Confessions: The Princess, The Prick & The Priest (Confessions Series Book 4)

by Ella Frank

  “I’m, uh, suddenly getting a little…tired,” Robbie said, and patted his mouth in a fake yawn that no one bought.

  Julien held his hand out, and when Robbie took it and snuggled into his side, Tate stood back with Logan.

  “We’re thinking about a ceremony in early October,” Priest said, as they all walked back toward the house. “We’d like it if you two could be there.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Tate said.

  “Good,” Robbie said, as they stopped in the kitchen. “I mean, you’ll get an invitation, of course. It’s going to be at my parents’ lake house where we used to spend our summers. My sisters are organizing everything, which basically means Bianchi madness will follow.”

  Logan chuckled. “Well, count us in. We have to come and see the blushing bride on his wedding day.”

  As they made their way through the house, Robbie grinned. “Just make sure you bring your tissues.”

  Logan opened the front door, and when Priest and Julien stepped outside, he said to Robbie, “My tissues?”

  “Yes,” Robbie said, as he looked into Logan’s handsome face. “Because I’m going to be so beautiful you’re going to cry your eyes out for having let me go.”

  Logan’s eyes softened, and he leaned forward and kissed Robbie’s cheek. “In that case, I’ll be sure to bring three boxes.”

  As Robbie straightened, Tate winked at him and said, “See you at work.”

  “See you then, Mr. Mitchell,” Robbie said, and then jogged down the stairs to join Julien and Priest.

  Logan called out, “And what will we be calling you next month?”

  The three of them took one another’s hands, and as they walked down the path, Robbie called out over his shoulder, “Come to the wedding and you’ll find out.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Robbie has taught us how fun life can be

  when you travel a little lighter—figuratively speaking, of course

  ~Julien & Priest

  October…

  IT’S A GOOD weekend for a wedding. It’s a good weekend for a wedding. It’s a good weekend for my wedding. At least, that was what Robbie was telling himself, but the ominous cloud rolling in over the lake wasn’t boding too well for him. “Val? You gave the right address for the flowers, didn’t you?”

  “Uh huh,” Val said from the couch in their ma and pa’s great room.

  “And the caterer? He knows where he’s going. Right, Felicity?”

  “Yes, Roberta. Unruffle thy feathers—”

  “I mean, I can see chairs down there,” Robbie said, ignoring her, as he walked closer to the French doors that led out to the deck of the Bianchis’ summer lake house. “But I don’t see flowers. I don’t see flowers, I don’t see programs, and…where are the bows? I don’t see the organza bows on the chairs like I asked for.”

  As a fat drop of rain hit the glass pane of the door, Robbie jerked back as though he’d been hit in the face with a pie.

  “Is that rain?” he said, his eyes widening as another drop hit, then another, and then another. “Oh my God.” Robbie whirled around to face his sisters, who were all sitting on the couch sharing a bucket of popcorn. “Why is it raining?”

  Felicity handed the bucket to Val, got to her feet, and walked to Robbie.

  “Because today is Friday, and you are getting married tomorrow,” she said as she put her hands on his shoulders. “It’s allowed to rain today.”

  “No. No, it’s not,” Robbie said. “If it rains today, the ground gets muddy, the chairs are white, and then ugh.” He spun back to see that the raindrops were falling a little faster now. “What a disaster.”

  Felicity wrapped her arm around Robbie’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder. “It’s not going to be a disaster,” she said. “Well, unless Penny’s water breaks.”

  Robbie’s head whipped around to pin his oldest sister with a glare that spoke of his feelings on that. Penny was six days late with no baby in sight, and he’d like to keep it that way—for at least forty more hours. “I swear, you better keep your legs shut—”

  “If only you’d had that talk with her nine months ago, brother,” Val said, and Penny picked up a piece of popcorn and threw it.

  “Don’t worry,” Penny said, and smoothed her hands over her very swollen belly. “This kid seems comfortable where she is for now.”

  “As am I,” Robbie said. “For now. She can arrive any time after midnight tomorrow.”

