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They helped her into her wedding dress, smoothing and fluffing the tissue organza overlay, hooking the flirty back with its ruffle train. Parker watched Mac transform as she stood in front of the cheval glass.
“I’m a bride,” she murmured, eyes dazed with wonder. “And I’m beautiful.”
“Here you are.” Mrs. Grady stepped up to hand Mac the diamond earrings Carter had given her. “Little Mackensie—skinny-assed redhead—as beautiful a bride as ever stood in this room.”
“Mrs. G.” Mac lowered her brow to Mrs. Grady’s. “Would you help me with the headband?”
It was a mother’s pleasure, Parker thought, to crown the bride. And touching to watch as Mrs. Grady slipped the glittering band into Mac’s bright hair.
“It suits you. You were right, Emma, it suits her.” Stepping back, Mrs. Grady dabbed at her eyes. “You’ll do.”
“Not quite yet.” Parker opened a drawer in the little bureau, took out a box. “I know you had something else in mind for something borrowed, but I’d like it if you’d wear this.”
Opening the box, she took out a delicate diamond necklace, three thin, sparkling strands.
“Parker.” Mac barely breathed the word. “It’s your mother’s.”
“My father gave it to her for their anniversary. I know they’d like it if you wore it today, and for me, it’s like having them here. A part of them here.They loved you.”
“Oh God.”
“No crying,” Parker ordered.
“Well, you make it damn near impossible not to. I’d love to wear it. I’d love—” Her voice simply broke as she shook her head. “I can’t say anything else or I won’t make it.”
“Here.” Parker slipped the strands on, fastened them.“It’s perfect.”
Lifting her hand, Mac touched the necklace. “I like having them with me today, with all of us.”
Monica stepped in. “Oh, Mac, you’re just stunning. Carter’s going to need oxygen when he sees you.You might need some yourself. He looks incredibly handsome. I wanted to let you know, Karen, you should start the formals. Is there anything I can do for any of you?”
“Is my mother here?” Mac asked her.
“Not yet.”
“Probably just as well. Okay, Karen, I’m all yours.”
“I want some in here, then out on the terrace, then some with the bouquet before we add your attendants.”
“The flowers will be here when you’re ready,” Emma told her.
“I’m going to check on the guys,” Parker told Laurel. “And don’t start on me.”
“I’m amazed you’ve held out this long. Go for it.”
She slipped out, picked up her skirts, and made a dash to the Groom’s Suite. After a quick knock she eased open the door.“Female alert.”
“You’re cleared,” Del called out.
She stepped in. “Monica was right. Carter, you are incredibly handsome.” And adorable when the tips of his ears blushed. “All of you look wonderful. I just wanted—”
As Jack moved over to adjust his tie in the mirror, she saw Malcolm, in jeans and a sweatshirt, sipping a beer. “I didn’t know you were here. Hanging out with the boys?”
“What? Oh ... ah. Right.”
He looked a little glassy-eyed, she thought, and she started to suggest he go easy on the beer when he set it down.
“Karen’s starting on the formals on our side, so she should be ready to start yours in about fifteen minutes. Carter, you’re going to want your father. I’ll send your mother over when it’s time. Oh, and—”
“Out.” Del steered her toward the door. “You’re MOH not wedding planner today.”
“I keep hearing that.Then I guess I’ll see you when the clock strikes. Malcolm, I hope you’ve got a suit with you.”
“What am I, an idiot? I’ve got plenty of time.”
“We’ll kick him out,” Jack told her. “Looking good, Parker. Damn good.”
She laughed, did a red-carpet turn. “Yes, I am.”
“And don’t worry.” Bob, Carter’s best man and colleague, held up a notebook computer. “I’ve got it handled on this end. And I memorized the vows just in case he needs me to throw him a line.”
“You’re a treasure, Bob.”
She waited until she was out of earshot to laugh.
“Just in time,” Emma said.
“That wasn’t long enough for—”
“For the bouquet. I wanted all of us here. Mac.” Emma lifted it from its box. “The final touch.”
“Oh, Emma, oh wow. I even saw it in progress, but—just wow.”
Mac took the waterfall of roses and lilies, deep colors, bold colors given subtle sparkle with tiny glass beads and pearls. It cascaded from waist to knee.
