Platinum

by J. M. Nevins

  Alexa gasped when she caught a glimpse of her and as Kit stood on the small, round platform in front of them fully on display, Alexa and Maxine both welled up with tears. Maxine nodded and giggled. “Oh, Kitty, it’s so perfect.”

  A tear rolled down Kit’s face and she smiled wide. “I thought so too.” She looked at Alexa. “Lex?”

  She giggled and blew her nose with a tissue. She dabbed her eyes, got up and ran over. Kit bent down to hug her tightly. She whispered into Kit’s ear. “This is the one. Don’t be surprised if seeing you in this makes Sully cry.”

  Kit pulled back and giggled. “True. He is a big softie.” She looked at Alexa again. “What about his tux?”

  She waved her hand in the air dismissing it. “Taken care of. Don’t worry about it. Wes is on it. This was the hardest part—finding the right dress for you on your big day.” She reached over and squeezed Kit’s hand.” She nodded and grinned. “You can pass this on to your daughter one day, y’know.”

  Kit couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. She released her grip from Alexa’s hand and buried her head in her hands. Alexa jumped up onto the tiny platform next to her and threw her arm around her. “It’s gonna happen, babe. Just like you and Sull getting married tomorrow. There was a time when you never thought you’d be standing here in this moment. And there will be a time in the future, when you are lying in a hospital bed holding your newborn baby daughter, the one that will wear this dress after you. Believe, Kit. It will happen. I don’t know how, but I believe that a way will be made for you and Sully to have the family you want.”

  Kit slowly lifted her head and grinned through her tears. “You really think so?”

  She offered a friendly smile. “I know so, honey. Now, let’s get rockin.’ Let’s buy this thing so they can start the alterations and high tail it out of here. We have to make sure the venue is exactly what you want. Sully’s already seen it.”

  Kit frowned. “How?”

  “Wes took him over there while we’ve been here. I just talked to him on my portable phone. Sully loved it and put down a deposit. He’s waiting on your decision.”

  Kit giggled excitedly and stepped off the platform with the help of the attendant. She looked at Alexa and her emerald green eyes danced with excitement. “This is all happening so quickly!”

  She nodded. “Good thing you two got your license first thing this morning. You’ll be able to have the ceremony anytime after twelve noon tomorrow. And it looks like this weather will hold up. Lucky you, ‘cuz we’re supposed to have a nasty storm coming in this weekend. You’re timing couldn’t have been more perfect.”

  Maxine sat on the large sofa later that evening, curled into the corner with her glass of wine. She exchanged a contented look with Alexa hearing Kit on the phone. Alexa grinned. “I’ll head over with a limo in the late morning to help out so we can make sure to get Kit there on time. We can’t let her fall into rock star time for this.”

  Kit walked into the room and frowned. “I would have taken offense to your comment, normally, but…” She screamed out loudly. “…I’m getting married tomorrow!” She jumped up and down excitedly.

  Alexa giggled and stood up to hug her. “I know, mama. We’re so excited for you!” She kissed her on the cheek. “I’m heading home. I have a hungry baby to tend to. Wes and I will take very good care of your fiancé tonight.”

  She grinned. “Thank you. Oh, and Lex, you are not going to believe this.”

  “What?”

  She giggled. “Ok, you know how Sully was so dead set on doing everything right when we got married? He was really big on the getting married in a church thing. Obviously, with us pushing up the date that wasn’t going to happen, until his mother and Nana pulled some strings with the Archdiocese of Chicago. We’re getting married by a priest that knows Sully and the entire O’Sullivan family very well. He’ll be so stoked.”

  Alexa smiled. “Yeah, he will.” She gave her another kiss on the cheek. “I’m out. Call me if you need anything.” She wagged a finger at her. “And no partying with Max tonight. You need your beauty sleep. No bags under your eyes. Doesn’t make for a pretty bride.”

  She giggled. “Got it.”

  The black stretch limousine crept along the avenue headed for Central Park. Maxine exchanged a grin with Colleen as they watched Kit, fidgeting.

  She huffed. “This veil is totally ridiculous. I feel too poufy!” She started to fuss with the soft, white tulle atop her head again.

