My favorite of the helpers was Clementine Pomeroy, who had showed up at the castle steps with purple hair streaked with black, sporting her support of Aldayne. She was unapologetically plus sized, though I wouldn’t dare to use that term around Darcy. Her sister-in-law Coralie Masters had all but made the term a pejorative that suggested anyone who didn’t fit into a narrow row of sizes was somehow an outlier who deserved to be segregated.
Coralie was on our guest list, as was her husband Devlin, an award-winning composer and pianist who would perform at the Grand Reception Ball following the wedding. Also set to perform was Giovanni Carnevale, of all things. If you had told twenty-year-old Peaches that her celebrity crush would perform a song at her wedding—to a prince no less—she would have laughed right in your face.
But it was all scheduled to happen the following day. Vanni and his wife, Andy, had already arrived in Aldayne the week prior, rehearsing for the big day.
Our impressive guest list included Graham Baxter, the president of Vanni’s record label, and Devlin’s, and Auggie’s. It was the first time the McPhees would get to meet Mr. Baxter, though my family had been taking care of Maggie Farms, the compound he had built for his wife, for almost two years.
He had been invited along with his business partner, Alexander Fullerton, both of whom owned a resort hotel in Noxbury, a sister property to one they had taken ownership of in Vegas several years back.
Former presidents of the United States, who had cordial relationships with the Queen, were also on the guest list, and I had the wedding presents to prove it.
It was shaping up to be quite the shindig.
For my party, however, the guest list was limited to the people I wanted to spend these last moments as a single woman with, my family, my friends, the people who had my back.
I thought about Auggie then, wondering if he was likewise surrounded by love. I knew his aunts Princess Mariel and Princess Giz would take care of him as the Queen prepared him for his royal duty the following day.
I hardly had any time to think about it. My mother grabbed me up into a big hug. “There’s my girl!” she exclaimed. “How do you feel?”
“Petrified,” I answered honestly. I wasn’t scared to marry Auggie, but the historic importance of our union was freaking me the hell out. What if I stumbled? What if I burst into tears and couldn’t recite my vows? What if…?
“You’ll be fine,” Mom assured as she hugged me tight. “The most important thing is the man waiting for you at the end of the aisle. Everything else is just for show. It’s all for the people, who already love you.”
“Not everyone,” I corrected. In addition to the ones who thought I was a poor choice for a bride for their king, other protests had kicked up in the last week or two, letting us know there were some Aldayneans who weren’t interested in sovereign rule or any royal trappings that came along with it.
“You have nothing to prove or justify to anyone hellbent to hate you, Pea. Celebrate with those who celebrate you. There are more of us, I promise.”
“You’re right,” I said as I hugged her.
“Of course, I’m right,” she said as she squeezed me back. “Now, come on. Let’s party.”
Dad wore his Kiss the Chef apron as he helped bring out trays of food from the kitchen, perplexing the nameless, faceless staff that was used to running things in quiet service at Greystone. But the McPhees were all about service, too, so he wasn’t about to let them serve him. It was one of the few things my parents could provide for these festivities and he was adamant about doing his part.
I stopped him with a hug. “It smells wonderful, Dad.”
“Only the best for my baby girl,” he grinned as he picked me up in a bear hug that both Jack and I had gotten used to in the past few weeks. “There’s extra jalapeno in the corn casserole. Be careful, we don’t want Jack to make an appearance at the wedding.”
I laughed. “Wouldn’t that be a historic arrival?” I caressed my tummy. From my last appointment with Dr. Hamish, I knew we weren’t that close to deliver, Braxton-Hicks contractions aside. All things pointed towards the Halloween due date, which was a good thing considering Cillian’s little gift. If Jack dared to make any appearance earlier than that, there surely would be questions to answer.
There were going to be anyway.
I grabbed myself a plate and tried not to worry about it. Like my mom always said, there was only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time. So, I got my bib on.
I spent dinner vaulting effortlessly between all the tables, so I could spend some quality time with all the people I loved. I started first at the kids’ table, where my sister Dallas and Oliver Tremwell sat with Dash. “How’s it going?” I asked. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
Dash was quick to shake his head, but Dallas was a little more reserved. As an athlete, she was used to performing complicated routines in front of large crowds. But this was the largest crowd ever, watching her do something she never in her wildest dreams could have predicted. I had watched her over the last few weeks showing the same steadfast dedication to getting all the steps right. I knew she’d be practicing long into the night.
“It’ll be fine,” Oliver assured her.
Oliver’s father, General George Tremwell, Earl of Girbridge, was a courtier like every other Tremwell who came before him, serving now as the King of Arms. Audra and Gav also held high positions in the court and were treasured by the Quinns who depended on their strength and loyalty to keep Aldayne safe and prosperous. So, Oliver was born into nobility and as such, had quite a bit of experience with all the pomp and circumstance that goes with it, even though he was just barely thirteen years old.
“We can keep practicing if you like,” he offered. I could tell by the way my preteen sister was quite taken with the quiet, dignified younger Tremwell, though I was about 98.7% sure she was barking up the wrong tree. Young Oliver set off my gay-dar, despite being so reserved.
“I’d like that,” she said with a soft smile.
“Me, too!” Dash piped up, making us all laugh. “I don’t think I’m going to get any sleep tonight anyway.”
“Me, either” I grinned. The children laughed. “Looking forward to your first official ride in a carriage, Dashie?”
His eyes brightened as he nodded. The bridal party, consisting of Fern, Dallas, Dash and Oliver, were to be positioned in front of me during the official drive to the castle the following morning. They would follow the carriage with my parents riding with Archer and Audra and Ellen Tremwell, with Gav and George astride their horses on either side of the carriage.
I would be in the last carriage, followed by a squadron of soldiers on horseback.
We would stop only once, in front of Shimmering Falls, where the Queen’s own gilded carriage would join us to travel the remaining twelve miles to Crystal Skye, her gold coach leading the way. At that point, Princess Giselle, one of my other bridesmaids, would join Fernie and the children before we made our final leg to the cathedral.
I was especially excited about the Queen’s coach joining our little parade, mostly because Auggie would be riding with her.
Since his parents were not here to walk him down the aisle, the Queen insisted that she be the one to lead him to the altar herself.