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“Me too, Dad. Me too.”
A soft knock on the door interrupts us and Tierney Roberts, wearing a black floor length dress rather than the pants she had on earlier for set up, peeks in. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s almost time. Are you ready?”
“Yes,” Kendall replies, straightening at the same time I stall.
“Not yet.”
Tierney glances between the two of us and nods. “Let me know when you are. Everything is set.” She backs up and starts to close the door, but I stop her.
“Wait,” I say, as Kendall hands me back the ring. “Can you make sure Justin gets this? It’s Kendall’s wedding band.”
“Of course.” Tierney’s nod and the instant assurance make me think of Veronica and how she’ll go to any length to please a client.
“Dad,” Kendall says, drawing out the word as if she’s fourteen again and pulling my attention back to the present. “You’re ready. I know you are.”
I thought I was ready, but it’s all happened so fast, a whirlwind for the past seventy-two hours. Not that in a million years I thought I’d be facing down watching my daughter say her vows and professing my feelings to a woman who isn’t the mother of my child on the same day, but here we are. “Am I?”
She steps back and reaches up to straighten my tie. “Do you love me?”
“Of course.”
She pats my chest, and a smile plays on her lips as I cover her hand with mine. “Do you love her?”
“I do.” There is no hesitation, no doubt in my mind. Just like I knew immediately with Kerry, the feelings I have for Veronica, the certainty in my soul, are crystal clear.
“Good. Then you have something to look forward to.”
“Besides watching my little girl marry the man of her dreams?”
“Yes.”
“What’s that?”
“Kissing Veronica.”
Not what I was expecting. “I want to kiss her, but what makes you think she’ll kiss me back?”
“Oh, she will, believe me.” Kendall picks up her bouquet from the nightstand and winks at me. “Maybe more.”
“Kendall,” I chide, but she’s immune to my admonishment. Has been for years.
“What? It’s about time. Plus, you’re not getting any younger, you know.”
Kendall must not mind that Veronica is only a few years older than her, which eases a worry I didn’t even realize was weighing on me until now. “First things first. Let’s get you married, okay?”
She links her arm through mine. “Okay.”
CHAPTER9
VERONICA
“You,by far, are the most beautiful creature here.” Garrett’s low, husky voice only inches behind me sends an exquisite shiver down my spine. He steps up to my bare back, his proximity heating my skin without even touching it.
Guests mingle only feet from us. I smile and lift a chilled flute of cranberry bellini to my lips. “I’ll go change. I wouldn’t want to outshine the bride.”
“Don’t you dare,” he growls. “Unless I’m there to help.”
So that’s how this is going to go. A flush creeps up my cheeks and desire unfurls in my low belly. Garrett’s been clear for days once he’s no longer my client all bets are off. It’s debatable when exactly that is, but two things are certain. It’s soon and I can’t wait despite the questions that still hang between us.
