“Wow. I hope she’s all right. Do you know what she did? For our weddin’ present she gifted the Arnotto estate over to us. Signed it over just like that. We had planned to buy it, but she refused. She said Fyodor was the closest thing she had to a brother and she wanted us to have it. She kept the vineyards and winery but the entire rest of the estate is ours.”

Catarina nodded. “She’s like that. So sweet.”

“We can’t take it of course, but wow.”

“You have to take it, Evangeline. It would mean the world to her,” Emma said. “We talked about it. Her memories aren’t the best there and she wants someone to raise a family and be happy there. Obviously you and Fyodor love the place. She wants it to be you.”

Evangeline bit down on her lower lip and Catarina immediately shook her head. “Don’t ruin your makeup.”

“I’ll tell Fyodor, but it’s worth a fortune.”

“It’s what she wants,” Emma persisted. “She hopes you have lots of children and they’re all very, very happy there.”

“Having children means gettin’ pregnant,” Evangeline pointed out. “That means bossy man gets ever bossier. I don’ think I could handle that without throwin’ somethin’ at him.”

“Shifter males are a pain sometimes,” Saria said. “I’m as healthy as a woman can get. It isn’t a multiple pregnancy and the doctor says I can do anythin’ I want to do. Drake doesn’t take that same attitude, and he’s pretty mellow most of the time.”

“Mellow?” Catarina’s eyebrows shot up. “Eli wouldn’t know mellow if it bit him on the butt.”

A knock on the door had Evangeline’s heart racing. Catarina leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’m up first.”

Emma squeezed Evangeline’s hand. “Be brave. You look beautiful. Fyodor won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.”

Saria hugged her hard. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve this. Pauline and Amos have come, and so has Charisse. I didn’t want you to be so shocked you fainted or something when you saw them out there.”

Evangeline caught her hand before she could step out the door. “I’m so in love with him, Saria. I had no idea it could be like this.”

Saria nodded in understanding. “That’s exactly how I feel every day still.”

Music began to play, and then Bijou Breaux—or rather Bijou Boudreux—began to sing. Bijou had grown up in the bayou with Saria and had recently married Saria’s brother Remy. Her voice filled the house, and Catarina, Emma and then Saria went down the hall to the room where everyone was seated.

Elijah waited by the door and offered Evangeline his arm. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“Nervous?” He walked her up the hall to the doorway where the ceremony would take place.