FIFTEEN

Nervous?”

Garrett’s question didn’t disturb Reid’s focus on the still-closed carved wooden doors at the back of the church. His sister and Elisabeth were already walking down the aisle—when would the doors open again and reveal Bellamy?

“No.”

Reid’s answer must have been louder than he’d meant for it to be because a soft wave of laughter sounded through the small group of guests seated in the first few rows at the front of the church.

“No.” He lowered his voice. “Eager. Ready to do this.”

The pianist transitioned to the opening notes of “Song of the Heart,” causing Reid’s own pulse rate to quicken.

No more waiting.

It’d taken a near-miracle to pull off a wedding in less than three weeks—but between Reid’s mother and one of the top wedding coordinators in New York, a Manhattan destination wedding do-over came together.

But only after he and Bellamy sat down and talked with both sets of parents and then discussed the budget together.

His favorite part?

Watching his mother present his bride-to-be with the stunning wedding gown they both thought had been won by some unknown woman at the hospital charity auction.

Bellamy glanced back and forth between Reid and his mother. “How did you . . . but you didn’t . . .”

“No, I didn’t win the gown.” Reid could have laughed out loud at the Cheshire Cat smile on his mother’s face. “But my mother did, with the help of a willing accomplice.”

“A friend?”

“No.” His mother took over the explanation. “If I’d asked a friend or even a board member to assist me, I knew Reid might have recognized them. So I requested the aid of an absolute stranger to bid on the gown. Of course, I assured the woman that my husband would pay for her winning bid.”

“Mr. Stanton paid for the dress?”

“Indeed he did. And my instructions were for her to outbid anyone. I never expected she’d be outbidding our son.”

The doors swung open and Bellamy stepped from the foyer into the church, escorted by her father. But Reid saw his future father-in-law as a mere shadow in the soft golden glow that was his bride.

Bellamy’s dark hair was pulled off her face, held back by a jeweled clasp of some sort, allowing him to see the curve of her jaw, the length of neck and shoulder. The brooches in her bouquet mirrored the shimmer of the barrette in her hair.

Reid could have been distracted by the vaulted ceiling of the historic church—or by the grand stained-glass windows along the walls that allowed the winter sunlight to stream in and cast a glow onto the small gathering of friends and family. He could even stop and ponder the significance of how his parents and grandparents had spoken their wedding vows here.

I’ll be looking at you, Reid. Only you.

Even the echo of Bellamy’s promise last night just after he’d given her one last “until tomorrow” kiss couldn’t distract Reid from watching his bride walk toward him.

Yes, he’d seen her in the dress on the night of the auction. But today . . . today the notes of the piano seemed to draw her ever closer . . . to become his wife.

Bellamy loved him—imperfect as he was.

And he loved her.

And together, with God’s help and his lavish grace, they would discover what loving each other truly meant.

From this day forward.

• • • 

For months Bellamy had pinned bits and pieces of a Manhattan destination wedding—haphazard glimpses of happily ever after—to virtual Pinterest boards.

Now all of those bits and pieces became her wedding day. All of her daydreams and the weeks when her heart shattered into a million tiny pieces of heartache. And then God miraculously wove broken hearts and broken dreams back together again with invisible threads of forgiveness and love spoken with truth.

The minister’s voice refocused her attention to the ceremony.

“Reid and Bellamy, please take each other’s right hands.”

Reid’s strong grip embraced her hand. Warm. Solid.

“This is the hand of the person who will become your best friend.” The minister’s words were for them alone.

“You are holding each other’s hands as you promise before God and these other witnesses to love each other all the days of your lives.

“These are the hands that will work together as you build your future and make your dreams a reality. Remember that unless the Lord builds the house, they who labor, labor in vain.

“These are the hands that will comfort you in illness and trials, and share the joy and happiness of life together. The Word tells us not to be surprised by trials and tough times.

“These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you all through the years. Remember that you are to consider each other more important than yourself. Submit yourselves to each other out of love.

“May you always hold each other and give strength to each other to hold on to the covenant you make to each other and to God today no matter the storms and stresses of life. Remind each other that your hope and strength is in trusting God together.”

Within moments, she and Reid spoke their vows. Her voice trembled. His was vibrant. Sure.

“Reid, you may now kiss your bride.”

A familiar glint lit her groom’s eyes and Bellamy had to stifle a giggle.

She kept her voice low, even as she offered a warning. “Don’t you dare, Reid Stanton!”

“Don’t I dare what?” He whispered the words even as he drew her closer. “Kiss you? Of course I’m going to kiss you.”

“Be nice. We’re in church.”

And then he kissed her . . . and the feel of his lips against hers was oh so nice, with just the right hint of more to come.

Applause mixed with a few exuberant whistles broke them apart, and heat stained Bellamy’s cheeks.

“I look forward to continuing that later.”

“Shhh. The minister can hear you.” Bellamy refused to look at the gray-haired man standing between them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Reid and Bellamy Stanton!”

Applause erupted again, along with the beginning strains of their recessional.

“Shall we go, Mrs. Stanton?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Stanton.”

Reid swept her off her feet and up into his arms.

“What are you doing?” Bellamy clung to her brooch bouquet, her arm slung over Reid’s shoulders, their guests disappearing in a blur.

“Making a break for it!” His long strides took them past their astonished guests and into the church foyer and out the doors.

“Reid, stop! We can’t—” Laughter interrupted Bellamy’s protests. “—we can’t run away from our family and friends! They were expecting a receiving line.”

“Change of plans.”

Reid’s hasty exit caught the waiting reporters unawares, who hustled to snap photographs as the driver assisted Reid in getting Bellamy into the silver limousine.

“Well, that worked exactly as I’d hoped.” Reid waved to the photographers and then helped arrange her dress before settling back into the seat as the limo pulled away.

“That was brilliant! To be honest, I’d forgotten all about the media.”

“Thank you. And now, we shall enjoy an impromptu ride through Manhattan—a few minutes of peace and quiet—and then we’ll show up at the reception, after we’ve caught our breath. And shared a few kisses.”

“Did anyone else know about your plan?”

“Yes.” He slid his arm around her shoulders and pressed a warm kiss to her neck. “I told my mother, like a good son. Now I’m going to kiss you breathless like a very good husband—”

“But I wanted to see the city lights—”

“We can do that later, at the reception. There’s an excellent view of the Manhattan skyline, remember?”

And with that, Reid pushed the button so that the divider screen rose, separating them from the driver.