by Marie Force
“You didn’t say anything.”
“What’s there to say? I’m getting married—again—and she’s not invited or welcome to attend. I never thought I’d be estranged from her, and I don’t want to be. It’s just hard to reconcile what she did with the man I’ve come to know.”
“It’s impossible to fathom why she felt the need to take you from him.”
“And I’ve yet to hear an explanation from her that makes sense.”
“You may never hear one.”
“I’m starting to realize that.”
“I know how it pains you to have tension with her, but you ought to just let things ride for a while and see how you feel in a few months. She’s lucky you still talk to her at all.”
“We shouldn’t talk about that stuff today. This is our day, and none of that crap has any business being part of our celebration.”
“You’re right. None of that matters today.”
“I can’t wait for you to see my dress.”
“I can’t wait either—for that and everything else I get to have with you, Mrs. Abbott.”
“I love you so much, Wade. From the first time I ever saw you, you’ve had my heart.”
“I love you, too, my sweet Mia, undisputed love of my life.”
She smiled up at him. “How about we get married all over again?”
“Let’s do it.”
The wedding Cabot threw for his daughter and son-in-law would go down as one of the most spectacular things Amanda had ever witnessed. Someone compared it to a royal wedding, and Amanda found that description fitting. Every detail had been seen to with loving care by a man making up for more than twenty years without his child in his life.
Possibly more than anyone else in attendance, Amanda understood how he must feel about having Mia back. Amanda had always known where her child was, but living without her had been brutal. She couldn’t imagine what he’d gone through not knowing where Mia was or if she was safe for all that time.
But none of that drama was present in the celebration that day as their two families came together to celebrate Wade and Mia. The entire day was magical, from the astounded expression on Wade’s face when Mia first appeared at the back of the cathedral in her stunning dress, to the tears streaming down Cabot’s face as he escorted his daughter down the aisle, to the hug Cabot and Mia shared at the end of a very long road that had led to them finding each other.
Amanda barely knew these people, and yet, like everyone else, she was in tears by the time Cabot finally gave his daughter’s hand to Wade. On his way to join his family in the front row on the bride’s side of the church, Cabot hugged Molly, Lincoln and Elmer in the front row of the groom’s side.
Dani handed Amanda a tissue that she happily accepted. They were sitting together while Landon, Lucas and the other Abbott brothers stood up with Wade. Dressed in black tuxedos, the brothers made for quite a sight. Mia’s bridesmaids included Ella, Charley and Hannah, each of them wearing navy blue silk gowns.
The bride and groom were married by a female Episcopal bishop, who was a close friend of Cabot’s. She walked the couple through traditional vows before they exchanged vows they’d written for each other.
Wade’s voice was full of emotion and love as he gazed at his bride and spoke from his heart. “From the first time I ever saw you at a yoga retreat years ago, I wanted you to be mine. I would’ve done anything to be able to take you home with me, to build a life and a family with you, but that wouldn’t happen for a long, long time. And when it finally did, it was the best thing to ever happen to me. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I love you more than you could ever know. I have since that first day, and I always will.”
Mia took a tissue from the bishop and dabbed carefully at her eyes. When she had recovered her composure, she looked up at her husband. “I fell in love that first day, too. I thought of you every single day that we were apart, wishing for all the things I have now, things I never could’ve dreamed of back when it seemed the universe was conspiring to keep us apart. I took a huge chance when I came to find you in the middle of a blizzard. I had no idea if you would even remember me.”
“I remembered you,” Wade said, smiling through tears.
“Thank God for that and everything that’s come since then. I’m so thankful for your family and their support of us even when you told them you were marrying someone they’d never met. I’m thankful for my new family, my dad and all the people who’ve loved us through this amazing season in our lives. But most of all, I’m thankful for you, Wade, and your love and the life we’re building together. You’re my dream come true, and I’ll love you forever.”
The bishop sounded tearful when she said, “It’s my great honor, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to once again declare Wade and Mia to be husband and wife. Wade, you may kiss your bride.”
Wade raised his hands to Mia’s face and kissed her so sweetly that Amanda was again dabbing at tears.
She joined in the applause that rang through the huge church. The wedding party followed Wade and Mia out of the church and walked the short distance to the Boston Public Garden for photos.
They’d scored a perfect bright, clear, sunny June day. The only thing marring this otherwise fantastic day for Amanda was that Stella hadn’t responded to her text that morning asking how her mom was doing.
Amanda walked with Dani and Savannah as well as Lucy, Emma, Simone and Cameron, who was moving very slowly.
“Are you okay?” Amanda asked her.
“I hope so.”
“What does that mean?” Lucy asked.
“Don’t make a thing of it, but I think I might be in labor.”
“What?” Lucy’s high-pitched shriek probably woke up all the dogs in the neighborhood.
“Hush, Luce. I’m fine. The contractions are twelve minutes apart.”
Lucy stopped walking to stare at Cameron. “You’re having actual contractions, and you didn’t think you should mention that to anyone?”
