Made To Love Her (13 page)

Monroe shakes her head. “You’re so selfish, Hannah.” She looks at Cleo. “Am I that way?”

“More than Hannah,” Cleo says, dishing out a dose of her brutal honesty.

“Then I’m changing.” Monroe looks toward the sky. “Hello, shrink, work your magic because I’m tired of being a self-centered, crazy bitch.”

“Good luck with that,” Hannah says pessimistically.

I snap my fingers. “Okay, let’s change the subject. I haven’t been a bridezilla, but this is my day, and I want my two besties to quit nipping at each other.”

So we move on to whether or not I’m going to change my last name. It’s a tough question to answer because I’m the last of the Conroys.

Finally, we make it back for dinner. Charlie and Angelina have arrived, and I’m so happy to see them both. I feel so bad about downplaying such a big event like my wedding. Our family is here, our friends are here, and this is actually one of the happiest days of my life.

W
e’re having a ball
. Everyone is seated at a banquet-size table. The windows with a view of the backyard have been covered, so I can’t see what tomorrow is going to look like. Right now, Vince and I are with our closest friends and family members eating, laughing, talking, and drinking with Jack and Daisy, Charlie and Angel, Robert and Carter, Allie and her fiancé, Anne, Monroe, Cleo and her husband, Perry, who finally showed up, Hannah, and Lena Chance, who remained a friend of mine from the early days at A&Rt Media—she came with her husband, David.

“I remember the first day I saw you,” Lena Chance says.

I smile squeamishly. “Uh-oh, what did you think?”

“Well, at first, I thought Rob must’ve hired you to get in your pants and Vince was taking the hit for him.”

“That was typical,” Robert says.

Vince grunts a chuckle in agreement.

“But then you proved you were a force to be reckoned with. I knew very quickly that I loved every part of you.” She shrugs as she grins.

“I love you too, Lena,” I declare.

“But, goodness, look how far we’ve all come,” Daisy says.

“You know, love, it all started with you and me in Martha’s Vineyard,” Jack says.

Daisy smiles as she nods. “Right. At our ‘shotgun wedding.’” Daisy laughs. “Belmont was so steamed when Maggie couldn’t make it to our reception that he asked Vince if he had a job for you.”

Vince puts his arm around my chair. “I said absolutely. I was already coming off feeling disappointed that you didn’t recognize me in the elevator, Mags.”

I shake my head. “You say that all the time.”

“Yeah, well, I was very disappointed.”

“Okay, then next, Charlie met Angel because of a referral from Jack,” I say.

Monroe raises a finger. “By the way, I’m no longer bitter about that.”

Charlie pretends to swipe the sweat from his forehead. “Whew, that’s good to know, because I’ve been watching my back ever since.”

Everyone at the table who knows how crazy Monroe can be laughs.

“Oh, and don’t forget this one,” Daisy says. “Robert leaves A&Rt Media and starts his own successful architect firm…”

“Congratulations again on that,” Jack says.

Robert nods humbly. “Thank you and Thank you. You’re the one who fed me the line.”

Jack throws up his hands. “Hey, I knew you had it in you.”

“It was pretty easy because the purchase came with some talented architects, although my best is no longer with me.” Robert winks at Carter, and she rolls her eyes slightly.

Wow. Something
is
going on between them. I think they’ll be great for each other.

“I don’t know… according to the pattern of love luck, you might be next, Robert,” Daisy says.

“I hope so,” Hannah says.

Monroe grunts. “Let it go. Really, let it go.” She shakes her head. “Anyway, what about me, though?”

“Your day is coming, Roe,” I say. “None of us are here by accident. I look around the table, and this is exactly how it should be.” I can’t stop smiling, especially when Vince kisses me on the cheek.

T
he ceremony starts
in less than an hour. Last night, dinner continued into the wee hours of the morning. We had such a fantastic time. Thank goodness we had a mind to set the time of the wedding to five o’clock. Vince and I still haven’t seen the venue. However, I know with all the talent involved in actually setting it up, it’s going to look heavenly. The weather couldn’t be lovelier. The sun has bestowed us with a perfect seventy-eight-degree day. I’m alone in my “bride’s chamber” while the wedding party works on putting the final touches on everything. I absolutely love how all this came together. Our friends and family are the ones who planned our big day. And it’s a big day indeed. I’m nervous, infinitely happy, and a little scared.

There’s a soft rattle on the door.

