“I love you, Nikki, and after all we’ve been through, I love you even more. You make my life worth living. I couldn’t have gone on without you. I really don’t think that I could have. I don’t ever want to lose you. Not ever. I’ll do anything to win your confidence in me again. I’ll never keep secrets from you. I’ll always be honest. I’ll love you when things are crappy and when they’re fantastic. I’ll be your best friend and your lover. All I know is that I want to commit myself to you forever, and we don’t need a big fancy wedding. We don’t need four hundred guests. We just need each other.”
She looked at him and her eyes filled with tears.
“So if you’ll still have me, I need you to start thinking.”
“Thinking about . . . ?” She smiled.
“Where we’re getting married and who to invite. The fewer people the better.”
“I agree.”
He laughed. “That sounds to me like you’ll still have me.”
“I love you, Derek. Of course I’ll still have you. We are getting married,” Nikki said. She believed it. Ninety-five percent of her believed it, anyway, but that was good enough for now. However, she knew that there was a man who still loved her back in Spain, and there was a part of her that would always love him more than she’d ever been willing to admit to herself. Maybe someday their paths would cross again.
Epilogue
Eight months later
THE bride and groom stood on top of the hillside, cresting the famous wine valley region below. She wore a simple ivory strapless sheath and was barefoot with a single pink hibiscus flower in her hair above her ear.
There were only a handful of family and close friends. They’d written their own vows. Heartfelt and beautiful. Meaningful. For those who never believed the day would ever come, they had shown them. Many had never expected this wedding to take place. Ever. Hearts had been broken along the way, lives had been changed, but their love had blossomed and held them through it all.
And as the pastor pronounced them man and wife, Nikki Sands (now Nikki Malveaux) stood on her tiptoes and kissed her groom, knowing she’d just married her soul mate.
RECIPE INDEX
Peach Galette with Gouda Cheese
with Bonterra Rosé
28
Gilled Pork in a Sun-dried Cherry Cabernet Sauce
with Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon
44
Stuffed French Toast with Mimosas
60
Pan Seared Scallops,
Champagne-Pear Cream and Chervil
with Bonterra Viognier
83
Grilled Ahi with Poblano Cream Sauce
with Bonterra Chardonnay
152
Baked Lemon with Mozzarella and Mushroom Crostini
with Bonterra Syrah
174
Asian Beef Tip Salad with Bonterra Merlot
216
A Toast to Murder Page 20
