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But then of course, in some ways the mayor’s job seemed harder than ever Her contact person at the Leon County Civic Center had o, so that was a bust But she had h email with Billy Brenton’s assistant, Crystal, who seemed like a lovely person over the Internet (it was always so hard to tell what soave her all the details for the festival and Crystal had emailed back, “I’ll see what I can do” Which was a lot better response than No Way But, Mi her hopes up

Doug had encouraged her to not give up and she wasn’t But it was probably past ti into some backup entertainment

Today, however, she wasn’t going to think about the Spring Into Su entirely to her sister-in-laedding She was having lunch with Allie at The Harbor House It was one of the places on her short list to hold the reception She’d also invited so—Lauren Miller, Tom’s ex-wife

The situation between the to since become friends Tom and Lauren’s son, Henry, hadto plan a wedding h

t have caused Emily Post to choke on her own book of etiquette Still, Mi Lauren to join theht now

It was Allie’s grandth off-white nineteen-fifties gown that looked like it could have been worn by Elizabeth Taylor in the original Father of the Bride movie With its dropped shoulder satin bodice, cinched waist, and flared chiffon skirt, it was a dream come true no matter what decade you were married in

Mimi remembered the day she’d first seen this dress Buela had reverently brought it out of her closet, offering it to Miht tears to Mimi’s eyes Partially because she’d been so touched by Buela’s kindness But nant that Miown

It was the sanancy She’d been at ho for her summer trip to the North Carolina cabin when he’d co the doorbell like a madman Her parents had come home in the middle of it all and Zeke had basically asked her to choose between a life with him and a life without him and her baby The choice had been ridiculously easy She’d walked out the door holding Zeke’s hand with nothing but the clothes on her back She’d sat behind him on his motorcycle (the only tinant) and driven straight to his grandmother’s house

Buela had been both surprised and happy to see her

“Mija,” she said, giving Miain! I’ve irl like that Mihed, and immediately rushed off to the kitchen to make them Zeke’s favorite meal, arroz con pollo

“We’re , Buela,” Zeke had explained later, “Mi married”

Allie had been thirteen then, already tall with large brown eyes and a pale creae acne on the horizon She’d ju to have a sister!” And Mimi’s heart had instantly been won over

“I’ve alanted a sister,” Mi at Zeke’s little family

“You can wear ot up from the kitchen table and motioned for Mimi to follow her into her bedroom That’s when she’d taken out the dress and Mi a baby

Thankfully, Zeke had been the one to break the news