Нора Робертс - Happy Ever After

She ran into them, pressed her face to his shoulder.“I thought you couldn’t make it.”

“As if I’d miss my baby girl’s wedding.” He drew her back, kissed her on both damp cheeks. “Aren’t you a pretty picture?”

“Dad.” She laid her head on his shoulder, found Parker, blinked her eyes clear. She mouthed thank you.

No mistake, Malcolm thought, and snagging a second glass of champagne, took it to her. “Nice work, Legs.”

She took the champagne and pulled a tissue out of her pocket to dry her own eyes. “It’s what I do.”

IT SNOWED.AND IT WAS FLUFFY AND BEAUTIFUL. BY NOON PARKER had the parking lot and walkways cleared, and the bride was stretched out upstairs, enjoying the hot stone massage her friends had given her as a wedding-day gift.

The entrance and the staircase both glittered and gleamed with the work Emma and her team had completed. Massive pillar candles flanked the wide doorway of the Grand Hall in groups of three, with masses and masses of richly hued flowers at their creamy white bases.

At dusk, miles of lights strung on the exterior of the house and on the small forest of miniature pines lining the walk in their silver pots would flicker and glow. Candles would shine in every window where wreaths of flowers hung, trailing long white ribbons.

The house, Parker thought as she circled it and checked every detail, was a celebration that would sparkle and shimmer through the night.

Emma had outdone herself, and with the added bonus of snow, guests would wander through that winter wonderland, then step through the garland-draped portico where bride-white poinsettias stacked into fanciful trees to flank the staircase.

She ran the morning schedule like a seasoned general preparing for the most important campaign of her career, zipping from room to room, floor to floor, in running shoes, praising, pep-talking, issuing orders.

“You’re going to wear yourself out before this gets started.” Del stopped her forward motion with his hands on her shoulders. “Take a breath. I thought Monica from the bridal shop was subbing for you today.”

“She and Susan will be here in a half hour. What’s Carter’s status?”

“A-okay, Captain.”

“Seriously, Del, does he need anything? If you guys stayed up half the night boozing and playing poker—”

“We had him tucked into bed by twelve thirty, as instructed. The rest of us stayed up boozing and playing poker.”

She narrowed her eyes, noted his were clear and rested.

“Go check on him. I don’t want him over here until three thirty.”

“His best man has it under control. Bob’s as bad as you with lists and time clocks. He’ll go by the studio, pick up our groom at three fifteen.”

“Then go be useful. Emma’s team is working on the Solarium, with the second unit setting up for dinner.”

“Jack’s on Emma’s detail.”

“Jack’s here? What about Malcolm?”

“He’s hanging with Carter. We figured somebody should, in case he makes a run for it.”

“Very funny. But it’s good somebody’s keeping Carter company. I was going to run over and check on him myself, but if Malcolm’s with him, I’ll go check on Mac instead.You can go tell Laurel she’s got an hour and twenty minutes, then she needs to be up in the Bride’s Suite.”

“If she’s in the middle of something, she could come at me with a pastry cutter.”

“Those are the chances we take.”

MALCOLM SPRAWLED IN A CHAIR WITH A COKE AND A BAG OF CHIPS and caught a motocross race on ESPN.

Carter paced.

He’d gotten used to the pattern. Carter paced, sat and stared at the TV, checked his watch. Got up and paced.

“Having second thoughts, Professor? I’ve got orders to get a rope if you try to run.”

“What? No. Ha-ha. No. Is it really only one thirty? Maybe the battery’s dead.” He frowned at his watch, tapped the face. “What time do you have?”

Malcolm held up his naked wrist.“Time for you to relax.Want a shot of something?”

“No. No. No. Maybe. No. It’s just . . . It feels like I’ve entered another dimension where five minutes is equivalent to an hour and a half.We should’ve gone for an afternoon wedding.We’d be getting married right now if we’d gone for an afternoon wedding.”

