Turning to Alethea, Nicole said, “Speaking of Stephan’s parents, they haven’t stopped talking about how happy they were to meet you. They want you to come over for dinner again soon.”

Alethea smiled. “I may have to do just that. I need to dig up whatever I can on Stephan’s first cousins: George, Luke, Nick, and Max. I intend to win.”

Lil turned to Maddy with excitement. “We’re taking bets on which one of us is the best matchmaker, and we’re going to prove ourselves with them. There are four of them, right? We have to be able to marry one of them off.”

Instead of showing excitement, as Lil had expected, Maddy’s expression fell a bit at the mention of her cousins. “I’m very close to the rest of my family, but my aunt moved her children away from us after a falling-out with Uncle Vic. We may not see them again after today. I helped Stephan convince them to come, but it wasn’t easy. I think a couple of them came just to meet Dominic.”

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want us to,” Abby said gently.

Alethea added, “Sure, if you don’t like a challenge. What better way to get to know them than to dabble in their business a bit?”

Chewing her lip, Maddy looked uncharacteristically unsure of herself. “You think?”

Zhang smiled. “And so it begins . . .”

The wedding planner stuck her head in the door and said, “Are you ready?”

Lil took Abby’s hand in one of hers and Alethea’s in the other, then gave them both a squeeze. “You’re right, Abby. There is nothing to be nervous about. This is already the best day of my life.”

As they walked out the door, Abby held the back of Lil’s dress off the floor and whispered to Alethea, “That was perfectly timed. She was getting really worked up. Now she has something fun to focus on instead of how everyone will be watching her. Genius.”

“You can butter me up all you want, Abby, but I’m going to prove to you there is a science to this.”

Without missing a step, Abby answered just as softly, “And strategy. I call Marie for my team.”

“Ooh, that’s cheating,” Alethea said under her breath.

Lil stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Are you two getting along?”

They both smiled sweetly at her and, in unison, said, “Of course.”

Alethea whispered, “The one we have to watch out for is Maddy. She has inside information, and that gives her an advantage.”

“She’s pregnant again. That’ll slow her down,” Abby said.

With admiration, Alethea said, “Who knew you were this competitive? I like you more the better I get to know you.”

Abby nodded in agreement. “I know exactly what you mean. I just hope you handle it well when you lose.”

The wedding planner led the way out of the suite and down the hall to the room where all the guests were gathered. Colby was waiting with Marie, dressed in a lavender flower-girl dress. She ran to her mother as soon as she saw her. “Mommy, Mommy, up, up.”

Marie tried to redirect her. “Colby, you’re the flower girl. You walk in first and throw the flowers. Remember what we practiced?”

A young lip protruded and tears threatened. “Mommy?”

Lil reached down, lifted her daughter onto her hip and said, “We can throw them together.”

Marie hovered. “Are you sure? Maybe she wants to walk with Auntie Abby?”

Colby shook her head and buried her face in her mother’s silk bodice. Lil hugged her tightly and said to her daughter, “You can walk with me if you want, Colby. It’s like Auntie Abby says—we’re always better together.”

Colby raised her face and smiled, allowing Lil to lower her onto her feet beside her. Holding her mother’s hand, Colby said, “Togedder.”

Lil straightened from her daughter and looked at her sister and best friend standing side by side. A huge smile spread across her face. “Best wedding present ever.”

Jake resisted adjusting the bow tie on his tuxedo as he stood in front of a white rose-covered altar with the minister. Dominic, Jeremy, Stephan, Rachid, and Richard stood in a line off to the side of him. Although he and Lil had lived together for almost a year, his stomach was still doing crazy flips in anticipation of seeing her walk down the aisle to him.

He spared a glance at the men on his side. Time had tested each of their friendships and they were stronger because of it. He couldn’t imagine what his life would have been like if he’d never met Dominic. Jeremy had become the younger brother he’d never known he wanted but now couldn’t imagine not having. Rachid had stepped out of his life for nearly a decade, and his return had been chaotic, but having him there felt right. Stephan and Richard represented half of the people in attendance—the Andrade family, people Jake couldn’t imagine marrying Lil without. He saw a bit of himself and Dominic in Alessandro and Victor and hoped to one day have a legacy as large and loving as theirs.

Marc met his eyes from over the heads of the seated guests. He’d told Marc that he didn’t have to work that day, but like Alethea, Marc couldn’t turn off his inner watchdog.

