Neptune's Ring (40 page)

“You make a scene Simone and I will kill
you,” Levi said, surprising Roberto.

Vanessa shifted nervously as she saw Levi
speaking to someone out of view, but when the music began and Levi
and Roberto approached, Vanessa saw no one but Levi. Roberto led
Levi down the aisle and then offered her hand to Vanessa and kissed
Levi’s cheek, before joining the rest of the wedding party.

Everyone watched Levi as she approached, but
Nat caught movement in the back of the courtyard and saw Simone
slip inside.

The ceremony began and after a prayer by Cat,
Levi and Vanessa exchanged their vows. Vanessa hesitated when Cat
asked for the rings and turned to Killian. Killian smiled and
handed her best friend the rings she had purchased. Levi’s heart
raced from the look Vanessa gave her as she slipped the wedding
band on her left hand. The intense passion in Vanessa’s eyes melted
Levi as she listened to Vanessa’s sweet words.

When Cat asked if there was anyone who thinks
the two should not be wed, Nat’s vicious stare kept Simone pinned
to her seat.

“You may kiss the bride,” Cat said.

Vanessa leaned down and kissed Levi
sweetly.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Vanessa and
Levi,” Cat said to end the ceremony.

Levi and Vanessa lead the procession down to
the night club, where the reception would be held. Levi felt
Vanessa grow tense as they walked by Simone while leaving the
courtyard.

Liz had also seen Simone for the first time
and squeezed Nat’s hand. “I know, I saw her come in,” she quietly
whispered.

Vanessa and Levi greeted their guests as they
entered the club. Nat grabbed Simone by the arm as she and Liz took
her to the side.

“What are you doing here?” Nat asked.

“I was attending a wedding,” Simone said
coyly.

“As an uninvited guest, I might add,” Liz
said.

“I just assumed my invitation was lost in the
mail somewhere,” Simone said. “I am not going to cause a scene,
Liz,” Simone said.

“If you ruin this day for Levi, I swear I
will take you out and drown you myself,” Liz warned.

“I will only stay long enough for a piece of
cake and to congratulate the two lovebirds,” Simone said. “I also
brought them a gift,” Simone said, lifting the box for Liz to
see.

“You can place that on the table over there,”
Liz said as she pointed out a gift table.

Vanessa and Levi watched Simone approach as
the final guest to enter the club, followed closely by Nat and
Liz.

“Hello, Simone,” Vanessa said.

“Congratulations you two,” Simone said with
the sweetest of smiles. “Levi you look beautiful,” she said.

“Thank you, Simone,” Levi said.

“I guess there is no point in saying that you
made the wrong choice, but I wish you both the best,” Simone said
with a smile to Vanessa.

“I made the perfect choice, Simone,” Levi
said. “You were never an option,” Levi said and Vanessa’s frown
turned to a smirk. “Now if you will excuse us, we have guests to
attend to.”

Cake and champagne were shared by all and
several toasts were made to the happy couple. When the music
started, Vanessa took Levi and led her to the dance floor for the
couples dance. After several minutes, they were joined by other
members of the wedding party and then by other guests.

Simone kept her promise and after watching
Levi and Vanessa dancing happily on the dance floor, she quietly
left the building. “This is not done between us,” she whispered as
she walked out of the night club and headed to the dock.

Nat watched Simone leave the club and
breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped outside the club and watched
as Simone stepped onto the boat and it pulled away from the dock.
Satisfied, she stepped back inside the club and took Liz by the
hand and danced her onto the dance floor.

Vanessa and Levi danced closely and when the
song came to an end, Vanessa kissed Levi passionately. “I love
you,” she said.

“I love you too, Vanessa.”

They left the dance floor and Levi asked
NeNe, “Will you go help me change?”

“Of course I will,” NeNe said and they walked
back up to Levi’s office.

Levi stepped from the wedding gown and NeNe
hung it back up in Levi’s closet as Levi slipped into slacks and a
blouse.

“That was a beautiful ceremony,” NeNe said.
“Everything went so perfectly.”

“Even Simone’s appearance could not ruin
something so perfect,” Levi said.

“She has some nerve,” NeNe said. “I am glad
she is gone.”

“Me too,” Levi said.

They returned to the club and they mingled
among the guests until some of them began to retire for the
evening. When Julia and Roberto approached Levi, she smiled
brightly for them. “Thank you for making this day so special for
me.”

“Thank you for allowing us to be here for
you,” Roberto said. “You made such a beautiful bride,” he said.

“Yes, she did. I can’t wait to see the
pictures,” Vanessa said.

“I can’t either,” Julia said. “It is getting
late and I am afraid I have grown tired,” Julia said. “Good luck to
two very special women,” she said.

“We will be seeing you soon,” Levi promised
as they turned to leave the club.

“I am ready to spend some private time with
my wife,” Levi said.

“Why don’t we say our goodbyes then,” Vanessa
said.

“Waiting on you,” Levi teased.

Killian and NeNe saw them preparing to leave
and carried the gifts out to the cart. Levi and Vanessa would open
them later tonight or tomorrow as time allowed, but for now they
wanted only each other.

They thanked their guests and walked out to
the golf cart. Killian and NeNe had placed a Just Married banner
across the back of the cart and tied a few beer cans to the bumper.
The couple was escorted out to the cart by their friends who all
got a good laugh from the noise the cans made on the way up the
hill.

Vanessa and Levi carried the gifts into the
parlor. They would open them tomorrow surrounded by their close
friends. Levi grinned at Vanessa and took her by the hand as they
walked to the bedroom. Vanessa closed the door behind them as Levi
walked to the dresser and pulled out and envelope.

“I did not have the time to have your gift
made, so you will have to do with this for now,” she said as she
handed Vanessa the envelope.

Vanessa opened it and poured a small gold key
into her hand. “What is this baby?” she asked.

“It will be the key to the front door of our
new home, one day,” Levi promised. “Carlos is having the plans
drafted for us and hopefully by the spring we shall have a home of
our own.”

“Oh Levi, that will be so great,” Vanessa
said. “I have something for you as well.” Vanessa opened her jacket
and pulled out an envelope and handed it to Levi.

Levi opened the envelope to find two plane
tickets and a picture of a snow covered cabin. “I cannot guarantee
the snow, but we will have a week in the Rockies as soon as I have
worked out my resignation,” Vanessa promised.

“Thank you, baby,” Levi said.

“Now, I want to make love with my wife,”
Vanessa said.

Levi lit some candles and turned out the
lights. They undressed one another and shared several passionate
kisses before they moved to the bed. Vanessa pressed Levi onto her
back as she climbed onto the bed to continue their passionate
kisses.

Their bodies entwined for hours as they made
love deep into the night, their first as a married couple. With
their passions sated, Levi placed her head on Vanessa’s shoulder.
Levi lifted Vanessa’s left hand and her fingers traced over the
ring on her finger. Their matching bands had a pair of swimming
dolphins on the outside which made her smile with pleasure.
Dolphins had always been a part of their best days together and now
they would have dolphins with them every day.

Levi laced her fingers between Vanessa’s.
“Tomorrow I wake up next to my wife,” Levi said with a grin.

“And very soon you will wake up to me each
morning for the rest of our lives,” Vanessa said and sealed her
promise with a kiss.

Levi sighed and laid her head on Vanessa’s
chest and listened to the sound of her beating heart.

“I love you,” she whispered, but Vanessa had
already drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.