“I am the happiest man right now on this whole planet,” he said.
“And now the bride and groom and these two young people who have stood with them to witness their marriage vows are going on to the fellowship hall. Give them five minutes to catch their breath and we’ll join them,” the preacher said.
Lizzy handed Allie the bouquet.
Allie turned around to loop her arm in Blake’s but he shook his head. “Not that way darlin’. We are doing this our way.”
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the sanctuary and down the short hall to the place where the potluck was set up.
“Would you look at this?” He grinned.
Allie was stunned. Red roses decorated tables covered with white cloths. A gorgeous three-tiered cake decorated with roses and snow flowers sat on a round table with a lovely silver punch bowl.
“Mama, Nadine, Mary Jo, and Sharlene got together yesterday and did all this,” Lizzy said.
“It’s gorgeous,” Allie said.
“I guess I’d best tell you that the church was packed this morning because my family brought campers and RVs and they set up last night on the Lucky Penny,” Blake said. “Surprise! You get to meet them all in about two minutes.”
Allie was sure she’d faint dead away right then, but she stiffened her legs and made her knees stop knocking together. “Bring ’em on. I tamed the wildest cowboy in Texas. I’m not afraid of anything.”
“That’s my girl,” Blake said.
An hour later when everyone had gone through the buffet line, some more than once, and it was almost time to cut the cake, Allie looked around for Lizzy and couldn’t find her. There hadn’t been a formal table for the wedding party so she figured Lizzy had opted to sit elsewhere, but something wasn’t right. Allie could feel it deep in her bones.
“I’m going to make a trip to the ladies’ room, darlin’. I’ll be back soon and then we’ll cut the cake so folks can have a piece of it,” she whispered.
“Don’t take that test without me standing right beside you,” he said.
She kissed him on the cheek. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
She found Lizzy curled up around a toilet in the handicapped stall in the bathroom. Her eyes were swollen and she’d cried so hard that she had the hiccups. She threw her arms around Allie’s knees and sobbed.
“What happened? Did Mitch die?”
“No, worse,” Lizzy said. “But I didn’t want to ruin your wedding day.”
Allie sat down on the floor and held her sister tightly. “How much worse?”
“He’s not going to marry me, Allie. The preacher’s daughter went with them on the mission and he says he’s found his soul mate. That after praying…” Lizzy gagged but nothing came up, “about it, both of them praying about it, that they realize God meant them to be together and for them to preach at the little church in Mexico so they aren’t coming back to Texas. They’re going to be missionaries.”
Allie hugged Lizzy even tighter. “Oh, Lizzy, I’m so sorry. That bastard did this with a phone call?”
Lizzy nodded. “He said I was never cut out to be a preacher’s wife anyway. And God told him that with prostitutes in my background that he’d never be accepted as a preacher. What am I going to do?”
“Break up with him,” Allie said.
“Are you crazy? He broke it off with me,” Lizzy said.
“And he’s not coming back to Texas for a long time. Give me your engagement ring.”
Lizzy pointed at the toilet. “I flushed it.”
“That’s even better. You are going to get up, wash your face, and use the makeup kit in my purse to fix things as best you can. Then we’re going back into the church and we’re going to cut my wedding cake. You aren’t going to say a word but when people start to notice that your ring is gone you are going to say that your broke it off with him because you found out he had another woman on the line. Do you understand me?” Allie said sternly.
Lizzy nodded. “It’s almost the truth and it will save all that sickening sweet pity, won’t it?”
Allie pulled Lizzy up and marched her to the sink. “Work some magic in five minutes. The gossip fiends will come looking for me if I’m not back by then.”
Lizzy washed her face with a brown paper towel and then applied makeup. When she and Allie walked out of the bathroom, they both had smiles. Maybe Lizzy’s didn’t reach her eyes but no one would notice.
“And here is our bride and her lovely sister,” the preacher said loudly when they reached the fellowship hall. “Let’s cut into that cake and see if it’s as good as it looks.”
Allie reached for Blake’s hand and he raised an eyebrow.
“Later, darlin’. More than one prayer got answered today.” She smiled up at him as they crossed the floor to the cake table.
“You took the test?”
“Not yet. It’s waiting at home and I’ll explain the rest later.”
“And after the cake cutting,” Katy announced, “Allie and Blake will have their first dance as a married couple.”