by Terri DuLong
“What are you guys up to?”
“You’ll see,” was all she said before heading out the door. “Come on, I’m making eggs, sausage, and grits for breakfast.”
Chloe arrived an hour later accompanied by two women who looked vaguely familiar.
“Hey,” she said, pulling me into a hug. “This is Tanya and Carol, from the day spa in Gainesville. They’re part of my gift to you.”
“What?” I said, and was sure I had a dumbfounded expression on my face.
Chloe laughed. “Every bride needs pampering on her special day, and you shall have yours. I’m not even sure what all they’ll be doing to you—I just told them to give you the works.”
My laughter joined Chloe’s. “Are you serious?”
“Yup,” Tanya said, heading toward the bathroom. “Follow me. Time for a nice long, relaxing soak.”
Twenty minutes later I was submerged in my tub, a cup of coffee beside me, the scent of lavender filling the air. I had to admit—it was relaxing.
Feeling restored following the bath, I walked into my living room wrapped in a fluffy white robe to see a massage table set up.
“Okay,” Tanya instructed. “Now up on the table to relax all those tight muscles from pre-wedding stress.”
I laughed as I followed her instructions. “By the time I walk down that aisle, I’m going to be like Jell-O.”
“Nah,” Suellen said, as she closed the blinds. “You’ll be all rejuvenated.”
I saw Chloe lighting candles and heard strains of Enya softly filling the room as I gave myself over to the delight that awaited me.
By early afternoon, as Carol worked on my pedicure, I had to admit all the pampering was beginning to take effect. I not only felt wonderful, I felt like a bride—and very special, for Lucas.
I heard Aunt Maude holler, “Lunch is served, ladies.”
Suellen and Chloe jumped up and headed to the kitchen. They returned with my aunt, carrying a tray of sandwiches and potato salad.
“Oh, my,” Aunt Maude said. “You are getting the royal treatment. How nice.”
I glanced down at my newly polished toenails in a soft shade of pink and smiled.
“I feel like Cinderella, minus the evil stepsister,” I said, and everybody laughed.
“Here ya go.” Suellen passed me a tray. “A bride has to keep her strength up.”
After all of us finished lunch, I received a manicure, and then Carol said we’d tackle my hair.
“Oh, Lord. I’ve had no clue what I was going to do with this,” I said, running my hand through my unruly curls.
“Just you wait and see,” she assured me. “I can work magic.”
And she was right. With a special shampoo, some wonderful conditioner, and God knows what else, my hair cascaded in natural curls framing my face, and instead of looking wild, they looked soft and sensuous.
I sat in front of my vanity mirror and smiled. “It looks great. Thank you so much.”
She lifted the ivory silk flowers from the table and secured them to the side of my head. I was beginning to look like a bride.
“Your hair looks gorgeous,” Chloe said, coming into the room with Aunt Maude and holding a champagne bottle. “We’re right on schedule. It’s four o’clock. One hour till showtime. I’d say it was a very successful day. Let’s celebrate with some bubbly.”
She expertly uncorked the bottle and filled six glasses. “Here’s to you, my sister. May you be as happy the rest of your life as you are today.”
I held up my glass as I looked at my sister, my aunt, my best friend, and two women who had transformed me into an honest-to-goodness bride, and I felt moisture stinging my eyes.
“Thank you. Thank you to all of you.”
“Oh, no. None of that,” Suellen said. “I think I see a bit of wetness in your eyes. That’s not allowed. Carol spent too long doing your makeup.”
We broke into laughter before taking a sip of the ice-cold champagne.
After we finished, Chloe collected the glasses while Tanya and Carol packed up their equipment. “Now is the hour. I’ll be right back and then it’s time to get you into that wedding gown. With all those buttons, I hope we’re finished by five.”
47
At 4:55, I swirled in front of my full-length mirror and couldn’t believe my eyes. Aunt Maude, Chloe, and Suellen stood waiting for my reaction, which was a loud gasp.
