There were voices coming from the kitchen.
Angry male voices.
Allie started across the huge room for the swinging doors that led into the kitchen.
“Allie.” Hayley followed.
“No, dammit!” someone inside the kitchen yelled.
It sounded like Gavin, and Allie picked up her pace.
“It’s not a big deal,” another voice said.
“It’s a
huge
deal. This is bullshit. I told you not to do this.”
“It’s the best way.”
“You never fucking listen!”
“Gavin!” Allie burst through the doors. “I’m here! Stop!”
Two men were squared off near a huge hole in the wall near the ovens. But neither of them were Gavin.
Gabe and Garrett Montgomery stared at her.
She stopped so quickly that Hayley plowed into her and Gabe lunged to catch her from going face-first into the kitchen floor.
He set her back on her feet, hands gripping her upper arms. “You okay?”
Allie pushed her hair back from her face. “Yeah. Where’s Gavin?”
Gabe’s mouth curled into a smile very much like his brother’s. It didn’t make her tummy tingle, but it was plenty charming. “He and Dad ran over to the office. Should be back soon.”
“Al! They just pulled up!” Danny yelled from the social hall.
She stomped back into the big room. “Where?” This was getting ridiculous.
Danny was near the windows. “They’re heading for the front doors.”
Okay, this was it. She beelined for the sanctuary and was in front of the altar when Gavin and his father came through the main church doors.
“I think you and Gabe can get most of the kitchen sorted out,” Greg was saying.
Neither man noticed her at first. She was aware of the crowd of people in the doorway from the social hall, but they all seemed to be hanging back, giving her space.
She put her hands on her hips.
“If he can handle the electric, I’m fine with the drywall and flooring,” Gavin told his dad.
“Oh, hell no.”
Both men looked up quickly and froze.
“Allie?” Gavin was clearly surprised to see her.
“We need to talk.” She strode forward and grabbed his hand.
“We’re just…” He let her lead him a few steps back down the aisle before stopping her. “It’s good, Al. Things are okay.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not good enough,” she said firmly. She started tugging him toward the church doors again. Over his shoulder she noticed that their gang had moved partway into the sanctuary to get a better view.
Gavin stopped her movement. “What’s not good enough?”
“Things being okay. I want things to be great. Wonderful. The best they can be.”
“Nothing’s perfect,” Gavin said, pulling her close.
“I know. I don’t want perfect. I just want things to be right.”
“They will be.”
She shook her head, knowing that coming back to the harbor had been good. But it wasn’t
for good
.
“You said you weren’t letting me go again, right?”
“Yes,” he said resolutely. “I’m going to be wherever you are from now on.”
“Good. I’m going to be in Alaska.”
He stared at her, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Why?”
“I love it there,” she said simply. “It’s good for me to be there. And for you.”
Gavin looked like he was pondering something very serious. Finally he asked, “Who’s going to take care of everyone here?”
She looked over her shoulder at their families and friends. “They’ll take care of each other.”
He moved a little closer. “And what if something comes up they don’t know how to handle?”
She lifted a shoulder. “They’ll figure it out. Or—” She glanced at Lydia. “They’ll ask someone.” She looked back at Gavin with a big smile. “Maybe even me sometimes.”
He nodded solemnly. “So you’re telling me that you’re ready for me to be your broccoli
and
your chocolate frosting.”
She smiled and stepped even closer. “No. I’m telling you that I’ve realized that you already are my broccoli, my chocolate frosting, my meatloaf, my potatoes, my bread—”
He interrupted her with a quick, but possessive, kiss. “I accept,” he told her when he’d lifted his head.
“You accept me going back to Alaska?”
“I accept your marriage proposal.”
She felt her heart flip, but she raised an eyebrow. “That was a marriage proposal?”
“Babe, you know you’re never going to find chocolate-covered broccoli like me again. You better tie me down while you have the chance.”
She pretended to shudder. “Chocolate-covered broccoli?”
“I went too far with the analogy?”
“Maybe a little.”
“Still,” he said with a huge, cocky grin, his hands on her hips. “You’ve finally realized that I’ve got everything you need.”