“In a hurry?”

“I guess I am.” He stared blindly.“Some days I don’t know how all this happened, and others it’s like it’s always been. I’m just—it’s—we’re—”

“Spit it out.”

“When you find somebody you love, all the way through, and she loves you—even with your weaknesses, your flaws, everything starts to click into place. And if you can talk to her, and she listens, if she makes you laugh, and makes you think, makes you want, makes you see who you really are, and who you are is better, just better with her, you’d be crazy not to want to spend the rest of your life with her.”

He stopped with a sheepish smile. “I’m rambling.”

“No.” As the words had something turning around inside him, Malcolm shook his head. “It’s nice for you, Carter.You’re a lucky bastard.”

“Today, I’m the luckiest bastard on the planet.”

Malcolm switched off the TV. “Get some cards.We’ll play some gin, see if that luck translates.”

“Sure.” He looked at his watch again. “Is it really only one thirty-five?”

MAC STEPPED INTO THE BRIDE’S SUITE, STOPPED, DID A HAPPY DANCE. “Look, look, it’s mine. Today, it’s mine. Champagne, and the pretty fruit, the flowers, the candles. Oh, Em, the flowers.”

“Nothing but the best for our brides. It is Vows, after all.”

“Champagne first.” Laurel crossed over to pour.

“Half a glass for me,” Parker said.“I still have a few things to—”

“Parker, no.” Mac grabbed her hands. “From right now until the last dance, you’re my friend, one of my wonderful, beautiful, very-much-needed maids of honor. Monica’s got the rest. I need you with me—and the bride rules at Vows.”

“All right. Fill me up, Laurel.”

“Karen, maybe you could get a wide shot of—”

“Uh-uh.” Parker wagged a finger. “If I’m one of your MOH, you are strictly the bride, not the photographer.”

“We’ve got you covered, Mac.” Karen winked at her, changed lenses.

“I know, sorry.” She took a deep breath, and a glass of champagne. “Okay.To Wedding Day.This time it’s real.”

After the first sip, Mac held up a hand.“And one more because I might forget later. Emma, thank you for making it all so beautiful, and Laurel, thank you for a truly spectacular cake. And Parks, for all the details, the little and the big, thanks so much. But mostly, just thanks for being mine.”

“Okay, stop. Drink.” Laurel blinked.“There’s no crying today.”

“Maybe just a little.We haven’t had makeup yet.”

As Emma slipped an arm around Mac, Parker passed out tissues.

Then the door opened, and Mrs. Grady stood grinning. “Hair and makeup’s coming up.”

“All right, tears off,” Parker ordered. “Let’s get to work.”

She’d always enjoyed this part, even though she’d only come in and gone out as needed. Now Parker sat under the hairdresser’s hands, a glass of champagne in hers, watching the makeup artist work on Mac.

A new perspective, she mused, enjoying the way Carter’s mother hurried in to chat, to laugh, to cry a little, and pleased with how efficiently Monica or Susan checked in. She had to order herself not to get up when Monica reported the groom and his party were in the house, but settled back, assured herself everything would go according to plan.

And it did.

On schedule, she, Emma, and Laurel changed into their gowns. Mac had been right on the colors, the tones, she thought. The deep pumpkin added a glow to Laurel’s skin while the russet highlighted Emma’s dusky beauty. And the dark gold suited her, she decided.

Together, they looked like shimmering fall flowers.

“We rock,” Laurel declared.

“You guys look amazing.” In her corset and garters, Mac circled her finger so they’d do a turn. “Oh yeah, just amazing. And oh, Mrs. G, look at you.”

“Not bad for an old broad.” Mrs. Grady did a turn on her own in her midnight blue gown.

“Your turn,” Parker announced.

“Oh boy, oh boy.”

They helped her into her wedding dress, smoothing and fluffing the tissue organza overlay, hooking the flirty back with its ruffle train. Parker watched Mac transform as she stood in front of the cheval glass.

