And for one incredibly lucky woman, he would be a husband and partner.
I glanced again at the dress I would be wearing in a few short hours. Despite how Cillian had tried to rain on my parade, my heart soared with joy. I squeezed my sister’s hand. “Come on,” I said, pulling her towards the party that waited for me.
As I predicted, Dad had wrestled control of the cooking staff to prepare a barbecue feast with some of our family favorites that were born in the American southwest. He oversaw everything with his quiet authority, donning an apron and cooking right alongside the puzzled staff who didn’t quite know what to make of all the Americans who had invaded the serene, solemn surroundings of a stately castle built in the 1100s.
They likewise didn’t know what to make of my mother, Sunny McPhee, and her new sidekick Jorge Navarro, who orchestrated the festivities for the evening in the ancient grand ballroom under a domed rotunda. Though it looked like an elegant backdrop for a medieval ball, disco music blared from the speakers as my guests for the evening milled about, the bridal signature drink in hand: an auberry and peaches champagne cocktail made with the best Yaars bubbly in the country.
I couldn’t wait to taste it… in a few more weeks, after my son was born.
Dash looked ever so fetching in his little uniform on loan from the queen, complete with a saber to his side and a medal on his chest. He bowed to me as he stopped me at the entrance. “Milady,” he greeted.
I couldn’t help but giggle. “Sire,” I responded with a curtsy of my own. “Didn’t you want to save your uniform for the wedding?”
“I have another one for tomorrow,” he said. “It’s way fancier.”
I nodded. “Of course,” I grinned. He was an official page, just like Oliver Tremwell. Dallas would serve as one of the bridesmaids, along with several other young girls we selected with the Queen.
My maid of honor was my sister, Fernie, of course. But I had also insisted that Audra join our party as well. She was family as far as I was concerned, and I wanted my wedding to reflect that. My maids of honor would follow me down the aisle, guiding the children who would escort me to my prince.
We had spent the last couple of weeks rehearsing the pomp and circumstance that would magically turn me from an ordinary commoner to an Aldaynean princess, so everyone knew their parts. There was only one thing left to do.
Party.
Dash turned to our private court. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced formally, in a loud voice that required no microphone. “For the last time ever, Peaches McPhee!”
The introduction was bittersweet. I didn’t want to leave that part of myself behind, no matter how glad I was to marry the man that I loved. It was a terrifying prospect to think I was becoming someone else entirely: not just Peaches Quinn… but Her Royal Highness Peaches McPhee Quinn Agassi, Duchess of Iver, as I would be officially styled until Auggie’s coronation as king.
Though Old Mother resisted it at first, I decided I wanted to keep Agassi in my name. It was my husband’s name, after all. It was a part of him. It was a part of his history. I wanted not only to keep it but pass it along to our children, starting first with Jack.
My other brother, Archer, was second to greet me. “Hey, sis,” he grinned as he pulled me in for a tight hug. “You look amazing.”
I laughed. “Like a princess?”
“Like a queen,” he corrected. He pulled back to look at me.
“What?” I asked finally, only because it took him so long to form a sentence. It was very un-Archer-like.
“I don’t want to give up my job looking after you,” he started, his voice hitching.
“Oh, Archer,” I pulled him into a hug. “You never have to give up that job. I’ll always be your little sister.”
My uncharacteristically emotional brother squeezed me tight. “Good,” he said. “Because being your brother is one of my favorite things.”
His declaration made me emotional as well. “Arch,” was all I could say as I held him tight.
He had had many reservations with my engagement, my upcoming marriage, and my unexpected pregnancy, but now wasn’t the time to get into it. We had talked, and argued, long into the night in the past few weeks, but Archer knew that I had made up my mind and there was no changing it. He wanted to protect me as best he could, but I would soon belong to Aldayne. He had to trust that they would take care of me from now on.
They had protected me from Christopher.
The jury was out on how they could protect me from Cillian. Given he was part of the royal family, as were the whole Byrne clan, I was a little nervous on just how close my new enemies would be allowed to get.
