Page 66 of Must Love Lavender and Little Lies
A calm settled over me as we finished the preparations.
I wasn’t nervous.
Not even about the bogshine.
I was marrying my best friend.
A life of happiness awaited me.
What more could I want?
CHAPTER 24
GRANIK
“Stop fussing,” my ma chided, trying to fix my bow tie. “When did your neck get so fat?”
“Ma.”
She laughed, fixed the final latch, then stepped back and straightened my suspenders. “You look very fine. That gnome has some magic to get you looking this sharp.”
“That he does.”
Chuckling, she turned and grabbed my suit jacket. “Ready to meet your bride? It’s almost time.”
My bride.
My Junie was about to become my bride. How was that possible? How was any of this real?
I slipped the jacket on, and we made our way downstairs where the rest of the family was waiting. When everyone saw me, a chorus of “aahs” erupted.
“Uncle Granik, you look so handsome,” Kika said.
I smiled at her. “And all of you, pretty as can be,” I told the ladies, who all wore shades of purple. I paused to kiss Gree-Gree on the cheek, but she waved me away.
“We’d best go and see what that gnomish lady has been up to. She shooed us all out of her way so she could finish her work. And you all thought I was bossy,” Gree-Gree told me.
I chuckled, then helped Gree-Gree from her chair. The moment I stepped foot on the porch, I could see that Winifred and Primrose had been hard at work. The pavilion was covered in vining flowers. We could catch the light scents of lavender and wildflowers from the porch. And there was a soft glow, something purple and inviting, hovering over the space.
“Oh, wow,” Kika said.
“Well, I suppose that’s reason enough,” Gree-Gree said with a laugh.
I turned to my brother, Gruffton. “The goats are penned. Are you sure, Brother?”
“Triple locked, and I used some magic on them to boot. Last I saw, they were all sleeping. Gree-Gree made them something to eat.”
“Just a little dreamflower sugar cubes. They’ll be awake by tomorrow morning.”
Everyone laughed, then we made our way to the pavilion. The chairs had been set out, facing the front of the space where bales of hay and barrels sat, decorated with sprays of wildflowers and greens.
Primrose met me as Winifred worked an enchantment on one of the floral displays.
“Granik,” she said with a smile. “You look very handsome.”
“Thank you. Everything looks beautiful.”
“You like it? It’s not too polished, right?”