“I’m a bride,” she murmured, eyes dazed with wonder. “And I’m beautiful.”

“Here you are.” Mrs. Grady stepped up to hand Mac the diamond earrings Carter had given her. “Little Mackensie—skinny-assed redhead—as beautiful a bride as ever stood in this room.”

“Mrs. G.” Mac lowered her brow to Mrs. Grady’s. “Would you help me with the headband?”

It was a mother’s pleasure, Parker thought, to crown the bride. And touching to watch as Mrs. Grady slipped the glittering band into Mac’s bright hair.

“It suits you. You were right, Emma, it suits her.” Stepping back, Mrs. Grady dabbed at her eyes. “You’ll do.”

“Not quite yet.” Parker opened a drawer in the little bureau, took out a box. “I know you had something else in mind for something borrowed, but I’d like it if you’d wear this.”

Opening the box, she took out a delicate diamond necklace, three thin, sparkling strands.

“Parker.” Mac barely breathed the word. “It’s your mother’s.”

“My father gave it to her for their anniversary. I know they’d like it if you wore it today, and for me, it’s like having them here. A part of them here.They loved you.”

“Oh God.”

“No crying,” Parker ordered.

“Well, you make it damn near impossible not to. I’d love to wear it. I’d love—” Her voice simply broke as she shook her head. “I can’t say anything else or I won’t make it.”

“Here.” Parker slipped the strands on, fastened them.“It’s perfect.”

Lifting her hand, Mac touched the necklace. “I like having them with me today, with all of us.”

Monica stepped in. “Oh, Mac, you’re just stunning. Carter’s going to need oxygen when he sees you.You might need some yourself. He looks incredibly handsome. I wanted to let you know, Karen, you should start the formals. Is there anything I can do for any of you?”

“Is my mother here?” Mac asked her.

“Not yet.”

“Probably just as well. Okay, Karen, I’m all yours.”

“I want some in here, then out on the terrace, then some with the bouquet before we add your attendants.”

“The flowers will be here when you’re ready,” Emma told her.

“I’m going to check on the guys,” Parker told Laurel. “And don’t start on me.”

“I’m amazed you’ve held out this long. Go for it.”

She slipped out, picked up her skirts, and made a dash to the Groom’s Suite. After a quick knock she eased open the door.“Female alert.”

“You’re cleared,” Del called out.

She stepped in. “Monica was right. Carter, you are incredibly handsome.” And adorable when the tips of his ears blushed. “All of you look wonderful. I just wanted—”

As Jack moved over to adjust his tie in the mirror, she saw Malcolm, in jeans and a sweatshirt, sipping a beer. “I didn’t know you were here. Hanging out with the boys?”

“What? Oh ... ah. Right.”

He looked a little glassy-eyed, she thought, and she started to suggest he go easy on the beer when he set it down.

“Karen’s starting on the formals on our side, so she should be ready to start yours in about fifteen minutes. Carter, you’re going to want your father. I’ll send your mother over when it’s time. Oh, and—”

“Out.” Del steered her toward the door. “You’re MOH not wedding planner today.”

“I keep hearing that.Then I guess I’ll see you when the clock strikes. Malcolm, I hope you’ve got a suit with you.”

“What am I, an idiot? I’ve got plenty of time.”

“We’ll kick him out,” Jack told her. “Looking good, Parker. Damn good.”

She laughed, did a red-carpet turn. “Yes, I am.”

“And don’t worry.” Bob, Carter’s best man and colleague, held up a notebook computer. “I’ve got it handled on this end. And I memorized the vows just in case he needs me to throw him a line.”

“You’re a treasure, Bob.”

She waited until she was out of earshot to laugh.

“Just in time,” Emma said.

“That wasn’t long enough for—”

“For the bouquet. I wanted all of us here. Mac.” Emma lifted it from its box. “The final touch.”