“I refuse to ruin another wedding. Will is a groomsman, and he didn’t need to be worried about me. It’s all good. By the time the contractions get closer, he’ll be done with his wedding party stuff, and we can find a hospital.”
Lucy glanced at her sister, Emma. “She’s insane, right? Tell me she’s insane.”
“She’s insane,” Emma said.
“I need two more hours, tops,” Cameron said. “Go about your business, and don’t mind me.”
“We’re skipping the gardens,” Lucy said.
“No,” Cameron said. “We can’t. Molly wants pictures with the whole family. We have to be there.”
“Right after that, we’re getting a car back to the hotel,” Lucy said. “I’ll give you exactly one hour, and then you’re telling your husband you’re in freaking labor.”
“Fine,” Cameron said. “If you’re going to be that away about it.”
“I’m going to be that way about it.”
Lucy and Emma linked arms with Cameron, supporting her as they walked two blocks to the gardens.
“Holy crap,” Amanda whispered to Dani. “When I was in labor, I couldn’t think, let alone participate in a wedding.”
“No shit,” Dani whispered back. “Lucas told me her mother and grandmother died in labor, and that before she got pregnant, they visited Mass General so she could have a full workup. Everything was fine, but Will is going to flip out when he finds out she’s in labor and didn’t tell him.”
“Yikes. That’s scary.”
“Which is why Lucy is freaking out.”
Amanda was full of anxiety over Cameron being in labor but wanting to pretend otherwise for the time being. As a first-time mother, Cameron was about to find out that babies came into the world on their own schedules, not their mother’s. “When is she due?”
“Not for two more weeks, which is why they felt it was okay for her to come on the trip.”
“Holy moly.”
When
they arrived at the gardens, which were in full, glorious bloom, the wedding party was arranged into a group photo. After that, photos were taken of Wade and the bridesmaids and Mia and the groomsmen. The Lodge family surrounded Mia and Wade, and then the Abbotts had their turn.
“Amanda.” Molly waved her over. “Join us, honey. You’re part of the family.”
She was determined not to tear up as she took Molly’s direction to stand in front of Landon, who wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in close to him.
“That’s it,” he whispered. “It’s official. You’re in the family.”
“Stop, I’m trying not to cry.”
“All right, Abbotts.” Izzy was positioned on a ladder with her camera directed at them. “Everyone say ‘wedding.’”
While the Colemans lined up for a family picture that Lucy took for Izzy, Amanda checked her phone to find no word from Stella. She’d give her another hour and then call to make sure she was okay.
“Walk with me,” Landon said, taking her hand.
“Wait.” Amanda glanced at Cameron, who was now with Will, Lucy, Colton, Emma and Grayson.
“What’s up?”
“Don’t make any sudden moves, and don’t ever let on that I told you.”
“Told me what?”
“Cameron is in labor, but she doesn’t want anyone else to know yet.”
Landon’s gaze shifted to his sister-in-law, who seemed fine until she visibly grimaced. Because Will was talking to Hunter, he missed it. “I don’t like it, especially in light of her family history.”
“She said she’s hours from delivering and doesn’t want to disrupt the wedding.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“That’s why I told you.”
“Will is going to lose his shit when he finds out she’s in labor and didn’t tell him.”
“She said she feels totally fine, and it’s all good.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
They watched as Lucy flagged down a cab and loaded Cameron and Will into the car for the short ride to the Four Seasons, where the reception would be held.
“At least he’s with her now,” Landon said as they strolled to the hotel, holding hands. “If you’re ever in labor, you’d better not hide it from me. I don’t care what we’re doing.”
His words, coupled with Molly’s insistence that she was part of their family now, were almost too much for Amanda to process.
He looked over at her. “You do want more kids, right?”
“I do. That’s right up there at the top of the list I made after the fire—having a baby I get to keep.”
“We’ll have cute kids, don’t you think?”
“Of course we will. How many do you want?”
“As many as you want to have.”
“So ten would be good?”
“Oh, um, well… Not sure I want ten, but more than two would be good.”
She looked over at him. “Are we really talking about our future kids?” She kept waiting for it all to go wrong, because that’s what she’d come to expect.
“That’s what I’m talking about. Whose kids are you talking about?”
“Ours.”
“Then we’re talking about the same thing,” he said.
“And that's what you want?”
“Hell yes, that’s what I want.”
“How long have you wanted that?”
“Since I met you and realized I’d found someone I could picture forever with.”
“I can’t believe we’re really talking about our kids.”
“Believe it. That’ll be us before too long.” He gestured to Wade and Mia, who were being delivered to the front of the hotel in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce. “Minus the Rolls.”
Amanda laughed. “I don’t need the Rolls. Just you. That’s all.”
“We’ll get there, sweetheart. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Don't rush into love. You'll find the person
meant for you when you least expect it.”
― Franzie Gubatina
Cabot Lodge threw one hell of a party, Landon thought as he watched Wade and Mia dance to “Always on My Mind,” which was the perfect song for two people who’d spent years yearning for each other before they finally got the chance to be together.
