Marrying the Wedding Crasher

by Melinda Curtis

  “I’m saying I don’t know you. I can’t trust you to be there when I need you.” She placed a hand on her belly and tried to say these last words without letting on her heart was breaking. “I’m saying that we shouldn’t get married.”

  * * *

  “YOU LOOK LIKE—” Gabe peered at Vince’s face when he returned to the apartment above the garage “—you’ve been kicked in the teeth by Harley.”

  “She turned you down?” Joe stopped pacing in the upstairs apartment and put his hands on his hips. “What did you say to her?”

  “The truth. I told her I’d finally got my act together and—”

  “Oh, come on!” Gabe tossed his hands. “That’s not what a woman wants to hear.”

  Will nodded.

  “Stay out of this.” Vince glared at the best man.

  “What you said...” Joe moved to Vince’s side. “That’s like saying you’re more important that she is.”

  Vince eyed the bottle of whiskey on the counter. “Aren’t we of equal importance?”

  The other men in the room shook their heads.

  “You gave away equality when you had that meltdown.” Joe’s smile was rueful.

  “That’s not fair.” Even as he said it, Vince winced. He sounded like one of Jerry’s tired grandchildren after a day in the pool.

  “It may not be fair,” Will said, all holier than thou, “but now you’ve got to make up for it.”

  “How, genius?”

  “With a really grand gesture.” Joe answered for his best man. “Women want to be swept off their feet.” Easy for him to say. He’d built a Volkswagen out of stone to win Brit back.

  “I could propose again.” Vince had a ring in his breast pocket.

  His advisors shook their heads.

  “Not without the big apology first.” Will turned a wedding ring on his finger. “I got down on my knees in front of the entire town during the Spring Festival.”

  The back of Vince’s neck began to sweat.

  “What you need is something flashy.” Gabe brightened. “Something in red.”

  “Red? The only thing I’ve seen around here that’s red is... No.” Vince practically dove for the whiskey. “That was supposed to be Brit’s wedding gift.”

  “You’re going to give Harley my bride’s wedding gift?” Joe’s brows lowered. “Regifting drops to new lows.”

  “Who said anything about giving?” Gabe chuckled. “I’m talking about borrowing. Taking it for a test drive, so to speak.”

  “There’s just one problem.” Vince had poured a shot but couldn’t bring himself to drink it. “The chopper doesn’t run. What am I supposed to do? Roll it out, straddle the seat and ask her to ride on my very slow steed?”

  “You aren’t the only one with mechanical skills, bro.” Gabe waggled his eyebrows.

  “This is the antique chopper Gabe’s got hidden downstairs?” Joe looked torn. “I thought you were giving it to Brit for her art display.”

  “We are. Leave everything to me.” Gabe went out the door.

  Vince rested both hands on the kitchen counter and tried to steady his breathing. Everything would be all right. Gabe was on the case.

  Gabe to the rescue?

  Vince downed the shot.

  “Gabe ignored me.” Joe reached for the whiskey bottle, then decided against it and set it back on the counter. “Why does he always ignore me?”

  “Other than the fact that you’re his baby brother?” Will came over and straightened Joe’s tie. “He only ignores you when he has a really good idea.”

  “If I were you—” Joe pinned Vince with what looked like their mother’s blue eyes “—I’d be afraid. Very, very afraid.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  THE WEDDING WAS BEAUTIFUL.

  The bridesmaids wore tea-length gray-satin dresses. Sam fidgeted, alternating her gaze between her father and Brad, who sat in the second row.

  Brit wore a vintage lace gown with princess sleeves. Her hair was in a sophisticated updo and she cried happy tears from the moment her grandfather gave her away until she and Joe sealed their vows with a kiss.

  And Vince? He didn’t look Harley’s way once. That was the only thing that wasn’t beautiful about the wedding. But how could Harley complain? She’d told him they were through. And, just like after Waco, her heart was protesting her head’s decision.

  Harley helped Rose and Agnes get guests settled with food and drink while the wedding party took pictures. Rose took her seat next to Irwin. They both blushed. The wedding party sat at a table near the closed service bays. There were toasts and kisses and laughter.

  Harley’s laughter felt as hollow as her mother’s Easter egg chocolates. She wanted to leave and was just waiting for the right moment to slip away when an engine rumbled in the garage. One of the service bay doors slid open.

  A man in a blue suit rode the monster motorcycle that was Brit’s wedding gift out of the garage. He rode past the wedding party and brought the bike back around to the curb.

  “Harley.” He held out a hand. “Let’s go for a ride.”

  “Vince?” Harley stood at her table, three tables away from the curb. “Vince?” She had to say his name again. He didn’t ride motorcycles. He was a carrot-eating, careful man.

