Epilogue
Layla
One year later
M argaret Greyson muttered a string of words not fit for a lady, or, for that matter, a wedding day, as she trekked across the sand in her shiny green high heels. It wasn’t as if it was a surprise to find that the ceremony was taking place on the beach. Isla had even added a note to her guests about dressing for sand and sun. Apparently, her future mother-in-law thought sand and sun meant high heels and a snug designer dress. She was also decked out in enough diamonds to make the gulls eye her jewelry as if it was rock candy.
“This whole wedding is worth it just for this moment.” Luke’s sister, Rachel had come up next to me. “My mom hiking across hot sand in ten-thousand-dollar heels.”
I looked over at her. “Ten thousand? Dollars? One pair of shoes?”
Rachel smiled. “Trust me, those are her cheapest pair. I suppose I should help her, although it is more fun watching this.” Rachel headed toward her mother. Luke’s dad, Marcus, had stayed behind in the cottage to make a few phone calls. Apparently, even his son’s wedding day wasn’t off limits for business.
Nash came up behind me and whispered in my ear. “Have I mentioned how hot you look in that bridesmaid’s dress?”
His breath tickled my neck. I giggled as I spun around. “Uh, about a dozen times, but that doesn’t mean you should stop saying it. Thank you for helping Dex set up that arch. It looks beautiful.” A wrought iron arch had been wrapped in pink roses and vines, and behind it was a small, portable dais for the ceremony. Luke’s grandmother, Hazel, had applied online to be ordained, so she could perform the ceremony. She’d been sitting on one of the chairs practicing her speech since she arrived. She was dressed adorably in a teal blue dress with white pearls and earrings to go along with the beach theme. Our dad, Harold, and his wife, Helen, were sitting a few chairs down. It had been a while since we’d seen either of them. Dad had gotten older, and he was having problems with his knees; at least, that was the main topic of conversation I had with him. He was almost a stranger in our lives, and as Nonna always loved to say—that was his loss. At least they’d made the trip for the wedding.
Rhett and Jack had formed an almost instant bond when Jack had joined the family group, and the two of them were standing in the shade of the hillside, talking.
Dex walked over. It had taken some effort, but Aria finally found a suit big enough to fit his massive build. The coat was stretched tight, but he looked incredibly handsome. “I’ve had word from big sis that you’re wanted back up at the house,” he told me. “And Nash, you can give me a hand grabbing a few more chairs.” Dex had taken Nash under his wing as the newest member of our large group.
“Yep, I’m coming.” Nash turned to kiss me.
Since there were guests going in and out of our home, Nash lent us the cottage next door, which he now owned, so Isla could get ready without disruption. I’d been sent down earlier to make sure everything on the beach was going smoothly. Other than Margaret Greyson’s grumpy tirade, everything was moving along.
I walked up the path to Nash’s house. Rocky met me as I stepped inside. “This is all a lot of chaos, isn’t it, Rocky? Thanks for watching over my sisters.”
A flurry of laughter floated out from the spare bedroom where Isla had set up her makeup and hair stations. Isla had decided to allow her golden hair to be down, but she had pinned up the sides with sparkly clips. She’d opted for simple makeup, appropriate for a beach wedding. And her dress was simple white silk with a lace bodice and long flowing train. The emerald choker and earrings Hazel had given her as a pre-wedding gift sparkled on her neck and ears. She looked nothing short of stunning.
Ella sat on the edge of the guest bed frantically typing on her laptop. She’d come up to a deadline, and the wedding had caused her to get behind on work. Ava was behind Isla’s dress, trying to straighten out the folds. Aria stood in front of Isla with her hand on her chin and a scrutinizing gaze. The beautiful diamond engagement ring from Dex sparkled on her finger. “I think you need a little more blush,” she said. Margaret had offered to send her professional makeup and hair team for the wedding, but Isla had turned down the offer, knowing full well they wouldn’t be able to achieve the pretty, natural and coastal look she envisioned.
“No more commentary, Aria, seriously,” Isla said curtly. The stress was getting to her. Up until a week ago, she’d handled her wedding plans seamlessly, even managing to keep Margaret happy by accommodating some of her requests, but last week, it suddenly hit my sister that she was truly getting married. Not that she had even the slightest doubt that she was going to live happily ever after with her prince, but because we’d all grown up so close in our small town, her marriage to Luke Greyson was going to change all that. She’d have her own house to run, and our wonderful little cottage would just be a place she came to visit.
Isla looked my direction. “What say you, makeup expert?”
Suddenly, my throat tightened and tears pricked my eyes. “Oh, Isla, you look magical. Nonna would be in tears. She always said you were her little princess, and she was so right.”
Isla started waving her hand frantically in front of her face. “Oh, no, here we go again. Tears. No tears.”
Aria glowered my direction for starting it and fanned Isla’s face, too.
Isla finally pushed Aria’s hand away. “Enough, I don’t care. I need a Lovely sister hug right now, but be careful of the dress.”
Ella pushed aside her laptop, and the four of us circled Isla but only gave her a light hug. “I just want you girls to know,” Isla said, “this changes nothing. We are still the fabulous five, and I have something for everyone.”
We dropped our arms, and Isla walked over to a silver box that was sitting on the makeup table. She opened it up and pulled out five silk and lace garters. “I had them made out of Mom’s wedding dress and Nonna’s lace shawl.” She handed each of us a garter. “I wanted to make sure they were both with us in spirit.” Now we were all fanning our faces frantically.
“Why do tears have to cause such a catastrophe when you’ve put on fresh makeup?” Ava asked.
Aria held up her hand, like a teacher taking charge of her class. “All right, we look ridiculous, and I don’t think the fanning does anything except make us perspire, and yes, we’re dressed in silk, so there’ll be no sweating, only perspiring, and please, keep that at a minimum. Deep breath, everyone.” She was using the big sister tone she’d perfected growing up when we were all acting like squirrelly brats and getting on her nerves.
And we still reacted immediately to the tone. We all took several deep breaths.
“Better,” Aria said. “Let’s put on the garters before the tears start again.”
A thin pink satin ribbon had been woven into the lace that circled the garter. I pulled the delicate circle up to my thigh. “I still remember Nonna sitting in her shawl in the big chair, a fire roaring in the hearth and her delicious shortbread baking in the oven,” I said. I looked at my sisters. We were all unique in our own ways, and that never got in the way of our love for each other. The opposite in fact. We loved each other more for what we brought to the group, to the fabulous five. “Nonna and mom would have been so happy with this marriage, Isla.”
“I think Nonna would have been happy with the way all of our stories are turning out,” Ella said. “In fact, the way her own stories matched us and how they followed us into our adult lives almost seems too coincidental to believe.”
Aria put out her arms signaling another group hug. “That’s because as we all know too well our grandmother was nothing short of magical.”