Epilogue
EPILOGUE
TWO YEARS LATER
Jess and Owen both said ‘Aye’ do in a civil ceremony held in the grounds of Glenariff Farm in high summer. All the guests said it was a beautiful service that went off well and that nobody had really noticed the celebrant’s mispronunciation of Jess’s surname thanks to Marian stepping up so smartly to put her right – ‘It’s Beret, dahling, not Bare.’
Jess shouted her entire family over for the wedding with the proceeds of the bestselling novel she wrote during her year’s sabbatical in Ballymcguinness. The bride didn’t wear white as she didn’t feel it was appropriate given the basketball-sized belly she was sporting. She did, however, wear a vintage 1930s gown she’d let out around the middle, having picked it up for a song at the Enable Ireland charity shop on Dublin’s George Street.
Nora, Brianna and Kelly weren’t happy about having to wear second-hand bridesmaid dresses but once threatened by the bride-to-be with pink eighties puffballs if they weren’t compliant, they stopped their complaining and on the day looked gorgeous in their respective flapper dresses. The mother of the bride, meanwhile, was radiant in an outfit reminiscent of Mrs Middleton’s at William and Kate’s do.
The only real hitch in the day was when Harry, Ethan or Elliott (they each pointed the finger at the other) left the gate to the paddock open and several pigs – including Wilbur – tried to gatecrash the proceedings.
Needless to say, roast pork wasn’t served at the wedding breakfast and Jemima wasn’t invited.
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If you adored Jess’s journey to find love in the Irish countryside and are looking for more of the Emerald Isle’s charms, you will be hooked by Secrets in the Little Irish Village .