“Come in,” I say, trying to hide the shaking in my voice.

Anne’s face peeps through the crack of the door first. “Hi, sweetie.”

This is the first time she’s called me that. “Hi, Anne.”

She walks into the room and carefully shuts the door behind her. “I know you have a mother. She’s out there making that very clear.” She shakes her head a little. “But you can still call me Mom if you like.”

I smile. “Thanks.” One mother is enough to handle at the moment. Perhaps over time, I will call her mom.

“However, I would like for you to have this.” Anne hands me a velvet necklace box.

I open it, and my jaw drops. Inside is a necklace with an encrusted diamond heart pendant. “This is for me?”

“Yes, it’s just a little something old.”

I’m just about to ask her to help me put it on when there’s another knock on the door.

“Come in,” I sing.

It’s my mom. “Hi, darling.”

“Hi, Mom.” We hug.

“I can’t believe what they’ve done out there. It doesn’t even look like we’re on earth. They’ve created a mystical, magical land.”

“Oh, wow,” I say, smiling more broadly. “I haven’t even seen it yet.”

My mom is frowning at the jewelry box in my hand. “What’s that?”

“Oh, Anne gave me this. It’s something old.”

My mom doesn’t even turn to acknowledge. I’ve never seen her behave so territorially before. I open the box.

My mom grunts as if she’s not impressed. “I actually brought you this.” She reaches into her purse. “My mom gave this to me on my wedding day, and now it’s yours.” She takes out another necklace box.

I glance at Anne before opening it. This is awkward, but I’m entitled to one moment like this on my wedding day. I grab my heart at the sight of the sparkly diamond necklace.

I look up at my mom with a befuddled expression. “Mom?”

“I want you to wear it today and then pass it on to your daughter or daughter-in-law when she gets married.”

“Well,” Anne says as if the sight of the diamond necklace took her breath away. “You must wear that gorgeous piece of jewelry.”

Finally, Mom looks at her with a smile. “Thank you….”

“By the way, I’m Anne,” Anne says.

“Anne, I’m…”

“Leah, I know.”

“Yes,” my mom says, glaring at her.

The women are back to squaring off.

Finally, they both leave, and Hannah helps me put on my dress and style my hair. This is also the first time I’m seeing the flesh-pink bridesmaid dresses. They’re simple and beautiful, and Hannah had all the bridesmaids fitted with them this morning. She paid for them all, as well.

“I didn’t know you people were so flush with cash,” I say.

“You’re not the only successful bitch in the group,” Cleo says.

I share my last laugh with my beautiful group of friends before the wedding starts.

W
e all take our places
. My heart is beating a mile a minute, and I think I might hyperventilate. I’m waiting behind the door to the backyard. My dad is standing beside me, ready to walk me down the aisle.

“Are you ready, princess?” he asks with watery eyes.

I smile. “I am.”

“Can I get the first hug from the bride?” he says.

“Absolutely,” I say, trying not to cry and mess up my makeup, which Hannah has flawlessly applied.

We hug. Someone knocks on the door. It’s time.

The door opens, and the wedding march is being played by a section of harpists. After one step out onto the concrete, my eyes behold an unbelievable sight. The entire backyard is like an enchanted meadow. Deer are grazing on the grass, swans are swimming in the lake, and sheep are bathing in the sun. A bike with giant wheels and an open-top carriage awaits me. Jack and I climb in, and a man with a tight black suit, a pink rose pinned to his breast, and a mustache that curls at both ends pedals us down a sparkling gold street that was put in for this event. The closer we get, the more ethereal it looks. The bike drops us off near the lake, at the point where I’m to walk down the aisle. All of my bridesmaids are there, including Monroe, who dubbed herself my maid of honor, which she truly is. I have one job. Walk down the aisle and then take my vows.

Vince is waiting for me at the front. I feel as though I’m having an out-of-body experience. So many people are here. There’s Mavis and her husband. Did I invite Delta? Humph. He’s here. There’s Daisy and Jack, sitting in the front row, beaming. A couple dozen of our colleagues from A&Rt Media are here. Maddie and Lexie did end up attending. This morning before breakfast, I went to each of their casitas and practically begged them to come. I basically convinced them that if they missed this ceremony, they would regret it forever. Vince and I are never doing this again, with anyone else. They’re smiling now, and that’s a good sign. Vince has a boatload of friends and family. There are definitely more than a hundred people present. Each face makes me more nervous than I was a second ago.