  “Why then?” Val laughed. “Is that when you turn back into a pumpkin?”

  “No, it’s when he turns back into our loving brother, Robbie,” Felicity said. “Instead of this high-strung bridezilla version.”

  “Oh, whatever,” Robbie said. “I just want this to be perfect. It’s only going to happen once.”

  Felicity bumped shoulders with him. “Or twice if you’re Julien and Priest.”

  Robbie grinned at the mention of their names and knew he was incredibly lucky to have a family who not only understood him, but was willing to embrace the unique and wonderful men he’d fallen in love with.

  “Yes, well, once for me,” Robbie said. “But since they’ve done this before, I want it perfect. I want to make it different this time.”

  “Umm, pretty sure you’ve got that covered,” Felicity said. “Your sisters are organizing it—and hello, us Bianchi bitches know how to throw a party—your father is walking you down the aisle, and your nonna is going to be sitting with your ma in the front row with a box of tissues. From what you’ve told us, they don’t have a whole lot of family—”

  “Try none. Well, none worth mentioning,” Robbie said, and thought about how extraordinary Julien and Priest were despite that fact.

  “And now you’re about to give them an enormous one. From what I’ve seen, they’re loving that as much as they love you. So see? It’s already different and perfect.”

  Felicity was right: he needed to stop worrying and enjoy this. Julien and Priest would be back with groceries for dinner any minute now, and Robbie didn’t want them to see him losing his cool.

  “You’re right,” Robbie said, then turned back to look out the doors.

  “Of course I am.”

  Robbie smirked at his sister and hugged her in close, and that was when he noticed that the rain had stopped, and as the sun began to shine, a smile curved his lips.

  There, now it’s perfect. No one’s going to rain on my damn parade.

  “HOW MUCH DO you think Robbie is panicking right now?” Julien said, as he peered out the windshield of the Range Rover.

  They’d barely made it into the car with the groceries before the rain had started to fall, and as Priest pulled to a stop at the lights leading out of the parking lot, he chuckled. “I think it’s a pretty safe bet to say a whole damn lot.”

  Julien laughed as he looked at the lone black cloud that seemed to have rolled in. But it didn’t look like it would hang around too long. “Oui. At least his sisters are with him and he’s not sitting there alone watching this.”

  “Right,” Priest said. “I’m sure they know how to deal with a Robbie meltdown better than we do.”

  “Or know how to provoke one,” Julien said with a grin. “Sisters are really good at that kind of thing.”

  Priest reached for Julien’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I love seeing you like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “Happy,” Priest said. “Free to be able to talk about Jacquelyn with a smile on your face. It’s been a long time coming. There’s many things I love about Robert, but giving you that freedom is high on the list.”

  Julien stroked his thumb over Priest’s where their hands were joined.

  “You both gave me that,” Julien said softly. “You kept me functioning. Kept me safe and alive, to make it to this point.”

  As Priest watched the road, Julien took in the strength of his arms and hands, and knew as long as Priest was by his side, he’d always feel safe.
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  “You know what I love?” Julien said.

  “What’s that?” Priest asked, his eyes on the road.

  “The exact same thing as you.”

  Priest frowned and looked at Julien.

  “I love the way Robbie makes you smile and laugh. It’s relaxed, easy, and a little…goofy.”

  “Goofy? Do you want to walk the rest of the way back to the lake?” Priest asked.

  Julien chuckled. “Non. I’d rather sit here and watch you scowl.” He ran his hand down Priest’s arm. “I just mean that he brings out a more carefree side to you, that’s all. It’s wonderful, and is high up there on my list of things that I love about our princesse.”

  When Priest pulled up at a red light and looked at him, Julien said in all seriousness, “You deserve to be happy, mon amour. You know that, right?”

  “I’ve always been happy with you.”

  Julien’s smile softened. “I know that. But I mean in all aspects of your life. We tend to hang on to our baggage a little too tightly, you and me. I think Robbie’s been great at teaching us just how fun life can be when you travel a little lighter.”