  “I haven’t ridden a motorcycle in years. I used to think it was the most fun a person could have. Freedom and the open road.”

  “Amen,” Irwin piped up.

  Harley pushed her chair back and moved toward the aisle between the tables. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m telling you how I used to have fun, back when I had too many responsibilities.” He revved the motor. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to ride every once in a while. An old man likes to relive his glory days.”

  “You’re not old.” There was an odd feeling in Harley’s chest, and it wasn’t indigestion from Eunice’s horseradish potato salad.

  Vince smiled at her. Not in the desperate, forced way he’d done in the house, but with confidence and caring. Like he loved her and he wasn’t afraid anymore. “I’m not perfect. I’ve tried to tell you what choice to make concerning your life and career. Those choices are yours to make, not mine.”

  The odd feeling in her chest increased. She recognized it now. It wasn’t the wild flutter of young butterfly wings, but a quickening heartbeat of a woman in love.

  “Do you know when I feel most loved?” he asked.

  Harley shook her head, edging between guests to reach him. Past Rose and Irwin. Past Jerry and Gwen. Past the smiling mayor.

  “I feel most loved when I’m in your arms.”

  The wedding guests let out a collective ahh.

  “I want to share that love with our baby.”

  The ahhs got louder.

  Sarah had moved her chair too far back, blocking Harley’s way.

  “You can trust me.” He spoke with confidence, but there was vulnerability in his eyes, as if he didn’t realize why Harley had stopped, as if he wasn’t sure he’d addressed all the concerns she’d voiced in the house earlier.

  “If you don’t take a ride, Harley,” Sarah said, half rising from her seat. “I will.”

  “That thing is a death trap,” Sam said, but she sounded like it was an invitation to adventure.

  “It’s a chick magnet,” Irwin said, his voice ringing with pride. “That bike got me a date with Rose.”

  “Idiot,” Phil muttered.

  Harley was working her way around the other side of the table, barely able to walk and keep her eyes on Vince at the same time.

  Vince ignored their audience. His tender gaze was only for Harley.

  “I love you, Harley O’Hannigan. I love the way you outthink me. I love the way you outwork me. I love the way you take care of everyone else before yourself.” He revved the mo
torcycle engine.

  She was close enough that its rumble reverberated in her chest. She’d forever associate the sound with the newly discovered strength Vince had discovered in love.

  He stared at her with loving eyes. “I want to be the one that makes sure you’re taken care of. I want to be the one that loves that baby to the moon and back. Take a chance and get on this thing.”

  Somehow, she had come to stand next to him. “I...” Her brain was kicking in, filling her head with protests because she’d been hurt by Vince before.

  “You’re scared.” His voice had the deep, slow cadence of the river rippling past the bridge. “Don’t worry. I won’t go fast. Not at first. Not until you’re comfortable.” He wasn’t talking about a motorcycle ride. “Small steps. Together.”

  Her hand found its way into his. He gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  “I’m more comfortable with some things. You’re more comfortable with others. We can face anything head-on.” He leaned forward, giving her enough room to climb on.

  “Don’t go too fast.” Or her dress would fly up. Or she’d fall off.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Just a short ride. Baby steps, remember? Trust me.”

  And she did.

  To Vince’s credit, he went slow, which disappointed Irwin but made Harley the happiest woman on the planet.

  Well, next to Brit. It was her wedding day, after all.

  He rode down Main Street. He rode over the curb onto the town square, parking beneath the spreading oak next to the lone park bench.

  There was a bouquet of roses on that bench.

  Harley nearly fell off the big bike.

  But Vince’s hand was there, steadying her. And then somehow he had her off the bike, sitting on the bench and holding the roses.

  He dropped down to one knee and held out a blue-velvet box and a princess-cut ring. “That baby is going to be the luckiest baby alive, because its mother and father are going to love it, no matter what.” His eyes were bright and his hair was perfect.

  Harley had no illusions as to the state of her hair. She’d worn it down today and had no idea how the wreath was still on top of her head or how it looked. Her hair didn’t matter. But her heart... It seemed to beat just for one man. Mr. Vince Carrots Messina.

  “I love you, Harley. I can’t say it enough.” He was the prince she’d dreamed of. The one who would love her forever and ever. It was there in his eyes, the ones that shone with love. His love had been there all this time, communicating with her heart in secret, keeping her from falling out of love with every setback they faced. “A man needs three things in life.”

  “Three things?” She’d only ever heard him mention two.

  “Just three things. Pride, honor, and you. Will you marry me, Harley?”

  “Yes.” She ignored the ring and embraced him. “I love you.” She kissed him once, sweetly, for never giving up on his fears. And if they came again, they’d battle them together. “I’ll marry you because I can’t imagine loving anyone else more.”

