“Aunt Taylor, you look beautiful,” Reese said, putting an arm around Taylor’s waist as she joined her again now that the photographer had finished taking pictures.
When she’d asked Reese if she’d like to be a junior bridesmaid in the wedding, instead of saying yes, the first words out of her mouth had been, “Do I have to wear a dress?” While they didn’t plan to have anything as formal and elaborate as Allison, Curt’s cousin, had in June, Reese couldn’t walk down the aisle in soccer shorts and cleats either.
Rather than complain or flat-out refuse to be part of the wedding if she had to wear a dress when she found out it was required, she’d simply nodded and asked Taylor not to make her wear anything with sequins—a request that was easy to accommodate, since Taylor didn’t care for sequins either. Reese hadn’t blinked an eye when she found out she’d need to wear tights either.
Nope, the disagreement came when it came to shoes. Reese had wanted to wear her new leopard-print combat boots Curt’s mom bought her back in September for school. She’d insisted fancy dress shoes like the ones she’d worn to the party at the White House hurt her feet. Taylor had understood her niece’s sentiments. Dress shoes weren’t always the most comfortable, and the first chance she got at the reception tonight, she planned to kick off her heels. Still, combat boots didn’t go with a bridesmaid’s dress.
In the end, Reese had called in reinforcements. At first, when Curt suggested new navy blue, high-top canvas sneakers, Taylor had balked at the idea. While the same color as Reese’s dress, they weren’t much better than the boots. Then he’d reminded her how they’d both agreed they wanted Reese to enjoy herself today and that she hadn’t complained once about wearing a dress and tights. Presented with such a unified front, she’d given in, which was why Reese stood there wearing a navy blue, floor-length chiffon dress with a V-neckline and flutter sleeves as well as blue canvas high tops. Although honestly, for the most part, the full skirt hid her unique footwear.
Mom joined them in front of the mirror, dressed in a plum-colored, floor-length gown with a beaded jewel neckline and three-quarter sleeves. “I think you both look beautiful. Curt’s one lucky man.”
As far as Taylor was concerned, she and Reese were just as lucky.
“I wish your dad was here to see the two of you.” Over the past several months, Mom had made similar statements whenever they spoke about her wedding.
Yep, having Dad there would have been fantastic. But since it was impossible, Taylor refused to dwell on his absence. Instead, she concentrated on the fact two of the most important people in the world were standing next to her, and soon she’d be seeing the third.
“It’s not too late, Taylor. You can still make your escape. I can call Sara and ask her to arrange for Christopher’s plane to fly you to wherever you want. Then we can have the driver bring you to the airport instead of the church,” Leah said as she walked back into the living room.
In a perfect world, Eliza would’ve organized her bachelorette party and then acted as her maid of honor. But this wasn’t a perfect world, and her older sister had made decisions that meant she would never be a part of Taylor’s or Reese’s life again. That didn’t mean Taylor wouldn’t have a sister at the altar with her this afternoon. It just meant that the sister wouldn’t be biologically related to her.
In the beginning, Taylor had been a little uncomfortable around Curt’s sister. That had quickly changed, and now she had a better sisterly relationship with Leah than she’d ever had with Eliza.
“As tempting an offer as it is, I better pass. Your brother would be lost without me.”
Leah sighed loudly. “True. I guess that means we better go before Curt drags Reverend Shawn over here. He’s probably already tried, and Brett had to tie him to a chair to keep him from doing it again.”
An image of Brett tying his brother to a chair after Curt attempted to pull Reverend Shawn out of the church played through her head. “Do you think Brett used rope or zip ties?”
“Knowing Brett, both. He likes to do things right the first time,” Leah answered.
Eleven
When he’d rolled out of bed, his stomach contained more knots than the rigging on a sailboat. Somehow, he’d managed to drink the coffee Brett shoved his way. Eating the bacon and eggs his brother, who’d spent the night with him, cooked had been out of the question. He’d expected excitement this morning, not nervousness. After all, what did he have to be nervous about? It wasn’t like Taylor would say no rather than I do once she reached the altar. Or that she wouldn’t show up at the church.
The arrival of the photographer, his dad, Scott, and Derek, his two groomsmen, had distracted him a little. But even with the other men present, he’d done a fair amount of pacing and time checking. At one point, Dad even poured him a shot of scotch, told him he’d downed one himself right before his wedding, and then ordered him to drink it. It’d helped slightly until they reached the church. Once there, he’d spent his time either looking at his watch or out the window for any sign of Taylor’s limo and more or less driving everyone around him crazy.