“This is how I always envisioned I’d look on my wedding day,” I said, staring at the ivory satin gown that fit my body perfectly. My hair was a soft cloud of auburn enhanced by the silk flowers.
“Your mother would be so proud,” Aunt Maude said, coming to place a kiss on my cheek.
“You’re absolutely stunning,” my sister told me.
“You certainly are, and here’s the finishing touch.” Suellen handed me six white calla lilies tied with an ivory ribbon.
I turned around to look at the three most important women in my life. Aunt Maude looked elegant wearing a beautiful, ankle-length, ice blue dress. Suellen and Chloe wore similar-styled vintage dresses that each had a hem hanging in points midcalf, one in celery green and one in pale yellow. Sprigs of baby’s breath had been placed in their hair, and each one carried a long-stemmed yellow rose encircled with a cream-colored ribbon.
“You all look gorgeous,” I said.
Suellen and Chloe each kissed my cheek.
“Okay,” my sister said. “This is it.”
As we walked down the stairs to my aunt’s apartment I could hear the music of Pachelbel’s Canon coming from the garden. Since I had wanted specific music, we had hired a DJ for both the ceremony and dancing at the reception.
I stood on my aunt’s deck and watched as Jean-Paul escorted her down the aisle to her seat. Next I saw Suellen link her arm with Mitchell’s as they made their way down the aisle. Chloe had stood waiting at the back until Jean-Paul walked her down before returning to get me.
He gave me a huge smile and a nod of approval. “Ready?”
“I am,” I told him, as the music changed to the haunting melody of Enya’s voice singing “Only Time.”
As I stood at the back of the crowd with Jean-Paul, I was only dimly aware of the guests rising to turn and face me. My eyes, along with my heart, were focused on the love of my life. Standing at the end of the aisle waiting, Lucas looked more handsome than I could ever remember. He wore a charcoal gray suit, white shirt, and pale gray tie. Sun glinted off his dark curls, and the smile, that killer smile, lighting up his face caused my heart to skip a beat. I walked slowly alongside Jean-Paul, my arm linked with his, wanting this moment to last forever, never taking my eyes from Lucas.
When we reached the archway, he took my hand and placed it in Lucas’s before kissing both of my cheeks and taking his place beside Chloe.
“You are beyond beautiful,” Lucas whispered.
My eyes continued to be locked on his handsome face, and I only vaguely heard the minister welcoming the guests before he explained that we had chosen to write our own vows.
Lucas and I faced each other, and he took my hands in his.
“I have loved you from the first moment I saw you, and I will love you all the days of my life. You have given me joy, compassion, kindness, and above all, love. I chose a quote from Napoleon to complete my vows: ‘As for me, to love you alone, to make you happy, to do nothing which would contradict your wishes, this is my destiny and the meaning of my life.’ Je t’aime de tout mon coeur. I love you with all my heart, Grace.”
I struggled to hold back my tears and took a deep breath. “And I have loved you from the first moment I saw you. You are my friend, my soul mate, and the man who has taught me the true meaning of love. My quote to complete my vows is from Elizabeth Barrett Browning: I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out.’ And I will love you into eternity, Luca
s.”
“Do we have the rings?” I heard the minister say.
Lucas turned to accept my ring from Jean-Paul as he placed it on the third finger of my left hand. “With this ring, we are now one. I love you, Grace.”
I turned to Chloe as she passed me the gold band.
Sliding it onto Lucas’s finger, I looked up into his dark eyes, which were filled with emotion. “I give you this ring because it is a symbol of my unending love for you, and I will always love you, Lucas.”
He leaned forward to kiss me as I heard the sensuous voice of Édith Piaf fill the garden singing “La Vie en Rose.”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister said, followed by the loud applause of the crowd.
As Lucas and I began to walk down the aisle, Aunt Maude reached out and squeezed my hand. I love you, I heard her whisper, and I nodded.
