Читать книгу Valentine's Day - Nicola Marsh, Allison Leigh - Страница 18

THEY started out planning a small, simple wedding, but naturally, that didn’t last. In no time at all, it grew into something monstrous. So it was a good thing they knew a good caterer.

They decided to have the event out on the ranch. Cari wasn’t so sure at first, but once she saw the changes Max was already making, she was convinced. The driveway was lined with newly planted trees. The main farmhouse was still being renovated, but the lower floor was usable and a couple of the outer buildings, including the bunkhouse, were looking sturdy with new repairs to their structures and a couple of coats of new paint that left them gleaming. The sweeping area that made up the yard was green with new sod, creating a lawn where there hadn’t been one for decades. Tables were set up on it, and a radius of white chairs for the ceremony. White tablecloths and silver vases filled with tulips decorated each table. The scene was magical.

People from all around the area began streaming in an hour early. The ceremony itself was short, but touching. Handkerchiefs were liberally in use all around. And then came the reception.

Max and Cari stood in a seemingly never-ending receiving line, greeting old friends and meeting new ones. Jamie was with them when he was awake, and everyone oohed and aahed over him, which was just what he deserved. He’d grown ever closer to Cari, and she to him. As far as she was concerned, he was her baby, and that was all there was to it.

Her dress was a simple, strapless gown embedded with seed pearls. Her hair was piled high and the diamond necklace adorned her neck.

“You’re a gorgeous bride,” most people who passed told her. She knew it was traditional to say exactly that, but something in the eyes of the people saying it was beginning to convince her it might be true.

The food was spectacular—at least, that’s what everyone told Cari, though she didn’t have time to try any for herself.

“Does it occur to you,” she noted to C.J., who was responsible for most of it, “that you’ve found a new golden goose with your catering business, one that you are raising and nurturing yourself?”

“That’s right, go ahead and rub it in,” C.J. snapped. “You won. I lost.” But she smiled to soften her words and added, “I can take it. I’ve been kicked in the teeth a lot over the years. I must say, this is better. It’s nice to have a man who adores me.”

Cari nodded, watching Randy checking on the wedding cake. “He does do that.”

“Yeah. But then, you’ve got that, too, don’t you?”

Cari had to agree. She smiled at Max. He was making faces and gesturing and trying to convey something to her, but she couldn’t understand what he was trying to say. She looked at him questioningly, but his mother came up to say something to him, and he looked away, just as Mara appeared before her.

“Hey,” she said, beaming at her friend.

“Do you realize you would never have met Max if it wasn’t for me?” Mara demanded. “I think I deserve some recognition. A plaque would be nice.” She grinned at Cari.

“So you have to admit it has all worked out for the best,” Cari responded.

Mara nodded. “Although I’d rather have you in the family than that C.J.,” she told her with a sigh.

“Oh, C.J.’s okay. And she sure can cook.”

“My, yes. I would never dispute that.”

Cari turned away. One of the neighborhood girls who had been hired to help serve was tugging on her satin dress.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Angeli,” she said.

Cari thrilled to hearing her new name for the first time. “Yes?”

“There’s something wrong in the bunkhouse. Something broke. I was asked to get you to come right away.”

“Oh, dear.”

The bunkhouse was where they were storing most of the supplies. She looked at the receiving line and couldn’t find Max. Whatever it was, she would have to handle it on her own and she’d better do it quickly. Gathering her skirt, she dashed across the sod to the bunkhouse and hurried inside. As she did so, the door closed behind her, the lock snapped, and she was suddenly engulfed in gloom.

“What is it?” She turned quickly and found herself being dragged into the arms of her new husband. “Max!”

“I couldn’t wait any longer,” he told her, raining kisses on her upturned face. “You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. Ripe for ravishing, I’d say.”

“Would you say that?” She laughed low in her throat as he began a slow, sexy seduction. “A quick ravishment sounds pretty good to me, too.”

She kissed him back, then sighed. “But we really can’t. We’ve got to cut the cake and lead the dance and…”

He said something in Italian and began to peel her dress away. Sighing, she gave in. The cake and the dance would have to wait. Right now, love had the right of way.