Page 36 of Paradise Ties

“Hi,” she said when she got to him. Drew kissed her cheek and passed her hand over to Dane.

“You look breath-taking.” The shaking in his voice almost made her cry.

“So do you,” she said, smiling to force the emotion away.

They both turned to watch Lucy make her way towards Jace. Lauren saw him wipe a tear from his eye and then bend towards Lucy to whisper something after her father had passed her hand to Jace. Lucy sucked in a breath, and Lauren saw her visibly pulling it together as the four of them turned to the minister.

The ceremony itself was a beautiful blur as vows were exchanged and promises made. She and Dane had chosen rings with an imprint of their fingerprints inside the platinum. In no time at all, they were pronounced husband and wife.

“You may kiss the bride,” the minister said, and neither Dane nor Jace wasted any time getting with the programme.

Dane took her face in his hands and kissed her soft and deep, putting what he was feeling into the kiss. He pulled away and she could see the emotion he felt for her in his eyes. “I love you, Mrs Bennet.”

“Ditto, Mr Bennet.”

He offered her his arm and she took it, leaning into him as they followed Lucy and Jace back down the aisle, Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ making everyone smile.

The reception was at their hotel, twinkling lights strung through tresses above the wooden floor which had been put down on the sand, and above round tables covered with pure white tablecloths bearing coral and white floral centrepieces.

Two wedding cakes were side by side on a table in the corner. She and Dane had opted for a three-tier white and gold-leaf cake with coral hibiscus and roses on top while Lucy and Jace had gone for a peach and white ombre cake with three tiers covered in seashells.

Lauren tapped Dane and pointed as Skye went straight over to the cakes to inspect them. Not having made them, she would be extremely critical as she studied them. They both laughed when Nate pulled her away, distracting her with a long kiss that made Noah shove his fingers down his throat.

“Oh, that boy has a lot to learn,” her new husband whispered in her ear.

“Can you believe we’re married? That we actually did it?” she asked, her voice full of wonder.

“I knew I would marry you the day I met you.”

“You did not,” she said, calling him on his fib.

“Well, maybe not the first time but the second time for sure.” He swung her into his arms and kissed her again until she was breathless.

“Okay you two, enough of that. We have photos, food, speeches, and then cake cutting, dancing, and throwing of the bouquet before the wedding night starts,” Zack said, laughing as he and Ava moved forward to congratulate them.

“Tell me again why we agreed to this?” Dane asked.

“Because I wanted a proper wedding, and this is perfect.”

Dane nodded. “It is. You and Lucy did a fabulous job.”

“Yeah, we make a great team,” she said, looking around at all their friends and family surrounding them. Liam, Smithy, Jack, Will, and Aubrey were talking to David and Mimi. Bebe and Astrid were twirling Katarina and Natalia around, and Drew was in the corner talking to Mara.

Mara had been surprised at the unexpected invitation to the reception, and had said she’d try and pop in but was flying home later that night. Lauren had convinced her she’d be welcome and wished her well after her ordeal.

She felt her husband’s lips next to her ear. “You meddling again?”

She held her fingers a pinch apart. “Yes, just a teeny tiny bit.”

He shook his head. “Poor boy has no clue, does he?”

“Nope.”

“Well if they work out as well as we did, one day he’ll thank you.”

After photographs had been taken on the beach, they sat down to the exquisite menu of grilled shrimp and plantain with mango puree to start, cucumber wrapped salad with carrot spears and feta, followed by a blackened prime rib of beef with creamed potatoes and asparagus for mains, and the wedding cakes for dessert.

Lauren was happy as she sat with her husband and children, surrounded by her friends and family, and waited for the speeches to start. She knew Daniel probably had a multitude of stories about them both, which he’d bring out with relish.