by Linda Cajio
Hilary chuckled. Knowing Devlin wouldn’t be there made her relax a little. But once they entered the cordoned-off area, her grandparents disappeared to talk with old friends. Although she nodded and said hello to people she knew, she felt like a stranger, accidentally misplaced among her clients. Normally she was on the other end, and she watched, with envy, the waiters circulating with their trays. She didn’t belong here, and in truth she’d never wanted to. What had been a source of bitterness for her grandfather, a source of eternal hope and frustration for her parents, was only a source of income for her. She felt more aligned to Devlin than to whatever the past had held for her family.
She also found herself watching for one particular man. Her stomach dropped when she thought she spotted him, but she recognized Catherine Wagner-Kitteridge at his side and realized she was looking at Miles, Devlin’s twin. Curious, she studied Miles’s face. While he looked like his brother at first glance, there were many faint differences between them. Miles’s nose was a little smaller, the lines of his face were less prominent, his skin color was lighter, his haircut was more precise. He held himself differently too. In fact he wasn’t a bit like Devlin, she thought.
“Stop it!” she muttered, snatching a long-stemmed champagne glass off the tray of a passing waiter. She took a sip, then wrinkled her nose and stared down at the glass.
It was the cheap stuff. Very cheap stuff.
She smiled, remembering another time with the cheap stuff. Then she forced the memory away and told herself for the millionth time that it never would have worked with Devlin. And just as she had over the past weeks without him, she wished there was some way she could have been proven wrong. Summer was supposed to be all brilliant sunshine and heat, but it would never be that way for her again.
She wandered around for a little while before finding a quiet spot by the quay, stepping carefully so that her heels wouldn’t catch in between the planks. The tall ships, their masts standing proud, were an elegant backdrop to the elegant party. Up close they were even more beautiful, and she understood why these sailing vessels graced the sea rather than rode it.
Something odd caught her eye a little farther along the dock, and she got up and walked over slowly. As she neared it, her heart thumped painfully. There, among the exquisite ships, was a squat boat with a wide center fly bridge. The name on the stern was For the Love of Hilary.
She stared at it in shock, then took a large gulp of champagne. It went down like an octane fire. He had changed the name of his boat. The words rang through her head like a litany.
“You keep drinking that stuff and we’ll have to have your stomach pumped.”
She spun around to find Devlin behind her. He was dressed for the occasion in a white dinner jacket and he looked terrific. But his darkened skin and pronounced crow’s feet proved he was no stodgy businessman. She valiantly resisted the urge to throw herself at him.
“You ordered it, didn’t you?” she said, surprised at the calmness of her voice.
He grinned. “I don’t think anyone’s noticed the difference except you.”
She smiled. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Who says?”
“Your grandmother.”
“She lies.”
“Yes, I know.”
They were silent for a long moment, neither moving.
“I’m sorry if you were hurt,” he said finally, his gaze searching hers. “But, Hilary, what the hell does it matter how something starts? What matters is how it ends. I like who I am and what I do, and I’m not going to change. I love who you are and what you do, and I don’t want you to change. But I don’t want to wait sixty years, like our grandparents, before coming to our senses.”
“Neither do I.” She practically flew into his arms, the champagne glass spilling unnoticed to the planks as they embraced. The kiss was fierce and gentle with promise, all at the same time.
She tore her lips from his and spread kisses on his cheeks and jaw and forehead, all the while chanting, “I love you, I love you.”
He nuzzled her throat. “I love you, Hilary. I’ll spend a lifetime making it up to you.”
“You’re damn straight on that,” she murmured.
He laughed, then grew serious. “Do you mean it?”
“Yes,” she said, positive. By changing the name of his boat, he had given her an incredible sign of his feelings and commitment to her. If he could do that, then so could she.
“Let’s go home,” he said. “You can show me how that dress stays up.”
“Trick photography.”
“As long as the rest of you is real.”
“It is.”
“Then let’s go home.”
Epilogue
“This is the last time you get me into one of these damn tuxes,” Dev said as he led his new bride onto the dance floor.
“Quit complaining,” Hilary said, wrapping her gown’s ivory-satin train around her arm. “Ready.”
He waltzed her around for the traditional newlywed dance. “I told you not to let Grandmother go hog-wild over the wedding plans.”
“It made her happy. Now, stop fussing.”
“I’m happy when I’m fussing,” he said, then grinned at her. “But I’ll be happier when we’re naked and on the honeymoon. Can we do that now?”
“No.” She smiled. “Anticipation is everything.”
He leaned forward and whispered, “Everything is me inside you.”
She sighed. “You’ll never change. Thank goodness.”
He pulled her closer, deeply content. He had gone down in flames before love, and he couldn’t find anything more satisfying than loving Hilary. She had taught him to live with himself again—even to like himself. She had also taught him to stop punishing everyone around him. He still liked the freedom he’d discovered, but he could accept his past and his family again—although he was beginning to have his doubts about his grandmother.
Hell, he thought. Lettice was happy, Hilary was happy, and in a few hours, when he was naked and on his honeymoon, he’d be happy too.
“I haven’t given you my wedding gift yet,” Hilary whispered.
He lifted his head. “I thought I got that last night.”
