The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) (40 page)

“It’s about time,” Rosemary said when Jonquil and Gage arrived.

“You’re late,” Delphi said, tapping her watch.

“What, three minutes?” Jonquil asked, laughing.

“Four.” Delphi’s lips curved a little and she turned back to answer some question Lana had asked her.

Lana stood with her baby boy snuggled in her arms, the light turning her auburn hair to a blazing bronze. Blake stood with his arm around her shoulders, whispering something in her ear, making her smile. And was that a blush? Jonquil was glad to hear the situation with his family was getting a little easier since the court case had been heard. It would be years before his dad was out again, but there was a good chance that things would keep getting better for them. And at nearly four months old, Ash was the center of their world.

Cami and Vince snuggled along the side of the group, her stomach getting larger every day. It would be a Christmas baby and Cami was already talking about using Amaryllis if the baby was a girl, but calling her Amy.

Sage’s baby was due anytime now and Joel, her solid, steady husband, had just declared that she was on full-time bed rest—to keep
his
nerves steady—not because the doctor insisted. Sage had declared an exemption for the day so she could attend their event.

Rosemary and Harrison stood watching Cleo play with Ash—her favorite nephew. Which was by virtue of him being the only nephew—for the moment. Rosemary had blossomed under Harrison’s love, her rough edges softening and a new happiness radiating from her—unless someone messed with her kitchen.

And Delphi stood with the man who would be hers, legally and lawfully in a month with a brighter outlook than she’d started on this journey and many, many plans. Almost all of which involved Juniper Ridge. And their motorbikes.

“Hey, hear anything about Natalie’s case lately?” Alex asked, walking over to join them.

Jonquil noted that neither Delphi or Rosemary felt it necessary to tell
him
he was late. He wore his standard suit and held a manila folder—as per usual.

“Her attorney is trying to get her off by reason of insanity, but I don’t think the judge is going to buy it. We’ve got a while to go before its seen by the court,” Gage said.

Jonquil wasn’t sure how she felt about that. It seemed like Natalie still thought she should be able to duck responsibility for her actions, but they would have to wait to see what happened. She had all but confessed to the police, and had confessed to her and Gage. Jonquil didn’t see Natalie ducking out of responsibility, no matter how good her attorney was.

Jonquil was comfortable in the house again, and making it
theirs
rather than
Gage’s
, more every day.

“More letters from Dad?” Jonquil asked Alex, looking at the bulging folder. This would be her third counting the day of the reading of the will and the day they opened the hotel. It made sense that he’d written another one to commemorate the completion of his requirements.

“Yes. He had one more for each of you. His final tribute, I guess.” Alex put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“Is everyone here?” he asked louder, though he must have been able to tell at a glance that they were.

“Of course, we’ve been waiting on you,” Delphi said.

“Just as long as you don’t get up and walk out halfway through,” he teased back.

The sisters chuckled. Jeremy slid his arms around Delphi’s waist from behind and she leaned back against him.

“This has been an amazing year,” Alex started. “I know it hasn’t been easy. Or always safe. And you’ve struggled with the choices your father made. I hope you’re all a little happier about that now than you were the first time we all gathered together. You’ve built something good and strong here. And I’m not really talking about the hotel, though that’s pretty impressive too.”

He looked at them, one by one. “You’ve built the family that he always wanted for his girls. I’ve seen you come together, live, learn, and weave your lives into each other’s. I know though he would be very proud of your accomplishments in there,” he pointed at the hotel, “your sisterhood, and brotherhood, is what he really had in mind when he wrote the final version of his will.”

Alex gestured to the table. “We have glasses of champagne for everyone—except those who shouldn’t. Sorry, Cleo, you and the future mommies get to have sparkling grape juice instead.”

She put on her fake pout, which made most people chuckle.

Everyone gathered around and collected their respective glasses and Alex lifted his.

“I propose a toast. To George, for knowing his girls a little better than they knew themselves.” That earned him some good-natured laughter, “and to his girls—long may your friendships and your families grow.”

“Hear, hear.”

Glasses clinked, and as Jonquil brought hers back down, she noticed the sparkling grape juice in Rosemary’s. She cleared her throat loudly. “Rosemary, do you have something to announce?”

Every eye turned to her.

“I thought you said you were going to wait until everyone else had a turn?” Delphi said, archly.

Rosemary looked supremely unconcerned about having that fact pointed out. “My daughter’s already ten. I think I’ve waited long enough, don’t you?” Rosemary pushed her long, blond hair behind her shoulder.

Cleo did a little boogie, nearly spilling her juice. “I’m going to be a big sister. She made me promise not to tell anyone else yet. Now I can.”

Jonquil leaned in and gave Rosemary a congratulatory hug, and saw Gage pounding Harrison on the back. she felt happiness expand in her chest.

When Gage slid his arm around her waist he whispered. “What do you say we start on our own family—in a few months?”

