Wedding Dreams: 20 Delicious Nuptial Romances

by Maggie Way

  Before he had a chance to speak, Max appeared through the kitchen door, a crumbling doughnut in his hand. “Where are the pancakes?”

  Noah plucked a plate off the stack at his elbow and passed it to him. “No pancakes today.”

  “It’s Saturday,” Max argued. “Luke makes banana pancakes on Saturdays.”

  “Em, listen to me.”

  She scrambled around the island. “I don’t w-want to talk.” Her gaze skittered over Noah and Max at the table. “Not right n-now.”

  “Too damn bad.” He stalked toward her.

  Noah’s eyebrows inched upward. “Everything all right, you two?”

  Drew slipped through the kitchen door carrying the box of doughnuts. “These were in the dining room for some reason.” He tossed the box in the center of the table and settled into a chair.

  Emily snapped. “B-because that’s wh-where you’re all supposed to be eating. In the dining room. N-not the kitchen. M-my kitchen.”

  Three pairs of eyes blinked at her.

  She pointed at the kitchen door. “Everything beyond that door is my house. M-my p-p-private house.” She whirled on Luke. “Y-you should have told me y-you were m-m-married.”

  A utensil clattered against a plate.

  “You’re married?” Noah said. “Jesus, a guy leaves town for a decade and a half and he misses everything.”

  “Divorced.” Luke pressed his palms to the countertop and peered into her face. That ripple of vulnerability disturbed the emerald pools of his eyes. “And you’re right, I should’ve told you. But it was a long time ago and I don’t think about her. Ever. I’m an awful person, but there you have it. I didn’t tell you because she isn’t worth mentioning. She was just a mistake.”

  Emily flinched, his words stinging like a slap to the face. “And here I thought I was your only m-mistake.”

  “Dammit, Emily—wait—”

  She brushed by him and slammed the door to the half-bath behind her. The intensity of the emotions whipping through caused her hands to shake when she withdrew her cell phone from the butt pocket of her jeggings.

  Unable to think clearly when he looked at her with those damn wounded eyes, she opened a new text.

  His fists pounded on the door at her back. “Emily, let me in.”

  Her fingers hammered out a message. Did you love her?

  The pounding stopped, and in the silence, Luke’s voice carried through the door. “We have a problem. Leo’s home.”

  She hit Send.

  “He’s here now?” Alarm stole in to Noah’s tone. “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know. He left—” Luke’s cell phone buzzed.

  A short pause followed, and then he erupted. “Oh, hell no.” His pounding fist thundered. “Emily, open the goddamn door, or so help me, I’m going to break it down.”

  Her anger pushed sudden tears to the surface. She flung open the door and bolted past him, scurrying well out of arms’ reach. “How long w-w-were y-you married?”

  Tension radiated off him as he circled toward her. “One month.”

  “H-how long ago?” She put the kitchen island between them.

  “We’ve been divorced ten years.”

  “Then wh-why is she here now?” She hated the ring of anguish clinging to her words.

  “I don’t know, except there’s only one thing Natalie loves more than herself, and that’s drama.”

  Her name was Natalie. A grueling name for Emily to enunciate correctly.

  “She doesn’t care about me,” Luke said. “Or that I’m remarrying, or even who I’m marrying. Leo’s right, she’s had her fun. We won’t hear from her again.”

  He slipped around the side of the counter.

  She backed away. “Wh-what happened?”

  A weary sigh eased from him. “It just… it was never right for us. She grew up on the island, but she hated living here, and she hated being married to a cop.”

  “T-too dangerous?”

  “Too boring and too poor. She didn’t mind the seventy-hour workweeks or the life-threatening risks, but she couldn’t stand the working-class lifestyle.”

  He pushed into her space.

  She bumped up against the refrigerator.

  “Does she live here now?”

