Jack gazed at Michelle with such happiness, such certainty, that she wanted to jump up and down, and dance in circles. She was so damn happy for him.
The officiant began the ceremony. An older man with graying hair and kind eyes, he seemed well suited for his role. “We’re here today to celebrate the relationship of Jack and Michelle. Together, they have gathered the most important people in their lives,” he said, stopping to gesture to the guests, “to share in their love and their joy.”
As the officiant continued his introduction, Casey locked eyes with Nate. She couldn’t have wiped the grin off her face if she’d tried, nor could he, as a warm breeze rustled the canopy. She had never expected to be at her brother’s wedding having fallen in love herself. But it had happened, hook, line and sinker, and here she was, deep in the throes.
Soon it was time for the vows.
“Michelle and Jack are here to marry each other and begin this next path in their lifelong journey,” the officiant said, his deep voice carrying across the coconut-scented tropical air. “Their words, their intentions, their vision, and that love and faith in each other will define and shape their marriage and all their days together. There will be times of conflict and times of joy, and amidst all those times I ask them to remember always that love is a gift, that marriage is a lifelong commitment, and that together they can face any hurdles with a love this strong. I call on them now to give their promise to each other before their friends and family. These are the pledges that will bind them together.”
The gray-haired man looked from Michelle to Jack and back. “Please join hands and look into each other’s eyes.”
Michelle handed Sutton her bouquet of pink roses, then focused on Jack as he clasped hands with her.
“Jack, with this understanding, do you take Michelle to be your wedded wife and to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?”
Jack nodded. “I do,” he said, his voice full of confidence and hope.
“Michelle, with this understanding, do you take Jack to be your wedded husband, and to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to him, so long as you both shall live?”
Michelle beamed as she answered, “I do.”
The officiant turned to Nate. “May I have the rings, please.”
Nate dipped his hand in his pocket, and presented two platinum bands.
“These rings are a symbol of your unending love and a sign of your commitment to each other. A ring is unbroken. May your marriage always be unbroken, too. Now, as you place these rings on each other, you may share your vows,” the officiant said, gesturing to the couple.
Jack slid the ring on Michelle’s finger, his eyes on her the whole time as he spoke. “This ring is a gift for you and symbolizes my desire and my love for you that grows every day, and will continue to for as long as we both shall live.”
Michelle took his hand, placed the ring on him, and repeated the same vow. Then the officiant delivered the words that sealed off the ceremony: “You may kiss the bride.”
As her brother kissed his wife before their friends and family, Casey let her tears of happiness fall, and soon the guests were clapping and cheering, and the quartet was playing again.
She felt a hand on hers, then fingers threading through hers, then a voice in the ear. “What if the best man wants to kiss the bridesmaid?”
“She’d say yes.”
They kissed too.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
New York, two weeks later . . .
Nate tugged at his tie, wishing he could yank the damn thing off, and shed the whole jacket and suit too, just wear shorts and a T-shirt to his board meeting.
He headed up Lexington as the sticky July heat pelted the sidewalks and the city sweltered under the weight of the sun’s punishment. He pushed his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, and walked quickly around a group of teenagers sucking on iced drinks. Glancing at his watch, he ran a quick review of the day’s agenda in his head. In a word: packed. He’d just gotten off the phone with Jack, thanking him for making the necessary European intros that Nate had asked for at the rehearsal dinner. He’d need to make some final calls on that front next. Then, he had a board meeting all day, a Skype call scheduled with his Las Vegas property manager, and finally he’d get to see Casey. That was his reward, and what he longed for most. He’d just returned late last night from a four-day trip to New Zealand, and couldn’t wait to have her in his arms again.
But first, he’d promised Ethan he’d grab a cup of coffee. The man had called him that morning and said he desperately needed to run an idea past him. He’d sounded worn thin. Ethan said he was catching up on emails at a diner so Nate had told him he’d stop by for a few minutes. It was on the way to the meeting, and he figured it was the least he could do for the guy. Ethan had been busting his ass. He’d always been a hard worker.
Pushing open the door to Sunnyside Diner, he scanned quickly for Ethan, spotting him in a booth at the back. He had his laptop open, and papers spread across the table.
As Nate slid into the orange upholstered booth on the other side, Ethan did a quick sweep of the papers, grabbing everything as best he could and piling it on top of his computer. “Sorry. I’ve been working here all morning. I kind of took over the space.”
“No worries. You setting up a new office?” he joked.
Ethan scoffed, then shot him a sad smile. “You never know, right?”
Odd response. Nate was about to ask what was up, but the waitress stopped by. “What can I get for you?”
“Just a coffee. Black, please,” he said, and she nodded crisply and left. “So what’s the story? How can I help?”
Ethan shook his head, and blew out a long stream of air as he shoved a hand through his hair. Damn, this man was the very definition of frayed. “Fucking boss,” he muttered. “The guy is relentless and is constantly on me to come up with new ideas, then he shoots them all down. And everything I’ve brought to him has fallen apart too. Like this deal I had with Joy Delivered. It was all signed and ready to go, and then wham,” Ethan said, miming an explosion. Nate narrowed his eyes, trying to process what Ethan had just said. How on earth would Ethan have a deal with Casey’s company? “She pulled it out from under me to go to the Pierson,” he added, mentioning the name of another hotel chain.