Elvis turned to her next and read again from the paper. “Do you, Bonita Chiquita—” He shook his head. “Sounds like a banana commercial!”
No one laughed this time. They wouldn’t make fun of Bonnie. She was the town darling. In the silent pause, Elvis looked around and cleared his throat.
“Do you take this man to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
JT’s eyes glowed with tenderness. It was almost like he believed in this strange ceremony. She ducked her eyes and squeaked out, “I do.”
Elvis nodded, satisfied. “Now, Gus Granger supplied these rings from his store. Let’s see if they fit.”
At those words, Elvis pointed to one of the little Simpson twins who held a white pillow. A ribbon sewn to the fabric was tied around two gold bands. Mildred stepped forward and helped the young one untie the rings.
“You first, Captain Kirk.” Elvis handed the smaller band to JT. “Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”
Moving both hands to her left one, JT slid the ring onto her fourth finger. Bonnie felt love flow from his touch into her as he vowed, “With this ring, I thee wed.” Amazingly, the band fit perfectly.
The little girls giggled. Even children sensed how emotionally charged the air around them was. Moisture gathered in Bonnie’s eyes, and she forced her mind to remember this was all pretend.
“Now you, banana girl.” Bonnie held out a palm, and Elvis dropped the other ring into it. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Her fingers trembled and felt clumsy as she held JT’s left hand. She whispered, “It won’t fit.”
With an encouraging smile, he answered back, “Calm down and try again.”
This time, the ring easily slid over his knuckle. Like her own band, JT’s ring appeared to be the right size. Nothing made sense about this mock ceremony. So, why did it all feel so right?
“Now folks, here’s that moment you’re waitin’ for.” Grinning like a lunatic, Elvis winked at JT. “You can now kiss your bride.”
Their first kiss? In front of the town? Bonnie shook her head.
Her ‘husband’ only smirked and lowered his lips to hers. Warmth raced from his lips through her. That feeling of completeness at being with him turned into a blaze of joy and longing.
JT slowly pulled away, holding her gaze as he lifted his head. “Did that feel as real to you as it did to me?”
In a dazed voice, Bonnie repeated the word. “Real?”
He grimaced. “Not real. Familiar. No, not that. Right might be a better word.” Somehow, he’d echoed her thoughts.
Elvis broke in, directing them to the platform. At its edge, documents were laid out. “You folks sign here.” His voice trailed off, waiting for them to write their names. “And here,” he continued after both did as he asked.
Once the signatures were completed, Elvis handed Rita the papers. She grinned and clutched them tightly to her chest. Funny, but Bonnie hadn’t noticed how old her mother’s hands looked. The skin reminded her of crumpled tissue paper. When had that change happened?
“Come on up and congratulate this fine couple.” Elvis waved the crowd over to them. People Bonnie had known all her life patted her on the back or hugged her. They shook hands with JT and welcomed him to the community.
As Elvis shook JT’s hand, the singer sighed happily. “One of mah favorite things ‘bout bein’ a minister. Marryin’ folks.”
Bonnie gaped. “You’re a real minister. But this was only—”
JT finished for her. “—a pretend ceremony.” He looked from the man to his mother and Rita. They all smiled, almost slyly. Suddenly, their laughter earlier when he’d told Bonnie she’d have to marry him to learn his name made sense.
“But how? We don’t even have a license.”
Rita—his mother-in-law—calmly explained away that objection as she hugged the papers to her chest. “I have a friend over at the courthouse that took care of that a week ago. You’re waiting period was over yesterday, and you just signed the licenses along with the marriage certificate. I have the papers and will take them to the courthouse tomorrow.”
JT’s next words froze Bonnie. “I can’t be married. I don’t even live here.”
Chapter 6
Bonnie gripped the orchid. JT was sure she would damage it, and that would be a shame. After all, he was certain she’d want to preserve it as a memento of the ceremony.
Ceremony! The people in this town were crazy. Who tricked people into marrying? Things like that happened in silly romance novels. Never in real life.
He let his breath out in a whoosh. “My hands are warm,” he muttered quietly. Bonnie echoed his words. Obviously, she was as upset as him.
That bothered JT. Why should being married to him upset her? Didn’t she feel the same connection zing through her like he had?
JT badly wanted her to want him. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, but that one was the most insistent. His hula girl had to want to be married to him.
At that thought, he reached into his front pants pocket and drew out the ornament. “This was sent to me a few days ago.”
Loosening her grip on the orchid, Bonnie reached one hand over to him and took the ornament. Holding it by the thin string at the top, she watched the white lights of the trellis reflect off an almost perfect cartoonish likeness of her face. “But how—”
He looked at her, confusion and hope warring inside him. “I don’t know. There was a note that said the girl was real and waiting for me.” JT met her gaze with intensity. “Have
