Kissing her cheek, as well, Dane said, “I love you, too, Nana.”
“I still love you,” Nana said, “but seeing how I dumped Edgar, I’m on the prowl for a new man.”
“That’s good, Nana. I wish you luck.” To his mother, he said, “Why did you trick me into seeing Gabby?”
“There’s no trick. I just thought you might want to see your mother.” She’d adopted her woe-is-me tone she used when she wanted her Christmas decorations taken down from the attic and Pops had refused.
“Uh-huh.” Dane sat on the sofa, nodding to his father, who was in his recliner, deeply engrossed in a football game.
The door opened and in walked Gabrielle, holding Jackson in his carrier. The second she caught sight of Dane, she tensed, backing a little toward the way she’d just come. “I didn’t know he would be here,” she said, not bothering to hide her displeasure.
Nana asked, “Did you bring the number for my new boyfriend?”
“I think I’m going to go,” Dane said, rising from the couch.
“No, I will.” Gabrielle was already turning for the door.
“Whatever you do,” Pops grumbled, “take it out of here. I can’t hear my game.”
Nana sighed. “Can we please get back to my new boyfriend?”
“I’ve got an idea,” Pops said, fishing his wallet out of his back pocket. “How about someone hand me my grandson, and I’ll hand you some money to take this whole debate somewhere else.”
“Great idea,” Nana said, snatching bills from her son’s hand. “Let’s pick up my boyfriend on the way.”
“You’re staying right here,” Mama said, taking the bills from Nana and giving them to Gabrielle. “Now, give me that baby and you and Dane be on your way. You have lots to talk about.”
“We really don’t.” Staring the woman he loved right in her eyes, he said, “I asked her to marry me, let me be a father to her child, and she turned me down. I’m done.” He kissed his mother and Nana on their cheeks again, and then walked out the door.
THE SECOND DANE LEFT, Gabby burst into tears. “He’s awful,” she said into Mama’s warm hug. “I despise him.”
“I know, honey. Which is why you’re going to go after him.” Mama pushed her back, keeping hold of Gabby’s upper arms. “I’ve seen you two together, and I dare you to deny how much you love my older son.”
Gabby bit the inside of her lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
“I can only imagine how he proposed, he—”
“Dane didn’t ask me to marry him, he told me. Just like he told me we could never be together before Ben left me for the second time. What doesn’t he get about the fact that I’m a big girl, fully capable of making my own decisions? And the truth of the matter is…” Covering her mouth with her hands, eyes tearing, she whispered, “I do love him.”
“Of course you do,” Nana said. “Which is why you’re going to forgive his lack of romance finesse and remember how he makes up for it in areas of dependability.”
WITH DANE’S PARENTS WATCHING Jack, Gabby steered her Jeep straight for Dane’s house. It was a boxy, modern, glass-and-steel masterpiece she’d last visited with Ben. Located on top of the tallest hill in town, the view from his living room—and most every other nook and cranny—was breathtaking.
Pulling her car into his drive, her heart raced to a disturbing degree. Would he even want to talk to her? Could she blame him if he didn’t?
At his front door, it took her a few minutes to gather her courage. The December night was chilly, yet even her shivering couldn’t make her ring the bell. What if he turned down her proposal?
Like you did his?
Straightening her shoulders, Gabby forced herself to take the plunge.
It took her three rings before Dane opened the door. And even then, his cold stare wasn’t exactly welcoming. “May I help you?”
She swallowed the knot in her throat and charged past him into the house. The place hadn’t changed. It had been professionally decorated, and even showcased in several local magazines and newspapers. Black leather sofas and chairs topped area rugs that were vibrant shades of red, royal blue and yellow. The floors were polished black concrete. The walls were white and held pricey works of modern art. Just as she remembered, floor-to-ceiling windows looked out on the world. The house was gasp-worthy, yet for all of its glory, the perfection of the place felt hollow. Like it didn’t have a beating heart.
Helping herself to Dane’s sofa, Gabby patted the cushion beside her. “Join me?”
“Thanks, but I’ll stand.”
She shrugged. “Whatever. I guess since you’re obviously busy, I’ll make this brief.”
“Good.”
She’d never seen Dane sulk, but considering how many times she’d pouted when they’d been living together, she guessed she had it coming. Licking her lips, she forced a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry. Very. A-and, if the offer still stands, I would love to marry you.” Now that she was on a roll, after pausing for air, she rambled on. “I always thought you were the stubborn one, but in the end, it was me who loused things up. Anyway…” Wringing her hands on her lap, never had she felt more alone. Why wouldn’t he say something? Did he really hate her that much? Had he already forgotten all of the special times they’d shared?
She was on the verge of giving in to tears when he crossed to her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I should’ve brought flowers and candy and a ring. I should’ve—”
“Shh,” she said before kissing him quiet. “Everything about you is perfect.”
“True.” His grin was contagious. “It’s about time you reached that conclusion.”
After giving him a playful pummeling, she pulled him onto the couch for a longer, more satisfying kiss. Once her craving for him had been momentarily sated and they’d gotten cozy lying side by side, she summoned the courage to ask, “You were so guilt-ridden about being with me. If we marry, are you sure you can handle it? You know, seeing Ben at family gatherings and such?”
Groaning, he said, “The second I heard my brother had left his own child home alone, all bets were off. If he doesn’t even have the sense to care for an infant, then he sure as hell can’t care for you.” Pressing his lips to hers, he settled in for a leisurely exploration of her mouth.
“Hmm…haven’t I been saying that ever since he stepped foot back into town? But who didn’t listen?”
“I know, I know. Give me the next fifty or so years to make it up to you?”
Snuggling against him, thrilled that Jack and her were finally on the right track, she teased, “Make it sixty and we have a deal.”
