CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Marnie could have never dreamed that a wedding like this was possible on such short notice. It was everything she’d ever dared to dream about as a little girl.
The one thing on her mind today, was how desperately she missed Hal and wished he was here to walk her down the aisle. There was a soft tap on the door to the second-floor bedroom in the big house. All the brides dressed there and walked down the historic staircase.
“Come in,” she said turning. Angel stood in the doorway, smiling at her. “Angel.”
“Now, look at you,” he grinned. “You look stunning. Absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you. Thank you for checking on me. I was just thinking about how much I miss Hal.”
“I thought you might be,” he nodded. “This might be presumptuous, Marnie, but I’d like to offer myself to walk you down the aisle.”
“Oh,” she croaked standing to hug him. “Oh, Angel. I didn’t want to ask, I didn’t want to assume. Thank you. Thank you, so much.”
“Now, now, don’t cry,” he laughed. “Keegan and Avery will kick my ass if your make-up and hair get messed up.” He hugged her tightly and then held her at arms’ length, looking at the perfect gown. It was perfect for her.
“What? Is something wrong? Is this dress wrong?” she asked nervously.
“Honey, the dress is perfection because you are perfection. No. No, it just needs one thing. A gift from Mary and me.” He opened the blue velvet box and she gasped at the diamond and sapphire pendant. A perfect match for her engagement ring.
“Angel. Angel, I can’t take this.”
“You can, and you will. Gifts must be accepted here at Belle Fleur. It’s law,” he said with a wink. He hooked the clasp at the back of her neck and then kissed her cheek. “There is one other thing. You need to wear this bracelet.”
Marnie stared at the beautiful bracelet. It was lovely but didn’t match anything she was already wearing.
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s a special bracelet. Inside is a tracking device, should something happen to you. There’s also a button on the back that if you depress it, we will be able to hear you and speak to you.” She stared at him for a moment, then touch the spot behind her ear.
“The shot. The shot that Riley gave me. It’s a communication device,” she said in awe.
“That’s right, honey. We’ve had some close calls before and we’d like to not have them again. For the most part, it’s off unless we think you’re in trouble or unless you push at the back near the temporal bone.”
“Wow,” she said smiling. “I can’t believe this.”
“Promise you won’t take it off,” he said looking at her.
“I promise.”
“Good. Now that we have that settled, let’s get you married.”
There was a still a tiny part in Marnie’s mind that worried she would enter the small chapel and Mitch would run the other way. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
He cried. He stared at her on his great-grandfather’s arm and cried. Brooks gripped his shoulder, squeezing it and he smiled at his brother.
“Isn’t she beautiful?”
“She is, Mitch. And she’s yours. She’s all yours.”
Neither remembered much after that. They were prodded to say their vows, they exchanged rings, kissed, and then walked down the aisle to the cheers of the friends and family.
Marnie couldn’t remember ever seeing so many people in one place, and so much food. She took her shoes off after the fourth dance and was happy to dance barefoot beneath the tent.
Seeing the absolute light and bliss in Mitch’s face confirmed for her what she already knew. He really loved her.
“I will never get tired of staring at your face,” he whispered, kissing her just below her ear.
“Believe me, I feel the same about your face,” she smiled. “I see your brother and cousins, your dad and uncles, even Angel and think that’s the same face, but not. I really wonder how so much of the male genetics come through, yet your mothers genetics seem hidden in all of you.”
“Oh, they’re not hidden,” he smirked. “Believe me. I possess my mother’s kindness, her intelligence, her creativity.
I have some of the best parts of my parents and I love that.
Our children might look mostly like me but I want them to have your brains, your compassion, your sense of honor and doing right. ”
“Mitch, you can’t say things like that today and not expect me to cry.”
He laughed, kissing her again as they danced again and again. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Noa.
“Give a guy a chance to dance with the bride,” he said with a wink. Mitch nodded at him, knowing what that meant. He released Marnie’s hand and walked toward the table of men who were trying desperately not to have the look of death on their faces.
“What’s wrong?”