There were not many men who would allow dogs and cats to sleep in the same bed. But I knew that Marco let his four behemoth dogs sleep in his bedroom, so we were a dog/cat friendly couple.

“I love you, Evie,” he had said, right before we went to sleep. “I will always love you.”

“I will always love you, too, Marco,” I told him, then I cried because I am a happy mess and he held me close, and even tough guy got teary-eyed, and then we laughed, in joy, at us.

Marco and me.

Us.

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The day of Jules and Mack’s wedding was bright and warm and clear, like a colorful island postcard. White rays of sunlight shone on the ocean waves, the other islands green bits of paradise in the distance. The purple wisteria blooms had died back on the gazebo, but we filled it with yellow, pink, and purple roses and purple ribbons that floated on the wind.

Jules had been on the island for a week, and she, my mother, aunts, and I had been working nonstop to make sure all was ready.

Betsy, Johnny, Tilly, and Kayla came. They were thrilled to be invited. The four of them helped all day to get the lush, creative flower centerpieces made with the black leather ribbons and the tables set with white linens, silver flatware, and candles. They all hugged me again, tearful. We had been e-mailing and texting and calling, and I was getting to know them.

I heard a growling in the distance, and I knew what was coming: Mack and Jules’s friends. From everywhere, all over the country, they were here, on their motorcycles all coming off the same ferry. We all went down to the driveway to greet them.

Dozens of bikers on bikes of all sizes, all of them dressed in their leathers, entered the property. My mother and aunts, in their fancy, ruffled, sparkling purple, yellow, and pink dresses and matching heels, and identical long double strands of real pearls, waved. They put their hands above the most fantastical hats ever made in this galaxy and wiggled their hips. The bikers waved back, smiled, laughed and gunned their bikes.

The wedding was soon to begin.

* * *

Upstairs in Rose Bloom Cottage in her pink childhood bedroom, Jules was a wreck.

My mother and aunts hurriedly came outside to get me, all a tizzy. I was telling the band where to set up and directing the caterers and bartenders, Marco helping like a wedding planning pro. A package arrived with stacks of boxes from Julia’s Chocolates in central Oregon that we were placing on each table, as it’s the best chocolate on the planet Earth. I was planning on getting changed into my maid of honor dress, but for now was whipping around in a flowered yellow sundress.