by Julie Kenner
As Syd and Viv shrugged at each other, communicating only with their eyes, Julia moved to Roman's side. He took her hand, their ringers twining automatically as Kiki swept out as quickly as she'd swept in, this time with Syd and Vivien in her wake.
"Your sister is a force of nature," Julia said.
"Scary, but true." A slow smile slid across his face. "Can I have this dance?"
"Will it make the news?" She nodded toward the crew from Entertainment Tonight or E ! or one of those celebrity shows that had been left milling about the lawn while Kiki ran off to change.
"You just never know," Roman said.
"In that case" She slipped into his arms, and was caught up once again by the sense of perfection. This was where she belonged. With him. But doubt taunted her. Had she made a fatal error? Roman had said he understood why she postponed the wedding, but he'd never said he agreed with her. What if, when it was all over, he decided he didn't want her after all? What if, in the end, she lost what she was so desperately trying to hold on to?
She shook her head, not willing to let her thoughts go there. Not today. It might not be her wedding, but it was still a celebration. She was Roman Sonn-tag's fiancee. He loved her. And she intended to revel in that.
She realized with a start that the music had stopped, and that she and Roman were standing in front of the arbor where they'd intended to take their vows. She also realized that everyone at the party had turned to face them. Even her bridesmaids were standing in the background, not yet decked out in Vera Wang splendor.
What was going on?
"Julia, sweetheart, there's something I need to say."
Oh dear . She'd made her decision. They needed this. Surely he wasn't going to challenge her in front of all these people? Was he?
"Roman, we"
He pressed a gentle finger to her lips. "No. Please. I need to say this."
She exhaled, then nodded. Apparently, yes. He was going to challenge her. So much for celebration. Now she got to add "fight with fiance" to the list of things she did on her non-wedding day.
"Everyone," Roman said, turning to face the crowd of over three hundred people. "Can everyone hear me?"
The crowd answered back in the negative, and one of the guys from the band supplied Roman with a microphone. Julia looked on, amusement warring with mortification.
"Better," Roman said, his voice reverberating loud enough for the crowd, and probably for everyone still in town, too.
"Yesterday, Julia told you that we agreed to wait on the wedding. That this was going to be an engagement party, and that in time we'd get married in front of a JP or in Vegas or something.
"But that was last night," he continued. "Today, I've got a different perspective."
"Roman!" She tried to get a word in, but he just talked over her.
"You see, we hit a rough patch in our relationship because I was a total jerk." The audience snickered at that, and Julia decided that maybe she should quit trying to interrupt. Even the camera crews, she saw, had their lenses aimed at Roman. And Kiki, amazingly, hadn't even noticed.
"I was trying so hard to keep a grip on both my relationship and my business, that in the end, they both spun completely out of control. And all because I was an idiot. It's not something I admit easily, so listen up. Because the odds of me repeating this again are pretty slim. But I want everyone here to know. It's important that I lay it all out on the line for you and for Julia."
He squeezed her hand, then, and she squeezed back, the lead weight that had settled on her chest lifting a little bit. She wanted to say something, but she didn't know what. And so she just listened as Roman continued.
"There's a couple of things y'all should know. First off, I'm busted flat financially. Now, I've got a solid product in the winery, and I expect it's going to take off soon, so I won't be broke for long. But in the meantime, I know that I can get out from under this debt a lot faster with Julia's help than without it. The woman's got a head for business andas an added bonusshe's got the bank account to back it up."
The audience tittered at that, and Julia knew he had them eating out of the palm of his hand. Roman, who'd been so afraid the town would look down on him if he admitted he was broke, had just won these people completely over.
And, she had to admit, he'd won her over, too.
But he wasn't finished yet.
