Southern Sass and a Battered Bride Read online

  Betsy and I exchanged a smirk as Aunt Vi asked, “Speaking of the bridezilla, has she reared her head yet today? Change the menu—or wait, I know, pull a runaway bride?”

  “No to the first two, and not that I’ve heard on the runaway bride scenario.”

  Aunt Vi laughed. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful. We could enj oy the party without her. I had enough of her last night at the rehearsal dinner.”

  My ears perked at the mention of last night. I wouldn’t say anything about Alex’s visit beforehand, and I held out hope the couple smoothed out their issues and would live happily ever after. I’d decided before bed I’d keep well wishes in mind and forget about everything he’d said. Everyone got cold feet before their big day, didn’t they? And he certainly wouldn’t want to be reminded of it.

  “Alex showed up late and she made a big show. She flew across the room the second she laid eyes on him and planted a big wet one on him for all to see,” Betsy said. “It was so fake. I don’t know how he can go through with this.”

  Aunt Vi nodded in agreement. “The boy is whipped for sure. But we were good. Neither one of us made a nasty comment or slapped the mess out of her when she went to bragging about all her wedding gifts. Did you know that none of her family are attending the wedding? Not a single person.”

  I shook my head in surprise.

  “Apparently, they fell out a while back and she hardly speaks to them.”

  That could certainly contribute to the darkness factor. As Mama grew in her sensitivity, she’d told me she could now see more than looming danger. She could also see heartache and grudges that tore people apart from the inside out. It’d been obvious to me at the time how difficult this new development was to handle.

  “Huh, that’s sad.”

  Betsy and Aunt Vi shrugged. They both had the same look that I took to mean they believed the fault probably lay with Lucy.

  I didn’t want to dive down that rabbit hole. “Well, I haven’t seen her today. I’m going to keep happy thoughts that she’s pleased with the way everything has turned out.”

  Paul came in with his iPad, jotting down notes as fast as his workmen doled them out.

  Aunt Vi rubbed her hands together when she spotted him. “I’m excited to see who gets whacked in this murder mystery. Hey you, young man!”

  Paul turned toward Aunt Vi. His eyes went wide when he noticed her ensemble. He cleared his throat. “Can I help you, ma’am?”

  “Can I whack whoever has it coming?”

  Paul half laughed. “If we decide to go the enactment route, I’ll give you a shout. Could be entertaining.”

  We all laughed then. Maybe this wouldn’t be as brutal as I imagined.

  Aunt Vi gave him a thumbs-up and whispered something to Betsy, and the pair fell into a fit of giggles before leaving the tent to go and take their seats. I gave Paul a full appraisal as he turned to speak to a fellow employee, wondering what it was about him they were so put off by. He had a nice face and smile. Since his move to the island several months ago, he’d immediately taken a job at Sunshine Mystery Murder Company. It was steady work he enjoyed, and he gave it his all. His ambition was evident with his desire to work his way up and perhaps own a franchise one day. I couldn’t figure it out. Sure, he wasn’t Prince Charming or smoking hot, and our chemistry didn’t produce fireworks, but life wasn’t a fairy tale. And sometimes safe and boring could be appealing.

  Disturbed by my own admissions, I focused on my tasks. In the prep tent, I checked to ensure the refrigerator was still working. We had a horrific experience last year on what was the hottest day of the summer when a refrigerator quit working, chock-full of mousse tarts.

  My brother was hauling an air-conditioning unit inside. “I can’t stay in here running fryers without some air. Alex will have to eat the cost, since he wanted these funnel cakes.”

  “We shouldn’t have to operate deep fryers at all. Funnel cakes at a wedding.” I shook my head. “I have the most amazing wedding cake to serve, who’s going to want a funnel cake over that?”

  “I’d want both. It’s kind of awesome, if you ask me, to have fair food at a wedding.” Sam secured his white bandana. Blond hair the exact shade of mine peeked out from underneath.

  I shook my head.