  “No. She’s a flight attendant and lives in Traverse City, near the airport.” He leaned close. His head bent low and he inhaled deeply. “She makes an appearance once a year or so around the holidays to visit her parents. We just got lucky that she was heading home when Leo showed up on her flight and was too drunk to keep his damned mouth shut about our wedding.”

  Her throat worked and it took her many moments to push out the words. “Did y-you love her?”

  He pulled back and a muscle twitched where his jaw met his cheekbone. “No.”

  “He hesitated,” Drew observed casually from the table.

  Luke’s head whipped around. “What the fuck did I know about love?” He turned back. “I was a twenty-three-year-old with a permanent hard-on.”

  “God, I hate that,” Max muttered.

  “So I married her,” Luke continued. “And in less than two weeks, I realized I couldn’t stand her. And she couldn’t stand me. And the sex wasn’t even all that good.” He cast another glance over his shoulder. “I mean, it wasn’t bad, it was sex after all, but—”

  With a disgusted gasp, Emily twisted away from him and retreated to the other side of the room.

  A curse hissed through his clenched teeth and he drove a hand through his hair.

  The leg of a chair scraped against the hardwood floors and set off a domino effect of chair scraping. Max and Drew slipped through the kitchen door while Noah approached them.

  His serious dark eyes shifted between them. “You two okay? You’re supposed to be getting married in approximately six hours.”

  An uneasy knot twisted Emily’s stomach. She always thought she’d marry and have a family one day, but only in a vague sort of way. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined marrying a man like Luke, or the unusual series of steps—make that missteps—that’d bring about her wedding.

  And if she’d known the misery she’d be feeling only a few short hours before they were set to exchange their vows, she probably would’ve sworn off wedded bliss.

  “We’re okay.” Luke’s intense green gaze remained clamped on her face. “Or, we will be.”

  “Do we need to deal with Leo before then?” Noah asked.

  Luke dropped his head heavily. “Yeah, we better. Give me a minute?”

  Noah backed away. “Stop by the carriage house and pick me up on your way out.” He disappeared into the mudroom and the sound of the back door closing soon followed.

  From across the room, Luke studied her. “What are you thinking?”

  “Haven’t you dated, or m-married, any average-looking women?”

  One corner of his mouth twitched, but no smile formed. “Not a single one.”

  Warmth rushed to her cheeks. “Don’t you dare try to charm me. This is serious.”

  “I know it is.” His gaze remained straight. Direct. “You wouldn’t consider Natalie attractive if you knew her. She’s quite possibly the ugliest woman I’ve ever known. She lied about everything, all the time.” The hitch of vulnerability in his voice was subtle, but unmistakable. “She cheated on me.”

  A burst of anger expanded in her chest.

  “I couldn’t forgive her for it, and I sure as shit wasn’t going to run all over town beating up the guys she slept with, which only pissed her off more.” He lifted, and then dropped, his wide shoulders. “She wanted drama, and all I wanted was her gone from my life.”

  The confession notched a wound on her heart. At least now she understood his hang-up about lying.

  “I w-wish you had told me.”

  “Honestly, I never once thought to do so. Our marriage was so short-lived, it’s like it never happened.” He held up his hands to ward off her protest. “But I should’ve told you. Thing
s moved kind of fast between us and I… fucked up.”

  She fiddled with a dishtowel, folding and refolding it. “I’m sorry she treated you like that.”

  “I’m sorry I was too stupid to see it coming.” He shook his head. “Man, it was like having another full-time job, dealing with all her crazy.” An injured expression touched his features. “Don’t you dare laugh at me. It’s not funny. I was in hell.”

  “It’s a little funny.”

  A smile teased his lips and he eased closer to her. “I can’t believe they walked in on us.”

  Heat burned her face. “That’s not funny.” She smacked his arm. “Why are you smiling?”

  “I’m ashamed to say it.”

  “You don’t look ashamed. Go on and say it.”

  A wicked light came into his eyes. “She wanted to stir up trouble. It serves her right she got an eyeful. What we were doing,” His eyelids fell the slightest bit, and his gaze wandered to her mouth. “That’s something I never did with her, and I know that’s going to drive her mad.”

