I beam at a familiar friend. “Martin,” I squeal, excited, opening my arms to greet him.
“Now that I’m married to the sexiest European woman alive, I can get away with these comments without fearing getting lynched.” He winks, folding to drop a quick kiss on each cheek. “It’s a whole different ballgame once you’ve tied the knot,” he adds taking a step back.
“Oh, Martin, stop being such a flirt, will you?” Eloise nudges her husband’s arm, giggling. “Let’s limit the sexy label to Ireland. Now that Ciara is living on this continent, I have some serious competition.” She grins.
“You silly Irish.” I roll my eyes at them. “I’m so thrilled you guys are here.”
“We had to be here,” Martin says. “I have to witness this with my own two eyes. The bad-boy bachelor is finally getting hitched. I still won’t believe it until I stand by his side as his best man and watch you glide down the aisle.”
All three of us laugh.
“I’m so overwhelmed by all the people gathered here, I’ve forgotten my manners,” I say, suddenly aware of the intimate crowd still standing close by. “Let me introduce you to a few amazing people. You remember my best friend Harley? You met her when you came and visited Nikolaj and I in New York a few months ago.”
“Of course. Harley, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Martin extends his arms to hug my best friend.
“Likewise, Martin.” Harley breaks her embrace to focus on Martin’s wife. “Eloise, it’s always great to reconnect with you.”
“I feel the same, Harley. I’m looking forward to partying hard tonight like we did the last time we were together.” She winks.
“I’m so ready, girl.” Harley wiggles her hips to emphasize her point. Logan and Walker zero in on my little blonde bombshell and they exchange a look that says a lot. “By the way, Eloise, you look fierce, I mean illegally hot, in your gorgeous dress.”
“Thank you, Harley.” Eloise blushes. “What can I say?” She shrugs. “Green is definitely my favorite color.”
The woman could truly stop traffic in this design. The deep chatoyant silky fabric against her pale complexion is simply… wow. “It certainly is. You always wear the shade so well, but this beaded emerald dress is stunning on you.” I jump in.
“Okay, you guys, enough with the compliments, people. Who are these attractive models standing in front of us?” Eloise is pointing a bejeweled hand in front of her.
“Ah. You’re referring to the owners of this castle. Let me introduce you to a few more people,” I say, turning my attention to the three hosts waiting patiently. “This lavish affair would never have seen the light of day without the Ellisons. Eloise and Martin, please meet Kayla, Logan and Walker.”
“My God, this property is unbelievable.” Eloise is the first one to speak. “Since I’m such a lover of architecture, Nikolaj already warned me, but seeing it with my own two eyes is surreal. You’ve done an outstanding job renovating such a historical landmark. Of course, as this is a complete renovation and your website isn’t up yet for me to drool all over, I’ve been anxiously anticipating this discovery and may I say I’m not disappointed. Although both of us are Irish, Martin and I got married in the exclusive Balliol Castle in Scotland in May. It was spectacular, but still pales in comparison to the grandeur of this place. Not to mention the weather is way better here in the South of France than on the hottest Scottish day.”
“I have to agree with my wife, this is spectacular. I’m not a connoisseur like she is, but I recognize beauty when I see it.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet both of you,” Logan says, extending his hand. “As much as I hate to admit it, everything you see is the brainchild of my brilliant little sister here. She was so intent on acquiring this property that my baby brother and I got swept away by her enthusiasm and her vision.”
After a few minutes of pleasantries Martin and Eloise wave goodbye to go join Nikolaj’s cousins who are standing near the bar. We’re still all grinning from ear to ear from Martin’s sense of humor when I notice four hotel staff members carrying a heavy load.
“Kayla, are those chocolate fountains?”
She answers without even turning around. “Yup. Jacques-Henri Péronne, our pastry chef, wasn’t too sure which you’d prefer so he decided to surprise you by offering both—white and milk chocolate.”
“My God, you people are insane.”
“In that case I won’t tell you about the over-the-top dessert table we’re bringing out at ten o’clock tonight.”
