Otter Lake woke up to a perfect day.
I was really getting the whole thing of why people had weddings in late spring. It was warm but not hot. Sunny without a cloud in the sky. The water was sparkling on the lake. It was the kind of weather that made you think that happy endings were possible.
Rhonda, Antonia, and I were all in my bedroom at the lodge getting Candace ready.
“You look beautiful,” Rhonda said, putting one last dab of pink gloss on Candace’s lower lip. “You look just like one of those brides on top of a wedding cake.”
“Thank you,” Candace said, her smile deepening her dimples. “It’s almost time to go though, isn’t it?”
I checked the time and nodded.
“Yeah,” Rhonda said, hurrying to the door. “I’d better get going. My date’s probably wondering where I am. I’ll send your dad to come get you in ten.”
I hurried after her. “Um … Rhonda?”
She turned around.
I scratched the back of my neck. “You didn’t tell me you had a date. What date are we talking about? Is it anyone I know?”
She put up her hands. “It’s not what you think, Erica.”
I dropped my voice. “Tell me right now that you did not bring the tree rat—I mean, tree man—to the wedding.”
“It’s not what you think. Don’t worry. Everything’s cool,” she said, backstepping quickly.
“Rhonda,” I growled through my teeth. “Don’t you—”
“Bye!”
I closed the door and turned back around, smiling at Candace.
“Hey, Erica, my mom isn’t out there, is she? I was kind of hoping she’d get to see me before, you know…”
“Um, not right this second she’s not, but…” I grabbed my phone off my dresser and typed a quick message. “I’ll go get her for you in just a moment. But before I do…”
Candace’s eyes darted over my face. “Is something wrong?”
“Well,” I said, looking up from my phone. “I’m not exactly sure how to say this…”
“What? What is it?” She brought her hand to her chest. “Just tell me.”
I sighed. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I know I said I would … but I don’t think I should be your maid of honor.”
Candace’s hand dropped to her side. “What? Why?”
I looked down at the floor and shook my head. “Well, like I was trying to tell you before, it’s hard to put into words exactly, but I’m not really a wedding person and—”
“Erica,” Candace said, voice tightening. “Please tell me you’re not saying this right now. You don’t mean it, right? You’re just—”
“You know what?” I said, looking up at her. “I think it might be better if I just showed you what I’m trying to say.”
I walked back over to my bedroom door and swung it open.
Nobody was there.
“Show me what? Why—”
“Freddie!” I hissed into the hallway.
Just then Candace’s mother came to the door, beautiful smile on her face … with Candace’s sister.
“Bethanny?” Candace whispered. “Bethanny!”
Suddenly the two sisters were hugging and jumping up and down in that excited way women wearing heels do.
“But how?” Candace asked.
“Freddie’s got about two million frequent flyer miles,” I said just as he walked into the room. “It’s his family’s card.”
“What?” Candace shrieked happily.
“It was nothing,” Freddie said. “Consider it your wedding present.”
“Freddie!” Candace shouted, still jumping. “You are the best wedding planner ever!”
“I know,” he said happily. I elbowed him in the ribs. “Erica helped.”
A couple of minutes of excited chatter passed when a knock sounded on the door.
“All right. All right,” Freddie said, holding out his hands. “Everybody stop crying. You’re going to wreck your makeup.” He then clapped his hands in the air. “Places!”
I came up behind him and whispered, “You did good.”
He looked back at me. “We did good.”
I smiled.
“But especially me.”
I nodded.
“Okay, everyone! Let’s get this girl married!”