  His gaze still locked on her mouth, his tongue peaked out to wet his bottom lip.

  Her stomach jumped.

  Visibly, he seemed to shake off his lust. His expression changed, and she became entranced by the silent sadness on his face.

  “I’m sorry she ruined your wedding day, though.”

  Emily gave her head a small shake. “I don’t care about that.”

  “I do.” His hand slipped to her waist and he pulled her close. “Are we okay?”

  He kissed the spot where her shoulder and neck met, and a breath eased from her.

  She didn’t know how it’d turn out for them, but when he pulled her into his arms, she couldn’t help but believe the script had been written for her long ago. Not just since her arrival on the island, but all the years leading up to it. Her mom’s illness. The loss of control. The spiral into helplessness and the dark, empty hole of hopelessness that’d ripped open inside her.

  Her world was dark and gray, and it was all baring down on her. Then suddenly, there he was, and everything changed. She changed. The craziness didn’t stop, but it took on a new texture, irresistible and true, and it’d brought her to this place, sheltered inside Luke’s arms, as if by a certain thinning of the fabric between choice and fate.

  Now, in this moment, they were okay. Or they would be, once they were married and he trusted her enough to open up to her.

  “Promise me, no more lies,” she said. Then added, “Or omissions of crucial facts.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers. “You have my word.”

  She breathed in his soothing scent.

  “I have to go.” He took a step back, toward the door. “I’ll see you later, at the church?”

  Harrison was wrong. She’d found her prince, and she would marry him. She couldn’t not marry him.

  A slow sigh slipped from her. “I’ll be there.”

  Luke collected Noah and they made their way through the frigid morning air to their vehicles parked in the driveway. Snow crunched under their feet as they trampled across the side lawn.

  “Where do we start?” Noah asked.

  “The bars,” Luke said. “Let’s split up. You start on Main Street and I’ll check in at the station to make sure he hasn’t already made his presence known.”

  “What the hell happened to him?”

  The question set Luke’s heart racing. “What makes you think something happened?”

  “From what you guys have been saying, it sounds like he’s in a dark place. I’m wondering why.”

  “He’s a Nolan.” Luke pulled his keys from the pocket of his fleece. “It’s in our DNA.”

  Noah’s steps slowed.

  Luke stopped and turned back.

  A steely expression hardened Noah’s features. “That’s not how it works.”

  Luke twisted away. “Okay.”

  Noah fell in step beside him. “Do you have any idea what war was like for him?”

  “No. He doesn’t talk about it.”

  “Probably nothing good then.”

  A dry snort escaped Luke. “It’s war. I’d say that’s a safe bet.”

  In the driveway, Luke headed to his SUV while Noah went around to the driver side of a black crew cab truck.

  As Luke reached for his car door, his cell phone vibrated. He slid the device from the pocket of his blue jeans and opened the message from the alert system used by the county police to send out warnings and widespread calls for backup.

  He cursed.

  Over the hood of the truck, he met Noah’s gaze. “I think I found him.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ten minutes past the time their ceremony was to begin, the groom was missing.

  At the front of the church, Maisie flung her little body across the steps to the altar and her skirt kicked up to cover her face. Isobel gently reminded her to sit like a lady while Shea tried to distract their toddler, Connor, from an impromptu striptease.

  Mina spoke with the church receptionist a moment, and when she turned toward Emily, a too-bright smile appeared frozen on her face.

  “Wh-what did she say?”

  “There’s a church function later. The sooner we start the ceremony the better.”

  Ten minutes later, Jack and Shea roamed the church vestibule, each of them with a cell phone pressed to their ear.

  The color heightened on Mina’s cheeks. “He was probably held up at work.”

  Emily shook her head. “He didn’t w-work today.” She headed up the aisle.

  Jack turned as she approached, and an easy smile quickly replaced his frown. “Seriously, what is Luke and Noah trying to do to me? They know I have a thing for redheads.”

