* * *
After an hour spent moving from one beautiful location to another to pose for photos, the group was led to a small, private room with a wall of windows overlooking the ocean. Doors swung open and the photographer rushed ahead of them to snap more photos.
Off to the side, one large, oval table was set with china and sparkling crystal. Different sized snow-white candles scattered throughout a wood bark vine strewn with leafy flowers in a variety of pinks and lavenders. Like a candle-lit walk through a forest. Perfect.
Jenny’s gaze traveled the room from the table to the parquet dance floor, to—she froze and clutched Gabe’s arm. Her eyes grew wide, and her mouth dropped open.
“Surprise!” An arm landed across her shoulder as a beaming Alex popped up between her and Gabe.
“Wha—?” Jenny slowly walked forward. Oh my God. But how?
She looked from Gabe to Alex to her parents and Michael. Cindy, her date, Dillon, and Ted stood grinning while George looked as puzzled as she felt.
George leaned toward Ted, muttering, “What’s the big deal?”
“Are you kidding me right now?” Jenny looked at Gabe. “How?”
Gabe grinned and inclined his head toward her parents.
Picking up her poufy skirt, Jenny darted across the room and threw herself into her mom’s arms whispering, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Mom squeezed back. “Someone who appreciates sweets as much as my girl deserves a delicious wedding cake.”
“Oh, my God. It’s not lemon with raspberry filling, too?”
“The top layer is. The other is chocolate with Bavarian cream, and then plain yellow for the bottom.”
“But how? You didn’t bring it all the way from home, did you? You couldn’t—that’s ridiculous.” There was no way they could have transported that cake forty-three hundred miles on the plane, especially when there weren’t any direct flights. And the caterer had been adamant about the desserts they would offer, and butter cream frosting had not been an option—no matter how sweetly Jenny’d requested it.
Mom smiled and stood a little taller. “Where there’s a will...”
“It’s right, isn’t it? Just like in your book?” Alex asked.
Jenny nodded. It was more than right. It was perfect. An exact scaled-down replica of her wedding cake. The three-layer cake had a dozen silk butterflies winding and twisting up the side of the cake to a few small ones swirling around the feet of the bride and groom cake topper.
Wide-eyed, Jenny circled the cake. At the back, under a butterfly wing, she used her index finger to scoop up a healthy dollop of icing, half-afraid it was fondant masquerading as something tasty.
“That’s it, right?” Gabe asked.
Jenny held her finger of icing up to him. “Buttercream?”
Gabe leaned forward and took the sweet into his mouth. Gaze locked on Jenny’s face. His hot, wet tongue sucked the icing away, then swirled leisurely around her finger, the way he suckled and enjoyed tasting other parts of her.
Jenny held her breath, and her heart launched into triple time. She flipped her hair over one shoulder and tugged on her finger. Gabe grabbed her hand and held it steady.
“Gabe,” she whispered and glanced at their audience. “Behave!”
With a last lick, Gabe released her, smiling. “Buttercream.”
Flushed and hot, Jenny turned to the others. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
“Me too,” Gabe murmured in her ear.
She pushed playfully at his chest.
Between sentimental champagne toasts, Jenny feasted on an amazing caprese salad while Gabe started with butternut squash soup, and they shared her pepper-crusted filet mignon and his butter poached Kona lobster, washing it down with a lovely mellow cabernet the wine steward recommended. Superb.
Cindy picked up a spoon and tapped it against her water glass and others—with the exception of George, who undoubtedly considered the custom silly—immediately chimed in in an insistent clinking until Gabe kissed Jenny.
Michael thought the tradition was great fun, thoroughly enjoying that they could make Gabe and Jenny stop whatever they were doing and kiss. He was often the instigator of many a kiss, until the zeal got the better of him, and Michael used his knife a little too hard and smashed his water glass.
Alex and Ted burst out laughing, enjoying Michael’s red face and fluster as servers rushed forward to sop up his mess and replace his broken glass. Mom, on the other hand sent her wayward offspring a furious scowl. Jenny failed to hide her smile, unperturbed by one glass broken in a careless moment of enthusiasm. But Michael hung his head, sufficiently chastened.