  And because his hair didn’t lie, after all.

  EPILOGUE

  “HARLEY! HURRY!” Vince ran around the small apartment and gathered the things they’d need—pacifier, baby bottle, blanket, diapers. “They’re going to have the ribbon-cutting ceremony without you.”

  Life was good. A joy. Not a test of survival.

  Harley was close to finishing up her first year of an apprenticeship with an architect in Santa Rosa. Vince was working as a part-time carpenter for the contractor the town council preferred. He was a full-time student studying civil engineering at Sacramento State University. And a full-time dad. To save money, they were living in the apartment over the family’s repair shop in Harmony Valley.

  The theater and tie-dye shop were finally finished with renovations and ready to open. Harley’s ideas had been embraced by the architect Rose and the mayor had chosen.

  His wife should have been floating on air like the theater balcony. Instead she was dragging her feet in the bathroom.

  “Harley, I’m packing up Colton.” He lifted their three-month-old son out of the playpen where he’d been fascinated with the brightly colored butterflies dangling from a mobile above him.

  Colt put his hands on Vince’s cheeks and squealed. On cue, Vince blew the thick black hair on top of Colt’s head. His son giggled as if this was the first time they’d ever played that game.

  He was a beautiful, healthy boy. Every day, Vince counted his blessings.

  “Vince.” Harley stood in the open door of the bathroom. “Do you remember the day you asked me to marry you?”

  “The day I asked you to marry me twice?” Vince jiggled his happy son into the car seat and buckled him in.

  “Yes, that’s the one.” She smiled, tentatively at first and then wider. Motherhood and marriage agreed with her. She was always smiling, always gracious, always beautiful. Today she wore a slim pair of black slacks, fancy half-boots and a white sweater that draped off one shoulder. She looked good enough to kiss long and slow and make them miss the ceremony entirely. “Do you remember what you said that day about taking small steps?”

  “Sorry, honey. We don’t have time to go slow or we’ll be late.” Although he wouldn’t mind being another minute late if it meant he could steal a kiss. He walked over and put his hands on her slender waist. “We have time for just one kiss.”

  “Baby steps.” There was a dazed look in her eyes, like the one that greeted the morning some days lately. She was busy and the baby didn’t always sleep through the night.

  Vince captured her lips for a tender kiss. He pulled back and drew her across the room toward the diaper bag, the baby and the door.

  “I’m pregnant.” Harley wasn’t smiling when she said it. But then she grinned and said softer, “We’re pregnant.”

  “But...I’m just getting used to having one.” Another baby? He gazed down on the drooly, gummy, sweet-faced grin of his son. Another baby. It was going to be awesome. “I love you.” He pulled her into his arms. “I love you both. I love you all.”

  “Tell me the truth. It scares you a little, doesn’t it?” Harley grabbed Vince’s hands and swung around so she was nearest the door, dancing the way Sam did with him sometimes.

  “It’s getting hot in here.” Knowing Harley would get the joke, he picked up Colt’s car seat and diaper bag. “But...a little fear can be exciting, if you’re by my side.”

  She gave him a quick kiss and her smile turned wicked. “Always.”

  * * * * *

  USA TODAY bestselling author

  Melinda Curtis has written other

  HARMONY VALLEY romances.

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  Keep reading for an excerpt from BACK TO THE LAKE BREEZE HOTEL by Amie Denman.

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  Back to the Lake Breeze Hotel

  by Amie Denman

  CHAPTER ONE

  IF ALICE BIRMINGHAM could have custom-ordered weather, she would have requested exactly what she saw. Blue sky, temperature in the mid-seventies zone of perfection, a tiny breeze off the lake.

  Planning an outdoor wedding at the end of August in Michigan was tempting fate because of late summer storms, but this ceremony was going to be all right. Alice brushed back a long strand of red hair and relaxed her shoulders.

  “Are all the weddings you plan this perfect?” June Hamilton whispered, pausing to stand with Alice well behind the last row of seated guests. “I hope no one will mind if I stop and watch.”

  Alice smiled. “You own one third of Starlight Point. I don’t think anyone is going to complain.”

  White chairs gleamed in neat rows on the boardwalk. A flowered arch stretched gracefully over the heads of the groom, in a black tuxedo, and the bride, in an airy white gown. The top layer of organza on the bride’s skirt caught the breeze and floated for a moment. “I should have had you plan mine and Mel’s.”

  Alice laughed softly and whispered, “You’ve been married several years, right?”

  June nodded. “Almost three. And I still think his annoying habits are cute. Of course, I knew all his habits long before we got married because we met when I was four.”

  “That’s a long engagement.”