functioning, and she pulled away from Trent. Maddie had thought she could escape those kinds of remarks from her family, but even with a date on her arm, her family still seemed to doubt she wasn’t somehow cursed.
“I’ll do my best,” she said, forcing a smile.
“This should help.” Her aunt Lois pulled out what looked to be some kind of bright pink origami and held it out to her.
Maddie looked at it, but made no move to take it. “What’s that?”
“It’s a duct tape bracelet. We made it for you.”
She glanced at Trent who looked as confused as she felt. She hated to ask, but… “Okay. Um… why ?”
Lois gave her a full-wattage dentures grin. “Duct tape is the opposite of WD-40. We thought you should wear it for good luck. Isn’t that clever? We should have done this years ago after that nice fireman you dated went back to his old girlfriend.”
Maddie closed her eyes. The family insanity continues…
“Oh, look,” Trent said, “the groom’s family is going to say a few words now.”
With relief, Maddie opened her eyes and looked to where a piano had been stationed. Michael’s father already had the microphone and was thanking friends and family for coming to the party. Aunt Marie, whose hearing was on a downhill slope, made a mad dash to the front. Her aunt Lois was about to follow but not before taking Maddie’s hand, placing the bracelet in her palm, and squeezing her fingers closed around it.
“Wear it in good health, dear,” she whispered before leaving.
Maddie looked at Trent. “Do you believe what I’m dealing with here?”
“Only because I saw it with my own eyes.” He surprised her when he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “But I’d still take your family over mine any day. Come on. Let’s go join the others.”
She nodded, feeling surprisingly good-humored. Even if bringing a date to Louise’s wedding wasn’t deflecting talk about her being cursed, she was still glad Trent was here with her. She didn’t think he could be such a comfort and support, but she didn’t know how she’d manage through this evening and the rest of the week if it wasn’t for him.
Louise and Michael were holding hands as Michael’s father passed the microphone to his wife. “We’re so delighted you all could come ahead of the wedding and share in our joy of Michael and Louise’s happiness,” she told everyone. “We hope you enjoy the rest of the festivities we have planned, too. But before we drink to our son and future daughter-in-law, could we have the maid of honor come forward to lead us in a toast?”
Maddie froze as all eyes turned toward her.
“Oh, crikey,” she murmured. “A little heads-up would have been nice.”
“Come on, sweetheart,” Michael’s mom said. “Come say a few words for Louise and Michael.”
Trent nudged her forward. “You can do this. For Louise,” he whispered in her ear.
She ignored the little shiver that went down her neck from Trent’s closeness and took a deep breath. He was right. Although she wasn’t prepared to speak—at least not until the wedding day—she could say what was in her heart. About the happiness and love Louise had found. And what she hoped to find for herself someday.
Maddie gave a slight smile as she took the microphone and tried to combat the butterflies growing in her stomach. “Um, hi,” she said awkwardly. “I just wanted to say that although I can’t speak from experience, I do know relationships are hard work. And I can see with Louise and Michael that when you find the right person, that work becomes easy, because you have two people working together toward the same goal. I’m so proud of Louise for never settling.” She glanced over at Louise, whose smile broadened in approval. “And I’m proud of Michael for realizing how special my sister is and for never letting her go.”
Maddie took a glass of champagne that was sitting on the piano for her and raised it in the air. The crowd
“I’ll do my best,” she said, forcing a smile.
“This should help.” Her aunt Lois pulled out what looked to be some kind of bright pink origami and held it out to her.
Maddie looked at it, but made no move to take it. “What’s that?”
“It’s a duct tape bracelet. We made it for you.”
She glanced at Trent who looked as confused as she felt. She hated to ask, but… “Okay. Um… why ?”
Lois gave her a full-wattage dentures grin. “Duct tape is the opposite of WD-40. We thought you should wear it for good luck. Isn’t that clever? We should have done this years ago after that nice fireman you dated went back to his old girlfriend.”
Maddie closed her eyes. The family insanity continues…
“Oh, look,” Trent said, “the groom’s family is going to say a few words now.”
With relief, Maddie opened her eyes and looked to where a piano had been stationed. Michael’s father already had the microphone and was thanking friends and family for coming to the party. Aunt Marie, whose hearing was on a downhill slope, made a mad dash to the front. Her aunt Lois was about to follow but not before taking Maddie’s hand, placing the bracelet in her palm, and squeezing her fingers closed around it.
“Wear it in good health, dear,” she whispered before leaving.
Maddie looked at Trent. “Do you believe what I’m dealing with here?”
“Only because I saw it with my own eyes.” He surprised her when he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “But I’d still take your family over mine any day. Come on. Let’s go join the others.”
She nodded, feeling surprisingly good-humored. Even if bringing a date to Louise’s wedding wasn’t deflecting talk about her being cursed, she was still glad Trent was here with her. She didn’t think he could be such a comfort and support, but she didn’t know how she’d manage through this evening and the rest of the week if it wasn’t for him.
Louise and Michael were holding hands as Michael’s father passed the microphone to his wife. “We’re so delighted you all could come ahead of the wedding and share in our joy of Michael and Louise’s happiness,” she told everyone. “We hope you enjoy the rest of the festivities we have planned, too. But before we drink to our son and future daughter-in-law, could we have the maid of honor come forward to lead us in a toast?”
Maddie froze as all eyes turned toward her.
“Oh, crikey,” she murmured. “A little heads-up would have been nice.”
“Come on, sweetheart,” Michael’s mom said. “Come say a few words for Louise and Michael.”
Trent nudged her forward. “You can do this. For Louise,” he whispered in her ear.
She ignored the little shiver that went down her neck from Trent’s closeness and took a deep breath. He was right. Although she wasn’t prepared to speak—at least not until the wedding day—she could say what was in her heart. About the happiness and love Louise had found. And what she hoped to find for herself someday.
Maddie gave a slight smile as she took the microphone and tried to combat the butterflies growing in her stomach. “Um, hi,” she said awkwardly. “I just wanted to say that although I can’t speak from experience, I do know relationships are hard work. And I can see with Louise and Michael that when you find the right person, that work becomes easy, because you have two people working together toward the same goal. I’m so proud of Louise for never settling.” She glanced over at Louise, whose smile broadened in approval. “And I’m proud of Michael for realizing how special my sister is and for never letting her go.”
Maddie took a glass of champagne that was sitting on the piano for her and raised it in the air. The crowd
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