  My half brother was the spitting image of his father, Sheriff Edward “Eddie” Carter. Technically, Eddie was our father. Not knowing that fact for the first sixteen years of my life, I’d never gotten around to calling him anything other than his given name. Until that night when it all hit the fan and I found out about the affair that resulted in the conception of yours truly, I’d believed my sister, Jena Lynn, and I shared the same father. Even though she was the spitting image of Mama and I bore no resemblance to either her or Jena Lynn’s dad. When he passed, Eddie and Mama had picked up where they left off. Needless to say, it had been a traumatic period in my life.

  I’d inherited the gray-blue eyes, blond hair, and easily tanned bronze skin, but Sam got the height, towering over my five-foot-five frame.

  “We okay?” Jena Lynn sidled up next to me.

  “Fear not.” I shut the door to the refrigerator. “Cool as a cucumber.” I smiled at my sister, whose amber eyes had dark circles under them. “Little Olivia still not sleeping?”

  Jena Lynn’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t think that child is ever going to sleep through the night. The pediatrician says it’ll happen but, sweet fancy Moses, I’m dying here. Last night after I put her down, I literally army-crawled out of her room so she wouldn’t see me from her crib.”

  That got a laugh from both Sam and me, which made Jena Lynn smile.

  “I feel bad that I’ve had to lean on you so much over the last few months. You’ve run everything single-handed and haven’t complained a bit.” Jena Lynn blinked back tears.

  I gave my sister a quick hug before the waterworks commenced. She was still dealing with hormone surges, and the dam could break at any given moment. “I haven’t minded. And after the two years you ran the diner by yourself, it was high time I pulled my weight. Plus, Livie is definitely worth it.”

  She grinned. “She is. I can’t believe she’s almost five months old.”

  Wet spots were developing on my sister’s short-sleeved chef’s coat. The embroidered peach on her left breast was leaking. She glanced down. “Oh no!”

  I snatched a hand towel off the table and handed it to her. Sam pretended to not notice and focused on his batter, giving Jena Lynn a minute to make her escape. And I went to ensure the staff was setting up properly.

  The guests were beginning to arrive and filling the chairs to await the ceremony. Betsy and Aunt Vi were seated on the first row of the groom’s side, with Meemaw and Alex’s mom. Zach was seated on the back row with chubby Olivia on his knee. That child melted my heart. Eddie was seated next to Zach, with Eddie’s girlfriend, the lovely Doc Tatum, on his left, his graying hair shining in the sunlight. He glanced back in my direction, and I lifted a hand. Doctor Lindy Tatum and Eddie had been seeing each other for over a year now. Seeing them happy made me overjoyed.

  Aunt Vi’s revelation about Lucy’s family made me take in the bride’s sparse side. If I were in her shoes, I’d have the guests spread out on both sides, instead of leaving one side empty. She’d made a few friends on the island since moving here. Her maid of honor was a coworker. It did surprise me that not a single member of her family came to the most important day of her life. I’d heard from Betsy and Alex that she didn’t have a lot of relatives, but neither one of them said anything about the type of relationship she had with them. Not that it was any of my business. I felt bad for her. It must be difficult gazing out over an empty row of chairs.

  I checked my watch. If the wedding started on time, the event would go off without a hitch. I moved around the exterior perimeter of the tent to inspect it was enclosed properly. The last thing we needed was a gust of wind to blow sand all over the buffet tables and wedding cake. It’d happened before and had been
a nightmare to manage. Though, manage we had.

  As I made my way around to the back of the tent, I spied Alex coming down the walkway with Javier at his side. They both looked dashing in their silver-gray linen suits. The shade offset Javier’s olive complexion, making his hazel eyes pop in the sunlight. They both noticed me, and Alex paused for a second and our gazes met. He froze.

  I had a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach and my eyes slid away briefly. When I glanced back, Javy patted Alex on the shoulder as Alex seemed to gather himself, saying something low to his best man, and the two continued down the pathway.

  Javier took a detour, his intense hazel gaze trained on me. “You all right?”

  With squared shoulders, I faced him. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I knew the answer, but my pride made me go deep into denial with my responses. Still, I couldn’t stop myself. “Alex and I have been apart for more than a year now.” Without thinking, I brushed a bit of lint off his lapel.