Epilogue
“Has anyone seen my teeth?” Nana lifted the train of Gabby’s wedding dress, looking underneath.
“Honestly,” Mama said, helping in the search, “I can’t take you anywhere.”
It was Christmas Day and Gabby couldn’t think of a greater gift than her wedding day. Despite her gnawing uneasiness about the way they’d left things with Ben, she’d wanted to marry Dane as quickly as possible. She wanted to make it official before anything else could go wrong. Their wedding had been thrown together and was being held at the rambling Bocelli home. All of the living room furniture had been placed in temporary storage, making way for fifty chairs and a fragrant evergreen-and-poinsettia-adorned altar placed in front of the ornately carved, dark cherry fireplace. With a fire crackling in the hearth, despite sleet tinkling outside against the windows, the spirit inside was warm and happy.
Gabby, with Olivia and Steph’s help, was getting ready for the most important day of her life in Mama and Pops’s master bedroom. She stared at her reflection in the oversize cheval mirror, and happily approved of her gown and the magic her friends had worked with her hair.
“Thank you, guys.” She pulled both into a group hug. “I never would’ve been able to throw this together on such short notice without you.”
“Our pleasure,” Olivi
a said, hugging her right back.
“Found ’em!” On all fours alongside the bed, Nana held up her dentures.
Shaking her head, Mama hustled Nana into the hall bathroom.
“Just think,” Steph said. “In a few minutes, you’ll be related to those two characters.”
Gabby released a good-natured groan. All four of their babies were in Dane’s childhood room, being watched by all six of the female Bocelli cousins. There were ten more boys, but they were in the sunroom, playing video games.
“Ready?” Olivia asked, adjusting Gabby’s veil.
Forcing a deep breath and fanning her face, Gabby nodded. “I think so.”
A knock sounded on the door and in walked the last person she’d expected to see on her wedding day—Ben. “Hey.”
“Um, hi,” Gabby said, looking to her bridesmaids for help.
Both looked away.
“Ladies,” Ben said, “would you mind giving us a minute?”
Her friends looked to Gabby for permission to leave. Though her stomach was turning, she nodded.
Once they’d left, Ben shut the door behind them, then said, “Before you tie the knot with my brother, I wanted to apologize. I already spoke with him, but you…” A sad laugh escaped him. “We’ve shared a lot of good times. Lately, a lot of bad. And I’m sorry. You and my brother were right. I’ve got a lot of growing up to do.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked, trying not to cry. The last thing she wanted was for her makeup to be ruined before she’d even walked down the aisle. “Why now?”
“Because I want you to know that I think you and Dane are perfect for each other. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” He kissed her cheek, wiped tears from his own cheeks and then left the room.
Gabby had expected Ben to cause her trouble, but in reality, he’d put the crowning touch on her special day.
“YOU MAY NOW KISS THE BRIDE.” Lifting Gabrielle’s veil, Dane felt as if every dream he’d ever had had just come true.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered before touching his lips to hers. She held Jackson in her arms, and he kissed the baby’s forehead. “I love you both so much.”
“We love you, too.”
While the newlyweds kissed, family and friends cheered. The moment was made all the sweeter by the talk Dane had had with his brother. Not that he’d needed Ben’s permission to do what he’d known was right in his heart, but his brother’s blessing had been welcome.
Once they’d put sleepy Jackson to bed, greeted everyone in the receiving line, fed each other cake, shared dancing and champagne, Dane finally found a moment alone to be with his bride.
Slipping his arms around her waist, slow dancing with her in the privacy of his mother’s laundry room, he said, “Are you aware, Mrs. Bocelli, that you’ve made me the happiest man alive?”
She kissed him. “Are you aware, Mr. Bocelli, that you’ve made me the happiest woman alive?”
He kissed her back. “So we’re even?”
“Even Steven.”
Turning to a reflective mood, he said, “This morning, I was thinking back to that Saturday I worked on Jack’s changing table, how you said you wanted to throw a big party for his first Christmas. I’d say you succeeded.”
“Thanks.” She beamed.
From behind them came the sound of Olivia clearing her throat. “I, um, hate to break this up, but I have it on good authority that Gabby’s some kind of love guru and just hooked up Nana.”
“Could this wait until later?” Dane asked. “I’m kind of on the prelude to my honeymoon here.”
Sighing, Olivia said, “Your flight to Tahiti doesn’t leave until 5:00 a.m. Surely you can spare your bride for a few minutes.”
“Tell you what,” Gabrielle said to her friend, “how about you let me finish making out with my husband, and I’ll see what I can do about hooking you up with one of the spa’s hot male masseuses.”
“Deal,” Olivia said, “but don’t take too long. All of this romance is making me crave a little of my own.”
Once Gabrielle’s friend had finally left them alone, Nana poked her head in to let Gabrielle know she’d packed some of her favorite romance novels for Gabrielle to take on their honeymoon. After Nana, his mother wanted to know if he’d seen his father’s universal remote.
After promising his mom that if he happened to find the remote he would rush it to his frantic father, Dane asked his bride, “Is this how our whole lives are going to be? Constantly interrupted by friends and family?”
“I hope so,” Gabrielle said, squeezing him in a hug. “I love your family—and our friends. We’re going to have an amazing life, you and me and Jack and whoever else might come along.”
“You want to get started on that?” He punctuated his question with another kiss. “Making the whoever else portion of our family you just referred to?”
“Mmm…” On her tiptoes, nibbling his earlobe, she whispered in his ear, “I thought you’d never ask.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-3956-6
A WEDDING FOR BABY
Copyright © 2009 by Laura Marie Altom.
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A Wedding For Baby (Baby Boom) Page 17
