“Your hair.” He grabbed at a curl peeking out from under her hat. “You got it red again.”
She tugged off the toboggan. “You should have seen it the first go around.”
“It’s plum pretty. You’re the prettiest gal I’ve ever laid eyes on, blond or redheaded.”
He kissed her hard enough to knock them back against the snow.
“We’d better get you home,” she said when they came up for air. “I bet you’ve got a concussion and if we don’t get you into some dry clothes, you’re going to freeze to death.”
“How about we get out of these clothes and stay naked for awhile?” He gave her another kiss. “I ain’t letting you out of my sight until we’re married once and for all.”
“In that case.” She stood and offered him a hand. “Gran’s holding a judge hostage at the Inn just waiting to do the honors.”
“Gotta love Glenda.”
“I think Judge Grant already does.”
Billy made it to his knees before the dizziness and nausea about knocked him over again, “I hate to be a wimp but I’m gonna need a minute to regroup.”
“I’ll run get Vlad to help you down the hill.”
“Naw, just give me a bit.” Billy grabbed onto her hand and pulled her down beside of him. “I’d like to have a few words with my mama if you don’t mind.”
“Go ahead,” she said, squeezing his hands.
“Mama, this is Lizzie, my bride to be.” Billy gulped down the knot welling up in throat. “I wish you was still here to meet her cause I know you would love her as much as I do.”
A cardinal swooped down and landed on the headstone. Its feathers caught the light, reminding Billy of his mama’s pretty red hair. The bird warbled a little coo as he squinted away the tears.
“Little birdie, little birdie come sing me your song. I have a short time to be here and a long time to be gone.” Lizzie sang the words to a song Billy hadn’t heard since he was a baby. “Little birdie, little birdie come sing me your song. I have a short time to be here and a long time to be gone.”
“She.” Billy gave up on holding back the waterworks. “Mama used to sing that to me.”
“She got it from Gran.” Lizzie wiped at his cheek. “Gran sang that to me all the time.”
He pulled Lizzie close and held her until the little bird chirped and flew off down the hill.
“Talk about a sign,” Lizzie said. “That had to be a blessing from your Mama.”
“I believe it was.”
All of a sudden Billy felt okay. He was able to stand up without the ground swirling under his feet. Looking up into the blue sky, he knew the worst was behind him.
“One more thing.” Billy ran a hand over the tombstone one last time. “Mama, I’m mighty thankful you didn’t fool around with Paul Bryson.”
“Me too,” Lizzie said with a giggle that warmed his heart to where Billy about expected the snow to start melting under his feet.
Chapter 47
“Don’t you clean up nice?”
William looked breathtakingly handsome in his dark tuxedo. There was nothing off the rack about the man. Even with a bandage over his right temple, he still oozed style and charisma.
“You, my darling are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” he said kissing Lizzie’s cheek, careful not to smudge her makeup. “Head wounds always look nasty until all the blood is washed away. I’m afraid Billy got hit a lot harder than I did in that wreck.”
“It’s hard to believe he walked over two miles through the snow before passing out at his mother’s grave.”
“Especially since he’s not seen that cemetery since he was three years old. You had better keep an eye on him tonight with that concussion,” William warned. “I don’t want him anywhere near a ring until you’re settled in New Orleans.”
“Thanks for getting Vlad booked with you in Billy’s place,” Elena said from her perch among the pillows in the bay window of Gran’s room. “Getting to ‘rassle at Dorton Arena on Christmas night is a dream come true for him.”
“He’s been practicing his Russian accent real hard but I don’t think he’s making much progress.” Lizzie giggled.
“That’s why I’m going to have Billy do all the talking,” William agreed, “or maybe we could bring Elena in as their spokesperson.”
Lizzie clapped her hands in approval. “That would be awesome.”
“Not a chance,” Elena said with a perfect Russian pitch before switching back to an over exaggerated Southern drawl almost as bad as her brother’s, “as hard as I’ve worked to NOT be like my parents, that ain’t happening.”
“How about Dinera?” Lizzie suggested. “She has a beautiful Romanian accent and it’s legit.”
“That’s not even up for consideration,” William said. “Working with her would be the death of me.”
“There’s always your strumpet.”
“I beg your pardon.”
Lizzie bit her tongue, hoping Elena would do the same and keep quiet on the subject of Odessa.
“That took some nerve on your part, having her show up here to see you knowing good and well that Glenda and Lizzie are friends with your wife.”
“I’ve already apologized for Odessa’s inappropriate behavior.” With his usual grace William took Elena’s attitude in stride. “My intention was to keep her a safe distance away at The Grove Park Inn.”
“It was still tacky of you to have her here for Lizzie’s wedding.”
“Dinera was the one who made the social faux pas.” William’s voice never wavered. “She dragged my son off to Europe just to keep me from being able to spend Christmas with my family.”
“So you bring in your slut -“
“Elena, please. Let’s just drop it.”
“When are you going to stop letting people walk all over you? “You can’t stand Odessa being here and it’s supposed to be your special day.”
“Exactly, it’s my big day and William is here for me and Billy.”
“Just like Odessa was there for Billy.”
“William’s here, my Daddy isn’t.” Lizzie said struggling to keep her cool.
“Sweetie, it’s not worth getting upset over.” William pulled her into a comforting embrace.
“Lizzie, I’m sorry.” Elena tried to pat at her back but Lizzie only stiffed at her touch. “I want you to be happy and it’s just, I’m so scared that Billy’s too much like your daddy.”
“I love Daddy and… I love Billy.”
