Electing Love (The Collins Brothers Book Three)
Page 22
Gerard hugged her as he scanned the ocean. “She must have jumped in the ocean, but I’ve not seen her surface.”
This would ruin the wedding. She tugged Gerard to step toward his car. “Let’s just go. They can handle this. I want to go to the church. I want to get married. Stella can’t stop that.”
“You should go to the hospital to get yourself checked out from the car crash,” Liam added.
Nicole rubbed her forehead. “How are Gigi and her babies?”
Liam nodded. “They are all fine.”
Nicole inched Gerard toward his car. “We’re going to the church, Gerard. We have to.”
Gerard opened her door for her, and she slipped inside. The moment he joined her, he tilted his head. “Are you sure? Your face is pretty banged up.”
Her jaw dropped. “I’m a California girl for the past decade. Give me ten minutes with my makeup.”
“You were in a car accident. You’ll need an x-ray.”
Stella intended to ruin the wedding day. It was the plan. Nicole wouldn’t let that happen. “After the wedding. Otherwise someone was successful and stopped us. You and I are the only ones that matter, Gerard. Let’s just do this.”
Love was enough to win, and she had to trust that.
He nodded as his phone beeped with a message. He told her, “Read it to me.”
“It’s from Sean. He says they are in the hospital but will get back to the church within the hour. Another message says Daniel and Kate are at the church doors.”
“Tell Daniel to keep the priest there.”
She wrote and said what she typed. “This wedding is a go.”
He shook his head as he drove. “Stubborn. My Nicole fits into our family already.”
He’d come for her. She’d believe in happily-ever-after now. She had to.
***
Nicole stepped into the bridal suite and saw Kate and Margaret. As she closed the door, Margaret jumped to her feet and hugged Nicole. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“We’re not stopping this wedding.” Nicole coughed. She hadn’t had a mother in a long time. The feeling was like bubbles inside her chest. “I need makeup.”
Kate snapped her fingers as she opened the door. Then Daniel came inside as Kate said, “We’re worried about you. Please sit down. My husband is a doctor, and he’s checking you out first. If he says okay, then I’ll let the makeup assistants in.”
“Deal.” This warm feeling now was because this family had taken her in. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Daniel placed his hand on her head, and she winced at his touch. “My sister grabbed my hair at the skull.”
Margaret came and held her hand. Nicole squeezed.
Daniel studied her scalp. “I’m concerned about the car accident as well as your fighting. In the future, let’s skip the hand-to-hand combat.”
Nicole clenched her hands. Margaret never let go. Nicole winced and said, “Ouch.”
Daniel leaned closer to her head and parted her hair. Nicole closed her eyes and told Margaret, “I’m going to want to wear my hair down in a loose style today.”
“I completely understand.” Margaret nodded and then gazed at her son. “How is she, Daniel?”
Daniel stepped away from her. “I want an x-ray to be sure, but for now she might be okay.” He turned to Nicole. “You need to go to the hospital. I can’t be sure of internal bleeding, and it’s better to be safe.”
“After the wedding.” Nicole crossed her arms. “I’m sure I’m fine.”
Margaret added, “She’s stubborn.”
Daniel shook his head. “Okay. If you have a headache, pressure on your head, fatigue, memory loss, ringing in your ears, dizziness, light sensitivity, can’t concentrate, or anything else the next few hours, tell me immediately. We’ll rush you to the hospital. Don’t brush off any sign that you aren’t well.”
“I promise.” Nicole stood and stretched. She was sore everywhere, but told herself she’d be fine. “When I filmed that action movie and they had me hanging from the bottom of the elevator where I fall into the hero’s arms, the man missed me the first six takes of that scene. Compared to how I felt then, I’m good. Now let’s hurry and get ready for the wedding.”
Kate added, “You’re tougher than you look, Nicole.”
Nicole nodded. “My sister forgets that.”
A team of makeup artists rushed into the room, and Nicole stared at powders and lipsticks. Someone else then touched her hair. She refused to wince as they brushed it. Today she married Gerard, and her sister would be sent to the hospital, with added security. It would all end well.
***
Wafts of music entered the bridal chamber. Nicole waited as Kate threw on her dress. She gazed in a mirror. She was almost perfect. A really good HD camera might see some dark spots, but the makeup would be fine for anything but a close-up. She listened to her heartbeat. This was it.
A knock rang from the door, and Nicole stiffened. Stella could not be here. The handle then turned, and Nicole stepped beside Margaret. Gigi came inside and nodded at everyone. “I’ll put my dress on fast.”