  Emily forced a weak smile. “Have you talked to him?”

  A beat of silence greeted her question.

  “We’re trying to get ahold of him.” Shea’s brilliant blue eyes fixed on Mina. “Have you talked to Noah?”

  “I’ll try him again.” Head bent over her cell phone, she turned away.

  Jack shoved his hands into the pockets of his suit pants. “The cellular service has always been bad on the island, even before the storm knocked out a tower.”

  Haven had commented on the poor cellular service that morning when she’d called Emily to report her flight had landed in Traverse City and she was working on making her way to the island amidst a few more weather-related travel complications.

  Nonetheless, Emily’s heart started to pound. Were they hurt? Had something happened with Leo?

  She went to the front doors of the church and peered out. Behind her, the brothers carried on a hushed conversation. She only picked up every other word or so, but understanding reached her in stages.

  They were worried. Not about Noah, but about Luke.

  Not that he was unwell or in danger, but that he wasn’t coming.

  Not because he was unable, but because he’d chosen not to.

  Fierce heat rushed into her face as mortification.

  Mina held up her cell phone. “Still no answer.”

  Twin scowls appeared on the brothers’ faces.

  “But don’t worry. Noah’s with him.” Mina’s voice clouded with uncertainty. “He’ll make sure Luke gets here soon—safely.”

  Her words twisted inside Emily like a betrayal. Even Mina thought Luke might jilt her? Wishing to block out their troubled expressions, Emily wandered back to the church and lowered herself into a pew.

  Luke wouldn’t do that to her, he wouldn’t jilt her at the altar. Just that morning, he’d had the perfect opportunity to stop the wedding and he didn’t take it. She’d recalled the uncertainty, the fear, in his eyes when he’d asked if she’d be there today.

  She’d said yes, and he’d been relieved by it. Happy.

  She stared straight ahead. That way she wouldn’t see the nervous exchange between Jack and Father John when Jack informed his uncle of their suspicions.

  Mina settled next to her in the p
ew. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

  Emily pasted a smile on her face, but it felt strained and brittle.

  “I still can’t believe how fabulous you look in that dress. When Luke sees you—”

  The church door banged open with enough force it bounced off the stone wall.

  And then he was there, filling the doorway.

  On shaky legs, Emily stood.

  He strode through the vestibule, but his hurried steps slowed when he approached his brothers. He peered into each of their faces. “What’s going on?”

  “You’re late.” Shea’s tone held a sharp edge. “Where have you been?”

  A commotion erupted and two more bodies stumbled into the church. The doors slammed shut behind them.

  Noah, holding on to Leo, who seemed barely able to stand, cursed. “You gotta help me out here, Leo.”

  Leo’s hand came out to grip the wall. “Got it.”

  When Noah let go, Leo swayed on his feet.

  Shea cursed.

  Noah held up a hand. “It’s okay. We’re okay. Well, Leo’s car is totaled and the tree he ran into had a nice gash taken out of it, but thank God he didn’t kill anyone.” His face twisted into a frown. “Why do you all have that weird look on your faces? What’s going on?”

  Leo hiccupped.

  A muscle ticked along Luke’s jaw. “They thought we weren’t coming.” His fierce green gaze landed on her. “That I wasn’t coming.”

  Emily’s heart lurched. “Don’t b-b-be silly.”

  Cold fury leapt to life in his eyes and his gaze swept back to Jack and Shea. “Yes, let’s don’t.”

  “Why didn’t you call someone?” A shadow of annoyance tinted Jack’s voice. “We’ve been sitting here waiting, not knowing what was going on.”

  “I did call,” Noah said. “There’s no cell service, so I called and talked to the church receptionist.”

  A ripple of awkwardness passed through the group, and one-by-one, they pinpointed Father John standing near the altar, engaged in conversation with the receptionist. He nodded and motioned to them, then headed down the aisle.

  “I just heard,” he said. “Is he all right?”