by Cee, DW
“What about me, Woman?”
Estelle answered, “Harry. You’re the delicious icing on the world’s most beautiful cake.”
Our jaws almost dropped at the look of euphoria on the mighty duke’s face.
“Should we get out of here and give the newlyweds some privacy?” I asked.
“Maybe,” Michael whispered.
“No. We wanted you here for a reason.” Estelle gestured for us to sit.
His Grace started the conversation with, “Since I’m not returning, and your father has no desire to be a duke, I’ve had Donovan hand over all my businesses to you. I know you’ve been acting in my place for a while, but there are a few details you still need to know.”
“All right. What more is there?”
Grandpa Harry and Estelle looked at one another before he said, “Pretty much every piece of property I own is handed to you, Michael. I know you’ll take good care of them and you’ll be generous in sharing with the family. When you’re my age, I want you to pick that one child or grandchild whom you know will carry out the Bennington name with pride and honor.”
“Of course, Grandfather. Thank you. Donovan and I’ve already discussed how between the properties they own and your properties, we have every desirable country covered. We will all share and hopefully travel together.”
“Estelle and I were blessed enough to find one another again at this late age. We are hoping that you will be married before we die.”
Grandfather’s new wife interjected with, “Married to Chloe—an obvious assumption that still needs to be said.” I blushed when she finished her thought. “Chloe?” Estelle directed her question at me.
“Yes?”
“I assume you are here with Michael because you love him and would like to marry him?”
The blush grew deeper, but I was forced to answer. “Yes,” I whispered. “However, we have a few unresolved issues.”
“Such as?” the duke glared at Michael and asked.
I didn’t want to place Michael on the spot so I chose to keep quiet. Michael answered on my behalf. “Chloe doesn’t want to marry me until I can declare that I love her with all my heart.” Michael said with humor. “Isn’t that right, Chlo-No?”
“Yes?” I squeaked. The newlyweds were intimidating.
“So, Michael, you don’t love Chloe?” Grandfather asked in a disgruntled tone. “Why are you thinking of marrying her if you don’t love her?”
“Grandfather. It’s not that I don’t...it’s been a while since I’ve...can you both leave this to me? I promise, in the next couple of months, Chloe will have no doubt where my heart is. Please trust me to take care of her.”
“All right. We will leave it to the both of you to marry before we die,” the duke announced dramatically.
“I love you Grandfather for caring so much for us. And I love you, Gram, for caring so much for my Grandfather. Chloe and I know you will be around to see us have our first and maybe even second child.” Again, the blush grew deeper. “On this wonderful note, we say good-bye to you for a few months. When we meet again, it should be a most festive occasion.”
Estelle and Grandpa Harry bid us adieu and we set off to say our farewells to the rest of the clan.
Michael: Family Full Of Celebrations
After talking to the newlyweds, I knew Grandfather would be in good hands. It was a joy to see him content. He’d live out the rest of his life with the woman he loves.
“That was fun. How great was it to see the almighty duke with a smile as big as Lilah’s when she showed us her new jewel? Estelle is the biggest and greatest jewel in my grandfather’s life.”
“My wish for them is that they’ll have a good ten years with one another. After waiting this long, Grandpa Harry deserves a decade with the woman he’s loved for seven decades.”
“I agree. Let’s go see the rest of the family and be off on our trip.”
What I had planned for us was going to be an off-the-charts, top-of-the-line, kind of adventure. By the time we were done, our honeymoon might pale in comparison.
“Why are you both out there staring at the cul-de-sac? Come on in.” Laney called from her home. We did as was told. “Chloe, you come with me. The ladies would like to talk to you. Michael, the men are waiting for you in the backyard. No one’s left for work yet because they have a few things they want to discuss with you.”
“All right.” Once again, we did as we were told. “Hello, Family. What’s going on? I thought you left for work already?” I asked Donovan as well as Jake, Max, and Nick.
“Donovan, our resident Don Juan, has a brilliant idea for you,” Jake answered and gave the floor to his best friend.
“That would be once-long-ago-Don-Juan. Now, I’m a model husband.”
“Whatever, Don Juan. Tell your tale so the rest of us can get to work. My father-in-law and your father are seeing patients on my behalf on their day off,” Max said.
“You’ve told us about your plans to visit wedding locations during the next two months and I thought the four of us could help you, as well as take a quick second honeymoon.”
Donovan lost me already. “Explain, please.”
“You’d mentioned visiting a few places that the four of us are familiar with and have honeymooned at. Since your first destination is Hawaii, why don’t Nick and Bee, along with their baby, meet you there and help you convince Chloe that you’re a swell guy?”
