by Leah Vale
"I had no idea a visit to the shed had such therapeutic qualities," she scoffed, but she didn't shrug his hand off.
He gave her shoulder a slight squeeze and turned her to face him, angry to hear her belittle what had happened, the way her brother had. "It wasn't that, and you know it. You are the only person on this earth who knows exactly what I mean. We made a connection that day. The kind of connection that can't be broken." He prayed his expression conveyed the depth of his sincerity. If it didn't, he'd have to rage at the moon until she believed him.
"You're a dreamer, Harrison. We could nev-" her voice hitched. "We could never work."
"Damn it, we could. And I'm willing to do anything to make it happen."
"Even trust me with your heart?"
He clasped her delicate hands in his and dropped to one knee. "You already have it, Juliet. I've just been too stubborn to admit it."
She looked out at the river. "Oh, Harrison-"
"I love you. I love you so much I ache." He pulled in a ragged breath. "Say you'll have me."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, swaying slightly as the moment dragged on. A tear slipped out and slid down her cheek. He was about to offer her the moon when she whispered, "I'll have you."
Harrison rose and snatched her up in his arms. He crushed her to him, his heart soaring. After a couple of spins, he stopped and nuzzled her soft, honey-brown hair, surprising himself with the strength of his need to hear her say the words. "Do you love me?"
She made an exasperated noise and wrapped her arms tight around his neck. "You jerk. I've always loved you."
He grinned, happier than he'd ever been in his life. "And I you. Ever since I saw you on that balcony, my sweet Juliet."
She pulled back and searched his face, a tentative hope blossoming in her rich, golden-brown eyes. "Why?"
He grinned wider, deciding he was going to find a great deal of satisfaction expressing all his reasons. "Has anyone ever told you that you have really sexy feet?"
With the bright, early-autumn sun shining on his slicked-down blond hair, Nathan did a peg-leg skip down the aisle, swinging the satin pillow with its fake gold rings tied on to and fro. He was so adorable in his tiny black tuxedo they could have called it good, after that. But he topped himself by whacking his dad in the legs with the pillow when he reached him at the makeshift altar, then he ran, giggling, to his grandpa George, seated in the first row of white chairs.
From where Juliet stood at the back of the seemingly endless rows of filled chairs arranged on the lawn, she could see her son looking for something inside George's coat. She was just about to snap her fingers at Nat-as if he'd hear her-when he squealed in delight and produced a red licorice stick. Apparently ol' George had decided to start carrying around the key to Nathan's heart. Go figure.
The cadence of the music changed, then the wedding march began. She reached up and checked the French roll her hair had been twisted into for any escapees. It was time. Time for her to walk down the aisle and join her knight, all polished up and shining in his tuxedo armor. He stood tall beneath an arbor smothered in white climbing roses, specially erected for the occasion. The river, with the obliging sun sparkling off its easy-flowing water, made a beautiful backdrop to her dream come true.
Harrison had thought of everything. While Ashley had handled most of the preparations, with Juliet's input, Ashley had sworn that Harrison made a specific request regarding the location of the ceremony. He knew his soon-to-be wife so well. No debutante in the formal rose garden. Nosiree. He was marrying her in view of the river that had brought them together. The river that ran as deep and true as their love.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Juliet made the trip down the aisle with everything in a blur. Her simple but elegant, off-the-shoulder, white beaded gown swished atop the white satin runner that felt wonderfully cool beneath her bare feet-something else Harrison had insisted on. He'd insisted she ditch the shoes for the ceremony, telling her he wanted to marry her the same way he'd fallen in love with her-barefoot and beautiful. Man, how'd she get so lucky?
She blinked furiously to clear her vision as she approached Harrison, the minister and Willie standing tall and surprisingly well-groomed as best man.
During the three remarkable weeks it took to plan the wedding-and only Ashley Rivers could have pulled it off so quickly-Harrison and Willie had developed an unusual bond. Harrison had asked her brother and a few other mill workers to act as consultants so he could figure out a way to keep the mill operating during refurbishment. She'd never seen Willie so motivated. He'd repaid Harrison with an unflagging loyalty and surprising ingenuity.
A touch to her arm brought Juliet's attention to her mother, seated opposite George on what would have been the bride's side. Dorothy, in her infinite wisdom, had suggested they forgo that tradition so the two sides wouldn't be so glaringly unbalanced in attendees.
Phyllis had cleaned up nicely for the occasion, also, but Juliet still couldn't help hearing the theme song to Beverly Hillbillies when she looked at her mom's straw, wide-brimmed hat that didn't quite hide her
terminally bad perm. Her far-too-revealing, pink prom-dress-cum-mother-of-the-bride-gown didn't help. But at least she'd come.
Thanks to Dorothy's sudden interest in retail, Juliet's mom had been doing just fine in her newly painted and fully stocked store. The new espresso window with the cute college boys to serve up lattes had been an added bonus.
"You did good, Julie," her mom whispered.
Juliet whispered back, "Thanks, Mom."
While she doubted they would ever be close in the regular mother-daughter sort of way, at least Phyllis was trying. And Juliet was doing her darnedest to meet her halfway. That was a start.
Juliet turned her gaze back to Harrison, and he reached out a hand to her. She shifted her huge bouquet of white roses to one hand so she could slip her fingers, her large diamond solitaire engagement ring winking in the sun, into his warm, gentle grip.
The green-eyed monster of jealousy rearing its head in their toddler, Nathan bailed off from George's lap and shoved his way between his parents. Harrison bent and scooped him up with his free hand, shrugging and smiling when Nat's licorice stick ended up stuck to the front of Harrison's crisp, white shirt.
Juliet met his gaze, and her vision started to swim again from the love shining in his eyes. She had gained so much. All because she took a chance. And for the second time in her life she got exactly what she'd wanted. Will beautiful socialite Ashley Rivers discover true love where she least expects it?
Find out in THE RICH GIRL GOES WILD
by Leah Vale, coming to Harlequin American Romance in August 2002!
