way to the car.

“She should have. I chucked it right at her.”

“Remind me to add 'devious' to my 'reasons why I love Kate' list.”

“Felt kind of bad for Penny, here all alone.” She nodded towards the group

of laughing bridesmaids.

“When's that Remington Steele guy in town again?”

“You know it's 'Corey Steele', and from what she tells me in her not-so-casual hints, not for a few weeks.”

“Then it's”—he held his fist out, which she touched with hers

—“matchmaker powers activate.”

“You are the biggest, most lovable nerd,” she laughed, and grabbed her new

husband's hand to pull him down the sidewalk. They had to get a move on if they

were going to make it to their hotel in Chicago before dark.

The Mustang was waiting by the curb, gleaming, top down. Aside from the

“Just Married” magnet plastered on the back and some streamers taped to the bumper it looked like it could have just rolled off the lot. The kids in the industrial arts class had done a great job adding some extra shine.

Kate nudged her new husband. “Hey. Look.”

Peter turned. He smiled.

Carol and Lucius were holding hands.

Peter held Kate's door open for her, and she nestled in, smoothing her white

lace dress around her.

An older couple, probably in their seventies, approached from the sidewalk.

“Hello,” the woman said, smiling. “I know you don't know us, but we just wanted to say congratulations.”

“We're just visiting,” the man added. “You have a lovely town.”

“Thank you,” Kate said, and she meant it.

“We don't mean to keep you,” the woman said, then gave a knowing gaze at

her husband. “We're celebrating our fiftieth wedding anniversary tomorrow.”

“Well, then, we should be saying congratulations to you,” Kate said,

instantly liking this cute couple.

The man nodded. “Thank you. Seems like just yesterday we met on a blind

date. Six months later we were heading down a road, too. In a car a little older

than this though.” He paused, then gazed at his wife. “Fifty years.”

“So, what brought you two together, then?” the woman asked.

“Oh, don't pry,” the man said, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder.

Kate and Peter looked at each other, smiling. “Oh,” Kate said. “The usual.

We met in school.”

“And we were next-door neighbors.”

“Then he threw worms at me.”

“Then we kissed in a tree house.”

“He smashed my art project and kept me from getting into art school.”

“And then she left forever, never to return.”

The older couple were nodding, looking slightly confused.

“But then fate brought us together again.”

“Fate and two meddling old friends.”

“And timing.”

“And strategically placed telescope tripods.”

“But mostly timing, right?”

“Mmm…yes. Timing.”

Kate nodded. “And mistakes. And braces. And…treehouses.”

“A little wine also helps.”

She grimaced. “Oh, and chemistry. Don't forget the chemistry.”

Peter nodded. “Yup. Lots and lots of chemistry.”