Treasured (16 page)

“More good news?” Beth asked, her gaze on Ben.

He glanced at Kathleen. “Looks like we’re all going to steal the new baby’s thunder.”

“I seriously doubt Richard or Melanie will even notice,” Beth told him. “Come on, spill it.”

“I asked Kathleen to marry me,” he said, reaching for her hand. “And she’s said yes.”

Destiny began to cry. “Now that is worth celebrating. Oh, darling, I am so happy for you. For both of you.” She sighed. “A June wedding will be perfect.”

“Not June,” Kathleen told her without apology. “January.”

Destiny’s mouth gaped. “This January? As in next month?”

“That’s what she said,” Ben confirmed. “Before my show opens at her gallery.”

Destiny sank onto the chair next to Mack and reached for his hand. “Well, this really is moving along quickly.”

Ben caught an odd note in her voice. “Too quickly?” he asked worriedly.

“Oh no, darling. Getting you happily settled could never come too quickly.”

“Then why did you say that?” he asked.

“Never mind,” she said briskly and turned her attention to Kathleen. “We have a lot to do. I think we should get your mother down here right away, don’t you?”

Kathleen paled. “Oh, my God. I forgot all about going to Providence.” She glanced at her watch. “They’re going to be expecting me any minute now.”

“Call them,” Destiny advised. “Tell them about the baby and the engagement and invite them all to come here tomorrow. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate Christmas. We have so much happy news.”

“You know, you could be right,” Kathleen said. “Maybe this will be enough to get them all to finally
come down here. I’ll go outside and call right now on my cell phone.”

Ben followed her. “You sure you want to drop this bombshell on them like this?” he asked. “We could go up there tomorrow. Maybe they should at least meet me before we spring the rest of the family on them.”

“No,” she said decisively. “I like the idea of all of us being together here on Christmas. Maybe they’ll see what a real family holiday can be like.”

“Whatever you want,” he said. “Want me to wait for you inside?”

She reached for his hand. “No, stay with me,” she pleaded as the call went through. “Hello, Mother.”

Ben couldn’t hear exactly what her mother said, but it was communicated in an aggrieved tone he couldn’t mistake. He watched Kathleen intently, but her expression never wavered.

“Mother, if you’ll just listen for a minute, I can explain. I got engaged tonight, to Ben Carlton, the artist I told you about, the man in my painting.”

Her expression softened at whatever her mother said then. “Yes, it is wonderful news. And there’s more. His brother’s wife is in the hospital right now having a baby, and we want to stay for that, but Destiny’s invited all of you for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Will you come? Please.”

Relief spread over her face. “I’ll call grandfather with the directions, then. Thank you, Mother. I love you and Merry Christmas.”

She turned off the cell phone and stood staring at it, tears shimmering in her eyes.

“I gather she said yes,” Ben said.

Kathleen nodded. “She says she can’t wait to meet all of you.” She grinned. “She also said she knew it
was inevitable from the minute she saw the portrait of you.”

“Really? Wonder what she’ll say when she sees the one I’ve painted of you,” he said, glad that he’d hidden it away before sending the shipment to her gallery.

Kathleen’s mouth gaped. “You painted a portrait of me?”

“In the moonlight,” he confirmed.

“Oh, sweet heaven,” she murmured, her cheeks turning pink. “Do I have any clothes on?”

“Enough,” he told her, laughing. “Too many to suit me, though, but I wanted our kids to be able to look at this and see you the way I see you.”

“I want to see it,” she said at once.

“You will,” he promised. “But right now we’d better get back inside and see what kind of progress that baby is making.”

It was one minute after midnight when Amelia Destiny Carlton arrived, the Christmas baby that Beth had predicted. Destiny’s eyes shone with tears when she heard the baby’s name.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered, clutching Richard’s hand.

“We wanted to,” Melanie said. “If it weren’t for you, none of this would ever have happened.”

“Amen to that,” Mack agreed, his gaze on Beth.