“And well you should.” William offered his handkerchief. “None of us are perfect. We’ve all done things we regret and some of us will continue to do so. All I know is it’s better to live and love than to look back on your life always wondering about the ‘what ifs?’ The would have, could have, should haves will get you every time.”
Lizzie backed away from William, dabbing at her eyes before looking back and forth between him and Elena. She didn’t know what had got into Elena to turn on him like that. The last thing she wanted on this day was a fight with the best friend she had ever had. Watching Elena pacing in front of the window like she was expecting to see Billy make a run for it did nothing to ease her nerves.
Finally Elena turned and said, “I just love you, that’s all. I don’t want to see Billy hurt you again.”
“If I thought for one minute that Billy and Lizzie were not meant to be together I certainly wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
“Thank you. Both of you.”
“I know exactly what we need.” William uncorked a bottle of champagne chilling in one of Gran’s sterling silver ice buckets. “I’ll have another bottle sent up for later tonight.”
He filled two flutes of bubbly and looked around for a third.
“Here ya go.” Elena poured the remains of a water glass into the base of one of Gran’s Christmas lilies. “No hard feelings.”
“To happily ever after.” William raised his glass in a toast.
They all clicked glasses.<
br />
“Now why are we keeping Billy waiting?” William asked. “I’ve got a beautiful bride to give away.”
“We’re waiting for Carol Ann to get here from Charlotte. Do you see her car?”
Elena went over to the window and sputtered on her champagne. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“Don’t tell me Odessa is out there?” William rushed to join her.
“Nope.” Elena turned, grinning suspiciously. “I thought I saw Santa, that’s all.”
When William laughed along with her, Lizzie knew it couldn’t be anything bad.
“I’ve got some bridesmaid business to take care of.” Elena gave her a quick hug before bolting out the door.
“What was that all about?”
Lizzie tried to peek out the window, but William took her arm to guide her in front of the mirror.
“I wish Lois was still with us. A girl needs her mother on a day like this.”
“I’ve got Gran and Elena so I’m in very good hands.”
“Indeed,” He said, fussing with her veil. “Dinera is going to regret she missed out on seeing you wear her gown.”
“Did you know my mom was in love with Dinera?”
“I had my suspicions.”
“Do you think they? Do you believe they were lovers?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Dinera’s not capable of loving anyone, not even herself.”
“Did you love her?”
“Lois?” That took Lizzie by surprise, until William added, “Oh, Dinera. I did at one time.”
“And?”
“All that magick and all her spells, it left me wondering if it had ever been the real thing, even from the very beginning.”
“How about Odessa?”
“My heart belongs to her.”
“Then you should end things with Dinera. It’s not fair to either her or Odessa or even you for that matter.”
“How did you get to be so smart?”
“I must take that after Gran.”
“I believe so.” He smiled wistfully, “Someday-”
A decisive knock on the door interrupted that sentiment.
“I bet that’s Carol Ann,” Lizzie said, throwing open the door.
“Hey Pumpkin.”
“Daddy!” Lizzie flew into his arms.
Her daddy had never looked any more handsome standing there grinning at her in his dark blue pin striped suit with red silk tie.
“I can’t believe you made it.”
“What, did you think I was going to let William here,” Daddy playfully jabbed at William’s arm, “steal my thunder of giving away my little girl?”
“If you will excuse me, I’ll go check in with the groom and let you two have a moment alone together.”
“Did my son-in-law potato you?” Daddy asked, pointing at the bandage over William’s temple.
“More like a tree. We had an accident this morning.”
“Well, I’m glad no one was hurt.” Paul offered William his hand. “Thank you for being here for Lizzie.”
“The honor was all mine.”
After William left, her Daddy walked Lizzie over to the bed and sat her down. “I’m still not crazy about you marrying Billy.”
“Now Daddy, don’t you dare try to start anything.”
“Carol Ann and I had a long talk last night and she told me that if I missed this day I would regret it for the rest of my life so here I am.”
He dug into the pocket of his jacket. “I got you a little something.” He handed her a red velvet box. “It’s not much but-”
Lizzie opened the box to reveal diamond stud earrings larger than the rock she would soon never be taking off her finger.
“I love them,” she said, taking out Gran’s pearls to slide a diamond stud into each earlobe. “And more than anything else I love you being here.”
Elena stuck her head in the door. “You ready to get this show on the road?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” He stood and took her hand.
Lizzie wrapped her arm around his elbow and took the bouquet from Elena.
Rita and PJ went in first followed by Elena and William. Lizzie peeked around the banister just to make sure he was there. Billy’s grin erased all her doubts.
She stopped at the top of the stars to take in how handsome he looked in the new suit William had bought him in New York. Their eyes locked and when his grin widened Lizzie knew he would always be the other half of her heart.
Here comes the bride!
The End
Thank you for purchasing and reading Desire!
Jezebel's third book, Séances & Suplexes, will be released on February 14, 2012. The first book in her Ring Dreams series, Headlocks & Hexes, was released on October 31, 2011
Jezebel Jorge is a practicing witch and gifted medium. When she's writing it usually feels like she's merely taking dictation for the voices running amok inside her head.
She currently lives in Nashville, TN with a spoiled rotten Golden Retriever / Great Pyrenees mix named Harry Potter and a mouthy spirit guide with a fondness for snakes. Oddly enough, she just happens to be named Odessa.
To find out more about the Ring Dreams series and it's author, Jezebel Jorge, please visit http://www.witchlitchick.com or http://www.jezebeljorge.com.
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