That Wild Night
Автор
Mira Lyn Kelly
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EPILOGUE
One year later
* * *
THE SAND TICKLED her toes and the late-afternoon sun warmed her bare shoulders as Kate looked down the white shore and turquoise waters of Sunday Key, a tiny, uninhabited island located off South Beach. Streaks of purplish-pink were making their way across the sky, the beginnings of a beautiful sunset that would be the perfect backdrop for the wedding ceremony. Despite the beautiful weather, Kate knew she couldn’t get too relaxed.
With Memphis and Brian in the same ceremony, the potential for mischief was huge.
She’d sent her brother to fetch Memphis and, as soon as she spied her soon-to-be husband coming toward her, the surge of joy was profound—no pre-wedding jitters this time around. Memphis looked handsome in his beige linen suit and white shirt, open at the throat. Kate’s strapless, full length A-line gown was simple, adorned with a beige grosgrain sash that matched the color of Memphis’s suit.
Waiting for the wedding to start, the thirty or so guests milled about the setting which consisted of folding chairs covered in sheer white chiffon and a bamboo arbor draped with white tulle that wound down around the poles, the fabric loose at the ends and flowing in the balmy Atlantic breeze. Simple, yet elegant, embellished only by the sunset that glowed in the sky.
Kate was certain she’d been glowing since they’d officially announced their engagement a month ago. She’d hated waiting, but Memphis had insisted on winning her parents over first.
After her confession, several weeks had passed before her parents would even talk to her again—and after that, it had taken months of cajoling to get her parents to agree to meet with Memphis. As she’d predicted, it wasn’t long before her parents had grudgingly admitted he wasn’t a bad guy. Her dad’s softening attitude had a lot to do with how happy Memphis made her. And while the two men were too different to ever be exceptionally close, a grudging respect had developed that went both ways.
Repairing the fractured relationships hadn’t been easy, but was well worth the wait.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to see my bride before the wedding,” Memphis said as he sauntered closer, a gleam of appreciation in his eyes.
She bit back a smile. “You’ve never been worried about formalities before,” she said. “Besides, I have a question I need to ask.” Kate tipped her head and looked up at him. “You don’t have any surprises in store for me, do you?”
Memphis’s teasing eyes grew dark. “You mean for our wedding night?”
Kate laughed. “No, I mean for the wedding ceremony.”
His gaze turned secretive. “What would give you that idea?”
She playfully narrowed her eyes at him. “I spotted the pyrotechnic specialists from your stunt crew among our guests.” With a raise of her eyebrow, she went on. “Am I supposed to assume their presence is a coincidence?”
His grin revealed nothing, increasing her suspicions exponentially.
“I’ve quizzed my brother ad nauseam,” she said. “But he refuses to confess to anything.”
“Brian’s the best man. He owes his allegiance to me.” Memphis laced his fingers with hers, pulling her close, and, despite his suspiciously evasive response, her heart turned to total mush. “If you really want to know,” he said, “you should ask your dad as he walks you down the makeshift aisle.”
“My dad is in on this?”
“Angel Face,” he said, clearly entertained. “It was your father’s idea.”
As shock rolled through Kate, she couldn’t decide whether to be happy that her father was clearly on board with her choice for a new husband…or worried that her dad was now in league with Brian and Memphis.
Given how hard she and Memphis had worked to reach this point in their relationship, Kate decided happy was the only way to be.
Her mouth twitched in humor. “I’m hoping this will be a fabulous firework display and not an over-the-top explosion.”
He gave an easy shrug. “I’m not telling.”
“When will I find out?” she said, smiling up at Memphis.
He tugged her closer, until she was pressed firmly against his chest—the place where she belonged. “Right after you say I do.”
* * * * *
