“I’m ready.”
A few minutes later, they caravanned down the long driveway at the Divine Creek Ranch. Near the house, the grassy area on both sides of the driveway was lined with long rows of vehicles belonging to the guests. A pearly white Escalade was parked nearby, already decorated with streamers and strings of cans, and “Just Married” emblazoned in white shoe polish on the windows.
Jack Warner and Charity Connors came out of the front door to greet them as they exited their vehicles. Maizy and the girls enjoyed their reactions as their jaws dropped and their eyes got big.
“Holy crap, Lucy! I like your style,” Charity said in genuine surprise as she got a good look at Lucy’s wedding dress.
Jack said, “Ladies, you’re real stunners.” He gave Grace a very warm, appreciative look as he slid his hand around her back. She looked up at him and sighed happily as she stroked his cheek.
Like Maizy and Jayne, Grace was clad in an off-the-shoulder summer dress made from gauzy linen and lace in a vivid violet color. Despite their disparate hair colors, eye colors, and complexions, the brilliant shade of blue was perfection on all three of them.
The shirred bodice on the dresses was formfitting and flowed down to a lace-covered gauze skirt that reached just past midthigh. The lace extended beyond the gauze hem another few inches, giving a peek at their legs. They were all wearing matching violet satin platform pumps with chunky four-inch heels.
Jack escorted the ladies in the house as he said, “Patrick and Beck are already at the front with the minister. Just about everyone is situated. Rachel said we can get started when Lucy is ready.”
“Good. How’s Rose Marie doing?” Grace asked as she put up her purse and keys.
“Adam has her and PJ upstairs playing. She’s dressed but she didn’t want to keep the tights on, baby. When Adam helped her use the potty, she took them and her shoes off and refused to put the tights back on.”
Looking resolute, Grace turned to them and said, “I’ll go get the flower girl and the ring bearer and be right back down.”
Jack stopped her at the first stairstep with a hand on her hip and said, “Pick your battles, darlin’.”
Grace smiled, looking a little weary, and said, “I know. It’s not that big a deal. None of us is wearing tights or panty hose either. I just wanted her to look nice. I’ll be right back.”
Jack watched her ascend the stairs and then turned to the girls. “Rosie’s gonna be lucky if she makes it through the terrible threes. That girl’s got a mind of her own.”
Charity scoffed and said, “It might help if she didn’t have three big daddies wrapped around her chubby little fingers.” Jack elbowed her and grinned and she added, “That’s okay. If Grace keeps establishing who’s in charge, she’ll get it eventually.”
Maizy took advantage of the opportunity to peek out the back windows at the section of the backyard beyond the swimming pool. Ancient oaks arched over the area, which was lined with rows of white folding chairs, providing a pastoral backdrop for the wedding ceremony. Off to the side, the tables for the reception were set up and waiting for the chairs to be moved over to them, and the portable stage, which was set up for the ceremony, would be cleared and used for a dance floor. Every seat was filled, or about to be filled, as a few guests still moved around.
Her heart jumped as she caught sight of Cody, Heath, and Spencer, who were standing to one side talking with Ben Lawrence.
“Holy moly,” she whispered to herself.
Cody’s long black hair was pulled back in a leather tie and he was dressed in a gray suit with a red dress shirt opened at the throat. Heath was Mister Sexy Summer personified, dressed in a pair of white linen pants and a white linen tunic with the drawstring loose and untied at the throat. Spencer was dressed in a white button-down and pair of khaki slacks. He had his mirrored shades on as he surveyed the crowd and then looked back at the house. She moved away from the window, not wanting to spoil her surprise.
Individually, her bears were enough to stop any girl in her tracks, but collectively, they were overpowering, sexy, and irresistible. And they were hers.
She shook the hormonal daze from her head when she heard six-year-old PJ’s strident voice combined with the enthusiastic chirping of Grace’s three-year-old daughter as they bounded down the stairs, followed by Grace and Adam.
PJ, who was dressed in a pint-size black tuxedo, grinned when he saw her and ran to her with his arms reached out for a hug. “Hey, Aunt Maizy!” Before he reached Maizy, he froze and his eyes popped as he turned to Lucy. He’d run right by her and hadn’t recognized her. “Mom?” Maizy didn’t mind that she no longer had her nephew’s admiring attention as he fell under Lucy’s spell.