‘It doesn’t matter any more,’ she murmured. The past was behind them. They were here in this wonderful moment.
‘To me, it does. I robbed you of a dream by manipulating you into marriage. All your friends have had their weddings—their day to shine as a bride—and I want to give you that, Tamalyn, make everything right for you. The vows Hannah and Grant exchanged today—they’re real to us now, aren’t they? You can believe I mean every word?’
‘Yes,’ she said in giddy joy.
‘Then let me give you a wedding with all the trimmings. I want you to have our love for each other openly celebrated in front of your friends. I want you to feel like my bride, be my bride, and have it as a happy memory for the rest of our lives.’
He tilted her head back, wanting to see acceptance in her eyes, and she saw in his the determination to win it…getting his own way with her in the end. But it was a beautiful way, a loving way, and she happily gave in to him.
‘I’d like that very much, Fletcher.’
His face lit with joyful triumph. ‘Leave it to me, Tamalyn. I’ll make it right for you. You just dream up whatever you’d like and that’s what we’ll have.’
‘It’s your wedding, too.’
‘I want what you want. Though right now I feel like dancing the night away. Are you with me?’
She laughed. ‘Lead the way.’
He did and she went with him, feeling the future stretching out in front of them—the kind of future that made her want to dance, too—dance with twinkling toes and bubbles of joy and stars in her eyes because Fletcher loved her and wanted to celebrate their love for each other in a wedding that promised a lifetime of commitment.
Not for their child.
For them.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
One Year Later
Lord Howe Island
The Sixth Wedding
FORTUNATELY the property where Tammy and Fletcher had stayed last time had six boutique apartments, accommodation for the whole gang, which made for a great time together leading up to the wedding. The rest of the guests were all over the place. Fletcher had virtually booked every available room on the island, paying for them well in advance, organising the flights in and out, ensuring that no-one would miss out on the celebration of their marriage. The man was an absolute powerhouse when he put his mind to something, making Tammy feel she was the luckiest woman in the world to have him.
And here it was at last—their wedding day.
She couldn’t stop smiling as her friends fussed around her, getting ready for the ceremony. They’d swarmed into her and Fletcher’s apartment as soon as he’d left it this morning, taking John with him to the apartment designated for the men to get ready. Her friends were happy for her. She was happy for herself.
‘I didn’t think this wedding would happen, and I’m so glad it is,’ Celine said, grinning from ear to ear.
‘In great style, too!’ Kirsty said in warm approval. ‘I must say I like the way he’s spending up big to give you the best day he can, Tam. Shows how much he loves you.’
Tammy smiled. ‘He’s spending far more on a project that’s very dear to my heart.’
‘You mean the computer games for children?’ Lucy asked, keen on anything that might benefit them. She and Tony wanted a big family and they’d had another baby a few months ago.
‘No. They’re not ready for marketing yet,’ Tammy answered. ‘This is something I wished was available. We’re going to build a centre that will help distressed mothers who can’t cope with their new babies. I’ve seen this problem so many times and couldn’t do enough about it to really help. Fletcher’s already got people looking for the right property.’
‘Wow! That’s great, Tam. And so are you,’ Jennifer said, looking proud of her. ‘You’ve really found your Mr Right.’
Celine shook her head incredulously. ‘I would never have believed my brother would turn into a humanitarian. That’s convinced me. He really loves you, Tammy.’
Hannah pounced, wanting her curiosity satisfied. ‘I know you chose to have the wedding here because this is where the two of you really got down to basics, but are you zipping off somewhere else for a honeymoon?’
‘No, just a few more days here, then we’re going home.’
Hannah looked disappointed. ‘Well, I guess this is romantic enough.’
Tammy hesitated a moment, wondering how her friends would react, but it was going to happen anyway. ‘Actually we do have something planned, but we have to wait a while to do it. Fletcher has booked us on a trip to outer space, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of the guys who created Google is doing it, too.’
Their jaws dropped in unison.
Celine recovered first. ‘Outer space. That is so him. Do you actually want to go on a spaceship, Tammy?’
‘Yes. I think it will be marvellous. Seeing the earth from way up there, the moon, the stars, the whole universe spread around us…. I can’t imagine anything more fabulous.’
‘Now I know you’re right for each other. Mad…both of you.’
‘Oh, Celine, you’re so grounded,’ Jennifer chided. ‘I think it’s wonderful, Tammy taking off to the stars. Who’d have thought any of us would ever have the chance?’
‘Yes. You go for it, girl!’ Hannah enthusiastically approved, instantly applying their old catch-cry.
‘Just imagine!’ Lucy trilled in delight. ‘I’ll be able to take my kids outside one night, point up to the sky and tell them my friend is up there in a spaceship.’
‘Our friend,’ Kirsty corrected her. ‘We’ll be so proud of you, Tam. Well, we are anyway. And we’re so glad you finally got to be the bride.’
‘Who’s going to be late for the ceremony if we don’t get a move on,’ Celine warned. She smiled at Tammy. ‘I’m one up on the rest of the gang. I can say my sister-in-law is flying in outer space. And my brother took her there. I won’t even mention you’re both in the grip of lunar madness.’
They all laughed at her good-humoured concession, then happily settled back into getting ready. Tammy loved the silk chiffon dresses she’d had made for her friends. The halter-necked crossover bodice was red with a red tie at the waist, but the skirt was a lovely flowing concoction of graduated lengths in red and orange and yellow, like the gorgeous hibiscus flowers that grew on the island, a few of which comprised their bouquets.