“Basic sustenance.” She grew serious. “Jane and Jeremy are taking over the business here. I’m going to open a branch store and catering business. In Wildwood.”
He stared at her in astonishment. “But I thought we were going to move halfway between the businesses.”
“It would never have worked.”
“We’ve got to do something about your optimism,” he said.
She laughed. “I believe I just did. The business here is doing well, and Jane and Jeremy have the know-how and the contacts. I think the branch will be adventurous—”
“And I thought you were doing it for love.”
“And fun.”
He stopped dancing and pulled her to him, kissing her soundly. Everyone at the reception applauded.
“I love you,” he said, when he finally raised his head.
She smiled through her tears. “Not as much as I love you.”
“We could debate that forever.”
“I intend to.”
He chuckled, and twirled her around the dance floor.
After the requisite dance, they joined his family. Lettice and Marsh were surrounded by her grandchildren. Dev tolerated the kidding from his relatives and his grandmother’s exceptionally smug expression. He acknowledged they weren’t a bad bunch as a family. A little misguided as to the finer things in life, but not bad.
“Look at her,” he said, pointing to Lettice. “She thinks she played matchmaker again.”
“I did,” Lettice said.
Everyone burst into laughter, except for Marsh, who looked completely bewildered.
“No, you didn’t,” Ellen Kitteridge-Carlini said. “We arranged you this time.”
“That’s right,” said Anne Kitteridge-Farraday, laughing gleefully. �
�Catherine called a family meeting after your last stunt.”
“We gave you the idea of Hilary for Dev,” Susan Kitteridge-St. Jacques added.
“Dev and Hilary agreed to go along with the arrangement to get you and Marsh together,” Susan’s brother, Rick, said, grinning at his grandmother.
“And you fell for it!” Miles said, laughing.
“We’re really sorry you were the victim,” Dev said to Marsh.
Marsh shrugged. “She grows on you after a while.”
“Are you all done being proud of yourselves?” Lettice asked. Everyone laughed more loudly until she added, “I would like to remind you that we are at Devlin and Hilary’s wedding.”
“A technicality,” Dev said.
“A major coup,” Lettice corrected him, “considering how tough a nut you were to crack. That’s why I left you for last. For a long time I thought Hilary was perfect for you … and for a long time I’ve wanted to make things up with Marsh.” She smiled at her husband, then the smile became sly as she turned back to her grandchildren. “You don’t honestly think James’s grandmother pulled Marsh’s name out from thin air, do you? I’ve been expecting you all to take revenge for some time. Lavinia was primed for months.”
Everyone gaped at her.
“And it certainly took you long enough!” she added in clear disgust. “I thought you’d never figure it out!”
Miles’s wife, Catherine, was the first to find her voice. “She’s trying to make herself look good, now that it’s over.”
“Forget it, chère” Susan’s husband, Remy, said.
“No way,” Ellen’s husband, Joe, and Anne’s husband, James, said together.
Rick’s wife, Jill, just shook her head.
“I have always ‘helped’ you find love and happiness, because I had lost mine,” Lettice said, patting Marsh’s hand. “I wasn’t brave enough to keep it. This does not take away from your grandfather or Marsh’s wife. They were wonderful people and we loved them. But you almost never get a second chance in a lifetime. Thanks to your being led down the garden path—and you all went the right way—I’ve now got mine.”
Everyone was silent for a long minute, until Dev finally said, “Right, and next you’ll have a bridge to sell me.”
“There is this one …” Lettice began.
The family started laughing.
“At least she’s done,” someone said.
“There’s always the great-grandchildren,” Lettice reminded them.
“No!”
Lettice smiled.
The Editor’s Corner
Welcome to Loveswept!
March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, and so do our Loveswept romances, enticing stories ready to seduce you all month long. Take a look at this list!
Just One Night finishes up Lauren Layne’s Sex, Love & Stiletto series featuring Sam Compton, the hero we’ve all been waiting for. New York’s hottest “sexpert,” Riley McKenna, has been living a lie, and it’s up to one man to keep her honest … all night long. Dream It introduces a new hot series by Jennifer Chance with the tale of a smoldering rocker and the fangirl who catches his eye. And Third Degree, Julie Cross’s new Flirt release, is one you don’t want to miss in the new adult coming-of-age scene. Marshall Collins gives Izzy Jenkins all the normalcy she’s looking for while Izzy teaches Marshall a thing or two of her own.
Classic Loveswept romances are back, too, and this month Sandra Chastain’s Adam’s Outlaw and The Runaway Bride top the list, followed by Fran Baker’s San Antonio Rose. And don’t miss Linda Cajio’s delightful Night Music, coming on the heels of Karen Leabo’s suspenseful and spirited Witchy Woman. Deborah Harmse’s charming and warmly passionate romance, A Man to Believe in, will touch your heart, and New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen’s rerelease of Satin Ice continues with the Delaney family saga.
Last but not least, always a favorite of ours, New York Times bestselling author Connie Brockway sweeps us back to Victorian England with her enchanting stories Bridal Favors and Bridal Season.
Let Loveswept warm you on those cold winter nights.
~Happy Romance!
Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher
Love stories you’ll never forget by authors you’ll always remember
eOriginal Romance from Random House
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For Lettice. A writer is blessed when a character like her comes along. I consider myself very blessed. Thanks for the run.