14. Maggie
MAGGIE
Her nerves were frayed. She could not believe how quickly seven weeks had gone by, and now the eighth week was quickly ticking away.
Her wedding was this Saturday. Her wedding.
There was still so much to do, so many details left to arrange, and so little time to breathe.
She stood in the center of her boutique, her fingers tightly gripping the edge of a measuring tape as she stared blankly at the rolls of white silk and lace lining the back wall.
Just then, the front door of her shop opened with a familiar chime, and she breathed a deep sigh of relief as Linda, Isabel, and Penny walked into the cool showroom.
"Oh, thank goodness you're all here," Maggie said, her voice carrying a slightly breathless, anxious pitch as she stepped around the cutting table to greet them. "I have your dresses ready. I hope you like them."
She walked over to the tall garment rack near the fitting rooms and slowly unzipped three matching covers, revealing the champagne gold dresses inside.
The fabric was a heavy, luxurious satin that shimmered under the showroom lights, catching the gold reflections with every movement.
She had designed them with smooth, simple, elegant lines that flowed gracefully from a tailored bodice into a soft, cascading skirt.
There were no big, puffy layers, no unnecessary ruffles, and no stiff petticoats, just pure, classic elegance that would look stunning on the terrace without ever detracting from the bridal gown.
The three women gasped in unison, their eyes shining with immediate delight as they stepped closer to touch the smooth fabric.
"You designed these?" Penny breathed, her hand lightly tracing the delicate stitching along the neckline. "They are gorgeous."
"I did," Maggie said, though she did not feel the usual, soaring pride her custom designs typically gave her.
She was far too nervous, her mind too full of seating charts, florist schedules, and the mountain of tasks that still needed to be completed before Saturday morning.
"But we need to try them on immediately to ensure the hemlines and bodices fit you. "
She glanced toward the front door, her brow furrowing slightly as she adjusted her watch. "Where are the mothers? I have their dresses here as well, and I wanted to make sure we did all the adjustments together."
Lila and Anna were going to act as shared mothers of the bride for the ceremony, a decision that felt right to Maggie's heart.
Just as George and Tom, the two men who had raised her and supported her through every high and low of her life, were both going to walk her down the aisle together, she wanted both of her maternal guides standing beside her when she took her vows.
"We're here, sweetheart," Anna rushed in, her cheeks slightly flushed from the coastal air outside, with Lila running close behind her.
"That dress is gorgeous," Lila breathed, her eyes misting over with a tender wave of emotion as she stopped in front of the ivory gown hanging in the center display. "My dear girl, you are simply amazing. Your mother would've been so proud of you today."
"Thank you," Maggie murmured, her throat tightening as she stepped forward to press a lingering kiss against both of their cheeks.
She looked between the two older women, her heart swelling with an immense gratitude.
Anna had been there for her when she was a young girl, providing a steady, loving hand before her aunt's long departure from the island.
And in recent years, after her divorce, it had been Lila who had held her close while she cried over her failed marriage and the heartbreaking, permanent loss of her late son.
They were both strong, resilient women who had earned their place as her fill-in mothers, and she knew in her heart that her real mom would be smiling down on them, fully approving of her choice.
"Now, no more tears before the fittings," Maggie commanded gently, wiping a happy tear from her own lashes as she gestured toward the fitting rooms. "We have champagne to drink and work to do."
A few minutes later, the fitting area was alive with the sound of corks popping, low laughter, and the rustle of silk. Maggie had poured five glasses of cold, bubbling champagne, handing them out as the women slipped into their dresses.
When they stepped out of the changing stalls, Linda, Isabel, and Penny looked stunning.
The champagne gold fabric hugged their frames beautifully, the simple lines falling into elegant, clean sweeps that moved gracefully with every step.
Anna and Lila looked equally elegant in their custom mother-of-the-bride gowns, the rich, deep tones of the fabric complementing their silver hair.
As they stood before the three-panel mirror, sipping their champagne and sharing compliments, the easy laughter in the room began to work its magic, slowly melting away the tight, suffocating knot of anxiety that had been clamping down on Maggie's chest all morning.
"You look beautiful," Maggie whispered, her eyes shining as she looked at her friends.
"We look like a team," Linda corrected with a supportive smile, clinking her glass against Maggie's.
Once they had changed back into their regular clothes, they gathered around the wide mahogany counter, and Linda immediately pulled her wedding checklist from her bag, smoothing the paper out.
"Alright, let's divide and conquer," Linda said, her tone turning practical and organized as she looked at the list. "You need to focus on your dress and resting your nerves. We are going to handle the rest of the logistics."
Over the next thirty minutes, they systematically went through the remaining tasks.
Linda took charge of coordinating the catering arrivals and the final table settings with Rosa, while Lila volunteered to manage the floral delivery and ensure the rose arches were positioned correctly near the veranda steps.
Anna agreed to oversee the seating arrangements in the main hall, and Isabel offered to handle the welcome baskets for the out-of-town guests staying at the suites.
With every task that was checked off and assigned to a capable set of hands, Maggie felt her shoulders dropping, a soothing calm settling over her.
"Now," Penny stated, a luxurious, bright grin spreading across her face as she leaned her elbows against the counter. "I have one more surprise for you."
Maggie's heart gave a suspicious jolt, and her brow furrowed as she looked at the woman standing in front of her. "What kind of surprise?"
"Tomorrow night, we are hosting a bachelorette party for you," Penny promised, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "We can't have it on Friday night because you need your rest before the ceremony, so it has to be tomorrow evening."
