Angela kissed her daughter on the cheek. “I know. Okay, off you go to complete your bridesmaid duties.” She shooed her daughter out of the room and walked over to her son. He’d pulled on his vest and was fiddling with his tie.
“Nervous?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Hold still,” she said, undoing the sloppy knot. “Your dad would’ve been so happy to see you get married. Especially to someone as wonderful as Layla.”
“I know.”
“You don’t have anything to be nervous about. You know that, right?”
“Did I not tell you about the time Layla left her fiancé at the altar?”
“Oh, my God. She did not.”
“Oh, yes, she did.”
“Ha! Well, I am pleased to hear it is not just something Mandy would do,” Julien said, stepping out of the bathroom.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and Angela was forced to pull herself together. Julien opened the door and introduced himself to Eddie.
She couldn’t be happier or more proud of her son, but a deep ache settled over her heart as she remembered her own wedding. And the harsh reality of the loss of her dear Phillip. It wasn’t fair that Tyler had to stand at the altar without his father present. That was something no one should have to go through.
With some effort, she pushed the maudlin thoughts aside and smiled as Tyler pulled Eddie into a hug. “I’m so glad you could make it. How’d she react?” he asked.
“Screamed like a crazy woman.”
They shared a laugh.
“Okay, boys. Showtime,” Angela said.
“Madame.” Julien presented her his arm and escorted her to her seat.
Mandy’s girlfriends were chatting noisily from inside the atrium as she sat down. Julien’s father, Pierre, sat beside her, holding a contented Sophie in his arms. He’d agreed to look after her through the morning as the rest of the family made preparations for the ceremony. Angela saw only the briefest suspicion in Pierre’s eyes when he watched Mandy, and she hoped that would fade with time. He was almost completely wrapped up in speaking softly to Sophie, but he glanced at Angela and smiled.
“She is quite an amazing little one, is she not?” he asked in heavily accented French.
“Yes, she is. I’ll miss her when we go back to New York.”
“Ah, well, that just means you will have to come back and visit more often. Or we could come visit you, of course. Julien has always wanted to see New York.”
She grinned. “That would be lovely.”
She took a deep breath, pulling the wonderful aroma of fresh flowers into her nose. It was a warm, beautiful day. Perfect for a wedding. Julien took his seat, and Tyler and Eddie stood at the altar, talking quietly with the priest. Father Thomas had been kind enough to agree to the change in bride and groom without more than a moment’s pause.
A small string quartet played a lovely slow song as they waited. Eddie looked up and went to escort Estelle to her seat on the other side of the small fountain from Angela. The two women smiled at each other. In time, she might even grow to like Estelle.
Eddie resumed his spot next to her son, and the guests stood as the musicians began the wedding march. Mandy stepped through the open doors, wearing a beautiful lavender gown and holding a small bouquet she’d made. She stood across from Eddie and turned to watch Layla.
The altered dress looked made for Layla as she and her father walked through the entrance of beautiful arched flowers. Angela cried seeing it come down the aisle. She turned to gaze at Tyler, but he only had eyes for his bride. He looked at her as if she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and Angela burst with pride.
They sat as the wedding march came to a close, and Angela listened to Father Thomas officiate the not so legal wedding. When Tyler kissed his bride, he lifted her in his arms to cheers. As soon as the ceremony was over, Mandy found Julien, and they shared a quiet moment together.
Angela knew that even though they hadn’t gotten married, those two were going to make it. She counted herself lucky that she got to see both of her children so happy in the same day. Looking up at the white puffy clouds, she smiled.
“We did it, Phil.”
Loose Id Titles by Rachell Nicole
Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce
* * * *
The MARIETTA HOTEL Series
An Affair Across Times Square
An Engagement in Paris
Rachell Nicole
Rachell Nichole is the contemporary erotic romance author of An Affair Across Times Square, Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce, and Queen of Hearts. She currently writes what she likes to call Sizzling Romantic Entanglements. She loves creating memorable characters and putting them through their paces on their discovery of and journey to love. Rachell lives in New York with a mountain of books, a loving family, and an evil cat named Godiva that she adores.
Check out Rachell’s Web site and blog:
http://www.rachellnichole.com
http://www.divasofdesire.blogspot.com
Marietta Hotels 2: An Engagement in Paris Page 15