“I’ve talked to Bee already and she’s up for another trip to Hawaii. You just need to agree.” Nick had an easy-going grin as he explained his own idea. “We got married on the Big Island and chose to stay there as part of our honeymoon. We eventually went to other islands, but we came back to the resort and have been back a few times since. If you want us there, we’ll show up at any point during your trip. We don’t have to stay the entire time and we won’t get in the way of your wooing. We, four couples, thought this would be a fun time for both you and us.”
I hated to admit it, but that Donovan Taylor was damn smart. “So where do you fit in?” I asked the author of this plan.
“Well, before I show up, Jake and Emily would like to join you in Japan,” Donovan explained.
Jake continued with, “I know Japan wasn’t on your original list of destinations, but Emily and I started our honeymoon in Japan. We stayed in Tokyo, then we went to a remote island in Okinawa. If you want to make a pit stop there, Emi and I can meet you and relive our honeymoon.”
“If you’re agreeable to having us all along, Delaney and I will meet you in the Maldives and escort you all the way to Amsterdam. Between the three kids and the practice, we haven’t had a true vacation since our honeymoon. We have both grandparents lined up, ready to take over. Damn. I’m so excited, we may join you for the next two months.”
“A brief while, yes. Two months, no.” I answered Donovan. “I don’t need Chloe comparing me to you four and figuring out all my shortcomings.”
“Friend, I think she knows all your faults and then some,” Max spoke with a chuckle. “Once you’re done with Don Juan and the Mrs., Jane and I will meet you in Tuscany where we married and honeymooned. Or, we can meet you on any one of the Greek Islands, or in Morocco, or—”
“We get it!” Donovan interrupted. “Some of us didn’t have a kind business partner who gave your wife a month, or was it two months, off to honeymoon.”
“Jane and I thank you for your generosity,” Max added. “We thought since Chloe loves the Belucci Bennington Villa, we should meet you there. At that point, once the bride has chosen her wedding location, the rest of the family will join you.”
“You’d really do all that for me? What may seem like a second honeymoon won’t be easy to shuffle work and your children.”
“You are family, Michael. We take family very seriously on this cul-de-sac. In fact, your old-nemesis and mine, too, at one point, called your sister and cousin and they, too, would like to join you in this adve
nture. If you agree, Niles and his wife will join after Jake and Emily. Ruby and her family will meet up with you, as well as Chloe’s sister and her husband, at the very end.”
“Must you always mention my one small error in judgement back when you and Jane were dating? You don’t hear me talking about you proposing to Emily when she was dating Jake.” The two had a good chuckle over their past memory.
“I would be grateful for any help I could get. If you’re willing to go through this much trouble to see us wed, there’s no way Chloe can say no. Thank you! I knew Grandpa married well. It’s only now that I understand that he truly hit the jackpot with you Reids, Taylors, and Davises.” What a boon! “If you four would send me your itineraries, I’ll book us all rooms.”
“You see. I knew he’d dig the idea!” Donovan exclaimed.
“Once we work out the details with work and childcare, we will send you the information. Bee and I hope to hop on a plane in a few days. Would that work for you?”
“I have Grandfather’s plane. We will wait for you three, and we can all travel to Hawaii together. Does that work for you?”
“I’ll tell the little woman,” Nick joked.
The next two months were going to be better than even I imagined.
Damn! I loved my new family.
Brendan: A New/Old Reason For Celebration
“CHLOE!!!” Nolan yelled. “Look, Dad. There’s Chloe!” He ran over and hugged her hips.
“Hi, Brendan mini-me. How are you? I haven’t seen you in a while. Where’ve you been hiding yourself?”
“I’ve been hanging out with my supermodel mom. You want to meet her?” There wasn’t a choice. Nole dragged her over to our table with Michael in tow. I stood up to greet them.
“Hello, Friend.” Before Michael bit my head off, I gave Chloe a friendly embrace and an innocuous peck on the cheek. Michael looked a little less hostile than expected.
“I’m so glad I ran into you and your adorable son. I was going to call you and see if I could stop by to say good-bye. This is perfect.” My son was still holding onto Chloe until his mom called him.
“Nole, honey. Come to Mama.” Without hesitation, he jumped into his mother’s arms. Once her son was secure, Veronica actually introduced herself. “Hello. I’m Veronica, Nolan’s mom.”
“I’m Chloe and this is Michael. Nole talks about his supermodel mom all the time. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Standing with her son, I sensed Veronica’s relief.
“Would you like to join us?” I asked Michael more so than Chloe.
“Do you mind?” Chloe addressed Michael as well.
“Not at all. Let’s sit.” We made room and they joined us for an early dinner.
“Are you headed to London, Chloe? You mentioned wanting to say good-bye?”
“I’m actually not sure where we’re headed.” She looked to Michael for answers.
“We are off on a mission,” was what he said. “There’s a theme to our two-month long trip. I’m hoping she’ll figure it out before our last destination.”
“There’s a theme? You never mentioned that.”