  All the relational stumbling blocks I seemed to have with Paul didn’t hold with the man in front of me. He wasn’t much taller than me but had to outweigh me by a hundred-plus pounds, and there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. Where I liked to indulge in pastries and sweets, he ate clean and exercised a lot. He had a torrid past full of danger and a disastrous marriage that had altered him. An experience he and I shared. He was harder than other men. In the year I’d known him, I’d grown to respect his character and integrity.

  When I glanced up, he intently searched my eyes. “Alex had a few drinks too many after the rehearsal dinner. He mentioned your name a dozen or more times. Luckily, Lucy had gone home before he hit the regretful phase.”

  The more I heard about the bride and groom from other people, the more my opinion on the matter solidified within me. Mama had to be sensing the turbulence within their relationship.

  The more I attempted to forget the conversation I’d had with Alex, compiled with Javier’s scrutinous gaze, made me edgy. Then I understood why. “Ah, he told you about coming to my cottage. Last minute jitters is all.” I shrugged and made up my mind to believe my statement. “Alex wouldn’t go through with a wedding if he didn’t love Lucy.” I smiled for emphasis. I’m okay, Alex is okay, we’re all okay.

  “He’s a fool.” He stepped into my personal space. “People on this island stay stuck in the past. I plan to help you move into the future. One day you’ll stop wasting your time on the wrong men and see the right one standing in front of you.” His tone was thick and gruff.

  I gasped when he thrust his fingers into my hair and crushed his lips to mine. I was breathless and staggered when he released me, and the earth beneath me must have been scorched. He rocked back on his heels and a small satisfied smile spread across his face as he steadied me with his hands on my rib cage.

  Lost in the moment, I almost grabbed his head and pulled his mouth back down to mine and, what’s worse, I think he could tell. Seconds stretched out like hours as I wrestled with the decision. Suddenly, his expression altered as he glanced over my head, and the spell was broken. I dropped my arms.

  Before I could turn around, he slowly and methodically leaned down and kissed my cheek, as he allowed his hands to drop. “That’ll give you something to think about.” He left.

  Seconds later, Paul stood a few feet from me. By the expression on his face, he’d seen everything.

  “Don’t say a word. You can be angry at me later if you want. Not that I encouraged any of that.” I waved to where Javy had been. “We have an event to work and it will be a success if it kills me.”

  “Fine. But I think we need to talk sooner rather than later. You didn’t seem to be resisting.” He was right, I hadn’t.

  I was sure his mind went in all sorts of directions. Funny, though, I didn’t really care all that much, even though I now believed Javy had an ulterior motive.

  “The reason I sought you out, Marygene, is I need to know if you’re ready for me to set up the props and clues. I didn’t want to have my guys in your way.”

  I nodded. “Yes. We’re ready.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Everything was in its proper place, and we were as ready as we would ever be to host the most complicated wedding reception, complete with a murder mystery, by the time the music began and the bride descended the wooden steps and started down the aisle sprinkled with white rose petals.

  “Wow, it looks like half of Peach Cove came out for the wedding.” Sam stood next to me in the entryway. “A hundred bucks says they all came out for the murder mystery. Sunshine sure is making a killin’.”

  They’d been excellent for business, for sure. The juxtaposition of a wedding and murder mystery had become a profitable one.

  “I’d have to agree. The excitement from the guests at every mystery event I’ve attended is palpable. Which is probably the reason Lucy moved her wedding date. Without Sunshine, the crowd would be sparse.”

  “Honestly, the woman is so self-absorbed, I don’t believe she’d even notice everyone here is either a friend of the Myers family or wants free booze with a little entertainment.”

  We settled in silence as those in attendance stood. My brother flung his arm across my shoulders as Lucy joined Alex at the front. He didn’t ask if I was okay or offer any consoling comments. Something I appreciated. When I wrapped an arm around his waist, he gave me a squeeze. This was big stuff for Sam. He wasn’t a sensitive type of man. Unlike most of our friends and family, he never saw me with Alex in the long run, though he’d never said I told you so.

  The loud rumbling of a motorcycle carried down from above the dunes. Even the bride turned.

  “Who owns that sweet Harley?” Sam whistled as he lowered his sunglasses to get a better look.