Lucas and I stood side by side accepting all of the well-wishes and hugs. It was only then that I saw Jean-Paul clicking away with his camera and realized he’d been busy throughout the ceremony in addition to acting as best man.
“Absolutely beautiful ceremony. One of the nicest I’ve ever attended. What a striking couple they make. Oh, to be loved like that,” were some of the comments I heard as Lucas and I greeted our guests.
When the receiving line finished, my aunt announced that waiters were circulating with champagne so we could have a toast before Lucas and I briefly departed for a picture session near the water.
With crystal flutes held high, Jean-Paul gave the wedding toast. “May all the days of your life be filled with love. And may this day always be a remembrance of the love you share.”
Glasses clinked, and I turned to touch mine with Lucas’s. “To us,” he said. “To all our tomorrows.”
“To all our tomorrows,” I repeated.
I heard Aunt Maude instructing the guests to help themselves to hors d’oeuvres as Lucas and I walked to the curb, followed by Jean-Paul.
I saw the golf cart and burst out laughing. “Only on Cedar Key,” I said. White ribbons and bows decorated the cart, and Lucas assisted me into the backseat. “Great idea,” I told him.
“I thought you’d like it.”
Jean-Paul headed down G Street over to First, where we parked and got out. When I realized what they had in mind, I started laughing again.
“Pictures in front of the Honeymoon Cottage?” I said.
“But of course,” Lucas said, joining my laughter.
The Honeymoon Cottage was a structure that sat just off shore, balanced precariously on stilts. Once upon a time there had been a walkway across the water leading out to it, and it had been used as a guest house. But that was many years ago. In the years since then, it had stood there, tilting to one side, most of the wood rotted, home to pelicans and other birds. But stood it had. Throughout storms and hurricanes, the cottage managed to hold on, without toppling over into the Gulf.
I nodded my head and smiled. As I stood there near the rocks, with Lucas’s arms around me, looking out to the water and cottage, I felt that perhaps it represented love. Love can be battered, sometimes attacked, but if it’s true love, it will hold on. It will weather any storm. No matter what. And I knew that what I’d found with Lucas was exactly that. My path to find him hadn’t always been easy, and neither was his to me. But we had found each other, and that’s what counted.
I felt him pull me into his arms as his lips found mine, and I heard the clicking of Jean-Paul’s camera. After a minute, Lucas stepped back, reached for my hand, and brought it to his lips.
“And now, Mrs. Trudeau, we can begin the rest of our life. Together.”
I loved the sound of my new name, and I knew I’d be able to preserve this moment forever—because the camera was still clicking away.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, a huge thank-you to the community of Cedar Key for your support and encouragement with my Cedar Key series. You continue to inspire me with your love for family and friends and allowing me to see the really important things in life.
Thank you to Cedar Key Fire Chief Robert Robinson for answering all of my questions about the fire in my novel.
To Judy Duvall, I appreciate the history you shared with me about the Hale Building, which enabled me to take your place of residence and make it the fictional home for Chloe and Berkley.
Thank you to Arlene Myer, the winner of my Facebook Fan Page contest to name Aunt Maude’s cat. Lafitte is perfect for the feisty Maine Coon cat.
For Bonnie Wenberg Thomas, you were a huge help with my crash course in understanding tarot cards, and I appreciate your time and information.
Thank you to all of my fans and readers on Facebook, Writerspace, and Fresh Fiction who have sent such wonderful feedback via e-mails and who have taken the time to come to my events and meet me. I fulfill my passion by writing the stories, but it’s you, my loyal readers, who fulfill my sense of accomplishment.
I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to four very special women in Quincy, Washington. What began as meeting a fan for coffee at Kona Joe’s on Cedar Key evolved into some incredible promotion events at Big Bend Community College, Quincy High School, We-natchee Public Library, Write On The River Conference, yarn shops, The Grainery, bookshops, and other venues—all of it due to the dynamic work of Candace Newkirk, Mary Bates, Corallee Morgan, and Pat Moore. You gals are the best, and I hope you know how much I appreciate all that you’ve done in the Spokane area in my behalf! And a huge thank-you to everyone who hosted and attended these events. I deeply appreciate your support and very much enjoyed meeting such a great group of people!