"The other night, she suggested a business partnership. I didn't say no, exactly, but I didn't say yes, either. And I realize now that I should have. I was so busy trying to make sure that Julia saw only the man she fell in love withthe competent businessmanthat I ended up doing something totally incompetent. I didn't take a good deal when it was offered to me. That's a mistake I hope to rectify, because if Julia will have me, there's nobody else I'd like as much for a partner. In business or in life."
She blinked at that, her heart skipping in her chest. She knew how much Roman valued his reputation in the town. Admitting that he'd made a mistake where business was concernedheck, admitting that he needed moneywas a huge sacrifice for him. A sacrifice he was making for her.
"The other thing is that Julia told y'all last night that we were going to take some time to get to know each other." He turned to her. "Well, sweetheart, I don't think we need any more time. Sure, there are things we don't know. But I know all the important things."
She cocked her head, started to open her mouth, but he pressed a finger to her lips.
"Hear me out," he said. "For the record, I know that this woman likes to wear cheap underwear imprinted with cartoon characters."
"Roman!"
" And she likes peanut butter M&M's."
"This is so not winning you points!"
"I don't know what kind of shampoo she uses because I never paid attention, but I know it smells good. And I know that she bites her lip when she's nervouslike she is nowand she blushes when I talk about her. Looks cute, doesn't it?"
Another roar of approval from the crowd, and her face burned even hotter.
"I know she's got a knack for marketing and a head for business. I know she hasn't got the faintest clue how to fix a clogged drain, and she'd rather call 9-1-1 than squash a cockroach. I know she loves her mom and her dad and her sister. And I even know she loves me."
A tear trickled down Julia's cheek, and she nodded.
"And I know one other thing." He took her hand and pulled off the new engagement ring. "I know that I want this ring back."
As Julia watched, Roman pocketed the ring. The crowd tittered nervously, then became silent as Roman withdrew another ring box. He got down on one knee, then held it out to her, the lid still closed. "I also know that the one thing Julia Spinelli has wanted for her whole life is a big, fancy, formal wedding." He reached out with his other hand and flipped the top. Olga's ring, still with its fake stone, winked at her in the sunlight. "Julia Spinelli," Roman said, "will you marry me? Right here. Right now. Because I love you. And I don't need any more time to think about that."
She couldn't speak. She really and truly couldn't speak. She opened her mouth, but words didn't come out. Inside her head a voice was screaming Yes! Yes ! But the voice was staying in there.
In desperation, she did the only thing she could do. She slipped the ring on her finger, threw herself into his arms, and kissed him.
When they broke the kiss, the guests were still applauding.
"Is that a yes?" Roman asked.
Julia nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, yeah. That's very much a yes."
Roman may have said he wanted to get married "right here, right now," but that really wasn't possible. Too many people were rushing the couple, tossing out kisses and congratulations.
Not that Roman minded. Heck, at the moment, he wouldn't have minded if a plane swooped down to pick them up and dump them in Las Vegas. All Roman cared about, in fact, was that Julia had said yes. She loved him. She'd forgiven him. And she was going to marry him.
How he got so lucky in life, he'd p
robably never know, but he'd never stop being thankful. That much he did know.
Right then, Julia stood only a few feet away from him, having been immediately mobbed by the girls from the book group. He caught Ann Marie's eye, and she winked at him. "You done good," she mouthed, over the heads of her friends.
Roman smiled back. Coming from Ann Marie, that was a heck of a compliment.
Wesley and Arvin came up, tailed by Viv and Syd, who each gave him a quick hug before trotting over to throw their arms around Julia. "Damn good speech," Wesley said. "And this party's got some good food, too."
Roman laughed. "We aim to please."
He was still laughing when his parents came up to hug him, telling him how proud they were of him and how happy they were he was marrying such a nice girl.
They froze in place when Marv approached, and Roman held his breath, wondering if there would be fireworks. But no explosions came. Marv held out his hand, and Robert took it. The two men nodded briefly at each other, and then the Sonntags departed, leaving Roman alone with his father-in-law-to-be.
"You done good, boy," Marv said.