A laugh escaped Nicole’s lips. Her fears were lessening. She went and hugged Gigi. “How are you and the babies?”
Gigi rushed toward her dress. “We’re fine. Relax. It’s your day.”
Nicole took Margaret’s hand again. “Today is going to be good. I can’t let Stella ruin this on me.”
“Are you kidding?” Kate brushed her shoulder. “You are marrying last year’s most eligible bachelor, and he’s never been happier. No one can steal that.”
Nicole needed to see Gerard. She loved him. He loved her. It was enough to survive any storm.
Gigi rushed toward the makeup and then shouted, “Done. Let’s go this.”
Nicole stayed with Margaret as they walked to the back of the church.
***
The wedding march echoed loudly.
Nicole waited as Margaret, then Gigi, and finally Kate all walked first. This was it. She peeked down the aisle, and Gerard stood tall. His dark hair and brown eyes held such intensity. She bit her bottom lip and joined him. He immediately took her hand in his.
Behind them, the church grew silent.
Father O’Reilly spoke about marriage and commitment, but her eyes never left Gerard’s. Marrying him without knowing he loved her was a risk, but she’d figure out the rest tonight. She squeezed his hand as he recited his vows: “Nicole, when you walked into my life, you brought with you warmth and brightness that generated from your genuineness. You’re the best part of my life, and I’d let go of everything else in our lives as long as I get to have you.”
“Gerard, you make me feel everything all at once. You knocked down my walls, and I can’t ever go backwards. You’re my rock and my home, and the words ‘I love you’ aren’t nearly enough.”
His gaze dropped and he squeezed her hand. She stayed connected to him.
“Wait for the vows, young man,” the priest warned.
“Hurry, then,” Gerard answered without stepping away from her.
Gerard’s finger traced her palm, keeping her close as the priest asked him, “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, through sickness and health, through the good and the bad times, until death do you part?”
“I do.” He nodded and stared at her. She licked her lips. She was ready for that kiss.
His fingers entwined with hers and she couldn’t stop smiling. “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, through sickness and health, through the good and the bad times, until death do you part?”
Her heartbeat was so fast. She stared into his brown eyes. “I do.”
The priest then stared at the audience. “Then by the powers invested in me and by His Holy Church, I declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”
Gerard whispered in her ear, “Is it okay? I don’t want to hurt you.”
She closed her eyes and puckered her lips
. “Kiss me, Gerard.”
His lips pressed to hers, and she was safe in his strong arms. Cheers rang loud, and Gerard stopped. She sighed, but basked in the knowledge today she was officially his.
***
Stella hadn’t been found.
Gerard asked, “Are you okay?”
“All women love heading right to the hospital after getting married,” Nicole said in the dressing room. She stood and showed him her back. He unzipped, but shook his head at the buttons. His mother came in and helped.
Then Kate took Margaret out and she was alone with Gerard. Kate called out, “I will have your dress at the reception hall. Don’t worry about anything.”
Nicole threw on the button-down shirt and elastic pants from this morning. “We’ll be there soon. Daniel promised us he’d rush us through the x-ray and check up.”
She took Gerard’s hand and followed him to his car. His family surrounded them. She slipped into the car, and realized she spent too many hours with Gerard in cars these days. A moment later he joined her and started the engine. “You scared me, Nicole.”
“I was scared too. I hope we find Stella soon.”
“She wanted to hurt you.”
She shook her head. “She doesn’t know what she wants. Someone let her out.”
Gerard ran his hand through his hair. “Isabelle Boroni, before she left to LA. Liam found the security tape.”
She nodded and stared out the window. Then his hand brushed against her knee. “I didn’t want to tell you with a crowd, and I don’t know when today we’ll be alone. But—”
His phone rang in the air. Gerard grunted and answered Liam. Her heart lifted—it might be news. Gerard hung up. “Good. Stella’s been spotted in town. It’s a matter of time until they find her and bring her to the hospital.”
“Great.”
Gerard’s face contorted like he had something to say. Silence filled the air. She shrugged and turned toward the window.
Gerard coughed. She stared at him. “I love everything about you, and you make me believe in a future.”
She couldn’t breathe. He stared at the parking lot and found a spot. She still hadn’t said anything. He switched off the engine. “Not the reaction I wanted.”
“No, wait.” She grabbed his arm as he turned to open the door. “I love you too. I have loved you since the beginning, and I questioned whether love was truly enough, but it has to be. We have a chance to be happy.”
“That’s all I want.”
She squeezed his thigh. “Now let’s finish this, get home, then we’ll go through that grand gesture you planned for me later tonight. I’ll even pretend to be shocked.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t pretend with me, Nicole.” She took a deep breath as he stood, and a moment later opened her door. “I like our honesty. We need better timing.”
