Summer by the Lake

by Mandy Baggot

  ‘I don’t wanna crease my beautiful dress,’ Robyn answered them.

  ‘But what about safety first?’ Sienna shouted over the boat’s engine.

  ‘No safety for me today, just fun,’ Robyn replied with a grin.

  *

  ‘Relax man, stop looking at your watch, she’ll be here. Well, that’s if Bob’s boat doesn’t break down or anything. One time he took me fishing and…’ Mickey began.

  ‘Not helping,’ Cole replied with a nervous sigh.

  ‘Listen, are you sure you want me as your best man? I mean, your brother’s just over there and you know, things are cool with you two now, right?’ Mickey asked.

  ‘I guess.’

  ‘And he’d have to be a pretty fast worker to like steal Robyn between now and the altar,’ Mickey added.

  ‘Mickey!’ Sarah hissed from behind him.

  ‘Sorry,’ Mickey said.

  ‘Have you got the rings?’ Cole asked as Bob’s boat came into view on the horizon.

  ‘Actually, I gave them to Bryn,’ Mickey admitted with a swallow.

  Bryn stood up from his seat and made his way up the shore to where Cole and Mickey were standing with the wedding party.

  ‘Hey,’ Bryn greeted.

  ‘Hey.’

  ‘Look, I’ll just sit down here with my pregnant fiancée. If you need any help, just holler. Oh, and when it gets to the speeches, we can have five minutes each,’ Mickey bargained before being pulled down onto a chair by Sarah.

  ‘So, you’re getting married,’ Bryn said, patting his brother on the back.

  ‘Yes, I am.’

  ‘I’m so happy for you,’ Bryn said sincerely.

  ‘Yeah, I’m happy for you, too,’ Cole replied, looking over at Veronica.

  ‘She come! She come!’ Henrik announced as Bob began to steer toward the jetty.

  Cole watched as Bob moored the boat and helped Robyn and the twins alight.

  *

  She stopped for a second, saw him waiting for her, and her stomach turned over. He was going to be her husband in a few minutes. Her whole life was starting over.

  And there in front of her was her dad and Max, sat in wheelchairs. Both were dressed in matching suits, a white orchid in their lapels, waiting for her on the shoreline.

  ‘Buttercup,’ Eddie choked as his daughter came down onto the sand to join him.

  ‘How do I look?’ Robyn asked, holding out her dress and doing a twirl.

  ‘Have I ever seen you out of pants?’ Eddie questioned.

  ‘You look a million dollars, gal,’ Max responded, a tear in his eye.

  ‘A princess,’ Eddie said, wiping at his eyes.

  ‘Pull yourself together, man, this is a wedding not a funeral. Let’s get this gal to her Prince Charming,’ Max said, trying to push on his wheels.

  *

  ‘I had no idea that when I offered to help a girl with a broken bag I was going to end up marrying her. I don’t know whether to thank American Airlines for putting us on the same flight or thank the bag manufacturer for producing poor goods. Robyn, I don’t know what to say. I hope you know how I feel about you. I’m gonna love you my whole life, and I’ll honor you every single second of every single day,’ Cole said.

  Tears fell from his eyes as he held both her hands and made his vows.

  ‘Cole… well, I had it all prepared… what to say… but it wasn’t right. Your dad is up there with Old Man Harrison and Mitzy, and I don’t want to let them down by saying something stupid. You’re everything to me, Cole, and you’re the only person who’s ever been everything to me. You’re special and I’m very lucky. Cole, I marry you today because you met the real Robyn Matthers at Chicago O’Hare. You brought her home and… you put me back together again,’ Robyn said as she looked up at Cole’s face.

  There was a collective sound of appreciation as Cole drew her into him and held her protectively against his chest.

  *

  ‘Cole and Robyn have exchanged their vows and given rings as a symbol of their marriage. It is now my absolute pleasure to pronounce them husband and wife. And let’s hear some applause!’ the minister ordered as Special Guest’s drummer kicked the band into action.

  ‘So, how does it feel to finally have a connection with Meg Ryan?’ Cole asked Robyn as he handed her a bottle of beer.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Robyn, you share a last name with her now,’ Cole reminded her.

  ‘Ah, well, we never actually discussed which name to take, did we? I’ve been trying Cole Matthers out over the loudspeaker at the arena and you can get a really good, long rah sound at the end. I like it,’ Robyn replied with a grin, running off toward the party tent.

  ‘No way, absolutely, no way,’ Cole said, chasing her.

  ‘And now we party, yes? Julha!’ Henrik exclaimed, punching his hands in the air excitedly.

  ‘Joola? What does that mean?’ Mickey asked.

  ‘Is Finnish for party. We have party, yes?’ Henrik said, slapping Mickey on the back.

  ‘He’s Finnish,’ Mickey said.

  ‘What?’ Sarah queried, confused.

  ‘He’s freaking Finnish! Hey! Robyn! Henrik’s Finnish!’

  Summer by the Lake Playlist

  Set the mood for Summer by the Lake with this suggested playlist!

  Keep Your Hands To Yourself – The Georgia Satellites

  Old Time Rock ‘n Roll – Bob Seger

  Johnny B Goode – Chuck Berry

  Jump – Van Halen

  Tush – ZZ Top

  Rockin’ In The Free World – Neil Young

  Red House – Jimi Hendrix

  Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams

  All Summer Long – Kid Rock

  Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynrd

  Light The Fuse Up – Raintown

  Need You Now – Lady Antebellum

  Guitar Man – Bread

  Coward Of The County – Kenny Rogers

  Too Rock For Country Too Country For Rock ‘n Roll – Lonnie Mack

  I’m Gonna Love You Through It – Martina McBride

  Long Hot Summer – Keith Urban

  Girly Girl – Courtenay Conway

  Just A Kiss – Lady Antebellum

  Still Under The Weather – Shania Twain

  Play Something Country – Brooks and Dunn

  Honky Tonk Stomp – Brooks and Dunn

  Git Yer Cowboy On – Sean Patrick McGraw

  Good One – Blackberry Smoke

  A Quarter To Three – Shy Blakeman

  Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton

  One Night – Martina McBride

  Beer Drinkin’ Girl – Sean Patrick McGraw

  About the Author

  MANDY BAGGOT is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer. The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance, her romantic comedy novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy’s books have so far been translated into German, Italian, Czech and Hungarian. Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, white wine, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters. Second para if needed

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