  “Figuratively speaking.” Priest chuckled. “But I agree. We’d always hoped for that, for someone who could balance us out. But I never knew how complete he’d make us feel. Does that make sense?”

  “It does,” Julien said, because he’d been feeling the same thing. “I can’t wait to see where we go from here. From this weekend on.”

  Priest gave a half smile that was so charming it made Julien’s pulse spike. “I can’t even begin to imagine.”

  “It won’t be boring,” Julien said. “That’s for sure.”

  “No, it certainly won’t be,” Priest said, and winked. “In fact, I think it’s going to be pretty damn spectacular. With you two in it, how could it be anything but?”

  “Espèce de flatteur, va.”

  “That’s a step up from goofy,” Priest said. “I’ll take it.”

  “Mhmm. A big step,” Julien said, and then noticed that the rain had stopped. “Look. The crisis has been averted.”

  “For now,” Priest said, and Julien shoved at his arm.

  “Don’t jinx us.”

  “You’re right. We have enough to get through before tomorrow. The rain doesn’t need to add to it.”

  Priest wasn’t wrong. They had dinner with Robbie and his sisters tonight, then he was finally going to meet Robbie’s nonna, Cheryl Bianchi.

  “I think we’ll be just fine, mon amour. I have a good feeling about this, but we better get home soon. If Robbie’s sisters are anything like him, I really don’t want to deal with four hangry Bianchis.”

  Priest chuckled, but didn’t argue. Instead, he pressed his foot a little harder on the gas and got them back to the lake house in record time.

  AFTER DINNER WITH his sisters wrapped up, Robbie led Penny into the living room along with Julien and Priest, while Val and Felicity took care of the dishes. It was closing in on eight o’clock, and their parents were due to arrive any minute now.

  His nonna had spent the week at his ma and pa’s house, and they’d been waiting for his father to get home before heading to the lake house. Tomorrow was all set to be a full-on Bianchi affair—God help them all—but Robbie wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

  As he and Priest helped lower Penny down into the seat, Julien handed her a couple of cushions.

  “I feel like a shipping container with you two helping me up, moving me along to the next spot, and then lowering me down.” She shook her head. “I’m probably as heavy as one, too.”

  As she settled into the seat, Priest straightened and said, “Not at all,” at the same time Robbie said, “I’d say you’re at least a few tons shy of a shipping container.”

  Priest’s eyes widened, and he looked truly worried, as though he might have to step in and save Robbie from a pregnant woman. But when Penny started to laugh uproariously, he visibly relaxed.

  “You’re lucky I can’t get up right now,” Penny said when she calmed. “Or I’d kick your scrawny ass for that.”

  “Excuse me,” Robbie said, and turned his head to look at the ass in question. “It’s not scrawny.” Then he looked to where Priest had just sat with Julien and decided to tease them a little. “You two don’t think I have a scrawny ass, do you? I’m positive I’ve never heard either of you describe it that way…”

  Julien snorted, and Priest’s eyebrow winged up, and just as they looked about to answer, the front door opened and they all turned toward the hallway. Robbie walked in the direction he knew his parents would be coming down, but before he disappeared around the corner, he threw a wink over his shoulder at his men and said, “I’ll leave you to discuss that with Penny. I’ll be right back.”

  Robbie headed down the hall, where he saw his nonna handing her coat to his father, and when she turned around to see him, Robbie noticed she was a little frailer than she had been the last time he’d visited, but that didn’t stop the smile that lit her face.

  “Robert, come and give your nonna a hug,” she said, holding her arms out, and Robbie wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek.

  “How are you doing, vecchietta?”

  “Psh. Who are you calling old? I’m doing quite well, thank you very much,” she said, reaching for her new walking cane, as Robbie straightened and let her go. “And from what I’m hearing, so are you?”

  Robbie looked over his nonna’s head to his ma, and when she nodded and offered a reassuring smile, he knew that his unusual situation had already been explained—somehow.

  God bless his ma.

