The Wedding She Always Wanted

by Stacy Connelly

  “I’m the emcee,” Emily protested, “although I still say we should have had Trey do the job. He’s the pro.” Kelsey’s friend Trey Jamison was a DJ who frequently worked at the weddings her cousin coordinated. “I would have rather stayed backstage to help with hair and makeup and all the outfit changes we’re doing. I’m perfectly happy here.”

  A knowing look in her brown eyes, Kelsey leaned forward to give Emily a hug. “No, you’re not,” she whispered. “But I hope you will be.”

  Any response Emily might have made was prevented by the tears in her throat.

  “You’re going to do an amazing job, Emily.”

  She’d expected the encouraging words from Kelsey, but she hadn’t anticipated hearing them from her mother. Turning, she met her mother’s gaze. Charlene wore an eggplant suit with a fitted jacket and a knee-length skirt. With her short brown hair and makeup perfectly styled, and wearing an amazing amethyst pendant on a pearl choker, her mother looked ready to walk the runway herself…except Charlene had never offered, and Emily hadn’t asked.

  Regretting the rift that still gaped between them, Emily offered a tentative smile. “Thank you, Mother. And thank you for coming.”

  “Kelsey, I’d like to talk to my daughter for a moment if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not, Aunt Charlene.” With a final hug and whispered encouragement, Kelsey slipped away.

  “You’ve done a remarkable thing here, Emily.”

  “Thank you. I’m really pleased—” and amazed “—with how well everything has turned out.”

  “You should be. After all, you did this all on your own,” Charlene said, and for the first time, Emily realized her mother wasn’t worried or exasperated or afraid she would fail. Instead, Charlene was hurt at being pushed aside.

  “I’m sorry, Mother. I didn’t mean to exclude you, but I guess I was afraid.”

  “Of what?”

  “That you would think I was doing everything wrong and take over.”

  Charlene sighed, ready to brush aside the words, but Emily refused to be dismissed. “You’ve done it my whole life. Why couldn’t you let me make my own decisions? And my own mistakes?”

  “I suppose it was because we were afraid.”

  Expecting a denial, Emily didn’t know what surprised her more—that her mother had answered or the answer she’d given. “Why?”

  “We were afraid of losing you.”

  Emily shook her head. “You weren’t going to lose me.”

  “Don’t make it sound so ridiculous.” Reaching out, Charlene turned Emily toward the full-length mirror. Standing over her shoulder, her mother adjusted one of the rhinestone clips holding her hair. “Sometimes you look so like your aunt Olivia, I feel like I’m seeing a ghost.”

  The ghost of mistakes past, Emily thought.

  “Is that why you’ve always kept such a close eye on everything I’ve done? Because of Olivia?”

  “She was such a beautiful girl,” Charlene said with enough of a wry twist to her smile to make Emily wonder if her mother had once been jealous of her younger sister-in-law. “Your father adored her. He was the protective big brother, always looking out for her. And Olivia…Well, with the trouble she liked to get into, she needed someone willing to bail her out.”

  “I don’t remember her. Aileen says she has a few memories of going to an amusement park and of Olivia letting her wear lipstick to her fifth birthday party.”

  “That’s probably one of the last family events Olivia attended. Your father was devastated when she ran away. He kept hoping she would return, but years went by with no contact, and you…” Charlene rested her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “You were so like her.”

  “I’ve seen the pictures,” Emily said, but her mother shook her head.

  “It isn’t just how you looked. It was the way you acted. The way you walked and talked. How you could sing and dance…So much of that was Olivia, yet she couldn’t have had an influence on you. As you said, you were too young to remember.”

  “Maybe it was something in our genes.”

  “I think that’s what your father…what both of us were afraid of. That along with Olivia’s talent and beauty, you had inherited her stubborn independence, and that someday you’d leave us the same way she had. And we couldn’t bear the thought. But it was a mistake. Your father and I see that now. We were trying so desperately to hold on, we were holding you back. I hope you can forgive us. We know we have to let you go. It’s your time to fly.”

