Page 33 of Landry (Bayou Brotherhood Protectors #7)

Epilogue

Four months later...

Judge Frank Theriot banged his gavel. “Next.”

“Sir, the last item on the docket is the wedding of Laurent and Catoire and the adoption of Ms. Catoire’s daughter by Mr. Laurent.” The court reporter handed the man a binder and a sheet of paper.

“Fine. Fine. Let’s get this over with. I have a tee time in thirty minutes.” Judge Theriot laid his hand on the binder. “Well, get on up here.”

Camille, her heart racing, wearing a light blue sundress and carrying a bouquet of daisies, moved forward holding Ava’s hand. Ava held Billy Ray’s, and Billy Ray held Landry’s.

“Do you have your own vows, or do you want me to read what I have?” the judge asked.

“Please, sir, read yours,” Camille said. “We don’t want to keep you long.”

“And we have a party to get to at the Crawdad Hole.” Gisele raised a hand. “Hey, Uncle Theriot.”

The judge’s eyes narrowed. “That you, Gisele?”

“Yes, sir,” she said.

“Didn’t you get married not long ago?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

“And why didn’t you ask me to officiate?” he demanded.

“You were gone to Pebble Beach that weekend, or I would’ve asked. I had Deputy Shelby Taylor do the honors.” She tipped her head toward Shelby, holding a wriggling Jean-Luc in her arms.

Remy took the child from his mother.

Gisele’s uncle stared at her for a long moment before he harrumphed. “Young people. Always in a hurry.” When he turned his attention to Camille and Landry, his gaze went to Ava and Billy Ray, and his brow dipped. “And why are these children in my courtroom?”

Ava grinned. “We’re getting married today.”

“Uh, sir,” the court reporter said. “You’re performing the marriage ceremony, and then you’ll conduct the adoption ceremony. Mr. Laurent is adopting Ms. Catoire’s daughter, Ava.”

“What about her son?” the judge asked.

“He’s my foster son.” Landry dropped Billy Ray’s hand and slipped a hand over his shoulder. “We’re waiting for all the legal paperwork to get done, then we’ll be back for Billy Ray’s adoption. In the meantime, he’s fully part of the family.”

Ava grinned up at Billy Ray. “He’s my big brother. I always wanted a brother. Now, I have one.”

The judge cleared his throat. “Then let’s get down to the business of marrying these two adults so you can be one happy family.”

Gisele and Amelie moved up to stand beside Camille.

Simon and Rafael stood beside Landry.

The remainder of Landry’s team of Bayou Brotherhood Protectors and Camille’s friends stood among the benches behind them.

Camille and Landry stepped forward.

Landry took Camille’s hands in his and stared down into her eyes.

The judge opened the book the reporter had handed him and read aloud, “Landry Laurent, do you take Camille Catoire to be your lawfully wedded wife from this day forward, to have and to hold, in good times and bad, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health; will you love, honor and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?”

Landry stared down into Camille’s eyes, his shining with love. “With every breath I take, sir.”

“A simple I do would suffice,” the judge murmured.

Landry grinned. “I do.”

Camille Catoire, do you take this man?—”

“She does,” Ava said. “She loves him.”

The judge gave Ava a side-eye and then glanced at Camille, cocking an eyebrow. “Do you?”

“I do,” Camille said, her lips curving on the corners. “I love this man with all my heart.”

“With the power vested in me by the state of Louisiana, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Landry gathered Camille in his arms and kissed her gently as if she were the most cherished person on earth.

Her heart swelled to near bursting.

Applause erupted around them.

Judge Theriot banged his gavel. “Quiet in the courtroom. We aren’t finished here.”

Camille turned and held out her hand to Ava, urging her to step forward. Once she had, Camille stood behind her with Billy Ray, took his hand and whispered, “It’ll be your turn soon. I promise.”

Billy Ray nodded. “This is Ava’s day.”

The judge cleared his throat. “Usually we just sign papers, but I believe this young lady deserves a little more ceremony.”

Camille smiled. “Please, your honor.”

The judge nodded.

Landry dropped to one knee and took Ava’s hand.

“Landry Laurent,” the judge said, “do you take Ms. Ava Catoire-DeSalle as your lawfully loved daughter to love, honor and cherish for as long as you live?”

“I do,” Landry said. “I promise to always love her to the moon and back.”

The judge stared down at Ava. “Ms. Ava Catoire-DeSalle, do you want this man to be your daddy?”

“I do!” Ava wrapped her arms around Landry’s legs. “I love him more than all the stars in the sky.”

“By the power vested in me by the state of Louisiana, you can now call him daddy. I now pronounce the four of you family. Now get out of here. You have a party, and I have to change and play golf. I wish you all the luck and love.”

Camille curled an arm around Billy Ray, while Landry lifted Ava into his arms. He wrapped his other arm around Camille and pulled her and Billy Ray into a group hug.

“I love all of you,” Landry said.

“Me, too,” Camille seconded.

“Me, too,” Billy Ray and Ava said as one.

Her heart full to the brim, Camille helped Landry start to escort their family of four out of the courtroom and into their lives together.

As they neared the door, a woman with curly auburn hair and hazel eyes burst through the door.

“Gisele!” she called out and scanned the faces of the people leaving the building. When she spotted Gisele, she rushed forward and started to fling herself at Camille’s friend.

Rafael stepped between them. “Gisele, do you know this woman?”

The woman glared at Rafael, “Of course she does. I’m her cousin, Holly Hazard.” She lifted her chin toward Gisele. “Tell him.”

Gisele sighed. “I know her. She’s my cousin, Holly Gautier . She changed her name to Hazard because she believes she’s cursed.”

“I thought getting away from Bayou Mambaloa and moving to Atlanta would rid me of the curses, but I was wrong.”

“Why?” Gisele frowned. “What happened?”

“Someone left a message on the mirror in my apartment bathroom when I wasn’t home. The place was locked when I left and still locked when I returned.”

“Someone could’ve picked the lock,” Shelby said. “What did the message say?”

Holly met Gisele’s gaze, her face tense. “The same one as before I left Bayou Mambaloa.”

Gisele’s frown deepened. “No way.”

Simon stepped forward. “What was the message?”

Holly drew in a deep breath and let it out. “Secrets kill.”

“They’re just words,” Simon said.

“The same message was written in the dirt outside my house before my parents died in a boating accident. And again, in the moss on the tree in my front yard, the night my boyfriend drove his car into the bayou and drowned.”

“Those deaths were determined to be accidents,” Shelby said.

“Yeah, well, the message in my apartment in Atlanta was written on my mirror. I didn’t see it until I was in the shower, and it steamed the mirror. It’s a curse, I tell you.” She took Gisele’s hands. “I need Madam Gautier’s and your help to break this curse before anyone else dies.”

Thank you for reading LANDRY. Be sure to preorder SIMON, the next book in the Bayou Brotherhood Protectors.