Chapter 36
According to her father, Mallory Vaughn was “as Irish as Paddy’s pig.
” At least on the McCarthy side of the family.
Her late mother had been English and Dutch, and since finding her father two summers ago, Mallory had filled in the blanks on his side of the family.
Despite her Irish heritage, however, Mallory wasn’t superstitious, which was why she spent the night before her wedding with her fiancé.
Looking over at Quinn as he slept with one arm tossed over his head, she gave thanks for the twisted strokes of fate that’d brought him into her life.
After her first husband had dropped dead at age twenty-seven, Mallory hadn’t expected to marry again. But meeting Big Mac McCarthy had changed her life in every possible way and had led her to Dr. Quinn James, who’d be her husband by the end of this day, which was also their forty-first birthday.
When they’d hatched the plan to get married on their joint birthday, Mallory and Quinn had intended to host a casual cookout in her brother Mac’s backyard. But when Big Mac had heard that plan, he’d asked permission to host her wedding at the beautiful Chesterfield Estate.
“I missed every single thing with you,” he’d said. “Please let me do this for you.”
He had been so sweet and so sincere that Mallory had tearfully agreed to let her father give her a wedding.
Because their birthday fell on a Tuesday this year, they had no trouble booking the sold-out Chesterfield a month ago.
Since then, Lizzie James and her team had pulled off a miracle.
Mallory couldn’t wait to see the final result of weeks of meetings and phone calls and emails.
With Lizzie in charge, she had no doubt it would be beautiful.
She kissed Quinn’s shoulder and then his lips, rousing him out of a sound sleep.
His golden-brown eyes popped open, and a smile lit up his handsome face. “Morning, beautiful. Happy birthday. Happy wedding day.”
“Happy everything,” Mallory said, sighing when he wrapped his arms around her.
In all the years since she’d lost Ryan, she’d never felt as at home anywhere than she did with Quinn.
“We need to get moving if we’re going to catch a meeting before the festivities start.
” They made a point of beginning every day with an AA meeting in town and rarely missed a day.
“How about we take a run and end up there?”
“Sounds good to me.”
They got up, got dressed in running clothes and headed off, taking the long way into town and arriving at the nondenominational church where the meeting was held each morning.
Their regular group, which included their good friend Mason Johns, was already seated in the circle when they came in, wiping off sweat.
The heat wave continued unabated, but the basement where they held the meeting was cooler than most places.
Their friends offered a round of applause for the bride and groom that embarrassed Mallory and Quinn. They grabbed bottles of water off the refreshment table and sat away from the others, since they were sweaty from running.
Nina, the woman who facilitated the group, gestured to them.
“This is what dedication looks like, my friends. On a day when Mallory and Quinn certainly have better things to do, they’re taking the time to come here first. Let that be an example to all of us on days when we feel like we have better things to do than come to a meeting. ”
After the meeting, they jogged home at a slower pace to shower and have breakfast, which consisted of cold cereal with milk from the cooler they’d kept iced for days.
“I’m seriously over this power failure,” Quinn said. “It’ll be nice to get off this island for a few days and rejoin the twenty-first century already in progress.”
“Indeed,” Mallory said. “I’m starting to miss hot water, even if cold showers are the only thing keeping us from melting. Thank goodness they have a generator at the Chesterfield so I won’t look like a sweaty mess in the wedding pictures.”
“You couldn’t be a sweaty mess if you tried.”
“No need to pour on the charm, Dr. James. In case you hadn’t heard, I’m somewhat of a sure thing where you’re concerned.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to lower my game.
” Quinn came over to where she was standing at the kitchen sink.
“I’m going to get out of your hair now so you and your girls can do your thing.
But I just wanted to tell you, before things get crazy, that I love you and that loving you has been the highlight of my life so far. ”
“Let me turn around so I can see your handsome face.”
He stepped back so she could turn and link her arms around his neck.
“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, and you’ve said a lot of nice things to me.”
“I mean it. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me, and I can’t wait to be married to you.”
“Same to you. I was thinking this morning about how when Ryan died, I thought that was it for me when it came to love and marriage. Until there you were, giving me a second chance to have it all.”