  Hearing her mother’s words, Emily realized she didn’t need a parachute. Not when she was finally ready to stretch her wings.

  The moment Emily stepped out onstage, she knew everything was going to be okay. Better than okay. The spotlight shone down on her like the full moon had the night of the wedding. And she felt just like she had when Javy pulled her onto the dance floor. His confidence had encouraged her every step of the way, and she refused to believe it was too late for the two of them.

  She no longer needed the time she’d asked for. She was done second-guessing herself. Yes, she’d made a mistake with Todd, but the bigger mistake would be in failing to recognize that Javy was not Todd.

  Just like her parents had built a world around her similarities to her aunt Olivia, Emily, too, had gotten stuck in a rut of comparisons—thinking she had to protect herself so Javy couldn’t hurt her the way Todd had, focusing on Javy’s previous relationship so she wouldn’t be surprised if Javy cheated on her, like Todd had, refusing to move forward with Javy in case all her hopes and dreams came crashing down, like her hopes and dreams with Todd had.

  But the one difference she’d overlooked was the most important—Javy loved her in a way Todd never had.

  Hope shining brighter than the spotlight, Emily stepped up to the microphone and started the welcome speech she’d written. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the first annual Second Chance Fashion Show.”

  As she introduced the models and described their outfits, she took a moment to enjoy watching the women on the catwalk as much as the appreciative audience. Kelsey strutted her stuff with a flirtatious smile, although Emily noticed her cousin’s gaze never left Connor, who sat at a front-row table. And Lauren, who had inspired the whole fund-raiser, practically floated down the runway, looking amazing in an ivory gown that had once belonged to Emily but had been expertly tailored to fit Lauren’s smaller frame.

  Seeing the other woman’s new confidence made the entire evening a success regardless of how much money the fund-raiser earned.

  “How about a round of applause for our wonderful models?” Emily called out as the last woman left the stage. She waited until the applause died down before adding, “The best part of our fashion show is that the clothes worn tonight will be donated to the Second Chance shelter.” Another round of applause echoed through the ballroom. “But the evening isn’t over yet. We have our auction items, guaranteed to send the bidding through the roof.”

  More applause followed, and Emily went on to announce the first item up for auction—a weekend trip to the red rocks of Sedona. She went through item after item, recognizing that her parents and their friends were pushing up the bids in an effort to outdo each other. She didn’t care; their efforts raised money for the charity, and she sensed how much her father was enjoying himself with every bid he made.

  Only one time did Emily falter. Even though she knew the item was part of the auction, she still stumbled when she came across the romantic dinner for two—at Delgado’s Restaurant.

  Ignoring the notes on the cards in front of her, Emily gazed out at the audience. Most of the people in attendance had been at the wedding only weeks ago, the very people whose opinions had mattered to her so much, she’d been afraid to dance with Javy, too concerned with what they might think…until he’d taken her in his arms, and from that moment on, she hadn’t cared about anyone but him.

  “This next item may not be the most extravagant on tonight’s list, b
ut it’s one that means the most to me. The restaurant belongs to Javier Delgado, and without him, this entire night wouldn’t have taken place. He gave me the confidence to believe I can do anything I put my mind to and to trust in myself and my own decisions. I let him down when I forgot that recently, and I hope I’ll have the chance to make it up to him.” Taking a deep breath to reclaim her composure, Emily said, “Now, let’s start the bidding.”

  As she had throughout the evening, Emily started the bidding low, giving the audience the chance to raise the stakes offer by offer. An unexpected feeling of pride welled up inside her, bringing an unsuppressed smile to her face, as the amount continued to climb. She only wished Javy was there to see it. When a brief silence fell after the last bid, Emily scanned the audience. “Going once, going twice—”

  “Ten thousand dollars,” a familiar masculine voice called out.