Wade was the “quiet” Abbott, which made it all the more incredible to see him so obviously head over heels in love and not afraid to let everyone know it.
“They make a beautiful couple,” Amanda said.
Landon put his arm around her. “They sure do.”
Three-quarters of the way through the song, Cabot tapped Wade on the shoulder, asking to cut in.
Wade turned his wife over to her father and stepped back to give them a moment together.
“The song works for Cabot and Mia, too,” Amanda said.
“For sure.”
You’d have to be dead and buried not to be moved by the sight of Cabot dancing with his daughter, his joy unmistakable.
While Cabot danced with Mia, Molly came out to the dance floor to claim her son.
“My heart can’t take this,” Amanda said.
Landon put his other arm around her, too, and held her while they watched the others on the dance floor. His emotions were all over the place, which was funny because he didn’t get emotional at weddings. But since he’d fallen for Amanda, he got it now. Things made sense to him that never had before.
There was nothing like finding the other half of yourself and knowing she felt the same way. He’d loved Naomi, but sadly, he’d never gotten the chance to see what might’ve become of that. For the first time, he had the chance for everything with someone, and he was so excited for what the future might hold.
When the dance ended, Wade, Mia and their parents took seats at the head table. The wedding planner handed a microphone to Hunter, who was seated at a table with Megan, Grayson, Emma, Will, Cameron, Lucy and Colton. “As the oldest and wisest of the Abbott siblings, I was chosen by Wade to be his best man today, an honor I don’t take lightly.”
His opening line was met with loud boos from his siblings and laughter from everyone else.
Smiling at the predictable response, Hunter continued. “On behalf of the Abbotts, Colemans and our grandfather, Elmer Stillman, I want to thank Cabot for his hospitality this weekend and for the fabulous wedding he put together for my brother Wade and his beautiful wife, Mia. For those of you who don’t know Wade like we do, I want to tell you a little about him.”
“Oh dear God,” Wade said loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“Relax, little brother. I’m not going to embarrass you too badly.”
“Awesome,” Wade said as Mia giggled at his distress.
“Wade is our lone wolf, which isn’t an easy thing to be in a family of ten kids. Nonetheless, Wade has always been an entity unto himself. As you may have heard, the Abbott kids were raised—fittingly—in a restored barn. Wade found a way to get his own room in the barn by converting a large closet into a bedroom. He would tell you the ability to escape from the madness that surrounded him saved his sanity.”
Wade nodded emphatically.
“Despite his need for solitude, Wade is still very much one of us. He’s our health and fitness nut, our vegan, our yoga master and one of the very best people I’ve ever had the privilege to know. If I was ever in any kind of trouble, Wade would be the first person I’d call. Not that I ever get in trouble, mind you.”
More boos from his siblings that had the wedding guests laughing.
Hunter carried on despite them. “So knowing this about Wade, you can imagine our shock when he came home with a wife none of us had ever met. Well played, brother. Very well played.”
“Thank you,” Wade said as he smiled at Mia.
“In the last few months, we’ve had the chance to get to know Mia and to understand why Wade loves her so much. Your story, Wade and Mia, and your devotion to each other during the year
s you spent wishing for what you have now, has touched us all. Thank you for including us in your celebration today, and all our best wishes for a long and happy life together.” Hunter raised his champagne glass in a toast to the happy couple. “To Wade and Mia.”
Echoes of “hear, hear” and “to Wade and Mia” filled the huge ballroom.
The wedding coordinator handed the microphone to Cabot next. “Thank you, Hunter, for those kind words about my daughter and her wonderful husband. I still can’t believe I’m able to say the words ‘my daughter’ and feel only joy and not the heartache that was part of my life for so many years. I certainly don’t want to dwell on the past today, and I promised myself I wouldn’t cry all day. We know how that’s gone so far.”
While the others laughed, he took a second to collect himself. “Having you back in my life, Mia, is the best thing to ever happen to me and my family. And to get Wade and his wonderful family as part of the package is a very sweet bonus indeed. I’ve learned that life is full of ups and downs, love and joy, pain and heartache. You never know what’s going to happen, but the one thing I know for sure is that love is all there is. It’s all that matters, and knowing my daughter is well and truly loved by such a wonderful man is a special gift. Wade and Mia, I love you both and can’t wait for all that’s to come.”
When Amanda trembled in his arms, Landon realized she was having an emotional reaction to Cabot’s speech. “Let’s go get some air, sweetheart.”
With a minimum of fuss, Landon got her out of the ballroom and found a patio off the hallway that was currently vacant.
She closed her eyes and tipped her face into the warm sunshine.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. His speech got to me.”
“Of course it did. You understand better than anyone what he’s been through.”
“It was different for me. I always knew where she was.”
“But she wasn’t with you, so you get how it was for him.” He kept an arm around her, needing her close to him. “Still nothing from Stella?”