"Thank you, sir. I've done a little more, too."
Marv squinted at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Julia's always wanted a big, formal wedding. We got a little sidetracked, but I'm still hoping we can make that dream come true." He let his gaze drift over Marv's outfit of polyester pants and a hideous ruffled cowboy shirt. "Your tux is in the house, sir. I took a few liberties this morning. With Syd's help, of course."
"And mine," Breckin said, moving up to them with quick, efficient paces. "Go now," he said, waving Marv toward the house. "Shoo! Shoo!"
Roman watched, amused, as Marv did just that. Then he watched as Breckin proceeded to crash Julia's little circle, shooing Syd and Viv away with just as much efficiency.
"Roman?" Julia asked, making her escape and coming to stand by him. "What's going on?"
A few feet away, Breckin whistled and signaled for a workman to roll a metal cage across the lawn. It came to rest behind the arbor, tastefully covered with a white cloth.
"Doves?" Julia asked.
"For after the ceremony. I took a chance. I called Breckin last night and, well, here you go."
"Thank you," she said, and the love he saw in her eyes told him that he'd done exactly the right thing.
"Breckin and I were able to get pretty much everything put back together. It won't be quite as orga-nized a wedding, and the guests aren't in formal attire, but"
"It's perfect. It's more than perfect." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "It's not the wedding that matters, you know. All that matters is us."
"And the dress," he added with a grin.
Her eyes twinkled. "Well, yeah. That goes without saying."
"It's in the guest bedroom," Roman said. "Breckin brought it over this morning. All you have to do is change."
She nodded, but she didn't move immediately toward the house. Instead, her eyes searched the crowd, stopping only when they landed on his mother. "About the dress," she said, her mouth curved into the tiniest of smiles. "I've got something else in mind."
Weddings weren't about fairy tales or fashion, Julia realized. They weren't even about just two people. Not really.
In the end, a wedding was all about family.
And that's why she didn't wear the princess dress with the hand-beading and the train and the flattering neckline. It was, after all, just a dress like so many others.
Sarah's dress had a family history. Her family's history.
And, really, the dress wasn't so bad. After all, she was a bride. She glowed. And Vera Wang made any-one look goodeven a bride not wearing Vera, but who was surrounded by bridesmaids resplendent in the designer's best.
And, of course, standing next to Marv's tacky blue tux, any dress would have seemed stunning.
Mostly, though, she knew she was beautiful by the look in Roman's eyes as she walked down the aisle.
All the rule books instruct the bride to walk slowly, regally. And Julia tried, really she did. But she couldn't seem to manage. Instead, she hurried down the aisle, her father at her side and her groom ahead of her.
She hurried, because she couldn't wait to say "I do."
All right, girls, listen up. Your wedding is your big day, right? The be-all and end-all? The culmination of everything that you've hoped for and dreamed about? Right ? Right?
Wrong. Your wedding is important, sure. But it's the life with your husband that counts. The man you love is putting a ring on your finger. Savor it, girls. And savor every day from the wedding on. The wedding may be big, but your life is even bigger. You've found a man to share your days and nights, your hopes and dreams. And that, my friends, is the biggest coup of all.
Julia Spinelli
Dear Reader,
If we haven't met, let me introduce myself: I'm Jersey girl Sydney Spinelli, Julia's older sister and self-appointed protector. I still can't believe my baby sis is getting married before me, and to a guy she's only know a few short weeks!
But as I discovered when I met Alex, the best man, you can't really plan when or where or with whom you fall in love. It certainly wasn't convenient for me to flip over Alex, when my whole reason for flying down to Fredericksburg, Texas, was to stop Julia's wedding and convince her that she didn't know Roman well enough to love him.
Truth to tell, falling for Alex was highly embarass-ing for me. And unnerving. All of our lives, Julia's been the beauty and I've been the brain. So I couldn't believe it when Alex went after me , of all people, since he's so hot himself. I mean, Kiki, his high school girlfriend (and the groom's sister) was a runner up to Miss Texas! Ugh. I couldn't compete with that.
