“No,” Zee said meanly, “She didn’t. His mom didn’t make Justin cheat. It was the cheating that ended it.”
“But his mom told the secret. She probably did it to get Justin around more, I bet. I knew his mom, Helen, pretty well.” Joyce said, “She really was a terrible mother. She was lonely, and Justin’s wife hated Helen. It would make sense to Helen to break up her son’s marriage to have more time with him.”
“People are just horrible,” I said.
“You always feel so bad about figuring out who killed someone,” Simon said. “Your empathy is one of your most wonderful traits. But most people are wonderful. Don’t forget.”
I let him hug me and pull me up. We escaped the diner, leaving it to whoever wanted to stay. I suspected they’d gossip and eventually flee. But, whatever they did, I just wanted some quiet and some time with the man I knew would never, ever kill me.
Chapter Twelve
I got dressed in my own house with Mattie doing my hair and my makeup and both Joyce and my mom crying over me. Simon got dressed in the guest room about an hour and a half after I’d started, but when I left the bedroom, his jaw dropped immediately earning him forgiveness for being able to be handsome with so much more ease than my journey to beautiful.
“You look amazing,” he said.
I didn’t care what I looked like. The day was here! We were getting married. I had gone from never being in love to being overwhelmingly loved. Oh, I loved in return, but the joy I felt that I was someone’s number one, their end game, their partner, their significant other was astounding.
Outside of our house was a limousine. I laughed at it and then said, “That thing is ridiculous.”
Simon just grinned and seated me inside. He pulled me so that we were facing the rear of the vehicle. When I glanced his way, he shrugged and said, “Mom made me promise.”
“Ok. I’d lay my head on your shoulder, but I think whatever Mattie put on my face might come off.”
“We should test the lipstick,” Simon said.
I wasn’t averse.
Minutes or maybe hours later, he cracked the window and I smelled rain. It was fresh and renewing and all that I could have wanted for this day. The scent of the ocean hit us next and then the deep scent of pine trees. The vehicle stopped and Simon glanced out the window and laughed.
“Do you know where we are?”
I looked out and all I could see was pine trees. “We could be anywhere.”
“We’re at the falls,” he said. “We couldn’t get married anywhere more perfect than this.”
The driver opened the door of the limo, and Simon got out and then handed me out. The field near the large creek was filled with white folding chairs. There were bouquets of flowers everywhere.
“Those are from the church,” I whispered. My eyes filled with tears and my hands were shaking. The chairs were full of friends. Most of them had known Simon since he was a child, but they’d accepted me as one of their own.
I needed a few minutes to get myself together, but Simon had to go down the aisle first. He was followed by Carver walking my mom down, and then Joyce and Marvin. A few minutes later and the groomsmen, except for Az, joined Simon at the makeshift alter.
Jane, followed by Mattie, and then Zee walked down the sound of someone playing a violin. I slowly turned to Az.
“You ready, Rosie luv.”
I was already crying when I nodded. Az kissed my cheek and then held out his arm, and I set my hand on the crook of his elbow. I’d have said something loving and witty if I were up to it. But I wasn’t. Instead, I let him walk me down the aisle, with a waterfall in the distance every person I loved on the planet looking on. My gaze, however, was fixed on Simon.
I didn’t hear the ceremony. I didn’t hear what Pastor John said. All I could hear was the beating of my own heart, the sound of the falls, and somehow, it seemed I could hear Simon’s heart as well.
Everything focused on him until he said, “I, Simon Marvin Banks, promise to be your faithful husband. To love and adore you with all that I am. I promise to never, ever get angry about your love for animals because you love me more. I promise to always support you even though you’re better at my job than I am. I promise to, even when I’m angry or worried, be astounded by how blessed I am that you love me in return.”
Simon slipped the wedding ring onto my finger and said, “I never understood how a good woman was worth everything until you taught me. Rosemary, I love you with everything I am.”
My hands were shaking, but I wasn’t nervous. I was just overwhelmed by how much it was possible for one person to feel.
“I, Rosemary Desdemona Elizabeth Baldwin, pledge to you, Simon, my heart. I promise to give you the best of myself. But not just my best, I entrust you with my weaknesses and my failings. I’ll share with you my dreams and my hopes. I join my life to yours. And accept your trials, illnesses, weaknesses, and failings. I give you all that I am and I swear to you that I will love you to my dying breath and should we be blessed enough to journey to the next life together, I pledge to you my eternity as well. For surely, it can not be heaven without you.”
I took the ring from Zee and put it on Simon’s hand. The next thing I knew Simon had kissed me thoroughly. We turned together to faced the people we loved. They were cheering as I lifted my bouquet in victory.
I grinned at them all and declared, “Time for cake!”
THE END
Hello! Hello! Can I just take a moment to gush over how much I love you for reading my books and giving me a chance? Writing is the best thing ever! Almost as awesome are reviews, and indie folks, like myself, need them desperately! If you wouldn’t mind, I would be so grateful for a review.
The sequel to this book, Honeymoons and Honeydew will be out soon! You can preorder it here if you’re interested!
I also have a brand new cozy historical mystery series set in 1920s England that was just released. I am soooo excited for this baby and hope you love it too! It’s available now!
FYI, I write under my real name, Amanda A. Allen, as well. If you like books with a paranormal twist, you’ll find I’ve written plenty!
If you want book updates, you could follow me on Facebook by clicking here for Beth Byers. Or here for Amanda A. Allen.
Also By Beth Byers
The 2nd Chance Diner Mysteries
Spaghetti, Meatballs, & Murder
Cookies & Catastrophe
(found in the Christmas boxset, The Three Carols of Cozy Christmas Murder)
Poison & Pie
Double Mocha Murder
Cinnamon Rolls & Cyanide
Tea & Temptation
Donuts & Danger
Scones & Scandal
Lemonade & Loathing
Wedding Cake & Woe
Honeymoons & Honeydew (Coming in September 2018)
The Violet Carlyle 1920s Cozy Mysteries
Murder & The Heir
Kennington House Murder (Coming in September 2018)
Murder by the Folly (Coming in October 2018)
(co-written with Carolyn L. Dean and Angela Blackmoore)
A Little Taste of Murder
(found in the Christmas boxset, The Three Carols of Cozy Christmas Murder)
A Tiny Dash of Death
A Sweet Spoonful of Cyanide
Also By Amanda A. Allen
The Mystic Cove Mommy Mysteries
Bedtimes & Broomsticks
Runes & Roller Skates
Costumes and Cauldrons (found in the anthology Witch or Treat)
Banshees and Babysitters
Spellbooks and Sleepovers: A Mystic Cove Short Story
Hobgoblins and Homework
Gifts and Ghouls (found in the anthology Spells and Jinglebells)
Christmas and Curses
Potions & Passions (found in the anthology Hexes and Ohs)
Valentines & Valkyries
Infants & Incantations (Coming So
on)
The Rue Hallow Mysteries
Hallow Graves
Hungry Graves
Lonely Graves
Sisters and Graves
Yule Graves
Fated Graves
Ruby Graves
Inconvenient Murder
Moonlight Murder
Bewitched Murder
Presidium Vignettes (with Rue Hallow)
Prague Murder
Paris Murder
Murder By Degrees
Curses of the Witch Queen
Fairy Tales Re-Imagined
Song of Sorrow: A Prelude to Rapunzel
Snow White
Kendawyn Paranormal Regency Romances
Compelled by Love
Bewildered by Love
Persuaded to Love
Other Novels
These Lying Eyes
Copyright © 2018 by Amanda A. Allen, Beth Byers.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.