Adams Grove 03-Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes by Nancy Naigle Page A

over and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. “Best years of my life, too.”
    “Sit down,” Patsy said, scooching over in the pew. “I think we’re going to go ahead and put the ribbons on the pews tonight before dinner if we have time. Reverend Burke said there’s nothing else scheduled before Jill and Garrett’s ceremony, so we can. May as well get it out of the way.”
    “Sounds good.” Carolanne watched as Chaz and Doris Huckaby wrangled their twins back into a pew. The six-year-old girls were going to be the flower girls. Scott Calvin, the sheriff, walked in the side door with his nephew Robbie, the ring bearer, on his hip. Everyone was accounted for, with the exception of Connor.
    Patsy placed a hand on Carolanne’s leg. “When are we going to see you walk down the aisle?”
    “Oh goodness,” Carolanne said. “Let’s just get Jill and Garrett married before we think about doing this again too soon.” She could see in Patsy’s reaction that her comment had sounded harsh. “It takes a lot of work to put together a wedding like this.”
    Connor leaned over her shoulder and whispered hello into her ear.
    Carolanne wriggled away from him just as Milly shuffled in and slipped under Connor’s arm. “You two looking cozy together again. I like that.” She patted her chest. “Keeps my old heart full of hope.”
    “Are you two…?” Patsy’s eyes lit up.
    “No. No, we are not ,” Carolanne said. Milly would have this whole town talking if she weren’t careful.
    “You don’t have to make it sound so bad,” Connor said.
    “You would make a cute little couple,” Patsy said. “Don’t you think, honey?”
    “You think everyone makes a cute couple, dear,” Garrett’s dad said.
    Milly piped in. “But she’s right this time. Pearl said so herself. You know Pearl was never wrong.” Milly pointed to the front of the church. “Just like those two. Once Pearl says you’re together, that’s it.”
    “Or not,” Carolanne muttered under her breath.
    Connor nudged her.
    Carolanne glared in his direction. Don’t push your luck with me, Connor. You’re already on thin ice.
    Reverend Burke marched up the aisle. “All right, everyone. This will only take a couple minutes, but let’s run through it once for good measure.”
    In fifteen minutes they’d already walked down the aisle twice and hummed the wedding march, while the organist had found a way to tell the kids to keep pace to the music that kept them from running down the aisle. It would be anybody’s bet whether they’d remember that tomorrow, though.
    Connor and Garrett went out to get the big box of ribbons from the back of the Malloys’ car. It was the first chance Carolanne had had to breathe since Connor had gotten there. Just having him in the same room was enough to make her feel jumpy.
    Once the guys dropped the box at the end of the aisle, they went back outside, leaving the girls to work on decorating the pews.
    Carolanne handed Patsy a ribbon and then scooched the box with her foot. “Is there anything else we need to do tonight?”
    Jill picked up another ribbon and fastened it on the opposite pew. “We’re in good shape. We can come get ready here tomorrowsince we’re the first wedding. Patsy said she’d bring us breakfast and have coffee ready for us.”
    Carolanne felt a little useless, and she was quickly realizing that when Jill got married, it was going to change their relationship, and that made her sad. Or maybe it was just everything piling up on her at once.
    “I’ll make a breakfast casserole. You need something in your stomach in the morning, or the nerves will get to you.” Patsy looked at Milly for confirmation.
    “She’s right, and her breakfast casserole is the best,” Milly agreed.
    They placed the last two ribbons on the pews, and then Mrs. Markham from the bed-and-breakfast up the road came in to announce that the dinner was ready to be served.
    “Perfect timing,” Patsy called out to her.