Christmas, Alabama
Alabama Series
by Susan Sands
Publication Date: October 26, 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Holiday
EXCERPT
Rachel Prudhomme
absorbed more truth through the lens of her camera than words, true or not,
could speak. Eyes didn’t lie. Expressions caught off guard didn’t lie.
The bride wore an
exquisite white, off-the-shoulder beaded gown, and the groom, a sharply-tailored
black tux. Their smiles were radiant. The wedding party smiled, and their
families, despite a few obvious squabbles, smiled too. But something was off.
It wasn’t obvious, and Rachel might have missed it had she not zoomed in on her
subjects—the bride and groom—through the viewfinder.
They weren’t the
dreamy, happy couple they appeared to be. There was a tightness around the eyes
and mouth of the groom. A sadness behind the smile of the bride. Yet, everyone
was participating in this expensive and very public lie, and all were smiling
their way through the photos and poses. Or maybe it wasn’t quite a lie, but
more of an imbalance.
Vows were made and
cake was cut amidst the flowers and music. The band played and the guests
danced. Maybe nobody knew anything was amiss, or if they did, they pretended
they didn’t. Rachel had learned the hard way that this was none of her concern.
Maybe they’d had a fight over the cost of the wedding, or the destination of
the honeymoon. Or, perhaps he’d waited too long to propose.
Whatever was at play
here, weddings brought out the stress and inner beast in everyone, all while
they smiled and played the parts of the happiest people on the planet for their
families and friends. The photos were the key to remembrance.
This was a
Thanksgiving wedding. The food was heavy, harvest fare. The flowers were deep
shades of crimson, linen and champagne, and golds. The greenery was heavy and
dark. The autumnal tones, spicy cinnamon candles, combined with the cool
temperature outside set the stage for rich, lasting memories.
So, Rachel would do
her job to cement the memories for this couple, hopefully, a lifetime’s worth.
The stress, the fight, or whatever had happened prior to the ceremony wouldn’t
carry through when they looked at their wedding photos in ten years if Rachel
did her job well.
The photos made the
re-remembering pure perfection. “Hey, Rach, could we get a shot of Grandma Jean
with the garter on her leg?” the bride asked, her smile bright. The alcohol was
clearly doing its job now.
Sands, Susan.
Christmas, Alabama (Alabama series Book 4) (Kindle Locations 67-70). Tule
Publishing. Kindle Edition.
I grew up in Northwest Louisiana, but have strong Cajun roots (Southern Louisiana) on both sides of my family. I live in the Atlanta suburbs with my dentist husband and near-adult children, plus a few furry creatures.I love to cook and I adore food. I play tennis, but don’t exercise nearly enough. I write Southern romantic women’s fiction. It’s a rare day when I run short of words. I’m a member of the Atlanta Writer’s Club, Georgia Romance Writers, and Romance Writers of America. I’m represented by Erin Niumata at Folio Literary Management.
I visit book clubs, bookstores, libraries, and literary festivals whenever I’m invited! I love to connect with readers!
No comments:
Post a Comment