She turned into his arms and kissed him, whispering back. “I can’t think of anything I’d love more.”

The End!

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And now for a sneak preview of Angela and Alex’s story. Still to be named. (You didn’t really think I’d leave them hanging, did you?)

Coming Spring 2014

Champagne glasses clinked, music wafted from the string quartet playing in the corner and voices buzzed around Angela as she spoke with her great-aunt on her mother’s side. She glanced at the clock in the corner—only thirty minutes left until they were schedule to cut the cake at her sister’s wedding. It couldn’t end soon enough for her.

She smiled and nodded at the old woman, who was droning on about her many wins for her preserves at the county fair. They had a county fair in Philly? Angela had never paid attention enough to know.

Her gaze moved uncontrollably toward the corner where Alex was speaking with his cousin, Lana. His gaze flickered in Jonquil’s direction and then he looked away again. Angela managed to keep the smile pasted on her face, though she wanted to frown. She thought their last encounter had ended well enough. He hadn’t run for the door as if he were on fire anyway. That was an improvement.

So why was he avoiding her now? It had to be avoidance and not just coincidence because he hadn’t gotten within twenty feet of her since arriving for the wedding hours earlier.

She shifted her gaze back to great-aunt Sophia and made a humming noise that was calculated to sound like agreement and understanding.

“But I showed her, didn’t I?” Sophia asked, cackling.

“You certainly did. I bet she never forgot it either.” Angela squeezed her elbow in support.

“You look so lovely tonight. I keep thinking some young man is going to come over here and sweep you on to the dance floor like your sister.” She turned to look at Jonquil, who was dancing with her new husband. “She’s a lovely bride.”

“Yes, lovely.” Angela’s smile grew more natural now as she glanced at her older sister. Jonquil was so beautiful in her white lace-covered dress and the corkscrew curls rolling down her back. Beneath the dress she wore bright pink walking shoes—thankfully covered by the skirt—so she could dance the night away. Angela had stayed with Jonquil the previous summer, saw her fall in love with Gage and find perfect happiness—or as close to perfect as anyone could really find. It hadn’t been an easy time, but it had turned out well in the end. Very well for Jonquil and Gage.

A little less well for herself, apparently. Her eyes slid back to Alex. She couldn’t help herself.

“I better go talk with Martha. She’s missing her David, you know. Death is never easy.” Sophia patted Angela’s hand and moved away.

Angela wanted to sigh in relief. She’d been listening to Martha for nearly half an hour—which by her way of thinking, was about twenty-eight minutes too long to listen to the ins and outs of bottled preserves.

Angela looked around her, thinking she could use a drink. She noticed Alex was not with Lana anymore, but didn’t see him as she continued to survey the room. She did, however, see Norton Brooks moving in her direction, determination in every step.

The son of one of her father’s old business friends, Nort was the last person Angela wanted to speak with tonight. He’d had a crush on Angela since they were kids and always sought her out whenever they were at an event. She had managed to avoid him for most of the past few years—going to Chicago for college had been a very good get-away-from-Nort tactic, even if that had only been a benefit and not the reason for the location. She took evasive action, moving behind the large flower bouquet, then sliding between the backdrop where the ceremony was held and the wall, coming out the other side, only inches from the door to the hall. She rushed into the hall and looked around her.

There were three doors. One was the changing room for the bride and would be locked until just before she and Gage left. The second door was just closing on someone. She tried the handle and it opened under her hand, letting her inside. It was a supply closet—this time full of wedding decor.

Alex stood in the middle of it, looking at her in surprise.

“What are you doing in here?” Angela asked.

He slid his hands into his pants pockets and took a slow look of appraisal. “I could ask you the same.”

“I’m trying to avoid Nort and his grabby hands.” She spoke in a low voice, not wanting to be overheard in the hallway. “Again, why are you here? Surely you didn’t come in expecting to find a refill on your glass.” She gestured to the empty champagne flute that sat nearby.

“Of course not. I just needed a few minutes alone.” His blue eyes looked a little weary. “I took something for my headache but the music and voices weren’t helping.”

“That’s too bad. I promise not to make too much noise.” She stepped closer to him. “When did you arrive?”

“This morning. It’s been a long day.”

“I bet DiCarlo Phildelphia had a room waiting with your name on it.” She sauntered over to him, deciding that as long as she had him trapped, she would take advantage of the opportunity. “It was nice of you to come to the wedding. I know you’ve showed for all of the rest of the girl’s weddings, but it’s not like Jonquil is actually related to you.”

“Only indirectly.” He stood a little straighter. “But it was partly business.”

He had five or six inches on her five-foot-six frame so he was just the right height, in her opinion. That was joined by the just-right cleft in his chin, the just-right lips above the chin, the light brown hair that waved just right over his head—only a few inches long so it was easy to style but still very clean cut. As far as she could tell, nearly everything about him was just right.