She smiled and tucked her hand into his. “I predict a lot of little Destinys in this family before too long.”

“I am not naming any boy of mine Destiny,” Mack grumbled.

“And if it’s another girl?” Ben asked him.

“That’s different,” Mack said, giving their aunt a hug.

Ben gazed at the tiny, perfect little girl in Richard’s
arms. He glanced back at Kathleen. “I wonder if I can get that portrait finished in time for the show?”

They all stared at him.

“You’re painting portraits now?” Melanie asked.

“And showing your work?” Richard echoed.

Ben laughed at their shocked expressions. “Oh, yeah, that’s right, you were out of the room when I mentioned that I’m also getting married.”

“Oh, sweetie, that’s wonderful,” Melanie said and began to cry. She swiped at her eyes. “Don’t mind me. Hormones.”

“Hormones nothing,” Richard scoffed. “You’re just sentimental.”

“I notice you’ve got tears in your eyes, too, bro,” Mack commented.

Richard shrugged. “What the hell! I’d say the Carlton men have come a long way, wouldn’t you?”

“A very long way,” Melanie and Beth agreed.

Destiny gazed at each of them in turn, then clucked her tongue. “Don’t encourage them too much, ladies. There’s always room for a little improvement.”

Ben picked his aunt up and twirled her around until she told him he was making her dizzy.

“Not until you promise to stop meddling,” he said. “Your work here is done, Destiny.”

She gave him a long look that was tinged with just a hint of sorrow. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?”

“Oh, no, it’s not,” Melanie piped up.

“Absolutely not,” Kathleen and Beth agreed. “There’s a whole new generation to worry about now.”

To Ben’s relief, Destiny’s expression brightened. “My goodness, I can’t leave this precious baby and all the ones to come to the likes of you, can I?”

“Hey!” Richard protested. “I don’t think we turned out too badly.”

“Neither do I,” Mack said.

Ben looked at his brothers and the women in their lives, then turned to Kathleen. “What about you? Do you think I’ve turned out all right?”

She moved into his arms and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then whispered in his ear, “I wouldn’t want the others to hear this, but I think you turned out best of all.”

“You’re biased.”

She laughed. “Hey, I’m only following Destiny’s lead. Everybody knows you’re her favorite.”

“I heard that,” Richard grumbled.

“Me, too,” Mack protested.

“Oh, stop squabbling,” Destiny said. “I don’t have favorites.”

“Of course not,” Ben agreed at once, then leaned down. “But if you did, I’d be the one, right?”

“Isn’t knowing that you’re Kathleen’s favorite enough?” Destiny scolded.

Ben met Kathleen’s gaze over Destiny’s head. “More than enough,” he agreed at once. It was something he would never allow himself to forget.

F
or a wedding that had been pulled together in less than a month, Kathleen thought it was pretty spectacular. Her mother and Destiny had used every contact, called in every favor and invited a cast of hundreds to witness the occasion. She didn’t think it could have come together any more beautifully if they’d had an entire year to plan it.

Kathleen stood at the back of the church in a sleek, strapless satin gown from a well-known designer whom Destiny knew personally. She was holding a simple bouquet of lily of the valley and white velvet ribbons that her mother had created. Her grandfather, looking incredibly distinguished in his tuxedo, stood at her side.

“Are you happy, angel? Truly happy?” he asked.

“You can’t begin to imagine how happy,” she assured him. “I’ve gotten it exactly right this time.”

“I hope so. Ben seems like a fine young man and
it’s plain that he adores you. I don’t suppose you’d reconsider and settle in Providence?”

She squeezed his hand. “No, but it means the world to me that you’d want us to.”

He nodded, his expression sad. “I wish I’d done better by you and your mother.”

“That’s in the past, Grandfather, and it has nothing to do with me wanting to stay here. My life is here now.”

He patted her hand. “No need to explain. Now it seems to me that I hear music. Are you ready?”

“I’ve been waiting my whole life for this,” she said as they took their places at the back of the church and waited for Melanie and Beth to reach the front.