“Good Lord. I’ll never fit into my wedding dress at this rate.”
“I take it you haven’t had a chance to look around and see what the team has created for you and your fiancé?”
“Kayla, everything’s been too much since Nikolaj and I left the house. I barely scanned the garden when I first arrived. I was immediately greeted by my father and Nik’s dad. I’m sorry to say that I haven’t had a chance to fully appreciate all the work your team has done.”
“I can certainly understand. Before we came out to meet you, Colette announced the kitchen would be ready to serve dinner in about an hour. Why don’t you come with me and Colette and we’ll give you the grand tour? Make sure to bring Harley. We don’t want to her to be stranded at my brother’s mercy.” She grins.
“Let me grab Nikolaj so we can make a circuit of the garden to greet everyone who arrived before we did and reacquaint ourselves with family members we haven’t seen in a while. Then we’ll come and join you,” I say excitedly. “Give us half an hour?”
“You’re the boss, ma’am. You just let us know when and we’ll show you how we intend on dazzling your guests.”
“I think you’ve already taken care of that.”
* * *
I already know nothing will be as unforgettable as the day Nikolaj becomes my husband, but tonight was truly remarkable. The reception exceeded every single one of my expectations.
I couldn’t appreciate all the work involved in creating a magical setting until the sun dropped in the horizon. When darkness settled, the sky lit up with what seemed to be a million little lights. Colette’s team arranged the tables under a web of hanging white lanterns that illuminated the entire garden area. The unexpected touch surprised us all and everyone gasped in unison when Colette turned on the lights.
The table arrangement took my breath away. We sat at long tables covered with pristine white tablecloths topped with magnificent bouquets of Yves Piaget roses in a variety of pink shades. My little blonde bombshell surprised me in the sweetest possible way. Very few people in the world know which are my favorite flowers, but Harley is one of them. She secretly contacted Nikolaj to get in touch with Colette in order to suggest her team lines the tables with these striking flowers. These large-headed wonderfully scented garden roses look like peonies, my second favorite flower, and they’re as luxurious as the Piaget jewelry dynasty they are named after. It was yet another one of those little touches that melted my heart throughout the night.
Nik was gallant, attentive, and caring. I fell in love with him all over again tonight. By the way I was mesmerized by him, you’d never think we’ve been living together for this long. I caught myself staring at him during dinner, unable to peel my eyes away from the man who stole my heart. His magnetism, charisma and enthusiasm are infectious, and I adored watching how his face lit up when telling the tamer version of how we met to members of his family I was introduced to for the first time tonight.
He was extremely attentive to every one of our guests during the meal, making sure everyone was enjoying the celebration. It didn’t matter how many times Michel Daudet, the general manager of the hotel, assured him everything was under control, he kept jumping from one table to the next chatting up friends and family on both sides. I especially loved how he stole little tender kisses from me here and there pretending no one was watching us.
What a night. Every guest at the reception was grinning from ear to ear during the entire evening. Fo
r a lack of a better word, it was perfect. Not even Aunt Carmelita was able to dampen the enchanted mood. After chasing down nearly every waiter in sight and trying her hand again at seducing Nik’s cousins, she became eerily docile the second her eyes locked with Uncle Gustav’s.
Nicoline’s brother arrived a few hours late at the reception because of a scheduling screwup. Things get so easily lost in translation and the concierge at the hotel where he was staying thought he was supposed to arrive here for seven instead of five o’clock. Uncle Gustav spent the last three days in the Rhone Valley enjoying a trip of a lifetime. He’s always wanted to tour the wineries located in this south-eastern region of France renowned for its prestigious red wines and just like Emilio, he took advantage of our wedding to cross off this destination from his dream list.
After hours of dancing our asses off to a variety of feet-stomping and hip-shaking tunes, Nikolaj flashed me a panty-dropping smile that spoke volumes. After crushing my lips in a blazing kiss as if we were alone on the dance floor, eliciting cheers and whistles from the crowd, he whispered raunchy sweet nothings in my ear that convinced me to call it a night. Waving goodnight to our family and friends, we left the festivities at eleven o’clock.