  Alexa leaned forward and slapped her hand. “Stop that. We’re almost there. Would you relax?” She joked. “It’s like you’re about to get married or something.” A giggle slipped out triggering Kit to do the same.

  She shook her head. “I’m still so amazed we managed to pull this off in such a short window of time. I don’t even know what day it is.”

  Maxine grinned. “Tuesday, January twenty-third, 1990. Better commit it to memory, girl. This will come in handy in the years to come on your anniversary, y’know?”

  She giggled. “I know. It’s just been a whirlwind.” She glanced over at Alexa. “Thanks for booking the dinner at ‘21’ tonight. We kept the invite number down, didn’t we?”

  Alexa nodded. “Yep. We’re at about thirty people. Lew and Sherry confirmed for dinner too.”

  She smiled. “Good. He’s been rooting for Sully and me for a very long time. I’m glad he was able to make it out for the wedding.”

  The limousine came to a stop and Alexa grinned. “We’re here. Ready to do this?”

  Kit giggled. “Yeah. I was born ready. Let’s go.”

  When Kit set foot into the entry area of the Central Park Boathouse, she felt her breathing become shallow. Nerves seized her and she thought she might hyperventilate. She had dreamed of this day for years but now that it was upon her, she felt claustrophobic and wanted to bolt.

  Maxine sensed her trepidation and seized her arm as she commanded firmly. “Breathe, Kit.” She glanced at Alexa who had peeked into the reception hall and nodded back. Maxine grinned. “He’s in there waiting for you. Don’t back down now. Like you said, you were born for this. C’mon. Your man is in there waiting for you. You’ve waited for this day since you fell in love with him.”

  Kit forced herself to take deep breaths and stood up straight. She flashed back to several memories that reminded her of the deep connection she shared with Sully. She fingered her engagement ring and recalled the night he proposed. A wide smile spread across her face. She nodded to Alexa and Maxine. “Ok, go. I’m ready.”

  Spencer sidled up to her. “Hey.”

  He took her by surprise and she looked up, momentarily startled, then her face melted into a wide smile. “Spence! You made it!” She hugged him tightly. She pulled back and grinned. “I thought your flight got grounded in DFW because of an ice storm last night?”

  He nodded. “It did. I knew I couldn’t miss this, so I rented a car and drove south to San Antonio. Slept overnight in the airport, caught the first flight out and here I am. Got in three hours ago. Sull and I decided it would be a nice surprise for you, so we kept our traps shut.” He held out his arm. “Let’s do this.”

  The doors opened to the hall and as Kit took her first steps in on her brother’s arm, she saw Sully in his black tuxedo waiting for her at the top of the aisle along with Wes, Jimmy and Danny proudly standing in front of a wall of floor to ceiling windows that displayed a stunning view of the lake in Central Park. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

  Sully couldn’t take his eyes off of Kit and felt his heart swelling with so much love he thought it might burst. He grinned, seeing the happiness and excitement in her twinkling emerald eyes—a look he remembered so well from their first date.

  As Kit made her way up the aisle, she grinned seeing all of her closest friends in attendance as well as her grandmother. She was amazed that so many members of the Valois family had made it. Some arrived from Paris, including Henri, Uncle Phillipe, and two of Joe’s other cousins she knew
well. Joe’s parents, who were like a second set of parents to Kit, were also present.

  As she passed the aisle where Simon was sitting with his date, he gave her a wink of approval. When she made her way past the first two aisles, she noticed Lew, Sherry and several others from Diamond Records, including her executive assistant at corporate, Giselle.

  Content with the turnout, she happily let Spencer give her away and faced Sully determined to stay fully in the present moment and create a memory she would cherish forever.

  The ceremony began and when the priest asked if anyone objected, Kit held her breath hoping her father wouldn’t bust through the doors yelling. When the moment passed, she felt massive relief and turned her focus back to Sully. As she stared into his expressive steel blue eyes, she felt her soul relax completely. Her heart bubbled over with love and devotion in a way she had never felt before. The look in his eyes said it all—he had finally gotten what he always wanted.

