A Groom wirh a View

replacement wives—or friends of Livvy’s who were gathering for the bridal shower in the afternoon. Most of these stylish young women were probably serving in both roles, Jane thought, since Livvy seemed to be a bit short on close personal friends.
    There was also a handful of young men who greeted Dwayne with slaps on the back and mildly raunchy jokes. They were friends of his who would be attending the bachelor party later in the evening.
    Shelley and Jane stood by the door, introducing themselves to the newcomers as they arrived and helping them find their friends. During a lull, Shelley said, “Remember the high school rule? The prettiest girl surrounded herself by ugly friends so she could really shine in comparison.“
    “Hmmm. You mean that wasn’t coincidence?“ Jane asked with a grin.
    “Seems that Dwayne has done the same,“ Shelley said.
    Jane glanced at the small knot of young men surrounding Dwayne where he stood in a Lord of the Manor pose in front of one of the fireplaces. Jane had seen Jack Thatcher strike the same pose only hours earlier. Shelley was right: none of Dwayne Hessling’s friends matched him for sheer good looks, although most of them were a little too well-dressed. Trying, she guessed, to fit in among the upper crust to the best of their budgets. Dwayne’s good luck in combining romance and finance might rub off on them, they might have thought.
    Jane leaned against the doorjamb and said, “I wouldn’t go back and be that young now for anything. All that struggle to get ahead in life, to figure out what and who you want to be.“
    “And it’s harder now,“ Shelley agreed. “Even a college degree is a requirement instead of an extra leg up in the business world. I’ll bet half those boys are spending their evenings slaving away at night classes in business management or computer technology at the junior college.“
    “Except for Dwayne,“ Jane said. “Dwayne is marrying into management.“ She glanced around to make sure they couldn’t be overheard. “And his mother isn’t very happy about it.“
    “I’d think she’d be thrilled,“ Shelley said. “I sure wouldn’t mind if my kids married well.“
    “She’s too sensible to be blind to his faults, it seems.“ Jane repeated what she could remember of her conversation with Mrs. Hessling. “I really think she likes Livvy better than her son. No, not ‘likes’ exactly. But feels more protective. Even she seems to have caught on that Livvy’s marrying to please her father, not herself. And that Dwayne is going to be every bit as domineering as her father.”
    Shelley frowned. “It’s hard for us to grasp, being of somewhat pit bull mentality ourselves, but maybe that’s exactly what will make Livvy happy, Jane. There are people, men and women both, who are perfectly content to abdicate responsibility. There have to be followers or nobody can be a leader.“
    “Waxing a tad philosophic, are we?“ Jane said. “Are you suggesting Livvy’s really madly in love with Dwayne?”
    Shelley shrugged. “Maybe as madly as it’s possible for her to be.“
    “Why is it I can hardly say her name without putting the word ‘poor’ in front of it?“ Jane mused.
    “Because you’re a tough old broad?“ Shelley suggested.
    “Look who’s talking!“ Jane said. “You’re the one who makes school principals shake with fear and car salesmen go paralytic when you walk onto the car lot.”
    Shelley preened a bit. “But you’re getting there, Jane. You did a pretty good job of standing up to Jack Thatcher’s rudeness.”
    Jane spotted Eden at the top of the stairs, smiling and signaling for Jane to join her. “We’ve got them done,“ Eden said when Jane and Shelley got there. “Want to see?”
    The bridesmaids staged an impromptu fashion show and Jane was impressed. This wedding might not turn out to be such a catastrophe after all. Layla and Eden were young and glamorous. Kitty was young and Jane searched for the right word and could only come up with “healthy.”
    Their cherry-colored silk dresses literally brightened up the drab room Mrs. Crossthwait had been assigned.
    “You’re gorgeous! All of you. I’m so sorry you had to pitch in this way,“ Jane said.
    “Not your fault,“ Eden said. “Unless you pushed Mrs. C. down the steps.“
    “Pushed her down the steps!“ Kitty exclaimed. “Why do you say that? She just fell, didn’t she?“
    “I was kidding,“ Eden said. “Don’t look so upset.