Five Star Romance
Page 17
Livi could hardly contain her excitement as she waited to hear the words that would make their union real to her.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife...”
Blaze exhaled a long sigh of pleasure. He pulled Livi into his arms, drawing her close. He pressed his lips to hers for a chaste, yet meaningful kiss.
His eyes traveled down the length of her, nodding in obvious approval. “You look so beautiful, sweetheart. I love you, Mrs. Alexander.”
“I love you, too, Mr. Alexander.”
Livi held up her hand to admire her wedding ring. “It didn’t feel real the first time around. This time feels different, though.”
Blaze agreed. “I feel the same away.”
The photographer that Blaze hired took pictures of them alone and with family.
Afterward, they headed up to the Alexander estate for a poolside reception.
The patio had been transformed into a tropical paradise for the evening. Tall, clear vases filled with water and a variety of fruits, orchids and tulips made visually stunning centerpieces. Floating candles in the pool illuminated the water. Glass tables with chairs were arranged around the pool where guests could sit.
Rattan baskets of flip-flops and pool towels in the wedding colors were stationed around the patio for guests to choose and take home as wedding favors.
The musicians took their place near the fireplace and prepared to treat the guests to more soft, romantic music, designed to accentuate the calming feel of the pool area and the beauty of the evening.
Livi smiled at Blaze. “Everything is perfect.”
“I wanted our wedding to be a reflection of us.”
“Romantic, intimate and small,” she murmured. “It truly is everything I wanted, Blaze. Thank you.” Livi turned to face him. “Flying my parents in to share this evening with us was the best gift you could have given me.”
“I have something else for you,” Blaze said.
“What?”
He picked up a box from a nearby table and handed it to Livi.
“Sneakers!” she said with a laugh. Livi loved the sequined white tennis shoes and immediately slipped them on her feet.
“You always complain about having to take your shoes off for dancing, so I thought I’d get you these so that we can dance the night away.”
“I love them,” Livi murmured. “They even say bride on the label. These are too cute. We are going to have to get some of these for the boutique.”
Their conversation died with Harold DePaul’s sudden appearance.
“I came to offer my congratulations to the bride and groom,” he said. Holding up a gift-wrapped box, Harold asked, “Where do I put this?”
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness,” Livi said, taking the gift from him.
“I’ve always liked you and...well, I’m happy for you. Blaze is a good man and I’m sure he will make you very happy.” Harold glanced around. “I just stopped by to drop off the gift. I didn’t see my sister earlier or I would have sent it with her.”
“Harold, you don’t have to leave,” Blaze blurted out. “This is a family celebration and you are family.”
“Are you sure you want me to stay?” he asked.
Livi linked her arm through his. “Of course we do, Harold. It is time for you to get to know Blaze and his family. Really get to know them.”
Malcolm invited Harold to sit at their table.
“I think he’s finally coming around,” Livi whispered to Blaze.
“I’m not as convinced, but I’m willing to give the man a chance.”
Livi placed a hand on his cheek. “This is one of the reasons I love you.”
Meredith walked over and said, “I told Harold about the ceremony, so it’s my fault that he’s here.”
“It’s fine,” Blaze assured her. “We weren’t trying to keep it a secret. Besides, I think someone on staff may have alerted the press. Rumors started circulating on the internet yesterday as to why Livi and I were getting married again.”
“Really?” Livi uttered. “What are they saying?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he responded. “This night is about us, so let’s get this party started.”
The DJ took to the microphone.
Blaze and Livi got up to dance. Instead of the traditional slow dance, they decided to show off their moves to Beyoncé’s latest hit. Sage and Ryan, Zaire and Kellen joined them.
Not to be outdone, Livi’s parents got up and made their way to the dance floor, followed by Malcolm and Barbara.
Amy took Harold by the hand and led him to the dance floor.
“Instead of tossing the bouquet and the garter belt, we decided to do something different,” Blaze announced later in the evening. “We had the single ladies sit at certain tables and the same with the men. If you would look under your chair, there is a red rose taped to one of them.”
Zaire squealed. “I have it. I have the rose.”
Laughing, Livi handed the bouquet to her.
Blaze threw back his head and laughed at the expression on Franklin’s face when he pulled a rose from under his chair.
“This has been so much fun,” Zaire said as she hugged her sister-in-law.
“Yes, it has,” Livi agreed. “It looks like everyone is having a good time, including Harold.”
“Your wedding has been as special as you and Blaze. This is what I want when I get married—a wedding that mirrors my personality. Of course, I have to find a husband first.”
“You won’t have a problem with that, Zaire.”
“I don’t know. I’m not doing that great in the boyfriend department.”
“This is how it usually works for most people, I think. I was pretty much done with dating when I met your brother. However, the time we spent together in Las Vegas changed all that for me. Those three days unexpectedly turned into a five-star romance. Just remember that sometimes an impulsive act can turn into forever.”
* * * * *
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin ebook. Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Subscribe to our newsletter: Harlequin.com/newsletters
Visit Harlequin.com
We like you—why not like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
Read our blog for all the latest news on our authors and books: HarlequinBlog.com
ISBN: 9781460306864
FIVE STAR ROMANCE
Copyright © 2013 by Jacquelin Thomas
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com