Married at Midnight
Page 21
Her eyes snapped open. “Morning!” She bolted upright in bed, nearly spilling the breakfast tray he’d brought her. She reached out, righting the orange juice before it tipped. “What time is it?”
He smiled at the vision before him. Her hair was a wild mass of tangles, and her cheeks were flushed from the aftermath of their lovemaking. “You have time for breakfast and a shower.”
Her eyes flared wide. “But the hologram needs—”
“I set it up.”
“The ballroom?”
He smiled. “Finished.”
Her brows came together as she sniffed the air. “The cookies?”
“Done.”
A look of amazement came over her face. “The caterers?”
“They’re in the kitchen.” He sat on the bed beside her. “All you need to do is eat and get dressed at your leisure for the wedding.”
A radiant smile spread across her face. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“You’re just lucky, I guess,” he said before he bent and snatched another kiss from her lips.
She was lucky, all right, Ellie thought to herself an hour later as she made her way downstairs. In the foyer she stopped and marveled once again at the changes she and Connor had brought to Grayson House. The scents of pine and freshly baked cookies filled her senses, and they made the house feel homey and festive at the same time.
Turning around the foyer, she took in the Christmas tree with its twinkling lights; the garlands sweeping up the staircase, giving the house an extra touch of elegance; the bright-red walls; and the grandfather clock against them.
She looked at the old man’s face. She blinked, not believing her eyes. When she looked at him again, nothing had changed.
Yet she’d swear, for a moment, the old man had been smiling.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
At 9:55 a.m., Ellie hurried into the already crowded ballroom. She’d dressed in her favorite dove-gray sheath dress because it accentuated the silver-and-aquamarine necklace Viola had given her perfectly.
“Is everything all right?” Connor asked, his voice filled with concern. His eyes moved to her legs, and desire flared in the dark-green depths.
Ellie slipped into the seat beside him in the front row and sat back against the chair, grateful for the momentary respite. “I’m a little frazzled from running up and down the stairs, trying to make sure both the open house and the wedding are on schedule.” Connor had dressed in a tuxedo for the day. He looked every bit as handsome as she remembered from their wedding photos.
He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You’ve done an excellent job with both, Ellie.”
Looking behind her, Ellie saw that Olivia and Max sat together, and Connor’s friend Trevor sat beside Jordan. The two had their heads close, talking as if they’d been friends forever. Ellie turned back to Connor. “Did you set Trevor and Jordan up?”
Connor shrugged. “I introduced them yesterday.”
Ellie leaned into Connor and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You’re the best.”
“I didn’t do anything. You’re the one who’s created all the magic in this house.”
The wedding had garnered the attention of the press and the public. The first row in the ballroom had been reserved for family. The next two were filled with journalists, TV crews, and photographers. All the other rows were filled with friends, neighbors, and curious Seattleites.
She smiled. “I admit, this is the fun part, after all the work is done, sitting back and watching it all happen.”
“Nothing’s going to happen without Viola.” Connor frowned. “Where is she?”
“You know your grandmother.” Ellie gave him a knowing look. “She’s milking the attention for all she can.”
He raised a brow.
“She’s at the front door in her bridal gown, greeting every visitor to the house as a guest to the wedding.”
“It’s almost ten,” Connor said, looking at his watch.
“Don’t worry. I doubt Viola has missed a cue in her whole life.”
Less than two minutes later, Ellie squeezed Connor’s hand. “Here she comes.”
A whisper rustled through the ballroom as first Lenny as Red Elvis, then George as White Elvis, and finally Ernie as Gold Elvis entered the room and took up their positions. George was the officiant, Lenny was the best man, and Ernie was the Elvis of honor, as he liked to call himself.
“She’s marrying Aaron,” Connor whispered in Ellie’s ear. “Did you know?”
Ellie shook her head. No one but Viola knew what was in her heart. “I’m sure Aaron’s very happy.”
“Are we going to have to deal with three broken hearts when this is over?”
Ellie’s gaze strayed to where all of Viola’s friends from her retirement center were seated. All six of them had had their hair done and had dressed in their finest holiday attire. They looked at the wedding party with intense interest. “I’d say Lenny, George, and Ernie are going to have to watch out or they’ll find themselves married before the end of the year.”
Lenny, George, and Ernie started singing “Nothing’s Going to Keep Me from You” as Viola walked down the aisle with a beaming Aaron on her arm. At the altar, Viola and Aaron joined in, entertaining the crowd as they must have in the past.
“That’s not an Elvis song,” Ellie said with a hint of amusement.
Connor laughed. “Lenny told me it was my grandmother’s signature song when they performed in Vegas years ago.”