  “I am…yes,” Robbie said, and held his arm out. As Nonna slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow, Robbie led her toward the living room.

  “If you come with me, I’d like to introduce you to—” Robbie drew up short on the word fiancés, suddenly feeling a little unsure of himself. It was one thing for her to know about them, but to actually say it out loud to his seventy-six-year-old nonna? Well, that was something else entirely.

  She apparently did not feel the same way. “Your handsome men, I hope?”

  Robbie’s eyes widened, and when she grinned at him, she said, “I might be old, Robert, but I haven’t lost my memory. It’s that lovely fellow from the TV who cooks, am I right? And the handsome lawyer who helped Vanessa? They used to pick you up in the same car.”

  Well, then. It seemed no explaining was necessary. “That’s right.”

  “Of course it is. I’m not blind.”

  Clearly. Robbie laughed. “Okay then, come with me and I’ll introduce you.”

  As Robbie directed her through to the living room, Julien and Priest got to their feet and smiled. Then they made their way over to Nonna so she wouldn’t have to go too far.

  “Nonna,” Robbie said. “I’d like to introduce you to Julien, and Pri—Joel, you already know. We all call him Priest because his name is—”

  “Mr. Priestley, I remember.” As Nonna sized them up, Julien greeted her the way Julien always did: a dreamy kiss to the back of the palm designed to make hearts melt, and Nonna’s was no exception.

  “Bonsoir, mademoiselle,” Julien said. “Robbie has told me so much about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  “The pleasure is mine, Mr. Thornton,” she said, squeezing his fingers. “I own one of your cookbooks.”

  “Vraiment?”

  “That means really,” Robbie said, making his nonna smile wider.

  “Look at my grandson learning French.”

  “He’s very good at it,” Julien said, and Robbie preened at the compliment.

  “I’m not surprised. He’s always known how to talk, in any language available to him. And yes, really. It’s your French pastry cookbook.”

  “Oh, oui, très bien. We’ll have to exchange recipes one day. Robbie’s been trying to teach me your pasta sauce. But I’d love the opportunity to cook with you some time.”

  “My word,
” Nonna said, and then turned to Robbie. “Did you hear that? He wants to cook with me.”

  Robbie chuckled and kissed her temple. “Of course he does. You’re the best.”

  She turned to Priest, and Robbie had to admit, he’d been curious about how this meeting would go from the moment he’d started dating Priest. These two knew each other, and Robbie wasn’t so sure how his nonna would react to him dating Vanessa’s ex…uh, lawyer? Especially considering how much he used to argue with said lawyer at the time.

  But as it always seemed to happen when it came to Joel Priestley, no one ever quite reacted to him the way Robbie expected.

  “I had a feeling I’d be seeing you again.”

  Priest looked at Robbie and smiled. “You’re a smart lady, then.”

  “Almost as smart as you, for finally snatching this one up,” she said, and Robbie grinned.

  “I agree,” Priest said, as he took her hand. “How are you, Cheryl?”

  “I’m very good, and very excited to finally be able to attend one of my grandchildren’s weddings.” Nonna looked around Priest to Penny, who rolled her eyes.

  “We all are,” Ma said, as Robbie’s parents joined them in the living room.

  “We’re excited too,” Priest said. “We can’t thank you enough for agreeing to host it here.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly,” Ma said. “We wouldn’t have it any other way. But…since it is the night before the wedding, and we have a lot to do tomorrow, I think it’s time that Robert comes with me.”

  “Wait? What? I have to sleep somewhere else?” Robbie said.

  “Yes,” his ma said, as she took Robbie’s hand. Then she looked at Penny and said, “How are you?”

  “Still pregnant,” Penny groused, as their father helped her to her feet.

  “You poor thing. Go with your pa. He’s going to help you upstairs. And Julien, Joel? Did Robbie show you the room you are staying in tonight?”

  “Hang on,” Robbie said, as Penny disappeared with their father. “They’re getting married tomorrow too. Why do I have to sleep somewhere else?”