Six weeks later . . .
The barefoot bride wore lace dotted with tiny embroidered flowers that matched the ones in her long, brown hair.
The groom wore a tux, sans tie as an ode to the bride’s desire for simplicity and comfort.
A clear blue sky draped over the backyard of the Victorian house on Tumbleweed Drive in late-summer perfection punctuated with hundreds of white roses and sunshine-yellow daisies along with the celebratory cheers and laughter of happily ever after.
And that, Jackson Tremayne thought as he sipped his champagne and watched his children settle into the future, made life worth living.
“I thought they wanted small.” Rylan Price joined him at the far end of the yard near the collection of antique ladders and shelves Sheila had arranged to display the wedding gifts from the nearly seventy guests.
Jackson chuckled. “By Tremayne and Juliano standards this is small. Glad you could come.”
Rylan shrugged, looking every bit as comfortable in his suit and tie as he had in the basic black uniform of Nemesis all those weeks ago. “You wanted to meet with me and Cat this week anyway. And we were happy to take a break for a few days. Nice town you’ve got here.” He looked over to where Cat sat cross-legged on the grass braiding daisy crowns for various little girls’ hair.
“You sure you’re up for taking over for us?” Jackson asked.
“Taking what over?” Nathan dodged Cedric and Aiden as they darted around guests on their way to Poppy who was overseeing the giant chocolate fountain, a special request of the bride’s daughter.
“Seems a shame to let Nemesis disappear for good,” Rylan said. “We’re negotiating terms.”
“Don’t let the district attorney hear you say that,” Jackson said as he searched for Evan in the crowd and found him chatting with Gage and Morgan by the overflowing picnic tables, the unending buffet courtesy of Theresa and Angela. “Not that he wouldn’t welcome a respite from the bashing he’s taking from the press.”
“News on the Stanton murder case reached us up in San Francisco,” Rylan said. “Seemed a slam dunk if you ask me. Wife did it. Case closed.”
“Case lost. Evan’s going to have a tough reelection on his hands,” Jackson said. “We’ll help where we can. All the more reason to pass the Nemesis torch. That work for you, Nathan?”
“After much thought, I’ve decided my Nemesis days are over.” Nathan glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Laurel as she pulled a reluctant and newly adopted Drew to the makeshift dance floor. The sixties and seventies soundtrack the bride had requested was a hit with everyone, especially Kelley, who had become fascinated with the idea of bell bottom jeans and beaded headbands. Veronica was playing fashion consultant for her as they scoured Pinterest on Veronica’s cell phone. “But I’m happy to be of assistance should the need arise,” Nathan continued. “I think my wife will understand.”
“I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t want in on it herself,” Jackson teased. “Maybe Malcolm, too.”
“How’s he doing?” Rylan asked. “With the chemo? He looks pretty good.”
“Better than we are, I think.” The spark of contentment on Nathan’s face faded. “I cornered Sheila the other day. He has his good days and his bad, but . . . ” he trailed off as they watched Malcolm smooth his hand over the slight bump of Sheila’s belly. She threw her head back and laughed as he bent down to talk to their unborn baby. “Yeah. I think working with Nemesis during his convalescence might do him some good.”
“We could all do with some good.” Jackson slipped his hand into his pocket to capture the wedding band he’d worn for almost forty years. The band he’d taken off only this morning.
“Dad? Everything okay?”
“I was just thinking about the day I married your mother. One of the best days of my life.” The sting of Catherine’s absence had lessened of late despite the new revelations surrounding her death. The anger and guilt over her death would remain in his heart forever, but those feelings were tempered by the fact that Alastair Manville would never again hurt his family. “Now that Sheila and Malcolm have moved into the house, it’s time I got serious about finding my own place to live.”
“Your suite at the Empire not cutting it anymore?” Nathan teased. “You know, the brownstone might be available soon. Laurel’s been looking at houses in this neighborhood. She doesn’t think I know.”
“Don’t tell me you’re already spying on your wife,” Jackson laughed.
“Is it my fault she doesn’t know when I’m reading over her shoulder? Joey and I found a nice house around the corner from here with its own guest house that’s perfect for Poppy.”
“Final paperwork go through with the gym?”
“Signed, sealed, and over and done.”
“No regrets?” Jackson asked.
“Maybe one or two,” Nathan said. “I’ll stay on until we can find my replacement. I appreciate you understanding me needing to do this, Dad.”
“I never expected you to live my life, Nathan.” But he’d miss working with his son. More than he probably should. “Nemesis and the business aside, I want what’s best for you. What you think is best for you,” he added. “The rest?” Jackson shrugged. How could he be angry with his son for following his heart? “If I think you’re taking too long getting out, I’ll be happy to fire you.”
“Sounds like a plan. Hey, there’s my girl.” Nathan bent down and scooped Joey—and her poofy yellow dress—into his arms, jostling her on his hip as he plucked one of the tiny daisies from her hair. “You’re as pretty as your mama, you know that?” Joey beamed.
“Can I stay here overnight again, Daddy? Kelley and Cedric and Aiden and I want to see if we can dress up Dory and Kitty. And Liza and Gina are going to help Morgan plant a new garden over there.” She twisted and pointed to where Lydia’s wheelchair sat in the far corner of the yard, Kitty the puppy curled up beside one of the wheels. “For Lydia.”
“I think that can be arranged. Why don’t you go ask Theresa when you can help us cut that cake, okay?” He kissed her cheek and set her back down.
“Daddy, huh?” Pride swelled almost painfully inside Jackson at the contentment on his son’s face. This was what he wanted for his children; for their children. This was what mattered. “When did that happen?”
“A couple of days ago. She just said it out of nowhere. We didn’t make a big deal out of it.”
“Sounds like a big deal to me. Congratulations again, Nathan.” Rylan slapped Nathan on the arm and excused himself to refill his drink.
“Thank you, Dad,” Nathan said after a few moments of silence.
Jackson glanced at his son. “For what?”
“For always being there. For showing me this was possible. We did a lot of good as Nemesis, but I think we’ll do even more now. But that does raise a question for me and Sheila and Morgan.”
“What question?”
Nathan shrugged. “Mom’s been gone awhile. The business practically runs itself and now that you’re not plotting revenge against your egotistical clients and neighbors, you’re bound to have more time on your hands. It’s a shame to spend it alone.”
“Funny you should mention that.” Jackson looked down at his drink. Nerves he hadn’t felt in decades tingled to life. “I wasn’t sure how you and your sisters would feel about me dating again. I’m not sure how I feel about it.”
“Mom would want you to be happy. We want you to be happy. I’m betting if you think about it, you might already have someone in mind.” Jackson smiled.
“I’m not sure if it’s appropriate. Or if she’s amenable.”
“I think you’d be surprised,” Nathan said with a grin. “And I’m being paged by my wife. You’ve always told us to follow our hearts. It’s time you do the same.”
Jackson watched Nathan rejoin his bride, bringing Joey into the circle between them as Morgan and Gage and then Sheila and Malcolm drifted onto the dance floor. Jackson took a deep breath, letting it out as he imagined Catherine’s encouraging smile and understanding gaze. A breeze blew across him, brushing against his skin with so light a touch he couldn’t help but think she was giving her blessing.
Before he lost his nerve—he couldn’t believe he had them after all these years—Jackson walked across the yard to the elegant blonde helping to arrange the children for their photographs. “Corrine?”
“Yes?” She turned, surprise in her eyes as she looked down at his outstretched hand.
“May I have this dance?”
After a moment’s hesitation—one of the longest moments of his life—she smiled. And took his hand. “You may indeed.”