grin and pulled me close enough to give me a proper hello.
Afterwards, he helped me decorate Lady with a black and white sign that read “Just Married.” When he went to kneel on the ground to attach the pink ribbons and gold tin cans to the bumper, I stopped him.
“You’re not going to kneel down in the gravel in that tux.
” I tutted. “Here, tie this to the front hood.” I handed him a heart-shaped wreath made of pink tissue paper roses.
Good thing it wasn’t made with real flowers.
Wyatt was already stressed enough about the decorations scratching the paint job.
But when it was finished, he had to agree it looked really cute, and all the pictures posted by guests would be great publicity for his business.
We strolled back to the house, taking time to stop to admire all the pretty details of the outdoor dining area set up for the wedding. The ceremony was to be held on the great lawn on the side of the house, with the couple standing under the rose arch where Liam and Lettie had first met.
At the house, I gave the bride and groom’s luggage to Wyatt to pack in the car while I changed and assisted with last-minute dressing.
“See you soon,” I said to him.
“I’ll save you a seat.” He gave me a quick peck before I hurried upstairs to “help” Lettie dress.
Well, technically, she didn’t need me at all.
But I had spent a lot of time finding her just the right shoes and veil to go with her wedding dress, and I wasn’t going to miss watching her dress for the wedding.
The upstairs guest room was crowded with well-wishers, which included Lettie’s sisters and her mom, plus her roommate Char, as well as Anne Darcy and Georgie.
Most of the women were wearing shades of pink and gold.
I wore a soft lilac dress with large violets printed on it—my sneaky tribute to Lettie, whose full name was Violet.
Jane was the first to notice me entering the room.
She called my name as she hurried over to greet me and check on my to-do list. At the mention of my name, Lettie, who sat by a gold-framed vanity, jumped up.
The woman who had been doing her makeup turned around, and I gasped in surprise.
It was April Rain. I knew there was a possibility of the former pop star coming, since she was Lettie’s cousin.
But when I last spoke to the bride, she didn’t think her famous cousin would make it.
I tried to keep my cool. But inwardly, I was fangirling.
Lettie ran over and hugged me and then began introducing me to everyone in the room. When she got to April, I sort of stumbled over my words. “Hi... uh... pleasure to meet you... in real life.” In real life , what was I even saying?
“So you’re Caroline? You’re the one—” April could have finished that sentence in so many ways.
You’re the harpy who tried to set Liam against Lettie .
Or... the woman who got hopelessly drunk the night before her brother’s wedding.
Or better yet, the one who was so desperate she asked out Colin Funkhauser.
.. “—who sells vintage handbags, right?” April said with a warm smile.
Of course, Lettie wasn’t going to say bad things about me.
“Yeah, that’s me,” I said, still finding words difficult. My mind was abuzz upon meeting a celebrity and trying to act normal.
“Also, I love your hair,” said April. During the Tahoe reunion, Emma cut the hair in back turning the mullet into a pixie cut. I kind of loved it. “We were looking at your website last night, and it’s so good.”
“I want to buy it all,” added September, April’s sister, also Lettie’s cousin.
I hadn’t met her in person before, but I recognized her from her Instagram account.
September was an influencer with a decent following.
Her interest could be good for my business.
“I totally want to do a post about you,” she said.
“I... I would love that.” I finally found my words. “That would be wonderful.” Was it my imagination, or was Charlie’s luck finally rubbing off on me?
***
The wedding was chic and romantic and joyful, which suited Lettie and Liam.
The bridal party was small. Liam, looking dashing in a tux (which I had selected for him with a nifty boutonniere of violets pinned to his lapel) walked his mother down the aisle.
Anne Darcy appeared elegant and queenly, dressed in a rose-colored Chanel suit that I had tracked down for her.
Heads turned when Dean Elliot walked Lettie’s mother down the aisle.
Darlene wore a sheath dress that definitely had sixties vibes, matching well with Dean’s debonair white dinner jacket and bowtie.
Dean seemed satisfied with all the cell phones that came out to take pictures of him.
Apparently, the reality TV host thought he should have been the one to walk Lettie down the aisle.
After all, she was HIS favorite niece, named after and resembling his late wife.
But Lettie held firm, opposing the will of her celebrity uncle—a rare feat.
She had insisted that her father would walk her down the aisle.
Next came Lettie’s sisters, dressed in pink, escorted by two of Liam’s rowing friends. I forgot their names, but both men got the assignment and looked dapper in their tuxes.
Charlie escorted Lettie’s surgeon roommate Char down the aisle.
She rocked a powder pink pantsuit with gold heels.
Georgie, Liam’s only sister and the maid of honor, dazzled everyone in a Dior gold tunic; trotting by her side was Liam’s dog, Fitz.
The Australian cattle dog wore a large pink satin bow that secured the box holding the rings.