  The man in a biker jacket, wraparound sunglasses, and a bandana stared down over the ridge.

  “Must belong to a tourist checking things out.”

  He revved the engine and the popping sounds echoed before he sped away.

  “Rude.” Sam was grinning.

  I shook my head at Sam’s enjoyment of loud, dangerous vehicles and my eyes drifted to the dark and delicious best man. Javier smiled in my direction. Or at least I thought he was smiling. It was hard to tell from this distance.

  The crowd cheered, and I’d completely missed the groom kissing the bride. Javier’s calculated kiss and the obnoxious biker bystander proved major distractions.

  “Well, that’s done.” Sam dropped his arm and we got busy.

  I made my rounds, and Sam went back to the tent to fire up the fryers. With everything in hand, I went outside to have a quick cuddle with my niece. Jena Lynn was standing next to Zach, holding the little doll with a peaches-and-cream complexion, in her arms. Olivia had her chubby fist stuffed into her mouth, with drool sliding down her chin.

  I reached for her, and Jena Lynn passed her over. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be mother material; but an aunt, I had that down to a science.

  “I think she’s teething. Hence the drool.” My sister wiped her baby’s chin with a burp cloth with Daddy’s Girl written on it in pink.

  I kissed her squishy cheeks. “Aunt Marygene doesn’t mind a little drool, no she doesn’t.” I baby talked, and Olivia cooed. She let out a little squeal of delight as she peered over my shoulder. I didn’t need to turn around. I was fully aware Mama stood behind me, making faces at her granddaughter. Unbeknownst to Jena Lynn, her daughter had met her grandmother and was quite fond of her. Babies had that ability. It shouldn’t alarm me, but I wouldn’t lie and deny the fact that it worried me a little. Never in a million years would I want this beautiful little doll to endure an island spirit. I pushed the thought from my mind and laughed as the baby giggled.

  “I think she favors me,” Mama said from behind me.

  Jena Lynn and I thought so too. She’d be a beauty for sure, just like her mother and grandmother.

  “She always gets so happy when you hold her.” Jena Lynn beamed as she wrapped an arm around
Zach, who kissed the top of her head, and she wiped her eyes. “Don’t mind me. I’m a weepy ole mess.”

  Zach enveloped her with his arms and Jena Lynn nearly disappeared. “You’re wonderful.”

  I gave the baby one last kiss before handing her back to her parents. “I hate to give her up, but Aunt Marygene has to go work.” I smiled at my niece before I glanced back at the crowd. “The natives are getting restless. Olivia is lucky to have a mama and daddy like y’all.”

  “I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Jena Lynn said, and I nodded.

  The wedding party seemed to be lining up for pictures, and the guests were starting to corral near the tent. When I got inside, my crew was nowhere to be seen. I could see Paul through the window on the opposite side of the tent. I went in search of my staff and nodded approvingly when I walked around the first few tables with beautifully lit candles positioned around the pink Stargazer centerpiece. From here the wedding cake appeared to be holding up nicely. I moved closer.

  My smile faltered and I squeaked in surprise. My hand went to my parted lips. On the floor in front of the wedding cake table lay Lucy, covered in what could only be funnel cake batter. Mama’s words rang in my mind and my knees felt weak.

  “Sweet Lord! If I hadn’t seen this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed Paul.” Betsy snickered and looped her arm through mine. “She volunteered to be the victim in her own murder mystery reception!”

  Oh, thank God! Get a grip, Marygene.

  “Paul said the batter’s a clue as to who killed her. What’s wrong with you. Your face is pale.”

  I tried to laugh, and it came out nervous and shaky sounding. “I just can’t believe she’d do this. Her dress! Her hair!” Impressed and stunned by Lucy’s lack of vanity nearly left me speechless. I supposed I could have underestimated her. Surveying the area, I made sure the walkway was clear. I didn’t want to have anyone slipping on the batter. This really wasn’t a good place to set this up. Thankfully, none of the batter spilled around Lucy. I would have a word with Paul about it. Never again. I didn’t care if the batter was being used as a clue. This could be a lawsuit waiting to happen.