I was dead certain we were heading straight to our little hideaway, but Nikolaj insisted on taking a stroll. We explored the landscape surrounding the castle until my high heels became a liability, at which point he lifted me in his arms and walked me all the way back to the house like a superhero.
I ditched my pretty pink dress and at my fiancé’s request, I put on one of his white shirts. Nik is lounging in tight fitted jeans and nothing else. I never get tired of running my eyes across his chiseled body. We’re chilling in the backyard of the private house contemplating the beautiful serene night.
“In New York and in Paris we never take the time to look up at the sky and admire the stars like this, but here it’s impossible not to be in awe.”
My head is tilted back against the outdoor couch. I’m completely riveted by the twinkling dark sky.
“I couldn’t agree with you more, sweetness. Everything about this place is like being in paradise,” he says, caressing my naked legs. “I mean this little cabana we’re staying in could have been plain compared to the grandeur of the rooms in the castle, but Kayla has thought of everything.”
“She really has.”
“No kidding. This feels like a miniature version of the château from the lavish décor all the way to the cascading stream flowing into that gravel bed over there,” he says, pointing in front of him. “It’s peaceful to listen to the water ripple against the nocturnal stillness.”
I nod in agreement. “As if that wasn’t enough, I can’t believe Kayla organized this late-night feast for us. I doubt either of us were really hungry, but this magnificent spread is too irresistible.”
“I agree. We could lock ourselves here for a week and we’d still have leftovers.” Nikolaj chuckles, popping the last bite of his hazelnut éclair into his mouth.
Right before we hit the dance floor, Kayla came up to me to let me know her team had prepared a little surprise for us just in case we wanted to escape. When she said surprise, I expected a bottle of wine and a few desserts, but I wasn’t prepared for the large stainless-steel bucket filled with ice and lined with bottles of champagne, a tray of mouthwatering mini sandwiches, an assortment of decadent desserts that would put to shame the most opulent Italian wedding and my fiancé’s favorite drink.
I lean forward and grab my champagne flute. “Mom and Diego’s idea to allow everyone to get to know each other a little bit better was a coup.”
“I was a little bit nervous at first because my family is so much more reserved than yours, but you’re right, it made for such a friendly and warm atmosphere.”
Instead of sitting one clan opposite the other, my parents suggested mixing up the families, forcing everyone to mingle. I don’t think the evening would’ve been half this fun had we stuck to a more predictable seating arrangement.
“There are no words to describe dinner,” I say, rolling my eyes into the back of my head, remembering the outrageous meal Kayla’s chefs prepared.
“It was like eating at every five-star restaurant in Paris in one sitting. It was that phenomenal.”
Nik’s right. Chef Maurice Pelland is worth every penny he earns. He kicked off the night with a salad of baby spinach, mushrooms, black olives and red onion tossed with creamy champagne vinaigrette and toasted hazelnuts, followed by a lemon-garlic barbecue grilled chicken accompanied with mouthwatering rosemary roasted potatoes, and a summer squash with Parmesan gratin. Nikolaj insisted on also having a red meat plate on the menu and the chef didn’t disappoint. He served us a rosemary tenderloin of beef roasted over an open fire with merlot wine and wild mushroom demi-glaze. Honestly, I’ve never in my life tasted anything this sinful. The cheese plate sent me to the moon and back. There must be hundreds of varieties of French cheese, but the ultimate pleasure is to savor local offerings like we did tonight. Dessert was simple, but since it was one of my all-time favorite French treats, I couldn’t complain. Every guest nearly licked the bowl of decadent lavender-infused crème brûlée once they swallowed the last bite. In my world, you can never go wrong with rich warm custard topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel.
I sip on champagne while Nikolaj swirls the amber cognac sitting at the bottom of his glass. We chill out for a few minutes in silence, listening to the stillness of the night, until he speaks again.
“I guess you were right.”
Okay.
“Honey, I always am, but can you narrow it down for me?” I ask, looking at him over the rim of my flute.