And it's not like Alex was under the illusion that I was a saint. He came right out and accused me of meddling. Can you believe that? I was not meddling, just trying to help.
Anyway. Alex is starting to get that look in his eye and I have a feeling that he's going to pop the question any day now. Shhhhh, don't tell anyonesince Julia will give me such a hard timebut I've even started to look at wedding gowns, which is so unlike me.
I'll let you know what happens! And if you want to know how Alex and 1 got together, pick up a copy of First Date , where you can read our whole story. You can find it at your local bookstore, or find out how to order it at www.KarenKendall.com.
Talk to you soon, Syd
Dear Reader,
I adore Julia and Roman's story, don't you? And not just because he's my brother, and she's now a sister by marriage. Well, maybe that is the reason. But I had to say something sweet before putting in a shameless plug for my bookFirst Kiss . You know the old saying: The real romance at a wedding can be found with the prettiest bridesmaid, preferably one who happened to be a runner-up for Miss America 1995. Okay, that's not really an old saying. I just made it up. But it's true!
Pick up my book (it's called First Kiss did I mention that?), and you'll find out all about me and Fab. I know. How hot is that name? It's short for Fabrizio, and it's just so coolthe way it sounds tripping off your tongue, the way it looks when you write it down. Fab .
So here's the deal. One day I was plastered on the front page of every New York tabloid for something I didn't do (long story). Anyway, I'm on the run from the paparazzi (most of them ugly men with bad manners), and I dash inside Affair. It's the hottest boutique hotel in Manhattan, a place where stylish people go for, well, affairs . And that's when I met the owner, Fab Tomba.
Oh, my Godit was one of those unforgettable electrical connections. You know, when something inside you just clicks and you know that this man could turn your life completely upside down. It's like back in the 70s when Ali MacGraw met Steve McQueen (FYII use celebrity as a point of reference for everything). She saw him from two thousand feet away and almost passed out. My thing with Fab practically the same! Well, sort of. Actually, I saw him for the first time from a much closer distance, I wasn't married at the time and we weren't o
n a movie set. But other than thattotally similar.
Okay, I'm not telling any more. You have to read the book!
Air Kisses,
Kiki Douglas,
Actress (mainly daytime soaps but would one day like my own sitcom)
Motivational Writer (tip for quick ego boost: send yourself a glorious floral arragement and have the card read something like , I can't wait to get home to
you Matthew McConaughey)
Dear Reader,
Have we met? I'm Julia Spinelli's best friend from school, Vivien Shelton. If you ever need legal advice regarding family law, just let me knowbecause I'm one of Manhattan's top divorce attorneys.
Since that's the case, let me tell you that it was the height of irony that Julia drafted me as a bridesmaid in her wedding! I honestly didn't know what to say, except to advise her to register for a pre-nup along with that silver punch bowl:
As you might imagine, that ticked off our Julia and she wouldn't even discuss the matter of a pre-nup with me. She's a romantic, and she was head over heels for this Texas winemaker, Roman Sonntag. It set all my inner alarm bells off, and I decided that it was my duty to bring up the pre-nup with Roman's attorney, J.B. Anglin.
Did I mention that the last time I'd seen J.B., I was, ah, somewhat naked? And he was rather annoyed since I'd just apparently used him and tossed him out of my hotel room? So our first meeting in Freder-icksburg was a little awkward, especially since he felt compelled to bring up that topic.
We never did get either Julia or Roman to sign a pre-nup, but while we argued about it, J.B. and I fell in love, despite his ex-wife and my cynicism and utterly dysfunctional family life. Believe it or not, my five rescued greyhounds and I are considering a move to Texas. If you want to read the full story, I filed the briefs in First Dance . Get a copy at your nearest bookseller or go to www.Karen Kendall.com.