Unbelievable (50 page)

But a small place deep inside me danced with joy. I was marrying a wonderful man tomorrow. A man the opposite of every man I’d ever known in my life. The joy of that couldn’t be squelched by fear of my father.

I crawled into bed, amazed at how well I could sleep knowing that a guard sat just outside the door protecting me.

Chapter
40

Cole held open the front door of Seth’s house and I stepped out into the beautiful sunshine. Maggie and Seth were already at Booker’s, decorating. I tucked the white garment bag with my wedding dress around my arm. “Ready?” he asked me.

“Yes, I am.” I stretched up and kissed him.

He took my hand. “You seemed to be in better spirits this morning.”

Nope. I was pulling on all my skills of deception, not wanting to spoil the moment for Cole. Fear and ecstasy were fighting a fierce battle inside
me. “Are you sure about this, Cole?” I went directly to the passenger side of Cole’s car.

“Wait. Would you mind driving? I’ve got to get this book read before the wedding.” He winced as he said it.

“You’re still reading that book? It’s our wedding day.”

“I have to, Lilah. It’s important. Please?”

“Fine. But you’re not doing any work on the honeymoon,” I warned.

“Oh, I’ll be working on something.” He grabbed me and kissed my neck, growling playfully.

“We’d better get going. The ceremony’s at two.” I settled into the car and turned the radio’s volume down. “Did Seth tell you he got the pastor that married him and Maggie to perform the ceremony?”

“Hmm.”

He was already lost in his book, writing notes on a small pad and jotting down things in the margin. Just like this morning on the way to and from the courthouse. Booker got the waiver so we wouldn’t have to wait the usual twenty-four hours.

I found a Spanish station and salsaed my way to Booker’s. The music helped settle my nerves, for now, anyway.

Cole reached for the door when we arrived at Booker’s, but I stopped him with a hand on his leg. He turned to me. “Is something wrong? You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”

I flashed a temptress grin at him and shook my head. I wiggled my finger at him, signaling him to come closer. He leaned over the center console, his brow arched in curiosity. I carefully sunk my hands into his hair and pulled that hot mouth of his to mine, kissing him with every ounce of seduction I had in me. When I pulled away, his mouth hung open.

“If you want more of that, you’d best not bring the book on our honeymoon.” He nodded and slipped it into his back pocket when we got out. We walked arm in arm up to Booker’s side porch. He leaned in for another kiss. I put my hand to his mouth and shook my head. “Later,” I said with a wink.

“You’re killing me,” he complained. I opened the door as he tried again for a kiss, only this time I shook his hand instead. “Funny, Little Miss Tease.”

I blew him a kiss before turning around to find Maggie, Seth
and
Booker all looking at us, smiling. “Ah, hi.” My face burned red.

Maggie picked up some yellow ribbon and orange Gerber daisies and hid a smile behind them.

“Are the agents still here?” I asked nervously, looking out the back patio door. There lay my answer. Two men in suits stood off to the side.

“Yes. We’ve sighted your father. He’s still deep in Mexico, so you can stop worrying,” Seth assured me.

“Are your men following him?” I didn’t know if I wanted to hear the answer.

“No. He’s off our radar again. But we’ll get him. And yes, I’ve told my people to be careful with him because of his illness,” Booker assured me.

“Thanks,” I said. “I know he doesn’t deserve your kindness, but I am grateful.”

“You really have to get ready.” Maggie tapped her watch. Cole kissed me on the cheek and helped everyone else pick up boxes of decorations and flowers as they headed to the backyard to finish preparing. Booker came back in to set the alarm.

I was halfway upstairs when he called me back down. “Lilah, I want to apologize for the way I’ve treated you. I wish I could make it up to you somehow.”

“Please don’t. I get it, I really do. If you’re serious about making it up to me, protect Cole. He’s pretty naïve when it comes to bad people. He gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. I can promise you that if my father figures that out, he’ll take advantage of it, big time.”

“Deal.”

“So you and I are good? You trust me?” I pressed.

He paused. “I’d be lying if I said I was a hundred percent on board, but I’m close,” he assured me. “It’s not you, Lilah. The problem’s me. I’m a jaded man. And for that I apologize also.” He gave me a cautious hug and left.

Maggie left some bubble bath for me and I soaked in the over-sized tub for a bit, trying not to think about anything but Cole.

I played with my hair, trying three different styles before finding one I thought Cole would like. I had to wiggle around carefully to keep from messing it up when I put my dress on. I checked it out in the full-length mirror on the bathroom door.

“
¡Oh, madre!
I wish you were here to see me.”

Maggie opened the bathroom door and came in. “You look beautiful,” she said, gently hugging me.

“Thanks.”

“Are you ready?” she asked, fixing a free-spirited curl.

“Yes. Very.” The words sent a calm through me. My twisted stomach settled and the feelings of nausea dissipated. I wanted this. I wanted to marry this wonderful man. I felt at peace. Maggie led me to the back door. “Since you don’t have anyone to walk you down the aisle, and Cole’s family isn’t here either, he suggested you two walk down the aisle together. What do you think?”

“I think it’s perfect.”