“Let’s do it,” she said eagerly as the organ music swelled.

Then she had eyes only for Ben, who was standing in front of the altar, Mack and Richard beside him. Destiny was in the front pew, tears streaming down her face as she watched Kathleen come down the aisle.

When Kathleen reached Ben’s aunt, she impulsively leaned down and kissed her cheek, then crossed the aisle and kissed her mother. “Thank you both,” she murmured before stepping into place beside Ben.

Ben solemnly shook her grandfather’s hand, then reached over to clasp hers. His grip was solid and comforting, the grip of a man who finally knew his heart and was ready to reach out to grab the future.

“I love you,” he mouthed silently as the minister began the ceremony.

Kathleen beamed at him. Once he’d started saying the words, it seemed he hadn’t been able to say them often enough, which suited her just fine. If they lived to be a hundred, she would never tire of hearing them.

“Okay, Destiny, the wedding’s over,” Richard said not five minutes after the ceremony, even though the photographer was impatiently waiting for them to gather for pictures. “You said you’d tell me your idea about dealing with William Harcourt once Ben and Kathleen were married.”

Destiny gave him a look that would have daunted most men, but Richard was a Carlton. He simply stared right back at her and waited.

“Oh, for goodness’ sakes,” she snapped finally. “You’re not going to let this alone, so I might as well tell you.” She turned to Ben and Kathleen. “Sorry, dears, but if I don’t get this over with, he’ll spoil your reception by dogging my every footstep.”

“Please, Destiny, go ahead,” Kathleen told her. She was actually anxious to hear this scheme herself. It was bound to be a doozy.

Destiny looked each of her nephews in the eye, then said with quiet determination. “I intend to take over the European division of Carlton Industries,” she said. “I will deal with William. In fact, I predict it will be some time before he knows what’s hit him.”

With that, she turned and walked away, back straight, shoulders squared, looking for all the world as if she were heading into battle.

Kathleen was the first to break the silence. She began to chuckle.

“What’s so blasted funny?” Ben demanded.

“I agree,” Richard said, his expression grim. “I don’t find this the least bit amusing.”

“Oh, chill, big brother,” Mack said. “I think Kathleen’s right. This is perfect retribution.”

“On who? Us?” Ben asked irritably.

“No. On William. If you think it was fun watching the three of you squirm while she was matchmaking,” Kathleen responded, “something tells me this is going to be a whole lot more entertaining.”

“Absolutely,” Beth agreed.

“Oh, yes,” Melanie added happily.

Ben turned a sour look on all the women. “Good God, they’re all ganging up on us now. I knew there was a downside to adding all these women to the family. We’re outnumbered now.”

Kathleen laughed at his dismay. “And don’t you forget it,” she said cheerfully. “But we do love you.”

“Most of the time,” Melanie added.

Beth gazed pointedly at Mack. “When you’re not trying to control things.”

He held up his hand. “Hey, have this baby on your own. I won’t hover.”

“That’ll be the day,” Beth said. “Now come on. We have pictures to be taken and a reception to get to before the guests eat all the food.”

Melanie grinned at her. “Appetite growing, Beth?”

“By leaps and bounds. If this keeps up, I’ll be waddling around the hospital by my fifth month.”

“I told you I could give you an exercise regimen,” Mack said.

Ben and Richard immediately hooted. “Oh, brother, please tell me you didn’t say that,” Richard said.

“What’s wrong?” Mack asked. “I’m trying to be helpful.”

“Keep it up and you’ll be a dead man,” Beth warned.

Kathleen turned to Ben. “I hope you’re taking all this in,” she told him. “That way when I’m pregnant, you’ll have all the dos and don’ts down pat.”

“I already have a plan,” he assured her. “I’m moving out of the country.”

She pulled his face down and kissed him hard. “Not a chance. You’re never leaving my side, so get that idea right out of your head.”

“Like I said, I’ll stay and keep my mouth shut.”

“There you go,” she said happily.

If he’d learned that lesson already, they were destined for a very joyous marriage.