They were already on the guest list for the wedding, sitting right up front in the sanctuary, along with the other lines of royal family that had branched out across Europe.
I vaulted between being glad they could see us in our joy and freaked out they would hop up and tear the whole thing asunder the minute Bishop O’Sullivan asked if there was anyone present who could show just cause that we could not be married.
I had had actual nightmares about it over the past few weeks, so much so I tried to campaign that the line be omitted entirely. Given Queen Maeve didn’t know the true paternity, I really didn’t have a valid reason to taking it out other than a general distrust of the Byrnes altogether, which, apparently, was not enough.
That said, I had to wonder if Cillian’s little surprise gift was a reassurance that he was willing to wait until Halloween to pull any nasty rabbits out of his hat, or just something to pacify me so that such a stunt would pack a greater punch.
Only time would tell.
I tried to set aside my worries and instead focus on the festivities before me. All McPhees were present, joined by our new friends and future-in-laws, the Tremwells, as well as my Glam Crew, Jorge and Darcy, and their litany of elves that were tasked with turning this ordinary girl into a princess.
My favorite of the helpers was Clementine Pomeroy, who had showed up at the castle steps with purple hair streaked with black, sporting her support of Aldayne. She was unapologetically plus sized, though I wouldn’t dare to use that term around Darcy. Her sister-in-law Coralie Masters had all but made the term a pejorative that suggested anyone who didn’t fit into a narrow row of sizes was somehow an outlier who deserved to be segregated.
Coralie was on our guest list, as was her husband Devlin, an award-winning composer and pianist who would perform at the Grand Reception Ball following the wedding. Also set to perform was Giovanni Carnevale, of all things. If you had told twenty-year-old Peaches that her celebrity crush would perform a song at her wedding—to a prince no less—she would have laughed right in your face.
But it was all scheduled to happen the following day. Vanni and his wife, Andy, had already arrived in Aldayne the week prior, rehearsing for the big day.
Our impressive guest list included Graham Baxter, the president of Vanni’s record label, and Devlin’s, and Auggie’s. It was the first time the McPhees would get to meet Mr. Baxter, though my family had been taking care of Maggie Farms, the compound he had built for his wife, for almost two years.
He had been invited along with his business partner, Alexander Fullerton, both of whom owned a resort hotel in Noxbury, a sister property to one they had taken ownership of in Vegas several years back.
Former presidents of the United States, who had cordial relationships with the Queen, were also on the guest list, and I had the wedding presents to prove it.
It was shaping up to be quite the shindig.
For my party, however, the guest list was limited to the people I wanted to spend these last moments as a single woman with, my family, my friends, the people who had my back.
I thought about Auggie then, wondering if he was likewise surrounded by love. I knew his aunts Princess Mariel and Princess Giz would take care of him as the Queen prepared him for his royal duty the following day.
I hardly had any time to think about it. M
y mother grabbed me up into a big hug. “There’s my girl!” she exclaimed. “How do you feel?”
“Petrified,” I answered honestly. I wasn’t scared to marry Auggie, but the historic importance of our union was freaking me the hell out. What if I stumbled? What if I burst into tears and couldn’t recite my vows? What if…?
“You’ll be fine,” Mom assured as she hugged me tight. “The most important thing is the man waiting for you at the end of the aisle. Everything else is just for show. It’s all for the people, who already love you.”
“Not everyone,” I corrected. In addition to the ones who thought I was a poor choice for a bride for their king, other protests had kicked up in the last week or two, letting us know there were some Aldayneans who weren’t interested in sovereign rule or any royal trappings that came along with it.
“You have nothing to prove or justify to anyone hellbent to hate you, Pea. Celebrate with those who celebrate you. There are more of us, I promise.”
“You’re right,” I said as I hugged her.
“Of course, I’m right,” she said as she squeezed me back. “Now, come on. Let’s party.”