She took his hand and stared at his sexy dimples. Then as they stepped, he flinched and fell forward on her. She held on to his massive, muscular body and eased his fall. She saw a black dart in his neck. She yanked it out and yelled, “Help.”
No one moved. Her heart thundered in her chest as she remembered something from school. She then yelled, “Fire.”
“Nic, we don’t have long. I’m here for you,” Stella called out from the parking lot.
Nicole clenched her hands and stood. “Stella, Gerard is my husband. We’re sisters and you’re not well. Don’t do anything else.”
Her gaze then met her sister’s, and Nicole couldn’t swallow. Stella held a gun. Nicole’s skin crawled as she stood over Gerard. “What did you shoot him with?”
“This is my gun that I’ll shoot you with,” Stella said. “Gerard’s sedated. Humans are much like animals. It’s what Sebastian taught me. Unfortunately for you, he’ll wake up and find your body. Sebastian wanted me to kill Gerard, but he’s too pretty to die. In time, he’ll get over you.”
Stella cocked the gun and stepped closer. Sebastian had armed a crazy person. Nicole closed her eyes, not knowing what to do. Then she heard a zap and flinched.
Electricity filled the air.
Her sister dropped the gun and shook uncontrollably.
“Nicole.”
“Gerard?” She turned and stared at the ground.
He opened his eyes.
Stella fell on the ground in front of her. Gerard stirred and rubbed his eyes. She leaned closer. “Where did you get a taser?”
“Liam gave it to me when I went searching for you.”
“Are you okay?”
“I feel like sleeping. I heard what was happening and I had to open my eyes.”
She stared at his hand and the gun-like thing he held. Then she swept her gaze to her sister and the real gun she had near her hand. Nicole kicked it away from them.
Gerard winced. “I’m so tired, Nicole.”
She knelt and kissed his cheek. Sirens sounded in the air. Tears dripped down her face. This was over. He was fine.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Nicole
Gerard Collins is the next US senator from Massachusetts.
Nicole tucked her tablet away and happily slid in the front seat of the car to get a minute alone with Gerard. Today was their delayed reception dinner and now victory celebration. Five hundred of their closest friends would be there. A few seconds later, he closed the door on the driver’s side and winked at her. “So we’re going to this party or taking off for parts unknown, Nicole?”
“You did promise Bora Bora at the end of the month. I’m sure I can get Barnie to give me the green light.”
“I convinced him to run for the House of Representatives in two years.”
“He’ll be great.”
He winked at her. “He’ll need a wife. I’m thinking Isabelle.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She closed her eyes. “For us, I can’t wait to shop for houses near the capitol.”
He squeezed her hand. “First things first, my love. You and I are hitting the beach.”
She nodded. “Deal—now let’s get to this party.”
He laughed and drove them.
***
Angela waited at the door, like she was still the best assistant. Nicole introduced her to Kate.
Gerard rocked a tuxedo. He spoke to Barnie. Everyone in Washington would notice her husband, but only she had the right to touch him. His smile at her sent an electric thrill down her body.
Gerard sighed in a dramatic fashion and shook his head. “It’s my day. I’d prefer to be at home, with my wife, and celebrate with her. Clearly we did something wrong.”
Angela came next to Nicole.
Nicole squeezed her hand and then stood on her tiptoes to kiss Gerard’s neck. He wrapped his arms around her. Barnie pushed his glasses further up on his nose and turned red. Nicole pinched Gerard and said, “Barnie, this is my lovely assistant Angela. She knows how to run any and all events. I think she’d be perfect as your wife.”
Angela’s lips parted.
Gerard spun Nicole away. He whispered, “That was heavy-handed.”
“Everyone should have a chance to be in love, Gerard.”
He squeezed her as he led her to the dance floor. “That’s after. First we go toast with our family to happiness, love, and victory, then we slip out. No one will notice.”
“We have to stay. You’re the man of the hour people want to talk to.”
His shook his head. “I married a complicated woman.”
She winked. “Simple’s boring, and you’d never be happy with blind adoration.”
He grew serious. “Doctor Reyes is now the only person allowed to approve Stella’s visitors. He’s over there with his wife. Want to say hello?”
“Absolutely.” She squeezed his hand as they danced. People snapped pictures. “I’m happy. Gerard. One more thing.”
His eyebrows rose. “Yeah?”
She nudged his shoulder. “And I’m expecting happily-ever-after for the rest of our life.”
“Good. Me too.”
The End
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