Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Once she’d dressed herself again and fixed her hair and makeup, she was ready.
When she went back downstairs, it was to a scene of organized chaos. Crystal took center stage, her instructions crisp and calm. With only an hour before the wedding, everybody chipped in, putting up decorations and balloons and making sure everything was perfect, from the teal tablecloths to the floral arrangements on each table. Mila’s job was to put out the tiny gifts that Arch and Tessa had chosen for their guests. They were locally made candles. While Archer could have bought everybody something from Tiffany’s, Mila loved that they’d gone with something simple and local. It was perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Margaret Percy was the first guest to arrive, looking magnificent in a green linen trouser suit and high heels. She’d had her hair done that morning and obviously taken pains with her makeup.
When Mila saw the high heels, she said, “Margaret, Tessa will have a fit if she sees you wearing those heels.”
Margaret had been Tessa’s patient before Arch broke his leg and needed a live-in caregiver. The eighty-something-year-old shot her a mischievous look. “Then you’d better not tell her. I wasn’t going to walk that girl down the aisle looking like a little old lady. If I fall, somebody’ll pick me up.”
“I will,” Howie said, coming in to give her a bear hug. “You know I’ve always got your back, Margaret.”
She patted his cheek. “Don’t I know it. It’s a proud day for you, Howard Davenport.”
“You can say that again. Today, I welcome a new daughter into my family. I couldn’t be happier.”
“And to think I introduced them,” Margaret said, not for the first time. Since she’d been sworn to secrecy about this wedding, she hadn’t been able to crow to all her friends about being responsible for the love match. But every time she was with the family, she made sure that they all knew that this day would never have happened without her. The delightful thing was, it was true. Although Mila had to wonder, even without Margaret’s introducing them, wouldn’t Archer and Tessa have met somehow? Wasn’t that what destiny was all about?
And then she thought about Herschel and how she’d seen him at the plein air show, staring at that painting of her, and from that moment, her life seemed to have taken a different turn. That had to be destiny, didn’t it? And on this day, which was all about love and commitment, she had to accept the truth. She’d fallen in love with Herschel Greenfield. Deeply and forever in love. The thought scared her, but it exhilarated her too. As he’d said to her once, he was a man of the stars and sky, and she was a woman of the water. Yet somehow they were magic together.
While she was still having these thoughts, Herschel walked in. She could see him searching for her, and when their gazes met, he gave her a special smile, one she was pretty sure he saved only for her. There was an answering smile on her lips that nobody else ever got either. He came over and stood beside her. She passed him a glass of champagne.
Howie’s brothers and their wives arrived together. Howie had wanted to invite all of his brothers and all their kids and all the cousins, but Betsy had talked him down to just the brothers and their wives. But they were all so big and noisy, they took up as much space as twenty people. Fortunately, the weather was nice, and they all picked up their champagne and headed outside. A string quartet played softly in the backyard, and thanks to Crystal and her staff and Francesca’s caterers, everything went perfectly.
Francesca came and took charge of the food, which Mila knew was a great honor. Sergio and a young woman, both dressed in black and white, walked around with trays of canapés, all of which Mila had tasted. She was pleased to see that the crab cakes with the avocado aioli were a big hit, as were the other goodies she’d sampled.
Arch arrived, looking as good as she’d ever seen him and definitely happier than she’d ever seen him. He hadn’t gone with anything wacky or theatrical for his wedding attire. He wore an elegant tuxedo, as did Nick and Finn. Damien was slightly less formal. His mother had tried to get him to shave, which had made them all laugh. Still, he’d cleaned himself up enough to wear a decent pair of trousers and a crisp white shirt.
Smith Sullivan and a glowing and gorgeous Valentina arrived soon after Arch and his brothers. Smith apologized, telling Crystal in a low voice that they’d taken a detour, as they’d suspected they were being followed by a pap. It happened often enough that Smith wasn’t fazed. “Pretty sure we lost him,” he said. “But he was driving an old blue Honda Civic.”