Every song seemed to speak to Mitzi, but then the past week had been a whirlwind of romance that she still couldn’t believe was real. In some ways, it seemed like it had been a month since she and Graham spent the day in the hotel room. In others, it was just yesterday. One thing was for sure: she loved him and was in love with him. When she’d told Paula and Jody that, they’d said it was the same thing, but it wasn’t. A person could love someone else, but to be in love with them sat up there on a whole new plane. To have both was one of those miracles that only comes along once in a lifetime.

“Do you want a big affair like this when you get married?” Graham whispered to Mitzi.

“Yes, she does.” Fanny Lou must’ve overheard, because she continued, “And I’m going to be the maid of honor. I’m already planning the bachelorette party. We’re going to Las Vegas and we’re going to paint the whole town red.”

Mitzi shook her head. “A few close friends is all I want.”

“Maybe a destination wedding with those friends?” he asked.

“Maybe.” Mitzi nodded.

The music changed to something more traditional when the back door opened and an usher brought in Ellie Mae’s mama, Iris. If there’d been a contest in the church to match up Ellie Mae with her mother, Iris would have been the last choice. She was a little wisp just over five feet tall and had a neat gray bun at the nape of her neck. The usher returned and brought in Darrin’s mother. It wasn’t difficult to see where the groom got his size. His mother was as tall as his father and had dark hair like Darrin.

“Bet he loves his mama a lot,” Graham whispered.

“Why do you think that?” Mitzi asked.

“He likes bigger girls, like her.”

Mitzi shut her eyes and tried to picture Graham’s mother. As best she could remember, she’d looked a lot like Alice—not thin, but she probably shopped in the tall women’s section.

“What do you like?” Mitzi asked.

“You,” he answered without hesitation.

Darrin and his best man followed the preacher up the aisle to the pulpit and took their places. Ellie Mae’s sister strolled down the aisle in her pretty red-satin dress with a portrait collar, pivoted, and stood in her place. The preacher raised his arms, and everyone stood and turned to watch the bride come down the aisle on her father’s arm. She was a picture of beauty in her black dress and stylish hat, carrying the red-rose bouquet the girls had made. Several people gasped, but Ellie Mae was in her element, smiling and nodding to the folks as she passed by them. Instead of the traditional bridal music, “Marry Me” by Martina McBride began to play as Darrin started down the aisle to meet her halfway. He shook her father’s hand, tucked her arm into his, and escorted her the rest of the way to stand before the preacher.

“Wow!” Dixie muttered. “She’s gorgeous. Daddy, can I wear black to my wedding?”

“Of course, darlin’. By the time you’re forty, it’ll be the most popular color,” he whispered.

The song ended, and the preacher said, “You may be seated. Thank all y’all for joining us tonight to witness the union of Elvira Mavis Weston and Darrin Douglas Smith.”

“What if I sang ‘Marry Me’ to you at our wedding?” Graham asked.

“Are you proposing to me?” Mitzi whispered.

“What would you say if I was?” Graham took her hand in his.

“I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen, but this is too quick. Let’s take it a step at a time,” she said.

“Shhh . . .” Fanny Lou said.

Graham leaned over to whisper softly, “I haven’t been in love with you that long, but I can guarantee you, I’ll be in love until my dying day.”

Mitzi squeezed his hand. “Me, too.”

Basking in his words, Mitzi tuned out the rest of the ceremony and designed her own perfect dress for a wedding on a beach somewhere close to a lovely hotel.

Epilogue

One year later

Graham held Mitzi’s hand as she pulled herself up the bleacher steps at the football field that evening for the Fourth of July ceremonies. Paula hadn’t even looked pregnant until the last three weeks, but Mitzi looked like she’d swallowed a whole watermelon—one of those huge ones that fed at least twenty people.

“Just two more weeks,” she groaned.

“And then you’ll have to share the boy,” Graham said. “Everyone will fight over who gets to take care of him.”

“Over here.” Fanny Lou waved from the fifty-yard line. “We’ve saved y’all a place.”

“Thank goodness it’s not all the way to the top,” Mitzi said as she eased down on the seat.

Graham sat down beside her and wrapped his hand around hers. “Remember where we were last year at this time? I’ve got to tell you, darlin’, this has been the best year of my life.”

“I never get tired of hearing that. I love you, Graham, more today than when you kind of proposed to me at Ellie Mae’s wedding. It’s been my best year, too.”

“If everyone will stand for the flag salute and remain standing for the national anthem, we’ll get this fireworks show started,” someone with a big booming voice said.