Satiated by food and drink, Jenny and Gabe took to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. They glided around the floor as Josh Groban sang “You Raise Me Up.”
Snuggling close, Jenny looked up at Gabe, but his attention was focused across the room. This was their first dance; he should be paying attention to her. Jenny turned to see what Gabe was staring at. Beer in hand, Ted was talking to George.
Jenny leaned in, murmuring, “One beer at his father’s wedding does not an alcoholic make.”
“It’s illegal.”
“It’s a special occasion.”
“I thought the fine and alcohol class would’ve gotten through to him.” Gabe scowled. “I talked to Ted on the plane. I thought we had an understanding.”
“Well maybe you should’ve had that talk with George since he’s the one who gave it to him. I’m sure Ted took it to save face.”
“Great. Big help he is.”
Jenny pushed on Gabe’s shoulder, turning them so Gabe had his back to George and Ted. “Forget them and pay attention to me.” She smiled. “I love this song but was surprised you even knew it. I wouldn’t have taken you for a Josh Groban fan.”
Gabe folded her hand in, tucking it close to his heart and lowered his head. “Truth? I barely knew his name before.”
Jenny smiled and nodded. That’s what she’d suspected.
“But when I heard the lyrics, I knew this was the one because meeting you and loving you have raised me up and made me want to be a better man, and I hope my love does the same for you.”
Jenny scowled and sniffled, trying to hold back tears. She pinched his hand. “Stop saying such sweet things that make me cry.” She rested her head on his chest. “I love you.”
Gabe squeezed her tight and they danced until the end of the song, when he led her over to where Dad and Mom stood watching. Gabe gave her hand to Dad. “Thank you.”
Her dad danced Jenny back to the center of the parquet floor to Rascal Flatt’s “My Wish”. Dad moved her around in the slow box step he’d taught her at her cousin’s wedding when she’d been small enough to dance on the top of Dad’s feet. “You look gorgeous today, Jenny.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“At first I was concerned at your change in wedding plans, but this has worked out beautifully.”
“Oh ye of little faith,” Jenny teased. Hope Mom thinks so, too.
“I like Gabe and his kids. I’m enjoying getting to know them better. This vacation was a great idea.”
Jenny searched out Gabe, who was sitting next to his uncle. He’d taken off his suit coat and rolled his sleeves. Jenny’s gaze lingered on his muscular forearm, then Gabe winked at her. She drew back, a little surprised yet delighted, then rewarded him with a warm smile. “I’m pretty pleased with them myself.”
“Though it might be nice if those kids had less luck at cards.”
“Tired of losing to a couple of kids?” Playing Hearts, Euchre, and Spades was a favorite pastime Mom and Dad taught her and Michael at early ages. It actually started in elementary school. Dad had taught her cribbage to improve her addition skills. Ted and Alex delighted in embracing the Campbell tradition.
Her dad scowled at her. “Watch it, young lady.”
“You’d better be nice to me, or I’ll tell them to let you win.”
“Don’t you dare. I’ve been holding back since they’re new to the game.”
“Uh huh,” Jenny said, her voice thick with doubt.
“To build their confidence. But they’re getting a little cocky now. I think it’s time to put them in their place.”
Jenny chuckled. “Good luck with that.”
Both Ted and Alex had strong card sense, and Dad notoriously had poor luck being dealt good cards. She’d put her money on the kids.
Dad looked at Mom, whose head was bent close to Alex’s. “I especially appreciate you giving us older grandchildren so we missed the diaper changing phase.”
Jenny chuckled. “Anything for you, Dad.”
He twirled her around. “I’m not sure you’ve ever looked happier, little girl.”
“Life is pretty good right now.” Only one way it could be perfect. Jenny sought out Gabe where he sat talking to George. Okay, two maybe. George aside, one little conversation with Gabe would—
Don’t be greedy. Be happy with what you have.