He kissed her and hugged her tightly for a long time. “Don’t be late.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Quinn was going to Jared’s house to hang out with his brothers until it was time to go to the Chesterfield.
Mallory was getting ready at home, with her sister, Janey, serving as her maid of honor and her cousin Laura and longtime best friend, Trish, rounding out the wedding party.
Trish, an accomplished photographer, would also be taking the photos.
She was due to arrive on the ten-thirty boat, after shooting a wedding the night before in Boston.
Mallory hadn’t seen her since before she first came to Gansett and couldn’t wait to introduce her friend to Quinn, Big Mac, Linda and the rest of her new family.
For many years, Mallory’s family had consisted of her mother and Trish.
Now she had more relatives than she could count and loved being part of the big McCarthy family.
Janey and Laura arrived together, along with Cindy Lawry to do Mallory’s hair. She’d intended to wear it down, until the heat wave struck, and she and Cindy had changed their plan, deciding to go with an updo in deference to the heat.
A few hours of primping later, Mallory stood before the full-length mirror in the Chesterfield’s bridal room and gave herself a critical once-over. “Not bad for a forty-one-year-old broad,” she said, laughing at her own choice of words.
“Not bad at all,” Big Mac said from behind her.
Mallory caught his eye in the mirror and smiled the way she did every time she saw him. All her life she’d wondered what her missing father might be like, but nothing could’ve prepared her for the reality of him. He was one of the most wonderful people she’d ever known, and she loved him dearly.
“You look beautiful, honey,” Linda said when she came in behind her husband. “That dress is perfect on you.”
“Thanks to Tiffany,” Mallory said of the dress that was sexy but classy, too, with spaghetti straps holding up a slinky bodice.
It had minimal adornments and a two-foot train, but the showstopper was the back, which was completely bare.
Tiffany had convinced her the dress would be sensational, and she was right.
Mallory loved it and was fairly certain Quinn would, too.
“Only she could help me order the perfect dress online and have it fit like a dream.”
“She sure is good at what she does,” Linda said. “The two of you got it just right.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Mallory held up the skirt as she walked the short distance to a table where Lizzie had left two boxes of flowers.
She removed a wrist corsage from one of the boxes and gestured for Linda to come to her.
“Since my own mom can’t be here today, I was hoping you might be willing to stand in for her.
” Mallory slid the corsage onto Linda’s wrist.
“I’d be honored,” Linda said, visibly moved.
“I’ll never have the words to properly thank you for the way you’ve welcomed me into your family. You never so much as hesitated to make me feel a part of things when you certainly didn’t have to, and I’ll always be thankful to you for that.”
Linda hugged her carefully. “We had no idea that we were waiting for you to make our family complete. You made it easy to welcome you, and we love you very much.”
“You’re going to make me cry,” Mallory said, smiling.
Linda laughed as she dabbed at tears. “You started it.”
The two women shared a laugh as they made good use of the tissues Big Mac handed them.
“I’ll see you downstairs,” Linda said, leaving the room after kissing them both.
“That was very nice of you to include her that way.” Big Mac looked as handsome and polished as she’d ever seen him, in a dark navy suit, a white dress shirt and light blue tie that complemented his blue eyes.
Mallory pinned a white rose boutonniere on his lapel and then looked up at him. “I love her as much as I love you. Thank you for this beautiful day.”
“We love you, too, and it’s our pleasure to give you this day.
Thank you for letting me be your dad today and always.
Linda was right, you know. We were waiting for you to make us complete.
” He kissed her cheek. “Happy birthday, my sweet girl, and all the best of everything to you and your new husband.”
Mallory dabbed at new tears, hoping she hadn’t completely ruined her makeup. “Thanks, Dad.” Calling him that would never get old.
Lizzie came to the door, looking beautiful in a red dress with her blonde hair in a bun. “We’re ready when you are, sis.”
Mallory was delighted to be getting her as a sister-in-law and Jared and Cooper as brothers-in-law. She didn’t know the rest of the James family as well as she knew them, but looked forward to spending time with the rest of them.
Big Mac extended his arm to Mallory. “You don’t need anyone to give you away, but I’m so glad you asked me to.”