  Excited murmurs broke out in the audience, but to Emily, the words meant nothing. She was too shocked to see Javy cutting through the tables to register what he’d said. Her gaze soaked up the sight of him like the desert in a rainstorm until all the emotions welling up inside her threatened to overflow. He looked gorgeous in black slacks and a dove-grey silk shirt, the love shining in his eyes making it impossible for Emily to look away. Her heart pounded as he drew closer, but he didn’t stop at the edge of the stage. He hopped up, his long, confident strides closing the distance until the flimsy podium was the only barrier between them.

  Emily would have gladly pushed it out of the way, but she wasn’t sure she could stand on her own. Her hands gripped the wood tightly enough to leave dents, and even though she’d talked almost nonstop the whole evening, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

  Good thing Javy seemed to have his own speech prepared. “There is one condition,” he said, his dark eyes never leaving Emily’s. “You have to agree to have dinner with me.”

  “Dinner?” Emily echoed.

  “Well, yeah.” His grin held a touch of vulnerability, which went straight to her heart. “Not much of a romantic dinner if I’m eating by myself.”

  “But…you donated dinner at the restaurant. You don’t have to bid on it.”

  “It’s for a good cause, and I won’t rob anyone else of the chance to try our food. I’ll donate another dinner for the auction, one that can be redeemed at our current location now or at our second location, which will be opening by the end of the year.”

  Emily was vaguely aware of more applause from the audience and realized Javy was close enough to the microphone that the crowd could hear their conversation, but she honestly didn’t care. “You’re opening a second restaurant?”

  “With a huge sports bar area and a patio, just the way I’ve always pictured—”

  “And your mother gets to keep her restaurant exactly the way your father made it.”

  Javy nodded. “We both get what we want…just the way it should be.”

  Emily read the promise in his expression, one that had nothing to do with his mother or the restaurant and everything to do with them.

  “Besides,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at their audience, “if I’m willing to pay ten thousand dollars for dinner at my own place, you know the food’s gotta be good. But it’s the company that will be worth every penny if Emily will agree to have dinner with me.”

  “Ten thousand…” she whispered, her voice trailing off in disbelief. “You can’t—”

  “I want to, believe me. I’ve been trying to repay that money for years. Connor won’t take it, and neither will your dad,” he said wryly. “This was the best thing I could think of to do with it. But there’s still my condition.”

  “To have dinner with you?”

  “Just dinner,” he emphasized. “I love you, Emily. I was afraid if I waited too long, you’d slip away and I’d lose you. But I held on too hard. I moved too fast, trying to push you into what I wanted when really all I want is to be with you. So what do you say?”

  “I say yes.” To dinner and everything he’d already asked for—marriage, family, forever…“I love you, too. And I’m sorry I made you doubt that, especially after everything you did to prove the kind of man you are—the kind of man your father would be so proud of. It was never you I didn’t trust, but myself. It was safer to believe what we had wasn’t serious than to admit how quickly I’d fallen for you.”

  “Yeah, well, turns out I was wrong about that.”

  Emily frowned. “About what?”

  “The good times haven’t come to an end,” he promised, his dark eyes intent on hers. “In fact, they’re just beginning. So what do you say we get out of here?”

  Gradually becoming aware once again of the fund-raiser and the dozens of people watching, even though Javy had already guided her away from the podium and the live microphone, Emily protested reluctantly. “Javy, I can’t. We’re in the middle of the auction and—”

  “Hey, everyone,” a male voice announced, and she turned to see Trey Jamison adjusting the mic. “I’m here to finish auctioning off tonight’s items, but how about a big hand for Emily Wilson, who made this whole night possible.”

  Her cousin’s friend flashed her a wink before he picked up her notes and got to work like the professional he was.

  Realization hitting a bit too late, Emily slanted Javy a glance as he led her to the side of the stage and the ballroom exit. “You planned this, didn’t you? For Trey to take over with the auction? And let me guess, Kelsey was in on it, too.”