"I am far too old for those kinds of wild shenanigans," Maggie moaned, burying her face in her hands as she shook her head. "I just want a quiet evening with a book."
"Oh, this is going to be a very special party," Linda promised, her grin matching Penny's as she nudged Maggie's shoulder. "No loud clubs, no crowded bars, just some well-deserved pampering and good wine."
Maggie looked suspiciously between her friends, but she couldn't help the happy smile that tugged at her lips. "Okay. Fine. But if there are any ridiculous games involved, I am leaving."
"No promises," Penny laughed.
Maggie checked her wristwatch, her focus returning to the schedule. "The girls' dresses will be here tomorrow morning. They need to come in for their final fittings so I can adjust the hemlines."
"I'll make sure the girls are here right after lunch," Isabel volunteered immediately, taking the task on her list. "They are so excited to try on their dresses, they've been talking about it all week."
"Thank you," Maggie sighed, a massive wave of gratitude filling her chest. "That is a huge help."
"Rosa is handling all the decoration details in the large ballroom of the Hearts Hotel," Linda told her, checking another box on her ledger sheet. "She says the drapery is already being hung."
"I can't believe that room is still in such good condition," Anna said, her eyes turning nostalgic as she looked toward the window. "We got married in that exact ballroom. It was a beautiful evening, and the light through those high arched windows was spectacular."
"It's a beautiful room," Penny agreed, nodding in confirmation.
"Thank you for fixing it for me," Maggie said, her gaze locking with Penny's. She knew how much work had gone into restoring the historic plasterwork and polishing the old hardwood floors after years of neglect. "I know how much effort your restoration crew put into that space."
"It was only a pleasure," Penny told her, a genuine smile softening her features. "Honestly, the workmanship in that ballroom is extraordinary. The details on the crown molding and the structural supports are things you simply don't see in modern construction."
"Yes, it was part of the old, original hotel structure that George’s grandfather built," Anna explained, her voice dropping into a reverent tone as she shared the history.
"The family never had the heart to alter the classic design.
They just kept it up, maintaining the woodwork and the plaster, until the doors were eventually closed in recent years to try and preserve the space from any wear and tear. "
"Well, now that it's open again," Penny said. “And I’ve finished renovating it.” She glanced between the women there. “We’re starting our venue hosting business there.”
They raised a toast to their combined business venture, which would be headed by Penny.
“And my wedding will be our first big event there,” Maggie said proudly. “Here’s to my wedding, the upcoming vow renewals, and…” Her eyes twinkled as she locked onto Isabel and Penny. “Two more weddings around the corner.”
“Wait, what?” Anna spluttered, her eyes going wide. “Who?”
“Owen proposed last night,” Isabel confessed and held up her hand to show the gorgeous antique ring. “It was his grandmother's.” She snorted. “And no, he never gave it to Debbi.”
“Isabel,” Anna breathed and hugged her, with Lila right behind to do the same thing.
“That is so great, honey,” Lila cooed. “You and Owen make such a great couple.”
Isabel thanked them and then glared at Maggie. “But you, Mags, were not supposed to say anything until after your wedding, when we were going to announce it.”
“I’ve told you all this,” Maggie sighed. “It makes my day even more special if my heart is happy for my friends.” Then she raised a brow. “Like Lila and Tom.”
“What?” It was Linda’s turn to look at Lila. “My stepfather Tom?”
“Maggie!” Lila hissed. “When did you get so loose-tongued, sweetheart?”
“Must be the combination of champagne and great happiness of finally marrying the love of my life,” Maggie said cheekily. “And you can’t get cross with me because this is my wedding week.”
“Maggie…” Linda drawled. “You’ve had a wedding month.”
They all laughed at that, until Linda turned back to Lila.
“Did you and Tom finally make your engagement official?” Linda asked and Lila blushed.
“Linda…” Lila said. “We…” She swallowed and Maggie saw Linda’s eyes narrow. “We went and got married at the court.”
“You did what now?” Linda asked, stunned.
“We weren’t going to say anything,” Lila said.
“But… while we were in Miami this past month we kinda got married on the spur of the moment.” She pulled a face.
“We were going to tell you all when we got back. It was this romantic spontaneous thing we did. But when we got back there was just so much going on we didn’t get a chance to. ”
“Then how did Maggie find out?” Linda asked.
“She kind of caught us together at the bakery,” Lila told Linda.
“I was there inspecting the cakes for the next day,” Maggie told them.
“You mean you were there raiding the bakery kitchen for your sugar fix,” Linda scoffed.
“We asked her not to tell anyone until everything had settled down,” Lila admitted. “And we didn’t want to take the focus off Maggie’s wedding and George and Anna’s vow renewal.”
“Wow!” Linda looked shocked. “Well… congratulations.” She hugged Lila, as did the rest of the women. “I’m happy for you and Tom.”
“There really is a lot of love in the air this year,” Penny said, draining the last of her champagne. “Speaking of the bakery, aren’t we supposed to go and try some of the sweet treats for the wedding at Tom and Lila’s bakery?”
“Yes,” they said as they grabbed their purses.
Lila and Anna led the way.
As they walked toward the bakery, Maggie felt a single tear slip down her cheek, but this time, it was born of pure, unadulterated happiness.
The long, difficult years of her past were finally behind her, and under the wide protective sky of Sweet Blossom Bay, she was ready to step into her beautiful future.