Music began to play, and the guests fell silent.

The door at the end of the aisle opened, catching the women a bit unaware, still smiling and laughing over some private joke.

Under his breath Richard asked, “I wonder what they’re plotting today.”

Dominic said firmly, “Let’s not go looking for trouble.”

Richard answered with humor, “No need to look for it. It’s dressed and walking this way.”

“Stop before you make me laugh. Lil will kill me,” Jake muttered.

Stephan interjected, “They definitely look too happy.”

Rachid added with royal confidence, “Women are always happy at weddings.”

“Mark my words,” Richard said, “something is brewing.”

Jake muttered, “Will you all just shut up? You’re making me nervous.”

Dominic chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about unless you forget your vows or step on Lil’s veil. Whatever you do, don’t accidentally call her the wrong name.”

“You’re such an ass, Dom,” Jake growled without taking his eyes off the procession of women walking down the aisle.

Jeremy burst out with a laugh that had all of the guests looking forward at the men instead of back at the bridesmaids. “Sorry. I just pictured Lil’s face if Jake called her the wrong name.”

With a forced smile, Jake said, “You’ll be where I am soon enough, Jeremy. Remember that payback is sweet.”

Jeremy gulped and kept his next thought to himself.

Dom flexed his shoulders and bragged, “Luckily, I’m safe.”

Jake said, “Oh, no, Dom, you have an upcoming baptism. Push me and I’ll use that event to tell Abby that you said you’re ready to start on your second child.”

Dominic fell silent after a muttered curse.

Stephan laughed.

Dominic glared at him.

Further teasing would have been wasted; the moment Lil stepped out from behind the door and started down the aisle, Jake’s attention was riveted on his bride. She walked toward them slowly, handing a now happy Colby off to Abby, and joined Jake in front of the minister.

The minister started the ceremony with the usual formality. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union—”

Lil burst out, “I do.”

A chuckle echoed through the church. The minister said, “We’re not at that part yet.”

Flushing a deep red, Lil said hastily, “I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Just keep going. I guess I’m nervous.” She looked across at Jake apologetically. “And now I’m babbling.”

“I do, too,” Jake said with quiet dignity, as if it were perfectly appropriate. Then he winked down at his bride.

Lil’s eyes filled with happy tears. “You do?” she asked.

Jake nodded solemnly and held out a hand to her. “Today. Tomorrow. Forever. I promise you, Colby, and the family we’ll make together that I will be there for you. Always.”

The minister closed his book in resignation and waited.

With a huge smile, Lil took Jake’s hand. “I promise you the same. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. I will be there for you—always.”

Rolling with the impromptu change in script, the minister asked, “Do you have the rings?”

Jake slid Lil’s on. Lil slid Jake’s on. She burst into happy tears and he pulled her to him for a deep kiss.

The minister coughed. “Okay, it looks like we’re kissing the bride now. With the power invested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He cleared his throat loudly again. “What God has brought together today, let no one separate.” As their kiss continued, the minister smacked Jake on the shoulder lightly with his Bible. “A little separation is necessary sometimes.”

With a laugh, Jake and Lil ended their kiss and turned to the people gathered.

The minister said, “I now present, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Walton.”

Lil held out her hand to Colby, who was straining to leave Abby. She came running across the altar to them. Jake gathered up his adopted daughter and held her with one hand as he took Lil’s hand in his other and they walked down the aisle together.

Dominic held out an arm to Abby. She took it and, even as she smiled, said, “Don’t think we didn’t hear you guys laughing. You’re wearing microphones, you know.”

With a half smile, Dominic threw his friend under the bus. “Richard started it. He said you ladies are plotting something.”

Abby smiled. “We are.”

“Should I worry?”

“Maddy, Lil, Alethea, and I have a bet going. First one to marry off an Andrade cousin wins.”

“Good luck with that,” Dominic said. “Victor says those boys have had a rough time.”

Abby said smugly, “I don’t need luck. I have Marie.”

“You included Alethea in on this?” Dominic whistled softly. “You’d better hope that Stephan’s family doesn’t have any skeletons in their closet.”

Abby covered her mouth with a worried hand. “I never thought of that.”

Dominic shrugged, bent, and kissed his wife’s cheek. “What’s the worst thing she could find?”

The End