About That Kiss (12 page)

“I know that I was a naysayer, but I didn’t understand what was going on. Why didn’t you believe that he loved you?” Diana asked.

Joy sighed wistfully. “I kept comparing myself to you. Diana, you are gorgeous, sophisticated and brilliant.”

Her sister looked shocked. “You’ve got so much more going for you than I have. Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to clobber you because I’ve never been able to be as cute as you are?”

“You’ve wanted to clobber me!” Joy’s eyes grew bigger. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted
to clobber you. Do you know how many guys I lost after they took a look at you?”

“What guys?” Diana asked, furrowing her brow. “I never dated any guy you went out with.”

“You didn’t have to date them. Do you remember Danny Mitchell?” Joy pointed a finger. “The only reason he kept coming around was to stare at you.”

Diana’s eyebrows came together in a frown. “I don’t remember any Danny Mitchell. When was he around?”

“When I was fourteen.”

“You had braces on your teeth when you were fourteen.”

“Exactly.” Joy nodded her head. “Did you ever have to wear braces?” Joy shook her head. “No.”

“I wished I had. You had Mom and Dad fussing all over you when you first got them on.”

Emily Mackey appeared in the doorway along with Rachel Harmon, who was now Joy’s maid of honor, and Tracie Cooper, who was now Diana’s maid of honor.

“Are the two of you ready?” the mother of the brides asked, gazing lovingly and teary-eyed at both her daughters. “The limousine is here with your uncle Paul.”

“I just have to get my bouquet from my room,” Diana answered. “Mom, you look beautiful.”

“You do, Mom,” Joy echoed emotionally.

“Hurry up,” Emily Mackey ordered self-consciously, then led Rachel and Tracie away from the door.

“I’m glad now that I committed to red and white flowers,” Diana smiled. “You were right that it should look like Christmas.”

Joy hugged Diana.

“Don’t let the bedbugs bite,” Joy whispered.

“Don’t let them bite you, either,” Diana whispered back.

Reverend Easton smiled brightly at the two brides. “I’ve known Diana and Joy since they were born, so it feels quite appropriate that I should be the one conducting this double ceremony today.”

Reverend Easton’s gaze went to the mother of the brides in the front pew along with the uncle who had given them away and the rest of the immediate family before encompassing the entire assembly. “I welcome you all on behalf of Diana and Kevin and Joy and Nick to witness this day the taking of vows of marriage and family, one woman to one man and one man to one woman in fidelity and love.”

Reverend Easton’s eyes returned to the nuptial couples. “I ask you now to bow your heads in prayer.”

When Joy raised her head she looked into Nick’s sparkling blue eyes. He looked back into her glittering gray-green eyes and took her hand.

Joy heard little of Kevin’s and Diana’s vows, but she was all ears when, in his turn, Nick spoke clearly for all to hear.

“I, Nick, take thee, Joy, for my wife. To love. To honor. To cherish in sickness and in health, forsaking all others until death do us part. I promise you love.”

Joy tightly squeezed Nick’s hand. “I, Joy, take thee, Nick, for my husband. To love. To honor. To cherish
in sickness and in health, forsaking all others until death do us part. I give you my heart.”

“The rings?” Reverend Easton asked.

Teddy Falco brought forth a gold wedding band as did Kevin’s best man.

Nick placed the gold band on Joy’s finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Reverend Easton looked first to Diana and Kevin, then to Joy and Nick. “With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you each husband and wife. You may kiss your brides.”

“How much longer do we have to stay?” Nick whispered in Joy’s ear as they danced at the reception. The party was still in full swing, though it was now hours since it had begun.

“Anxious?” Joy teased.

“Yes, wife. I’m anxious.”

“Good.” Joy kissed the corner of Nick’s mouth. “Me, too.”

“Baby, I’m sorry we can’t have a real honeymoon now,” Nick said. “I’ll make it up to you as soon as we can get away.”

Joy smiled. “I have a feeling you’re going to make it as much a honeymoon as I can handle.”

“You’ve got my word on that.” Nick winked.

Diana and Kevin danced up alongside Joy and Nick.

“I’m going to be changing in a minute,” Diana said. “We have a plane to catch. Do you want to throw your bouquet with me?”

“Yes, she does,” Nick answered, while Joy grinned.

“Nick…” Joy giggled. “You can put me down now. We’re over the threshold.” They were in a hotel room
on Shelter Island—a short ferry ride away from Greenport and the newsroom where they were going to have to appear sometime the next day.

He bent his head closer to hers, a suggestive glint in his eyes. “You can ask sweeter than that. Ask me sweet.”

Her lips made the request, but Joy didn’t use words.

“Anything else?” Nick quipped.

“Nothing comes to mind,” Joy answered flippantly.

“Nothing?”

“Do you want me to say I love you?” Joy parried.

“Not if I have to pull it out of you, I don’t.”

“I love you,” Joy whispered. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“Better.” Nick smiled, letting Joy down to her feet.

She unbuttoned her coat with unsteady fingers in anticipation of what lay in store. Her head was already spinning, and the honeymoon hadn’t officially started.

Nick took his leather jacket off and flung it on a chair. He put his hand into the pocket of his slacks and came out with a small jeweler’s box.

“We didn’t have a chance to be engaged, and the jeweler didn’t have this ready until yesterday.”

In one motion Nick opened the lid. “It’s as close as I could come to giving you the moon and the stars.” He took her left hand and fitted the ring next to her wedding band. “I remember you once said something about being responsive to the moon, the stars and the sun.”

Joy’s eyes were blurry as she gazed at a moonstone surrounded by small diamonds, glistening as brightly as any sun.

She wildly kissed the side of his neck and then his mouth while he slipped her coat down her arms. He tossed her coat over his on the chair, then stood back just far enough to see all of her.

She was wearing a crimson red suit without a blouse.

“Red?” Nick grinned, his eyes adoring her.

“Red,” Joy answered breathlessly, the color reflected in her cheeks as Nick unbuttoned her jacket, exposing a brand-new red bra.

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eISBN 978-14592-7271-2

ABOUT THAT KISS

Copyright © 1997 by Jane Atkin

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