Lanie confessed.
“Strange how we think as kids,” Allie commented. “Although, it all worked out in the end. I’m glad we’re all friends now.”
“And you finally have a sister.”
Allie hadn’t fully thought of that. Lanie had become a good friend, but now she was a sister through marriage. Would that friendship also be affected when she and Jase ended the marriage? She didn’t want to think about that, realizing more and more what a bad idea this had been.
Lanie pulled into the parking lot of Marie Styles, a multi-service salon. Allie recognized the two middle-aged ladies sitting in the waiting area as Missy’s sisters-in-law, each married to one of Missy’s brothers. They would be the other two bridesmaids to stand with Missy, despite their objections they felt they didn’t belong since they hadn’t been involved in her life.
“Where’s Missy?” Allie asked Beth; the larger sister-in-law who was married to Daniel Raver.
“She’ll be here in a few minutes,” Beth answered softly.
“Such a quaint salon,” Twila remarked.
Allie wanted to wipe the condescending smirk off her face. Twila was married to Chad, the Wall Street wiz and was also a Manhattan socialite. From what Missy had told her, Twila came from old money and made no effort to disguise it. Always trying to see the best in people, Missy had made every effort to have a relationship with the woman, but with little success. Just getting her here and participating in the wedding was a major feat.
“Marie is very talented and worked with many Hollywood stars before moving here.” Allie couldn’t help herself; Marie would never boast about her former life to anyone but she couldn’t abide anyone looking down their nose at a woman who was extremely talented and had a heart of pure gold.
“I’m sure she is, dear,” Twila replied, skepticism lacing her tone.
The bells hanging above the front door entrance jingled, and Missy walked in. “It’s my wedding day!” she squealed, giving everyone a hug in her enthusiasm. A twinge of longing struck Allie, even though she was happy for her friend.
Marie escorted everyone to pre-determined booths, the younger women having their nails done first while Marie went to work on Twila and Beth’s hair.
“Go ahead and pick out your favorite shade,” Regina, the manicurist told them.
“I don’t want to be a bridezilla, but will everyone please pick a shade of dark red to match your dresses,” Missy pleaded.
“It’s your day. And, as your maid of honor, I’m obliged to follow yours wishes,” Allie told her.
“Don’t you mean matron of honor, Mrs. Callahan,” Missy teased.
“Whatever,” Allie muttered rolling her eyes. “Just because a drunken marriage in Vegas is legal doesn’t mean it’s real.” At least not for now, she added silently as an afterthought.
“Hold up; what did you say?” Lanie’s mouth gaped open.
“Oh no,” Allie exclaimed, realizing what she’d just said.
“Oh, this is going to be good,” laughed Missy with a Cheshire cat grin.
Allie shot her daggers while wondering how much she should tell Lanie. “Jase and I didn’t mean to get married. It just kind of happened when we drank a bit too much in Vegas.”
Lanie’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. Then why this big act?”
“It’s really dumb, now that I think about it, but I didn’t want my parents to just toss it out as another one of my acting on a whim things. If we pretended we meant to, it wouldn’t seem as bad,” Allie explained, feeling ridiculous just hearing the plan that sounded so good a few weeks ago.
Jase’s sister eyebrows crinkled, digesting what she’d just heard. “Why not get it annulled before anyone found out.”
“Because we, uh, consummated it.”
“Eww, gross. I should have known better than to ask. That’s an image I don’t need of my brother. But seriously, why not lie to the court and tell them you didn’t? You’ve
“Strange how we think as kids,” Allie commented. “Although, it all worked out in the end. I’m glad we’re all friends now.”
“And you finally have a sister.”
Allie hadn’t fully thought of that. Lanie had become a good friend, but now she was a sister through marriage. Would that friendship also be affected when she and Jase ended the marriage? She didn’t want to think about that, realizing more and more what a bad idea this had been.
Lanie pulled into the parking lot of Marie Styles, a multi-service salon. Allie recognized the two middle-aged ladies sitting in the waiting area as Missy’s sisters-in-law, each married to one of Missy’s brothers. They would be the other two bridesmaids to stand with Missy, despite their objections they felt they didn’t belong since they hadn’t been involved in her life.
“Where’s Missy?” Allie asked Beth; the larger sister-in-law who was married to Daniel Raver.
“She’ll be here in a few minutes,” Beth answered softly.
“Such a quaint salon,” Twila remarked.
Allie wanted to wipe the condescending smirk off her face. Twila was married to Chad, the Wall Street wiz and was also a Manhattan socialite. From what Missy had told her, Twila came from old money and made no effort to disguise it. Always trying to see the best in people, Missy had made every effort to have a relationship with the woman, but with little success. Just getting her here and participating in the wedding was a major feat.
“Marie is very talented and worked with many Hollywood stars before moving here.” Allie couldn’t help herself; Marie would never boast about her former life to anyone but she couldn’t abide anyone looking down their nose at a woman who was extremely talented and had a heart of pure gold.
“I’m sure she is, dear,” Twila replied, skepticism lacing her tone.
The bells hanging above the front door entrance jingled, and Missy walked in. “It’s my wedding day!” she squealed, giving everyone a hug in her enthusiasm. A twinge of longing struck Allie, even though she was happy for her friend.
Marie escorted everyone to pre-determined booths, the younger women having their nails done first while Marie went to work on Twila and Beth’s hair.
“Go ahead and pick out your favorite shade,” Regina, the manicurist told them.
“I don’t want to be a bridezilla, but will everyone please pick a shade of dark red to match your dresses,” Missy pleaded.
“It’s your day. And, as your maid of honor, I’m obliged to follow yours wishes,” Allie told her.
“Don’t you mean matron of honor, Mrs. Callahan,” Missy teased.
“Whatever,” Allie muttered rolling her eyes. “Just because a drunken marriage in Vegas is legal doesn’t mean it’s real.” At least not for now, she added silently as an afterthought.
“Hold up; what did you say?” Lanie’s mouth gaped open.
“Oh no,” Allie exclaimed, realizing what she’d just said.
“Oh, this is going to be good,” laughed Missy with a Cheshire cat grin.
Allie shot her daggers while wondering how much she should tell Lanie. “Jase and I didn’t mean to get married. It just kind of happened when we drank a bit too much in Vegas.”
Lanie’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. Then why this big act?”
“It’s really dumb, now that I think about it, but I didn’t want my parents to just toss it out as another one of my acting on a whim things. If we pretended we meant to, it wouldn’t seem as bad,” Allie explained, feeling ridiculous just hearing the plan that sounded so good a few weeks ago.
Jase’s sister eyebrows crinkled, digesting what she’d just heard. “Why not get it annulled before anyone found out.”
“Because we, uh, consummated it.”
“Eww, gross. I should have known better than to ask. That’s an image I don’t need of my brother. But seriously, why not lie to the court and tell them you didn’t? You’ve
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