I’m also very grateful to my editor, Audrey LaFehr, for her professionalism and for giving a home to all of my Cedar Key characters. Thank you to Martin Biro for all of your assistance, to the Kensington Art Department for my beautiful covers, and to the entire Kensington team that I’m very proud to be a part of!
My personal assistant, Alice Jordan, is literally my right hand. While she’s tending to booking my events, doing follow-ups, updating my fan page, keeping me straight, listening to me moan, giving me support and encouragement, and doing a multitude of other tasks, I’m able to take a deep breath and focus on my characters and plot. I hope you know how much I value all that you do for me!
Thank you to my husband, Ray, who continues to provide the support, the freedom, the space, and all the other necessary elements for me to create my stories.
And to all of my fans of the Cedar Key series ... thank you for granting me space on your bookshelf or inclusion on your eBook reader.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I receive a fair amount of mail asking if Cedar Key is a real town or a figment of my imagination. It is indeed a real place—an island off the west coast of Florida, one hour west of Gainesville. It’s a laid-back, funky, delightful little fishing village that many refer to as “Old Florida.” And it happens to be where my husband and I chose to relocate six years ago.
Most of the places, structures, shops, or areas that I refer to in my Cedar Key series are also real. However, using one’s imagination is part of the fun of being an author. Therefore, I don’t always “see” a house or structure the way it actually is. I allow my creativity to take over, and in my mind I may see something a bit different.
For instance, in this novel there really is a Coachman House, and most of the history and information about it is correct. Bess Coachman and the ghost are of my own making. I described it fairly accurately, but I also allowed my imagination to embellish both the outside of the structure and the garden. There is no garden and there is no carriage house, where Aunt Maude has her knitting retreats. These were my creation, what I saw in my mind.
Although there is no coffee shop where I chose to put Coffee, Tea and Thee, there is a coffee shop at SR 24 and Sixth Street, which is Kona Joe’s Island Café. The feeling of camaraderie and community that I tried to evoke with Grace’s place was based on Kona Joe’s.
We also do no
t have a combined coffee café / bookshop on the island. Lucas’s attached coffee shop was entirely in my imagination.
The Hale Building, on the corner of Second Street and SR 24, is actually there. Downstairs it houses Tony’s Restaurant, and upstairs there are two apartments and Accord Insurance. However, again I allowed my imagination to take over when I added another shop downstairs, which will be Berkley’s chocolate shop in the fourth book.
And unfortunately, we do not have a yarn shop here on Cedar Key, but from the beginning with Spinning Forward, my imagination easily allowed me to see one—and who knows, someday it just might become a reality.
For more information on the real and the fictional, along with photos, please stop by the Cedar Key series website:
www.cedarkeyseries.net
A READING GROUP GUIDE
SUNRISE ON CEDAR KEY
Terri DuLong
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The following questions are intended to
enhance your group’s reading of
SUNRISE ON CEDAR KEY
Discussion Questions
1. Grace relocated to Cedar Key ten years ago to heal and begin a new life for herself. Discuss if you think it’s possible that a particular place or setting has the ability to provide this. Have you ever experienced a healing or renewal from a location?
2. Discuss the significance of the word “sunrise” that’s used in the title.
3. In the beginning of the story Grace’s sister, Chloe, is unhappy, jealous, and resentful, which resulted in a strained relationship between the sisters. Chloe finally admits to always wanting what Grace had. Do you feel this is a common feeling between sisters? If so, why or why not? Discuss if you have experienced a sister or girlfriend wanting what you have. Was the situation resolved? Did it change your feelings toward your sister or girlfriend? In a positive or negative way?