When Brett put him out of his misery and told him the limo carrying the bridal party had arrived, the knots in his stomach disappeared and a sense of calm descended—not that it lasted long. The moment he saw first Reese and then Taylor escorted by Priscilla come toward him, everything from love to the need to protect assaulted him.
Except for when Jake got married, Curt had attended all of his cousins’ weddings. Although Curt would never tell any of them, he’d found them all long, tedious affairs where he spent most of the time thinking about everything from the plot of his book to whether he wanted to use oak or Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring in the dining room of whatever current house he was renovating.
Not so today.
“Taylor and Curt have prepared their own vows today,” Reverend Shawn announced to the crowded church. Although they’d only invited family and close friends, there wasn't an empty pew in the 18th-century church.
Although no one else knew it, his wedding vows were not the only ones he’d prepared for this afternoon. In hindsight, he should’ve given the reverend a heads-up on his plan for today. But it was a little too late now. “Reverend Shawn, before Taylor and I exchange vows, there is something else I need to do.”
The reverend’s lips parted, and he glanced at Taylor before meeting his eyes again. “Certainly, this day is all about the two of you.”
You’re mostly correct. Walking past Taylor, Curt took Reese’s hand and led her back to where he’d been standing. Then he dropped to one knee, so he was at her eye level and pulled the gold heart pendant necklace from his pocket.
“Reese Walker, soon-to-be Reese Sherbrooke, you and your aunt Taylor captured my heart a long time ago. No matter what, I promise to love you, take care of you, and be the best father I can possibly be.” He barely managed to fasten the necklace around her neck before she threw her arms around him.
“I love you too.” As quickly as she hugged him, Reese let go and moved back into her spot between Lillian and Leah.
Tears glistened in Taylor’s eyes when he rejoined her. “I love you.” Although they’d yet to exchange vows, she kissed him.
Curt watched Taylor, Reese, and several other wedding guests perform the Old Town Road dance. It wasn’t a song he would’ve added to the reception playlist, but both Reese and Taylor liked it. And as long as he didn’t have to dance to it, he didn’t care if the DJ played it.
“After that vow you made to Reese in the church, you’re probably Mom’s favorite child,” Brett said.
With Taylor dancing, he’d joined his brother and a few of his guests whose companions were on the dance floor.
“Never mind being Aunt Judith’s favorite child. He earned brownie points with every one of our female relatives this afternoon. I swear, when he dropped to one knee in front of Reese, every woman in the church was on the verge of tears,” Jake said as he reached for his wineglass. “I t
hink even my dad was.”
Curt would accept that his aunts and maybe his female cousins had teared up a little, but not Uncle Warren.
“Sara did cry. Then again, it doesn’t take much these days. Were Callie and Charlie overly emotional when they were pregnant?” Christopher asked his brothers-in-law, Jake and Dylan.
Jake shook his head. “Charlie had terrible morning sickness, but I don’t remember her being emotional.”
“Callie just had strange food cravings,” Dylan answered.
“Lucky you.” Christopher clasped his hands together on the table. “Just so I know if I should bring tissues or not, do you have any emotional surprises planned for your wedding, Brett?”
“I didn’t, but now I might need to come up with something so that I can be Mom’s favorite son again.”
Leah slapped their brother on the arm. “Leave him alone. It is his wedding day.” Putting her arm around his shoulders, she kissed his cheek. “What you did was perfect. And you made Reese’s day. It was all she could talk about in the limo on the way here.”
“Hey, we’re only giving you a hard time because we can,” Jake commented, looking serious for the first time since Curt joined the group. “Not that it matters. We all adore Reese and thought what you did for her was great.”
Before they’d left the church, his brother had pulled him aside and said more or less the same thing. Jake’s statement and the nods of agreement it received now didn’t surprise him either.
Yep, Jake was right. Still, the way everyone from his mom and dad to his cousins had welcomed her into the family meant a lot to him.
Out on the dance floor, the current song ended. Rather than return to him, Taylor and his cousin Juliette walked off toward where Aaron, who’d proposed to his cousin the weekend they used Curt’s house in Newport, Mom, Aunt Marilyn, and Priscilla were sitting. Reese didn’t come looking for him either. Instead, she took James, Dylan’s son, by the hand and moved back onto the dance floor. Although the youngest generation of Sherbrookes and Belmonts hadn’t attended the previous three weddings this year, all of them were there today, even Courtney’s son, who had been born in mid-October.
“She’s great with children,” Leah commented. “You and Taylor have a fantastic future babysitter right there.”