  “Guilty as charged,” he admitted without looking the least bit repentant. “But it was strictly for your own good.”

  “Oh, and you think you know what’s best for me,” Emily challenged.

  “I do.” Pulling her into his arms, he vowed, “I am.”

  And how could she argue with that?

  Epilogue

  “How angry do you think your parents are going to be?” Javy asked.

  Turning away from the view of the Las Vegas Strip, Emily smiled at her husband of fifteen minutes. “Are you kidding? Kelsey’s the one I’ll really have to look out for. I’m sure she would have loved to coordinate a wedding for me where I was actually the one to get married. What about your mother? Are you going to be dodging skillets when we get back?”

  “Mama’s going to be so glad I’m married, I think she’ll forgive me. Of course, she’ll want to have a huge party once we get back.”

  “My family will, too.”

  “I say we have one big reception at Dos Delgado and invite everyone, since we’re all family now.”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  Although Emily doubted the party at Javy’s new restaurant would be what her parents had in mind, they’d surprised her the past few months by being far more accepting than she’d ever believed possible. Especially once she made it clear how much she loved Javy and how happy he made her.

  “And what about you?” Javy asked as he crossed the honeymoon suite.

  Even though they’d decided to forgo the full-on wedding ceremony, they had both dressed for the occasion—Emily in a simple white sheath with a touch of beading along the V-neckline and Javy in a dark gray suit. He’d already tossed aside his tie, removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his light gray shirt, revealing a casual style that suited him and never failed to steal Emily’s breath. Too focused on how sexy her new husband was, she missed the point of his question.

  “What about me?” A pop of a cork punctuated her question as he opened the bottle of champagne that had been waiting for them in the honeymoon suite.

  “How disappointed are you not to have a huge wedding?”

  “Not at all. Our wedding was exactly what I wanted.” She’d been a little concerned they might end up at some drive-through chapel of love, but the place Javy found had been perfect—a small church filled with candles and flowers and just the two of them.

  “Are you sure?” He handed her a glass, his gaze intent on hers. “I was at your would-be wedding, reme
mber? Just a few months ago, that was exactly what you wanted.”

  “Yes, it was,” Emily agreed, thinking how wrong—and how lucky—she had been. “I needed the designer gown, the nursery’s worth of flowers, the orchestra and silly ice sculptures to make up for the one thing that wedding didn’t have—a groom I loved and one who loved me.”

  Setting aside their glasses before she had a chance to do little more than taste the sparkling bubbles against her tongue, Javy pulled Emily into his arms. “You have that now,” he vowed.

  Joy and love and happiness spinning inside her, Emily couldn’t agree more. In Javy, she had everything she’d ever wanted—a man who loved her for herself, who believed in her, who had been willing to wait to make love, because once upon a time that was how she had imagined her perfect wedding night.

  He could have seduced her into his bed weeks ago, and Emily would have been more than willing to be there. He hadn’t, though, and she loved him even more for it. But now, finally, the wait was over.

  Any nerves Emily might have had melted away beneath Javy’s kiss. He made her feel desired and cherished. Each fiercely tender touch let her know that this was as much about her heart as it was about her body, and that he felt the same.

  As her wedding gown slid to the floor, his lips drifted over her skin like liquid gold, leaving her breathless, boneless, trembling in their wake. Just when she feared her legs could no longer support her, Javy scooped her into his arms and placed her in the middle of the bed. Her head spun at the sudden movement, and she had no hope of regaining any sense of balance as he followed her down.

  The welcomed weight and heat of his body pressed her into the soft mattress, and she instantly sought out the buttons on his shirt. Her startled gaze flew to his when he closed his hand over hers, stilling her movements. His expression was intense, serious, but not enough to hide the spark in his dark eyes. “You should know,” he said, his voice a rough whisper, “I’ve never done this before.” At the bemused lift of Emily’s eyebrows, he added, “Made love to a married woman.”