“The plans were only hammered out yesterday. I was going to tell you on the plane tomorrow.” The two had that newly-dating bliss going on. I was happy for Chloe with a little bit of a bittersweet taste on my tongue. She had never looked at me with wonder and exhilarated expectation. Obviously, I wasn’t the right man for her.
“Two months? That’s a long time to vacation. It must be nice. No more weddings?” I asked.
“Michael asked me to hold off until January. After ten years of nonstop work, it’s about time I took a vacation.”
“May I ask where your first destination is?”
We all looked to Michael for an answer. “I suppose I can tell you. You’ll know once everyone gets on the plane.”
“Everyone?” Chloe sounded even more surprised.
Michael nodded and explained, “Our first destination is the Hualalai Resort on The Big Island and Nick, Bee and their son will be joining us.”
“Really?” A huge smile lit up Chloe’s face. “That sounds awesome.”
Watching Chloe and Michael together tonight was good for me. I’d decided they were good for one another and it was time for me to move on with putting the pieces of my own family back together.
“Your friends are nice,” Veronica mentioned casually after Nole went down for the night. “I can see why you were attracted to Chloe. She’s sweet and down to earth. I assume you and she are no more?”
“When we met the other night, she and I discussed our futures and it apparently didn’t include one another.”
“Yeah?” Those luscious lips parted slightly, happily surprised.
“Yeah. She told me that she and Michael were going to give their relationship a try again and I asked what she thought about you and me giving our relationship a second chance.”
“What did Chloe say?”
“She asked me if I wanted to give it another go.”
“And?”
“And I told her that I did.”
Without another word, Veronica pounced on me and we fell on the large sofa. “You mean that? You’ll give me another chance at being a wife and mother?”
“Do you really want this, Veronica? I can’t afford the lifestyle you’ve grown accustomed to the past five years. I wouldn’t consider myself poor, but I’m also not rich. All those fancy beaches you frequent will only be in your memories.”
“I don’t need any of those places. All I’ve wanted since I walked out of here was a second chance. I promise I’ll be a good mother to our son and a good wife to you. I’ll give up my career. I’ll learn to cook. Anything to please the O’Shaughnessy boys, I’ll try.”
“You don’t need to give up anything, Veronica. You can work if you like.” Veronica was running a mile ahead of me. “I can’t promise you anything, but I’ll give us another go if that’s what you want.”
“I do, B. I really, really do.” She laid her head on the crook of my neck and said, “Can I stop sleeping in the extra bedroom, B? Will make room for me in your bed tonight?” With her hands roaming all over my body, inching their way down, I could squeak out nothing more than, “Yes?!”
We didn’t miss a beat heading straight to the bedroom, toward a new beginning. My son was going to be happy when he found us together—in the morning.
Chloe: Beeautiful Celebration
“This is paradise!” I exclaimed when we arrived at the Hualalai Resort. This is where you two married? It’s simply magnificent.”
“High praise coming from the wedding master,” Nick teased while holding their newborn.
“Is it true you planned your wedding all by yourself? You give off this easy-going impression, but obviously, you’re a deeply romantic man, Nick. I’ve heard the legend of Jake Reid. Little do people know it’s his younger brother who’s the legend in disguise.”
“I had a feeling you would somehow make me look bad, Nicholas Reid!” Michael spoke with perturbed admiration.
“It’s not as fantastic as it sounds. Roland rented out the left side of this resort for five days, the rest of my family made sure everyone could make it on short notice, and the resort kind of did everything else.”
“Who made the decision on dinner, flowers, décor, cake, party favors, music, dj, band—the list is endless.”
“I guess I did after my mom, Aunt Babs, and Jamie narrowed the choices for me. I can’t say that I did a good job. You’ll have to ask the wife on that one.”
Bee joined us on the lanai after a long phone call back to work. “Sorry about that. Beeautiful Creations is going through some growing pains and my partner, Missy, is freaking out. With me being gone on maternity, we had a long list of issues to resolve.”
“Did we take you away from work? Was this too much of an inconvenience for you, Bee? I’m sorry if it was.”
“Are you kidding, Michael? Even wi
th a nursing child in tow, I’m jumping for joy I’m here. Nicky would have liked to join us, but I’m sure he’s having a ball with Robert and Sandy.”
“So, may I ask a little more about your wedding?”
“Of course. Ask away.” Bee was now the spokesperson.
“Laney told me how your husband planned this entire wedding by himself. Were you shocked when you found out? How did he pull it off?”
Bee laughed. “I think he pulled it off because there weren’t too many days between a lightbulb going off in his head to the actual wedding day, for anything to go wrong. Plus, he called all the right people. Jamie, Babs, and my mother-in-law helped Nick make all the on-site decisions, Missy and my girlfriends made my dress, the rest of the family took care of all the family logistics, and the resort did the rest. Everyone enjoyed their stay here. You’d like it too, Chloe.”