Chapter 26
"Oh I'd love to!" she eagerly agreed.
She and AJ went downstairs and into the kitchen so they could assist in getting dinner ready. They were having roast beef and carrots, plus a baked potato bar with a lot of different toppings.
As soon as dinner was over Grace wanted to race right upstairs to help Francesca unpack. However, her mother needed to talk to Francesca first. Grace joined the others in the family room while her mom took Francesca aside for a talk.
"Francesca I wondered if you might be willing to be my brides maid tomorrow. Your father has also asked Brandon to stand up with him."
"I would be pleased to do that Cassie. Is there anything special you'd like me to wear? I could go shopping tomorrow morning if there is."
"The wedding is going to be here in the garden so just something nice would be fine. Grace is wearing a light blue dress with a handkerchief hem."
"I have a saphire blue calf length dress with me if you would like us both in blue," Francesca offered.
"That sounds perfect Francesca. Thank you so much," Cassie told her.
"Mom are the two of you done talking yet? Francesca and I were going to unpack her clothes," Grace asked as she came into the room.
"Yes sweetie we are done, and Francesca is going to be my brides maid too."
"Oh that's cool! Can I go shopping with you tomorrow for a dress?" she asked Francesca.
"I already have a dress that should go really well with the one your moght told me you were going to wear."
"Oh," Grace pouted a bit, clearly disappointed.
"I can show it to you when we are unpacking," Francesca offered.
"That would be cool! Now?!"
"You two go ahead," Cassie told them. "I'll go and see what everyone is doing in the family room."
She found AJ watching a chess game between Harm and Brandon. Going ove to him she asked, "Who's winning?"
Before AJ could answer she got two replies from the players, both saying the same thing, "I am." Cassie and AJ laughed and walked away shaking their heads.
Cassie reported, "Francesca said yes and she and Grace are upstairs going through Francesca's clothes. Grace has become quite fashion conciencious lately."
"In that case I'm not sure if we should or shouldn't tell her what Francesca does for a living," AJ laughed.
Startled Cassie asked, "And what does she do?"
"She is a fashion reporter."
"Oh dear!" Cassie chuckled.
They spent the evening in the family room with friends and family. AJ and Adel were catching up with each other. Although they occasionally talked on the phone it had actually been several years since they had seen each other.
A while later Francesca and Grace came back down staris to join them in the family room. Grace was excited to hear about Adel's ranch in Texas and even more so when Adel invited her to come for a visit during her summer break from school.
After Cassie said she would consider the visit AJ said since it had been years since he had been to the family ranch that maybe all three of them could go for a visit. Cassie seemed more at ease with this idea than with her fourteen year old daughter going to Texas alone.
A short time before bed George and Brandon came over to AJ and Cassie to tell them that they planned to make breakfast for everyone in the morning so the bride and groom could sleep in. they even offered to bring them breakfast in bed.
Cassie told them it wouldn't be necessary that they would come down and eat with everyone else. Brandon told her he would be happy to bring them both breakfast. He offered the comment with a smile and a wink that wasn't seen by anyone but the couple in question.
People started to disperse heading upstairs to bed, George saw that Cassie and AJ were staying until the others had gone up and told them to go ahead, that he would turn out the lights and lock up once everyone had gone. They thanked him with a smile and headed upstairs hand in hand.
To Be Continued…