“Me, too. Wait here.” She left me on the patio. The yard looked stunning, with clusters of daisies and greenery everywhere. How they pulled this all together so quickly was beyond me. Pastor Williams stood in front of a beautiful pond with an amazing waterfall. Orange and yellow bows were tied around the planters that lined the pathway to the pastor. Maggie, Seth, and Booker all stood up front waiting. Cole stepped out on the deck, looking incredible in a black suit with a bold orange tie. Maggie, I assumed, had gotten him the tie to match the ribbon of my dress. Cole took one step toward me and stopped.

“You are so beautiful,” he said reverently.

“Thank you. So are you. Where did you get the suit on such short notice?”

“Dr. Skiba lent it to me. Don’t tell anyone, but I had to duct tape the hem. He’s six-foot seven.” I laughed, removed an orange flower from my bouquet, and put it in the button hole on his lapel. He tucked my arm in the crook of his.

“Will you marry me, Lilah?”

“Yes. I can think of nothing I want more,” I assured him. “Your family’s going to hate me. First you have brain surgery and don’t tell them because of me
; then you get married and they’re not invited, again, because of me.”

“No. They’ll understand. I promise. Besides, after everything is over, we’ll have a big fancy wedding, the wedding of your dreams, and they can come to that.”

“This
is
the wedding of my dreams, Cole.”

“I wish we had more time. I wanted to write you something special like Maggie and Seth did at their wedding.” Cole said. “At best
, I can quote you a line from Shakespeare that sums up my feelings.”

“Shakespeare is always good.”

“Shakespeare it is, then.” He smiled. “‘This is the very ecstasy of love.’”

“
Hamlet
, Act II, Scene one,” I said. He nodded, kissing my forehead. “I’d quote the poem I wrote to you but you’ve already read it.”

“What poem?”

“The one in the letter from yesterday.”

“Lilah, I destroyed that letter. I couldn’t stand the thought of. . .” I squeezed his hand as his eyes shut momentarily. “I’d love to hear it.”

“It’s no Shakespeare. I’m an artist, not a writer. It’s titled,
The Touch of You
.”

“I like the title.” He bounced his eyebrows playfully.

“Okay, but remember, I warned you.”

“
The touch of your eyes on mine steels the troubled waters that surround me;

“
The touch of your hand in my hand steels the beat of my weary heart;

“The touch of your breath on my skin steels the restless air of my jaded breast.

“But it is the touch of your lips as they capture mine that steals my very soul,

“And encircles it with love, inside of yours, its new home, forever.

“I know, it’s no—” He stopped my words with a kiss.

“Shakespeare pales in comparison. I love it. Thank you.”

I laughed softly at his exaggeration. “You’re welcome.”

Booker cleared his throat. “I do believe you jumped the gun. The kiss is supposed to be last.”

Cole took my hand and together we walked down the path to our destiny. As we reached the pond, Cole whispered in my ear, “Oh, one more thing. My real name isn’t Cole. It’s—”

“Dearly beloved,” began Pastor Williams.

Cole’s not his real name
?

The ceremony was a blur. My eyes never left Cole, or whatever his real name was, as Pastor Williams spoke of love, marriage, and forgiveness.

“Repeat after me,” he instructed Cole. “I, Duckworth Grimshad Colter . . .”

Cole’s eyes lit up with humor at the sound of his name. Booker snickered, as did Maggie. Seth, who I assumed already knew Cole’s real name, only grinned.

Cole shrugged and recited his vows. When it came to me, instead of calling me Delilah, mercifully he said Lilah.

“You may kiss the bride.” And Duckworth Grimshad did.

“Okay, enough. You’re going to wilt the flowers,” Booker teased. Cole turned and hugged Book, who shook his head. “All these years I’ve been calling you’ve Doc when you’ve had a perfectly horrible name I could’ve been using?”

Cole ignored him and hugged Seth and Maggie. He thanked the pastor
, who had to leave to perform another wedding.

Maggie sprinted over to me, tears still in her eyes. “That was so beautiful.” She circled me in her arms and hugged me tight.

“Thank you for everything, Mags.” I dabbed at the tears in my own eyes. “You made it so beautiful.”

“I had a blast. I’m seriously thinking about going into the wedding planning business instead of interior design.”

“Still interested in a partner?”

“Yes,” she said. “As soon as you get back
, let’s get together and decide what we want to do.”

“Excuse me, but I’d like to ask my lovely wife if she’ll dance with me.” Cole took my hand in his.

“Yes, husband, I’d love to.” We walked out into the lush grass, my four inch heels sinking in with each step. I slipped them off.

“I was hoping you’d leave those on.” Cole lifted me in his arms and twirled me.

“I’m afraid I’ll fall.”

“I’ll catch you,” he promised. I had no doubt he would. “I liked having you closer to my lips.” He kissed my neck playfully.

“I’ll put them back on.”

“It’s okay.” He set me down. “Dance with me.” A soft, sensuous
Marc Anthony song poured out over Booker’s sound system. I’d never heard the Latin tune before. Cole and I moved slowly to the rhythm, our eyes locked on each other as the music enveloped us. Neither of us spoke. No sooner had the song ended when he scooped me up in his arms again.

“Think it’d be rude if we left?” he nuzzled in my ear.

“Oh no, you don’t.” Maggie stepped up to Cole. “You have to cut the cake.” She stared him down. Reluctantly, he set me back on the grass. “It will only take a minute,” she promised.

Seth carried out a two
-layer white cake. An orange ribbon encircled each layer, with the top covered in more Gerber daisies.

“It’s so pretty.”
As Seth sat it down, I walked around the table to see it from all sides.