He sighs and lowers his eyes. “Your aunt. My uncle.”
“Ah. Yes. The couple of the night. Told you.” I bump the heel of my foot against his thigh to emphasize my point.
“Yes, you did, but I chose not to believe you for my own sanity. However, after tonight, it’s impossible to deny it.”
“I know. Your uncle might have been late, but he arrived all dapper and I doubt it was for my benefit. Before even coming over to greet us, he scoured the garden searching for Diego’s cousin. When he saw her standing near the glass door that leads to the castle he smiled like a kid celebrating a birthday and my aunt blushed, batting her eyelashes at him like a debutante.”
“I can’t believe Carmelita and Gustav spent the better part of the night gazing in each other’s eyes.”
“Gazing?” I ask, shocked. “Didn’t you see how she was eye-fucking him throughout dinner and how he was eagerly responding? I think my jaw fell to the floor. Don’t even get me going on their dirty dancing when the music started blaring through the speakers. Some of those moves should’ve come with a PG warning.” I giggle.
“I so didn’t need to know that. Now I’m scarred for life with this imagery stuck in my head.” He twists his mouth sourly like a baby tasting a lemon for the very first time.
“Gustav made her retire from her cougar club, I guess,” I cheer.
Nikolaj barks out a laugh that’s so loud, I’m almost certain everyone in the castle can hear him.
“Hey, she’s helped him as well. I’ve known this man my whole life and I’ve never seen him dance like tonight. Nor have I ever seen him have more than a few drinks, but tonight… Carmelita brings out his wild side.”
“Talking about surprises, your parents were worse than mine. I mean Emilio and Beverly tied the knot earlier this year and my mom and Diego got married three months ago, so they have an excuse to act like newlyweds, but your parents were practically making out like teenagers.”
“I know,” he exclaims. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen them this close.”
“What is it about weddings that make people do the craziest things?”
On the way to the fountain, we noticed Jonas and Nicoline wobbling away. They shouted something at us, but they seemed to be having so much fun it was impossible to make out what th
ey were saying. I don’t know if at that age you can still giggle, but the two of them looked ridiculously happy. They’ve been so into each other all night long it’s as if the time away from Copenhagen is an opportunity for them to renew their love for each other. I must admit it was endearing watching them.
“I’m grateful she’s off those antidepressant pills and she’s more open about her feelings about my brother with my dad.”
“Your parents are still very much in love after all these years.”
“Mm-hmm. And I intend on following in their footsteps with the woman I’m about to marry.” Nikolaj winks.
“Oh.”
He raises his eyebrows, amusement on his face at my flushed reaction. “You didn’t see that one coming?”
I shake my head shyly, biting my lower lip. What else can you add when the man you love puts his cards on the table like he just did?
“Your best friend is so smitten by Eloise.”
“Smitten? The man’s positively whipped. He worships the ground she walks on. He’s had some serious relationships in the past, but he’s never been this much in love. I’m glad they tied the knot. They’re made for each other.”
“I think Eloise is as gaga about him as he is about her. The way she looks at Martin speaks volumes.”
“There’s another couple that’s prolonging their honeymoon.”
“Can you believe how many weddings we’ve attended this year? Love is definitely in the air.”
“What else was memorable tonight?” he asks, tapping his chin with his index finger. “Oh, I know. Harley. Your friend nearly started wars tonight. She was a very popular girl.”
“Was she ever. Logan and Walker were practically fighting over her. My baby half-brother Alex is completely in love with her and kept asking if I can arrange a date. Let’s not forget your cousins. I seriously thought my little blonde bombshell was going to start a family feud amongst the von Henningsens.”
“For a minute there, I thought I was going to have to intervene between them.” Nikolaj chuckles. “All of my cousins came up to me one by one asking if you’d hook them up with your best friend. Even Christian expressed interest and he hasn’t even looked at another woman since he got his divorce after that fiasco with his ex-wife Lisbet and my idiot of a brother.”
Always & Forever Page 24