He’d thought the same thing on numerous occasions. “Speaking of needing a babysitter, did Alec’s date leave?” It took him a moment to locate his younger cousin sitting with their grandmother, Uncle Warren, and Uncle Mark, his cousin’s father.
“I saw them having a disagreement in the lobby when I went to the ladies’ room,” Leah explained, accepting the glass Gavin handed her when he returned from dancing with his daughter, Erin.
“I must admit I feel a little bad for him. He’s the only one of us left for Tasha to go after now.” Jake’s smile conveyed the opposite of sympathy.
The daughter of Richard Marshall, a close friend of his father and uncles, Tasha had gotten it in her head years ago that she wanted to marry into the Sherbrooke family. She didn’t seem to care which of the males got her there. Tasha had started by going after Jake. Once he’d been off the market, she’d worked her way down the line. Since they’d limited their guest list to only family members, Curt hadn’t invited her or her parents to the wedding. His brother wouldn’t be as lucky. Not only did Brett work with Richard now that he was a senator in Washington, but Richard and his wife were close friends of their parents. Whenever events such as weddings or holiday parties took place, the two families included each other.
“Maybe we should hire Alec a bodyguard from Elite Force for Brett’s wedding,” Curt suggested.
Based in Virginia, the organization provided private security to anyone who could afford them. However, it wasn’t all they did. Right after Reese’s abduction, he’d hired the firm, and it’d been its Hostile Response Team that found Reese, not the police.
“Not a bad idea. I’ll call the firm tomorrow and arrange it.” Jake pushed his chair back and stood. “Right now, I’m going to find Charlie and Garrett.”
As much as he enjoyed spending time with the people around him, getting his wife in his arms and on the dance floor sounded like a phenomenal idea. “I’ll see you all later too.”
Taylor, along with the guests seated with her, was laughing when he approached. As soon as they saw him, though, they all fell silent and looked at him.
“We were just talking about you.” Judging by Mom’s smile, he didn’t want to know what embarrassing story she’d shared with his wife.
Great. After greeting everyone, Curt extended his hand toward Taylor. “Mrs. Sherbrooke, would you like to dance?”
They made it to the edge of the dance floor before he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close.
They moved as one for a moment or two in silence before Taylor spoke. “Reese asked this morning when she’ll have a brother or sister.”
“Did she?”
“She did. And she said, if possible, she’d like either twin sisters or brothers, so she gets a lot of siblings faster.”
“Of course she said that. What did you tell her?” They’d discussed having children at some point, but not when they wanted it to happen.
“That we couldn’t promise twins. But hopefully, she’d have a sibling soon.”
“How soon were you thinking?” If it were up to him, next year at this time, they’d have a fourth member of their family.
“We’re going to be alone for the next week and a half. I say we spend most of that time trying to give Reese what she wants.”
“You won’t get any argument from me there, Mrs. Sherbrooke.” Touching her face, he pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled back, he found her smiling at him.
“I think that should be your new motto. We can have it put on a sign and then hang it over your desk.”
“I got a better motto.” He lowered his head toward hers again. “I love you.” He covered her lips with his before she could answer.
Also By Christina
Loving The Billionaire
The Teacher's Billionaire
The Billionaire Playboy
The Billionaire Princess
The Billionaire's Best Friend
Redeeming The Billionaire
More Than A Billionaire
Protecting The Billionaire
Bidding On The Billionaire
Falling For The Billionaire
The Billionaire Next Door
The Billionaire's Homecoming
The Billionaire’s Heart
Tempting The Billionaire
The Billionaire’s Kiss
A Billionaire’s Love, a novella
The Courage To Love
Hometown Love
The Playboy Next Door
In His Kiss
A Promise To Keep
When Love Strikes
Born To Protect
His To Protect
One Of A Kind Love, coming June 2021
About the Author
USA Today Best Selling author, Christina Tetreault started writing at the age of 10 on her grandmother's manual typewriter and never stopped. Born and raised in Lincoln, Rhode Island, she has lived in four of the six New England states since getting married in 2001. Today, she lives in New Hampshire with her husband, three daughters and two dogs. When she's not driving her daughters around to their various activities or chasing around the dogs, she is working on a story or reading a romance novel. Currently, she has three series out, The Sherbrookes of Newport, Love on The North Shore and Elite Force Security. You can visit her website www.christinatetreault.com or follow her on Facebook to learn more about her characters and to track her progress on current writing projects.
A Billionaire's Love: The Sherbrookes of Newport Novella Page 7