Dad wore his Kiss the Chef apron as he helped bring out trays of food from the kitchen, perplexing the nameless, faceless staff that was used to running things in quiet service at Greystone. But the McPhees were all about service, too, so he wasn’t about to let them serve him. It was one of the few things my parents could provide for these festivities and he was adamant about doing his part.
I stopped him with a hug. “It smells wonderful, Dad.”
“Only the best for my baby girl,” he grinned as he picked me up in a bear hug that both Jack and I had gotten used to in the past few weeks. “There’s extra jalapeno in the corn casserole. Be careful, we don’t want Jack to make an appearance at the wedding.”
I laughed. “Wouldn’t that be a historic arrival?” I caressed my tummy. From my last appointment with Dr. Hamish, I knew we weren’t that close to deliver, Braxton-Hicks contractions aside. All things pointed towards the Halloween due date, which was a good thing considering Cillian’s little gift. If Jack dared to make any appearance earlier than that, there surely would be questions to answer.
There were going to be anyway.
I grabbed myself a plate and tried not to worry about it. Like my mom always said, there was only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time. So, I got my bib on.
I spent dinner vaulting effortlessly between all the tables, so I could spend some quality time with all the people I loved. I started first at the kids’ table, where my sister Dallas and Oliver Tremwell sat with Dash. “How’s it going?” I asked. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
Dash was quick to shake his head, but Dallas was a little more reserved. As an athlete, she was used to performing complicated routines in front of large crowds. But this was the largest crowd ever, watching her do something she never in her wildest dreams could have predicted. I had watched her over the last few weeks showing the same steadfast dedication to getting all the steps right. I knew she’d be practicing long into the night.
“It’ll be fine,” Oliver assured her.
Oliver’s father, General George Tremwell, Earl of Girbridge, was a courtier like every other Tremwell who came before him, serving now as the King of Arms. Audra and Gav also held high positions in the court and were treasured by the Quinns who depended on their strength and loyalty to keep Aldayne safe and prosperous. So, Oliver was born into nobility and as such, had quite a bit of experience with all the pomp and circumstance that goes with it, even though he was just barely thirteen years old.
“We can keep practicing if you like,” he offered. I could tell by the way my preteen sister was quite taken with the quiet, dignified younger Tremwell, though I was about 98.7% sure she was barking up the wrong tree. Young Oliver set off my gay-dar, despite being so reserved.
“I’d like that,” she said with a soft smile.
“Me, too!” Dash piped up, making us all laugh. “I don’t think I’m going to get any sleep tonight anyway.”
“Me, either” I grinned. The children laughed. “Looking forward to your first official ride in a carriage, Dashie?”
His eyes brightened as he nodded. The bridal party, consisting of Fern, Dallas, Dash and Oliver, were to be positioned in front of me during the official drive to the castle the following morning. They would follow the carriage with my parents riding with Archer and Audra and Ellen Tremwell, with Gav and George astride their horses on either side of the carriage.
I would be in the last carriage, followed by a squadron of soldiers on horseback.
We would stop only once, in front of Shimmering Falls, where the Queen’s own gilded carriage would join us to travel the remaining twelve miles to Crystal Skye, her gold coach leading the way. At that point, Princess Giselle, one of my other bridesmaids, would join Fernie and the children before we made our final leg to the cathedral.
I was especially excited about the Queen’s coach joining our little parade, mostly because Auggie would be riding with her.
Since his parents were not here to walk him down the aisle, the Queen insisted that she be the one to lead him to the altar herself.
Jaws were sure to drop, but Queen Maeve wanted to use the opportunity to show that she supported this marriage wholeheartedly.
I spent a little extra time with the kids before I joined the next table, where Gav and Fern sat with Audra and Archer. I could tell before I sat down that sparks had already begun to fly between my brother and one of my new best friends. I was immediately on board with this. Archer was a strong personality; he needed an equally strong woman to keep him in check while continually pushing him to be better.
Countess Audra Tremwell fit that bill and then some.
“You’re going to have a hard time following up to this wedding, Sis,” he told Fern.