“They’re amazing,” Ellie whispered.
“Viola always was full of surprises.”
When they were through, the audience was on its feet, clapping.
“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they got job offers to start a new act right here in Seattle from this,” Connor exclaimed.
“Who knew they had such talent?” Ellie’s eyes were stinging with tears as she rose to her feet, applauding with the crowd.
“They aren’t the only ones who will gain notoriety from this performance.” Connor grinned.
“What do you mean?”
He pulled back to look in her eyes. “I have a feeling your business opportunities are going to be many in the coming weeks. You can’t buy this kind of publicity. The reasons that sent you to Las Vegas five weeks ago are about to come true.”
“At the time, I thought work was what I wanted. Instead, I got what I needed.”
“What was that?” he asked, giving her a smile that made her strong and weak at the same time.
“Best gamble of my life. I got you, Mr. Grayson.”
Connor tucked her hand into his lap and held tight as they watched the rest of the wedding in silence. When the wedding ended, the attendees shifted from the front of the ballroom to the back. A champagne brunch buffet waited there.
Instead of heading directly to the receiving line, Viola drifted toward her and Connor.
“How are you?” Viola asked Ellie with compassion in her voice.
“I couldn’t be better.” Ellie slipped her arm around her husband. “I know you and Aaron are leaving for your honeymoon later today. Connor and I will make sure we have our things moved out before you return.”
“Whatever for?”
“So you and Aaron can move in.”
With a smug look, Viola said, “Aaron’s moving in with me at the retirement center.”
“Then what will happen to Grayson House?” Connor asked. “You can’t leave it empty again. The house deserves to be filled with people who love living there.”
“I agree. My lawyer, Georgia Burke, will be in contact with you both tomorrow. I’ve had all the papers drawn up,” Viola said, a gleam of mischief in her eyes. “I’m giving the house to the two of you.”
Tears of happiness filled Ellie’s eyes. The same emotions swelled in her chest, and filled her heart to overflowing. She pulled Viola close for a hug. “Nothing would make us happier.”
When Viola pulled back, her gaze passed between Ellie and Connor. “I
have only one request.”
“We’ll do anything for you, Grandmother. Won’t we, Ellie?”
There was a time not long ago when she would have at least tensed at Viola’s unknown request. Now she simply smiled. “Anything at all.”
“Love each other,” Viola said, her blue eyes peaceful and calm.
“Always,” Ellie said.
“No problem there,” Connor replied.
“Good.” Viola looked out across the crowd until she found Aaron. “My husband is waiting. I have no idea how many days either of us has left on this earth, but I intend to enjoy every one of them.” She fluttered her fingers at them as she walked toward Aaron.
Ellie stared after Viola for a moment, then turned to Connor. “She gave us this house.” Ellie’s voice was filled with awe.
A heartbeat passed as he framed her face with his hands. “She gave us her legacy.” He studied her eyes and, lowering his head, brushed her lips with his. “Welcome to Grayson House, Mrs. Grayson.”
Ellie pressed up on her toes and brought her lips to his, knowing to the core of her being that there really was such a thing as happily ever after.
A RECIPE FOR YOU FROM ELLIE’S GRANDMOTHER
Gingerbread Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, and water. In a separate bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 4-inch cookie cutter, or cut into side and roof pieces for a gingerbread house. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Reroll scraps.
Bake 8–10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Yield: About 2 dozen cookies or 1 gingerbread house
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
With the deepest appreciation to my fabulous Montlake team: Maria, Melody, Robin, Hai-Yen, Jessica, Mikyla, Ahn, and Marlene. I am eternally grateful to each of you. And to my agent, Pamela Ahearn, thank you for your guidance and your friendship.
Thank you, also, to a very special group of women: Sheila, Stephanie, Julie, Jolene, and Denise. I cannot express how grateful I am to all of you for taking care of my hands while I pushed a little too hard for a little too long. I am blessed to have you all as part of my care team.
Finally, to my readers: You do me the greatest of honors by reading my books. I appreciate you so very much.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2015 Barbara Roser
Gerri Russell is an award-winning author of historical and contemporary novels, including the Brotherhood of the Scottish Templars series and Flirting with Felicity. A two-time recipient of the RWA’s Golden Heart Award and winner of the American Title II competition sponsored by RT Book Reviews magazine, she’s best known for her adventurous, emotionally intense novels set in the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Scottish Highlands. Before Gerri followed her passion for writing romance novels, she worked as a broadcast journalist, a newspaper reporter, a magazine columnist, a technical writer and editor, and an instructional designer. She lives in Bellevue, Washington, with her husband and children.