“Husband and wife . . .” His eyes pierced hers as he lowered his head until his breath was a whisper on her lips. “That has such a nice ring to it.”
Just as things were getting good, Molly tore Grace away for the bouquet toss. One beautiful arc-throw later, it was caught by Molly’s friend Skye, who seemed rather pleased to find it in her grasp. After the toss Grace and Wyatt fed each other delicate slices of silky white cake to the applause of the guests.
Molly had hired a local band, so they danced until Grace’s feet—even encased in her favorite sneakers—were pinched and aching.
When Wyatt slipped away to see Ethan off, Grace took the opportunity to plop into a corner chair and rest her feet. They were going away to Gatlinburg for a few days. It was barely off-season for her business, and it was still busy. She had a staff of four now, but she didn’t feel comfortable leaving for a whole week.
Wyatt had settled into his position as a police officer. It meant working some unpredictable hours and being on call a lot, but the job suited him. And she’d been right about his self-defense course; he had a crowd each week—and some of them were even interested in learning self-defense. Grace often helped him by playing the “victim.” He called her his star pupil.
The party went on, the band kicking up a rousing Luke Bryan song that had everyone crowding the dance floor. Grace scanned the happy gathering, a feeling of contentment rising. This was her place. These were her people. And now they were her husband’s people too.
Her friend Sarah was dancing with Skeeter. He spun her around several times until she fell into his arms, laughing.
Adam was watching Molly affectionately from the sidelines as she dragged Miss Della away from the refreshment table and spun her around on the dance floor. Grace was glad to see them letting their hair down. Jada had taken a full-time position at the inn, and Molly had hired out the cleaning. She was thriving in her role as sole proprietor of the Bluebell Inn.
As Molly turned, Grace caught sight of her profile and the slight swell of her stomach under the snug dress. Two months ago Molly and Adam had announced that they were expecting. Molly’s first trimester had been a little bumpy with morning sickness, but she was feeling great now that she was in her fourth month. They were going to be the best parents.
On the dance floor Molly stopped dancing as Adam approached, holding out a bottled water. Molly humored him, taking a long drink before handing it back. Grace loved the way Adam doted on her sister, even more so now that she was pregnant.
Just steps away from Molly, Levi and Mia were slow dancing, despite the up-tempo song, their foreheads pressed together. Levi was loving his new job at a commercial construction company, and Mia had just released a new film to critical praise. Levi was a handsome, quiet escort for her Hollywood shindigs. Sometimes Grace caught a glimpse of him in an entertainment rag and couldn’t help but laugh. For someone so unsuited to Hollywood, Levi seemed awfully happy in his new life.
Wyatt had come back inside and was talking to his dad and stepmom over by the refreshment table. Her husband looked so handsome in his dark suit. He wore a single magnolia on his lapel in memory of his mother. He’d had some therapy of his own since his return to Bluebell. Grace was so proud of the progress he’d made. She was proud of her own progress too. She’d come to peace with survival. She hadn’t realized what a weight she’d been carrying until she began to let go of it.
Grace had gotten to spend some time with Wyatt’s family over the holidays and again in March. Governor Jennings was charming and kind, and his wife, Valerie, seemed happy for Wyatt’s new course in life. His extended family—cousins, aunts, and uncles—were fun and loud, and Grace felt right at home among them.
Molly flopped into a chair beside Grace. “Whew! That’s a workout. Taking a break?”
“Yeah, just taking it all in. You leave Miss Della to fend for herself?”
Molly pointed toward the dance floor, and Grace caught sight of Miss Della boogying with Darius Brown, the new landscaper Molly had hired.
Molly waggled her eyebrows. “They make a cute couple, huh?”