She giggled. “I don’t need all this.” She turned to Gav. “I just need him.”
I envied that she had a choice in the matter. As much as they tell you it’s a fairy tale romance to fall in love with a prince, and have that prince fall back in love with you, but the cost for such a dream was astronomical.
If it hadn’t been Auggie, I wouldn’t have paid it.
“So, an intimate affair at Maggie Farms, then?” he joked.
We all laughed, thinking of how well that would go over with the more formal Tremwells.
“I don’t know if we’re ever going back to Maggie Farms,” Fern said sadly. “I know it was never ours to begin with, but I’ll miss it.”
“Me, too,” I agreed. That life seemed so long ago, when Fernie and I would stay up all night giggling in the pool house, dreaming about our futures.
Neither of us has predicted any of this.
“How about you, Archer?” Audra asked. “Will you be returning to America?”
“It’s my home,” he stated simply. “I suppose you’re probably done with it.”
Her face grew wistful. “I enjoyed my time there,” she admitted. “But I am Aldaynean. It is good to be home.”
He nodded and didn’t say much. He turned to me. “And you’ll be holding dual citizenship, then?”
I nodded. Aldayne allowed me to be a citizen both in the U.S. and in Aldayne. “The process should finalize around the time of Auggie’s coronation.”
“Convenient,” he quipped.
Fern laughed. “It’s two-years from your wedding if you marry an Aldaynean. Which means I need to hurry up and get married to catch up with Pea.”
“For a variety of reasons,” Gav grinned before he leaned in to sneak a slow, tantalizing kiss.
Archer easily read between the lines. “Isn’t it a little soon to be thinking about children?”
Gav pulled Fernie closer. “Never too soon when you find the right partner, mate.”
Out of the corner of my eye I watched Arch steal a glance at Audra. I grinned to myself as I made way to my next table, where my Glam Squad was
in full effect, laughing and boisterous as they prepared for what would literally be a crowning achievement in all of their careers.
“I should send you to bed right now,” Jorge declared. “No royal bride of mine is going to have bags under her eyes.”
I laughed. “If I did, I’m sure you could fix them.”
He groaned thinking about it.
“I’ve got you covered, Pea,” Clem said. “Working for Caz Bixby, I’ve had a lot of experience disguising damage after a late night of frivolity.”
I laughed. “I bet.” Everyone knew the infamous Caz Bixby, who had made being a gigolo damn near patriotic. He was unabashed about his avant-garde lifestyle, where he had gained his notoriety through being a male escort, with his very own reality show to prove it.
Since Clem worked on said reality show, I knew she had plenty of tricks up her sleeve.
“Where is your boss these days?” I asked, just to make conversation. I suppose that was why I was surprised when she answered.
“He’s in Aldayne. He’ll be at the wedding.”
My eyes widened and my mouth gaped. “How’d he manage that?”
“Vivienne Byrne,” she smirked.
My jaw practically unhinged.
Vivienne Byrne was Allan Byrne’s thrice-divorced sister and Cillian’s infamous socialite aunt. Unlike the Byrne men, Vivian had no real interest in ruling Aldayne. She instead preferred to shake things up a bit, like inviting a well-known male escort to a royal wedding.
“Does Queen Maeve know?”
“Know?” Clem crowed with a laugh. “She sent him a gift basket.”
I giggled. That sounded like Maeve. She knew that giving Viv full reign to wreak havoc would do more to upset the Byrnes than the Quinns.
Besides, it wasn’t like Viv could ever be contained.
This was shaping up to be quite a wedding indeed!
After dinner, Mom turned up the music and officially started the karaoke part of our evening. George and Ellen were gracious enough to join us for the first few songs before retiring for the evening. Everyone else, though, was just getting started.
We were right in the middle of Jorge and Clem’s version of a Pussycat Dolls song when the night got even more interesting with the arrival of some important guests.
The Duke Takes a Bride (The Rocking Royal Trilogy Book 2) Page 2