  As they started speaking their vows, Kit grinned, seeing Sully get misty-eyed and found tears of joy starting to well up in her eyes too. When their vow exchange was complete moments later, she slipped a platinum band on his finger and he reciprocated. It was done, finally official. As the priest happily declared them husband and wife, Kit enthusiastically threw her arms around Sully’s neck and leaned in for the kiss of a lifetime. He didn’t disappoint.

  As they pulled back smiling from ear to ear, the priest announced, “Mr. and Mrs. Patrick O’Sullivan.”

  Kit giggled and couldn’t resist kissing Sully again. He smiled and reached for her hand, interlocking his fingers in hers. She held up her bouquet in victory as he led her down the aisle.

  The guests rushed out behind them to form two lines and they threw white rose petals as Sully and Kit ran to the limousine awaiting them. Once the door shut and the limousine started moving, headed for their reserved honeymoon suite at the Plaza Hotel, Sully looked at Kit and smiled. She giggled and took his face into her hands, giving him a gentle kiss on the lips. She gazed into his eyes. “I love you, husband of mine.”

  He smiled. “I love you too, Mrs. O’Sullivan. How much time do we have in our suite before we have to meet everyone for dinner?”

  She giggled. “It’s a late dinner, babe. Let me put it to you this way. You can occupy yourself getting me out of this dress. That’s a feat in itself.”

  He giggled along with her and put his forehead to hers. “I think I can help you out with that. It would be my pleasure, wifey dear.”

  Lew approached Sully after dinner concluded and guests were mingling. He smiled and shook Sully’s hand. “Congratulations! You got the very best girl.”

  Sully nodded and smiled. “Don’t I know it. Never met anyone like her. She’s made me a better man.”

  Lew looked across the room and noticed Kit talking to her brother and Sean Finley. She oozed with joy and looked all lit up. Lew grinned and motioned to her. “Seems you’ve changed her life too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look so happy. She’s absolutely radiant.” He shifted his attention back to Sully. “You two have something really special. I think you have a lifetime of happiness to look forward to.”

  Sully chuckled and nodded as he raised his drink in the air. “I think you’re right. I’ll drink to that.”

  Moira O’Sullivan, Sully’s mother, approached Kit and held her arms open. Kit smiled and happily fell into her embrace. “I’m so happy to have another daughter as lovely as you.” She pulled back and stared into Kit’s eyes. “My son picked a good one. You’re so great for him, Kit. Honestly, I think he’d be a little lost without you!” She giggled.

  Kit smiled. “Thank you for the kind words. And y’know, I think the whole lost thing is a two way street. I’m not so good without him either. We definitely do better together than we do apart.”

  Moira nodded. “On behalf of Jack and myself, welcome to the family, Kit, officially now, even though we’ve considered you part of the family since we first met you three years ago when he brought you home for Christmas.”

  Kit smiled. “Thanks, Moira.”

  She pointed and gave her a look of warning. “Mom works better for me.”

  Kit’s eyes welled up with tears. She had always wanted a healthy mother figure she could form a close relationship with. Moira had been that person for her since they met and now it really was official. She was deeply touched. She nodded. “Ok, Mom.” She hugged her again tightly and as she pulled back, she noticed Sully’s father, Jack, approaching with a smile from ear to ear and arms outstretched.

  Spencer sidled up to Sully who was talking to Henri and a few of the Valois clan. He gently tugged at his arm. “A word, please?”

  Sully nodded and excused himself from the conversation, following Spencer to the bar. He looked at him. “What’s up?”

  Spencer handed him a scotch on the rocks and grabbed one for himself. He raised his glass and smiled. “Welcome to the family, brother.”

  Sully smiled wide and clicked his glass. “Thanks, brother.”

  Spencer nodded and reached out to shake his hand. Sully engaged and then hugged him. Spencer pulled back and grinned. “I know you’ll be good to her. And she loves you more than anything. You make her happy, Sull, really happy. Kit’s been through a lot. It’s about time she’s treated well.”

  Sully nodded. “I know. I won’t let you down. I’ll always be good to her. She deserves nothing less than the best.”

  Kit made her way over and wrapped one of her arms around Sully as she rested her hand on his chest. She looked up at Spencer and grinned. “What are you two gossiping about over here?”

