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Celia led the way to their suite, which had its own kitchen, a large living area and four bedrooms branching off of it. The security guy, whose name was Joseph, had the room next door.
The first order of business was to get the marriage license. Lani stayed behind with Trevor. Sydney, Rule and Joseph headed for the Las Vegas Marriage Bureau. An hour later, they were back in the suite
, where Trev was playing with his trucks and Lani was stretched out on the sofa with her laptop.
“Ready for pampering?” she asked. “Celia says the spa is called Touch of Gold and it’s full service….”
“Go,” said Rule. “Both of you. The wedding’s not until four.” The short ceremony would be held in the wedding chapel right there at High Sierra. “I’ll watch Trevor.”
Sydney hesitated to let him do that. How strange. Here she was about to marry this wonderful man, and she felt reluctant to leave him alone with her son.
But no. Her reaction was only natural. It was one thing to trust her own heart. Another to leave her child alone with someone for the first time—even someone like Rule, who was so good with Trevor.
Lani spoke up. “Uh-uh. I’m onto something with this chapter and I’m not giving it up now. You go, Syd. I’m staying.”
“Roo!” called Trev from under the table. “Come. We play trucks!”
So Rule and Lani both stayed in the suite with Trevor. Sydney went by herself to the spa. On the way, she stopped in at the resort’s florist and ordered a bouquet of yellow roses, which she told them she would pick up personally in a few hours. She also asked to have a yellow rose boutonniere sent up to the suite for Rule.
At Touch of Gold, she decided to start with a hot rock massage. After the massage, she had it all, mani-pedi, haircut and blow dry and the expert attention of the spa’s cosmetician, too.
And then, when she was perfectly manicured, with her hair smooth and shiny and softly curling to her shoulders and her makeup just right, Celia appeared with a tall, stunning brunette, Cleo, who was Fletcher’s wife. The two women took Sydney to the bridal boutique not far from the spa.
Sydney chose a simple sleeveless fitted sheath dress of white silk and a short veil. Her shoes were ivory satin platform high heels, with side bows and peep toes. Celia had Sydney’s street clothes sent back to the suite and Sidney left the boutique dressed for her wedding. After that, they stopped off at the florist to pick up her bouquet.
And then the two women led her straight to the High Sierra wedding chapel. Sydney waited in the chapel’s vestibule for the “Wedding March” to begin. Staying to the side, out of sight, she peeked around the open door.
The rest of the small wedding party was already there: Lani, holding Trev, and Aaron and another dark-haired man who was obviously Cleo’s husband, Fletcher Bravo. She saw him in profile and noted the family resemblance between him and Aaron—and Rule, too, she realized.
Her groom was waiting for her, standing down in front with the justice of the peace, looking fabulous as always in a black silk suit with a lustrous cobalt-blue tie and a shirt the color of a summer sky. In his lapel, he wore the yellow rose she’d sent him.
Sydney’s pulse beat faster, just at the sight of him. And she smiled to herself, thinking of all the years she’d been so sure she would never find him—the right man, a good man, solid, smart and funny and true. The fact that he’d turned out to be a real-life prince who was total eye candy and had a voice that turned her insides to jelly, well, that was just the icing on the cake.
He was exactly the man for her. He made her feel beautiful and bold and exciting—or maybe he simply saw her beauty and made her see it, too. It didn’t matter. With him, she could have it all. She could not wait to start their life together.
The only thing that could have made this day more perfect was if her Grandma Ellen could have been here, too.
Cleo helped Sydney pin the short veil in place.
And then the “Wedding March” began.
With a smile of pure happiness curving her lips and the glow of new love in her heart, Sydney walked down the aisle toward her waiting groom. She was absolutely certain she was making the right choice, marrying a man who saw beyond the walls she had erected to protect her injured heart. A man who had loved her the first moment he saw her, a man who wanted to be a real father to her son. A man who had been charmingly reluctant to reveal his princely heritage. A man of honor, who spoke the truth.
A man who did not have a deceptive bone in his body.
Chapter Seven
The justice of the peace said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
His eyes only for her, Rule raised the short veil and guided it back over her head.
And then he drew her closer to him and he kissed her, a tender, perfect kiss. A kiss that promised everything: his love and his devotion, the bright future they would share. Sydney closed her eyes and wished the special moment might last forever.
After the ceremony, they all went to dinner in a private dining room in High Sierra’s nicest restaurant. More children joined them there, six of them. Celia and Aaron had three, as did Fletcher and Cleo. The food was great and the company even better.
Aaron and Fletcher proposed a series of excellent toasts and when the kids were done eating, they were all allowed to get down and play together. There was much childish laughter. Trev loved every minute of it. He seemed quite taken with Fletcher and Cleo’s oldest child, Ashlyn. He followed her around the private dining room, offering her dazzling smiles whenever she glanced his way. Ashlyn didn’t seem to mind. And she knew several knock-knock jokes. She patiently tried to teach them to Trev, who inevitably got carried away and started playing both parts.
“Knock, knock,” Ashlyn would say gamely.