The last bridesmaid and groomsman walk down the aisle.

Robert whispers something to Vince, and he beams while staring at me. I think he’s satisfied. I don’t know. I have no idea how I’m existing in this moment.

“Let’s go,” I hear my Dad say.

All I can do is follow his lead. Finally, I connect with Vince’s face. I’m choked up, and my tears are flowing. If only I could run to him and let him hold me tightly. One touch, and I know my nerves will calm.

The closer I get, the happier I feel, and I didn’t think I could be happier. Monroe shows me a thumbs-up, and so do Hannah and Cleo. My smile spreads wider. Angel, who’s also one of my bridesmaids, blows me a kiss, and I catch it. Finally, I make it to Vince, and we hug.

Charlie puts up a finger. “I just have to…” He breaks from the line of groomsmen to give me a big fat hug.

“Congratulations, Magnolia.” He kisses me on the cheek.

I can’t stop crying. “Thank you, Chuck,” I whisper past my tight throat.

Vince wraps his arms around me again. “It’s going to be okay, baby,” he whispers in my ear.

“It’s just that I’m so happy to be doing this with you,” I whisper.

He hugs me so tightly that I might break. “Thank you for loving me.”

“Thank
you
.”

The minister clears his throat. For some reason, everyone chuckles. He begins by saying how sacred marriage is. I remember how I rolled my eyes at Reverend Weasel during Jack and Daisy’s ceremony. I’m not sure if I’m buying all that he’s saying but I like it. In my mind and heart, Vince and I were married from the moment we made a true commitment in our hearts to work out our differences so that we can live happily together forever. The road was often bumpy, and we certainly needed that trip to Hawaii to learn that we are truly best friends. We made the love bond that is truly recognized by God a long time ago—the one that’s made in the heart.

“Do you have words to say to each other?” the minister finally says.

My eyes grow wide. I have nothing prepared.

“I have something to say.” Vince looks deep into my eyes. As usual, his sexy green eyes leave me breathless. “Maggie, I knew from the first time I saw you that we would be standing like this together. You were made for me. I was made for you. I can’t wait to finish spending the rest of our lives together.”

I’m smiling so big, my face aches.

“And, Maggie, do you have words for Vince?”

At first, I can’t think of anything to say. “Yes.” I squeeze Vince’s hands. “You’re my best friend, forever lover, and the man I could’ve never dreamed of because I never knew love could be like this. We were two people who find each other unexpectedly, and now look at us. I love you, Vince. Nothing will ever change that.”

We’re staring into the each other’s eyes, and the minister hasn’t said anything yet.

“That’s all,” I say.

Everyone laughs.

The minister clears his throat. “Um, thank you.”

Vince and I don’t break eye contact. We’re waiting for those famous words. Finally, they come.

“You may kiss the bride.”

We embrace like there’s no tomorrow and kiss for the first time as a married couple. It’s official—I am now Mrs. Vincent Adams.

E
veryone moves
into the pagoda tent for the reception. I am blown away by the decadence. The inside looks like a grand ballroom, with crystal chandeliers hanging from the high parts, silk tablecloths, and high-back chairs. There’s a dance floor, and the biggest surprise of all is that Jacques Blanchard and his band are playing tonight. By luck, the only child present is in Daisy’s stomach, so we eat. Then we cut the cake, dance, and drink rum and Mes Fleurs champagne. We are very merry as we party until the sun comes up.

I
’ve long
since taken off my shoes and let my hair down. The band has agreed to give us two final songs. Charlie has been playing with them just about all night, while Angel has been keeping the dancing going. A slow melody hums in the air, and I’m dancing with Jack.

I take my head off his shoulder. “By the way, does Daisy know about your alter ego?”

He snickers. “Daisy knows everything about me.”

“I assume that’s a yes.”

“I assume so.”

I laugh and shake my head. “My cousin, the man who’s always full of surprises.”

Jack tosses his head back to laugh just as Vince taps him on the shoulder to step in.

“Where’s my wife?” Jack says as he hands me to my husband.

“Here’s my wife,” Vince says, and we kiss.

“So this is it,” I say.

He grins. “Yep, this is it.”

“Hi, Mr. Magnolia Conroy.” I kiss his lips.

“Hi, Mrs. Vincent Adams.” He kisses my lips.

I rest my head on his chest, and we continue dancing until the last notes dissolve into silence.