  Spencer laughed. “We weren’t gossiping. Just having a brotherly chat.”

  She grinned. “Oh, I see.” She gazed into Sully’s eyes. “How much longer do you want to stay?”

  He snickered. “If that’s a hint, well taken. Let’s start saying our goodbyes. We can party with everyone at our reception in May.”

  She giggled. “Deal.”

  Kit rolled over and grinned when she noticed Sully still sleeping peacefully. She glanced down at her left hand that now reflected her engagement ring paired with the matching platinum channel band he had slipped on her finger the day before.

  She donned a satisfied smirk, knowing they had been to hell and back all in the course of a year and it came out in their favor. Although their New York nuptials were sudden, it felt right in a way she had never imagined.

  She gently stroked his face and hair, admiring how handsome he was. She couldn’t remember the last time she watched him sleep so tranquilly. He even had a faint trace of a grin on his face that she found adorable. She sighed with contentment and grinned. She couldn’t have asked for a better mate for the rest of her life.

  He slowly opened his eyes and smiled wide when he caught her staring at him. She smiled and stroked his check again. “Good morning, handsome. Did you sleep well?”

  Without saying a word, he pulled her toward him and kissed her deeply. He then chuckled and smiled. “I slept great. It’s nice waking up to my wife’s beautiful face staring at me adoringly.”

  She giggled. “Can’t help it. I’ve got an amazing husband to stare at.”

  He pulled her toward him again, this time more forcefully and smiled at her. “How much time do we got before we have to check out?”

  She smiled. “Two hours.”

  He giggled evilly. “Ooh, we can do a whole lot in two hours.”

  CHAPTER 24

  A month passed quickly and Gypsy Tango’s popularity was still on the rise. Kit and her team struggled to keep up with the demand. She always knew they would go big, but presently the team was experiencing rapid growing pains that she hadn’t accounted for. She was pleased to see the band wasn’t feeling the effects.

  Consumed in her normal daily routine now, Kit sat on the phone in her hotel room, answering call after call. Everyone wanted a piece of Gypsy Tango and despite her efforts to slough off calls to her assistants, people always
had a way of finding her. She sighed and rubbed her temples, trying her best to pay attention to the pushy promoter, Warren Johnson, on the other end of the line.

  Warren was one of their best international promoters. Rocking the boat with him was not an option. He had been involved with the band since they signed with Diamond Records years ago. She forced herself to be diplomatic in spite of his annoying voice and unending persistence.

  After what seemed like endless minutes of his ranting, she was finally granted a moment to speak. She didn’t miss a beat. “Yes, all of their dates in Russia last month were a huge success. The Russian people are very big fans of Gypsy Tango. We’re finishing up our dates in Italy right now. We’ve got a show tonight in Florence, then Rome and then we’re headed to Spain. Yes, thank you for calling, Warren. We really appreciate your time and attention to the band.”

  Kit hung up the phone relieved to be finished. She reached in front of her and grabbed her most dreaded pile from Betsy, the one marked urgent. She scanned through the items, finding nothing that shocked her, most of the requests originated from Diamond corporate and were related to contract reviews or approvals needed. She sighed as she grabbed the first contract, not enthused to dive in.

  Her love of contract review was seriously waning. She felt uneasy about her newfound gag reflex toward her chief counsel duties. Before she could dig deeper into her displeasure of all things legal, the terms of the contract in front of her grabbed her attention.

  She was in the middle of putting the kibosh on a contract renegotiation for Diamond Records when Ginny strolled into her room. She walked over to Kit, handed her a bottle of chilled sparkling water and two thick, padded envelopes. “These just arrived from Federal Express. I didn’t open them. I figured I’d let you do the honors.”

  She frowned and looked at the return addresses on the first padded envelope—Rolling Stone Magazine. Sully had recently done another cover and exclusive article. It was months ago and she had forgotten about it until now. She grinned thinking back to his first Rolling Stone cover and the frenzy it caused with practically every female on the planet. She wondered if this cover would have the same effect. She chuckled to herself and looked back up at Ginny. “Now I know why you didn’t open it.”