When in Bruges (Humorous Romantic Mystery) (21 page)

K
ate woke up
, and for a moment didn’t know where she was. The sun was streaming in through the window, and someone must have opened it, for a soft breeze wafted into the room. She smiled, for she’d suddenly remembered.

It hadn’t taken Kate & Chris & Lauren & Kirt very long to decide on the perfect venue for their double wedding: the ceremony had taken place at the
Bouquets & Nosegays
, and even Kate’s mother had to admit the feast was truly magical. Part of the magic had been Queenie’s deft handling of the meeting between Piet and Jacqueline. Kate had feared that her mother would ruin the most important day of her life by getting into a fight with Piet, but Jacqueline, after a long talk to Queenie, had been on her best behavior.

What exactly the elderly hostess of the Inn in Bruges had discussed with Jacqueline was to remain a secret between the two women, but Kate had been well pleased with the outcome. Jacqueline had even congratulated Piet on his re-election, even if he and Jacques had to share the glory and, as promised, the title.

After the fairytale wedding, it had been a point of contention between Kate and her mother where the young couple would go on their honeymoon. Jacqueline thought Fiji, Hawaii or the Bahamas. Kate and Chris? Not so much. Their idea was to revisit the place where it all began: the Royal Metropolitan in New York.

The hotel manager had been so kind as to offer them the bridal suite for a discount, and when Kirt and Lauren announced they’d be joining them, and it turned out they’d actually booked the adjoining suite, it was as if God in his heaven had smiled down upon the two couples and had given them his personal blessing by arranging things just so.

She yawned and looked over to the other side of the bed, where her husband—oh, she so enjoyed calling Chris that—was supposed to be. Only, he wasn’t. She frowned at the empty spot next to her, and stumbled out of the bed in search of him.

“Chris?”

Well, he wasn’t in the bathroom—her next stop—and he wasn’t in the sitting room. In fact, he was nowhere to be found at all. A memory of another morning not all that long ago started momentarily flashing through her mind, but then she saw it.

Propped up against his pillow, a note was waiting for her.

She eagerly picked it up. It read, ‘My beloved Kate. Don’t worry. I didn’t go anywhere. Just stepped out for some fresh air. I’ll be with you in 10—9—8—7—6—5—’

Just then the door opened, and Chris walked in, looking even more gorgeous than she remembered him from the night before, when they’d made love for the first time as husband and wife.

“How did I do?” he panted, as he closed the distance between them in two bounds.

“You still had four seconds left,” she said as he picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed. She squealed in delight as he threw her onto the sheets, and dove in after her.

Kissing her intently, once again she was surprised to find that with each passing day, with each moment spent together, with each kiss they shared, she just loved him more and more.

“What was so urgent?” she murmured.

“Just wanted to check my email,” he said.

“Something important?”

“Just that Piet and Jacques managed to get into a fight again.”

“Oh, dear.”

“Nothing serious, though. Your dad decided to apply to the Minister of Justice for an official pardon for Jeanie. And then my dad felt passed over, and talked to his friend the Prime Minister to see what could be done.”

“Don’t tell me, Jeanie walks?”

Chris nodded. “Jeanie has been fully exonerated and just landed a new reality show.”

“Life as a Jailbird?”

“Close. Life as an Angel of Mercy. She’s decided to devote her life to the rehabilitation of criminals, many of whom became dear, dear friends while she was in the pokey. First episode will be devoted to her brother Hock, who’s up for parole.”

“How extremely noble of her,” said Kate cheerily. She simply refused to allow La Geyser to sour her mood of blissful contentedness, even though she felt a sudden tendency to flex the fingers of her right hand.

But then Chris enveloped her in his arms, and for the next fifteen minutes, they dispensed with all conversation to devote themselves to their sacred task as newlyweds. Soon, Piet, Jacques and Jeanie were but a distant memory.

“Oh, and I got a message from Kirt,” said Chris. “He and Lauren want to meet up for drinks later.”

“Mh,” she murmured. “I’m not sure if I can fit it into my schedule but I’ll definitely give it a shot.”

“Say, why don’t you join me in the firm?” Chris said as he laid back, his brow bedewed with sweat.

“What, as a partner?” she said, snuggling up to him.

“Sure. Now that Kirt is moving to the States, I’m a partner short. We could call it Van Damme-Harper Security & Co.”

“Or Harper-Van Damme Security & Co,” she countered.

“So you’ll do it?”

“Do you think I have what it takes?”

“Honey, I think you have it all.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “It would mean moving to Belgium, though.”

They’d discussed the country-swapping topic ad nauseam, and had finally decided not to decide anything until after the wedding. Nevertheless, Kate had made up her mind. Not only had she fallen in love with Chris, but also with the small town he called home.

“I don’t mind,” she said casually.

“You—” His eyes went wide. “You mean— You mean to say—”

“Yes, I do,” she said. “I will move to Belgium.”

“That’s… wonderful!” he exclaimed, then touched her hand tenderly. “If things don’t work out for you, honey, just tell me. The moment you start having second thoughts, I’ll be happy to move to the States. More than happy.”

“Deal,” she said, shaking his hand.

“Deal,” he said, and abruptly swung her on top of him in a flurry of squeals and giggles. The momentum carried them on, and soon they found themselves on the floor next to the bed, in front of the open window, the satin sheet gently settling down on top of them.

Curling up against Chris and looking out across Central Park, the scent of rose blossom filled Kate’s nostrils. And as her eyes fluttered closed, her lips curled into a lazy smile and she realized she felt more joyous than she’d ever felt before.

And to think it all started with a single rose…

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