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As they took their places, Annie, the closest to him, grabbed his hand for a moment. “So happy for you.” Vivian winked at him.
Inhaling deeply, his eyes returned to the door. And there she was. Dressed in layers of flimsy, delicate material, she seemed to float toward him. Her gorgeous red hair fell in loose curls over her milk-white shoulders. He couldn’t wait to be with her. With two steps, he’d reached her.
Aiden said something, Mitch nodded, but he didn’t really take anything else in except the radiant glow on his bride’s face.
“You’re here, waiting for me,” she said.
“I’ve always been waiting for you here.” He grinned before he bent down and kissed her.
“You s’posed to wait, Dad!” Dylan called out.
Stunned, Mitch looked up. “Just wait here,” he told Riley and walked toward Dylan.
*
It was quietin the big room as everyone watched Mitch whispering to Dylan. Riley had to swallow a few times at the picture of the big man crouching down in front of her son and Dylan’s arm lying trustfully on Mitch’s shoulder. The next moment, Mitch stood up and with Dylan’s hand in his, they both approached her.
“I’m also getting married to Mitch,” Dylan explained as he took her hand.
Riley gave up the struggle to not cry. Tears streamed down her face as Mitch took her other hand.
“He called me Dad,” he said softly as he wiped her tears away.
“Mom, you can’t cry now. We have to listen to this guy,” Dylan whispered loudly.
Laughing through her tears, Riley squeezed Mitch’s hand.
She was so glad this guy had waited for her.
*
By midnight, everyonewas sitting around Annie’s kitchen table. Mitch had his hand on Riley’s shoulder, and he couldn’t wait to take her home.
Dylan was fast asleep already and would spend the night at Annie and Craig’s. For the next few days, Dylan was going to spend the time between Janice and his sisters while Mitch took Riley to a tropical beach for a few days.
“Aunt Janice.” Vivian smiled. “Come on, surely you can tell us now? You’ve been playing matchmaker all along, haven’t you? First with Aiden, then with Craig, and finally with Riley.”
Smiling, Janice got up. “Well, as you know, when you’re Irish, matchmaking is a skill you’re born with,” she said, her Irish lilt more pronounced than usual.
“I knew it.” Aiden laughed. “That’s why you asked me to visit you. You planned the whole thing from the start.”
“But I did no such thing. I was happy here, Marietta is such a wonderful place to live, and I’ve made such lovely friends here. I’ve missed you all, though,” Janice said. “I was worried about you, too. Aiden, both you and Craig were seeing women you had nothing in common with and Riley was so hurt, she decided she’d never marry again. So, when I met Annie and Vivian and Mitch, we just clicked, and I thought it would be so nice if we could all be friends. But never in my wildest dreams…”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“Yeah, right,” Aiden said as he got up and hugged his aunt. “But I will forever be grateful you invited me to write about Marietta and Valentine’s Day.”
Craig joined them, also putting an arm around Janice. “And I thank you for guilting Annie into using my marketing skills.”
Riley also got up. “I still can’t believe you faked being ill to get me to visit you so that I’d see Mitch again.”
“You completely misunderstood me,” Janice said, the picture of innocence. “In any case, by that time, you and Mitch were both already in love with each other.”
Mitch found Riley’s eyes. “I won’t ask you how you knew something I only figured out later, but thank you.” Grabbing his bride’s hand, he pulled her close. “Thanks for everything, we’re going home. And thanks for taking care of Dylan for a few days.”
*
Mitch carried herup the stairs. “We have so much to talk about, but it can all wait until we’re back. I have one more surprise for you, though.”