“It’s just ...” She stared down at it, then up at Emma. “The blue butterfly.There’s a blue butterfly in the bouquet.”
“It’s for luck, and love.”
“You didn’t tell us you were doing that.” Laurel moved closer to look. “Emma, you sentimental slob. It’s absolutely great.”
“Carter has one, too—just a tiny one on his boutonniere.”
“I might as well tell you, I put one on the cake—sort of a Where’s Waldo? deal.”
“Laurel,” Mac said with a watery laugh, “you sentimental slob.”
“With the butterfly Parker had put on Mac’s blue garter, that makes three of us.” Emma reached in to take out the other bouquets.
“Just when I thought today couldn’t get any more fabulous, it—”
Mac broke off as the door all but blew open and her mother made her entrance in murderous, low-cut red. “Well, don’t you all look . . . sweet. Such interesting colors. I left Ari downstairs. I just had to dash up and ...”
The smirk faded as her eyes tracked over, landed on Mac. Parker had the intense pleasure of seeing the stupefied shock land on Linda’s face.
Yeah, that’s right, you selfish, self-serving bitch. She’s spectacular. And nothing you can say or do will spoil one moment of her day.
“Mackensie, you’re lovely.You really are. Oh, my baby’s getting married!” She threw up her hands and hurried across the room to embrace Mac. “I never thought I’d see this day come.”
Over Linda’s head, Mac rolled her eyes and grinned.
No, not a moment spoiled, Parker thought, and grinned back.
MALCOLM PACED OUTSIDE THE BRIDE’S SUITE.
How the hell had this happened? Well, he didn’t know, but it had happened. So ...That was that. Or he’d make sure that was that. If she’d ever come out of that damn room.
If he’d worn a watch, he’d be tapping its face to see if the battery was dead.
What could possibly take so long in there? What exactly went on behind that damn locked door?
Finally, it opened, and women came out, all color and scent and sparkle. He stayed out of the way, ready to pounce the minute he saw Parker.
When he did, she—naturally—had her head together with the woman who was running things today.
“Hey.”
She glanced back, tilting her head in surprise, then took another minute to recheck whatever she’d probably already checked five times with her stand-in, before walking toward him in that filmy, floaty dress the color of candlelight.
“Why aren’t you downstairs? You should be seated. We’re about to—”
“I need to talk to you for a minute. For a couple minutes.”
“Malcolm, wedding. Now. I can’t—Oh God, is there a problem? I knew I should’ve gone down to check on—”
“There’s no problem. Everything’s fine. It looks like the freaking wedding of the century. It can wait. Sure, no problem.”
“Get down there.” She leaned forward, kissed him lightly on the cheek. And turned when Mac stepped out.
“Okay, I’m so ready. Malcolm? Why aren’t you downstairs?”
“I’m going. But let me say wow. A really big wow. Nice job. Carter’s going to swallow his own tongue.”
r /> Her smile shone brighter than her diamonds. “I’m getting married.”
“I got the memo. I’ll see you later, Mrs. Maguire.”
“Mrs. Maguire. Oh boy, hot damn.” In her sparkly-heeled wedding shoes, she did a quick jumping dance. “Let’s go, Parker.”
Parker shot Malcolm one last smile, then led Mac down the hall. “Remember, head up, smile. Take your time, it’s your moment. We’ll go down in alpha order as we decided, after Carter’s niece and nephew.”
“Don’t they look cute?”
“They do. And when the music hits your cue, remember to hold it there, count to five so everybody stands and gets a load of you.Then—”
“Parker, don’t worry. My father’s down at the bottom of the stairs, and he’ll walk me down the aisle.”
Mac’s green eyes were calm now, and dry, but shining with joy.
“You’re probably never going to tell me what you had to do to get him here, and that’s fine. He’s here, and it matters to me more than I knew—or would admit. But just like you said yesterday, more important than anything, Carter’s down there. My knees are wobbly, but it’s not nerves. It’s excitement—it’s, gosh, it’s frigging bliss. I won’t miss my cue.”
At the top of the staircase, she and Emma and Laurel adjusted the train, gave Mac the bouquet, and stood for a moment as they had as children, smiling down at a blue butterfly.