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes. You definitely do.”
“Damn right I do,” he muttered before kissing her again for several long, sweet seconds.
When they finally took a breath, she said, “And when they all come visit, we’re
definitely
going up for a flight-seeing tour.”
He smiled. “Definitely.”
“So, let’s go.” She pulled back and started for the doors again, his hand in hers.
“Hold on. Now? Today?”
She turned back. Gavin stood in front of the altar where he’d saved her from her wedding. His dad was just behind him, and his brothers, hers, her father and everyone she loved most were gathered to the side, looking on, their arms around one another.
Most importantly, everyone was smiling.
“We’ll have to pack and say good-bye to everyone. But, yes. Today. I have to get back.”
Gavin’s eyebrows went up. “You do?”
“The sooner I get back, the sooner I can start mountain-climbing classes,” she said with a smile.
He chuckled. “Is that right?”
“And speaking of fun,” she said with a grin. “I have some ideas for the kitchen now that Lydia won’t be there.”
Gavin glanced toward the girl, then back to Allie. “I do still like your lasagna best.”
She laughed. “Well, if lasagna is a euphemism for sex, then we’re totally on the same page.”
“Yep, definitely time to go home,” Gavin said. “Right after we get hitched.”
Allie felt her heart expand in her chest. “My dress is still in Alaska,” she said, as her eyes filled with happy tears.
“You are
not
wearing that dress. Ever again.”
“There’s still leftover food in the freezer!” Sophie called.
Allie giggled and gave Gavin a huge smile. “What do you think? Do you mind using leftover wedding cake at our wedding?”
Gavin pulled her close. “As long as
I’m
the one you’re saying I do to…and as long as it will be thawed out by tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow morning?” she asked, wrapping her arms around him, “I have to wait that long?”
Epilogue
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony.”
Reverend Morgan paused at the spot the last wedding he’d officiated at had been interrupted. He hadn’t really meant to, but now that he’d stopped it was obvious to everyone what he was waiting for.
He’d valiantly resisted all attempts to pull him into conversation and speculation about the first wedding debacle. But when they’d found out about today’s wedding—and who the bride was—the other pastors in his Friday breakfast group had insisted that, if it happened a second time, he had to work it into a sermon somehow.
It seemed that the whole congregation was holding its breath this time.
But no one said anything like
No
or
Stop
. And no one came storming down the middle aisle.
Which was great. Really. He was going to have to come up with something else for Sunday, but he was fine with that.
He took a deep breath, grinned at the congregation and went on. “Marriage should not be entered into
unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”
Reverend Morgan paused again—but he always paused at this part—and looked at the happy couple before him.
The groom was wearing one of the biggest smiles he’d ever seen and the bride was…frowning.
“Wait,” she said.
He stared at her.
No way.
He clapped the Bible he held shut. Now he owed Pastor Richards a jumbo muffin and a decaf latte on Friday.
The groom turned wide eyes on the bride. “Seriously?” he asked.
“There’s something I need to know,” she told him.
He turned to face her fully. “Now? You’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head. “Now is the perfect time actually.”
The groom glanced around at the friends they had standing up with them, then out at the church full of people. Then he took a deep breath and focused on the woman in white beside him. “Okay, what?”
“What did you come four thousand miles to say to me?”
He stared at her for three heartbeats. “Really?”
“You said I’d always wonder what you came four thousand miles to say, but you never actually said it.”
Reverend Morgan saw Gavin’s eyes dart to Devon Grant, the maid of honor, then out to the congregation, where his family sat in the second pew. Then he glanced over his shoulder at his best man—or rather, his best woman.
Hayley Stone gave him a big grin. “Yeah, let’s hear it, Gav.”
Gavin gave her a frown, then turned back to his bride. “Hasn’t everything that’s happened since I broke up your first wedding proven what I wanted to say without needing the words?” Gavin asked. “In fact, didn’t
breaking up your wedding
more or less prove what I wanted you to know?”
Allison smiled but shook her head. “Oh, no. I want to hear the exact words. I think everyone would like to.”
Reverend Morgan looked up to see the church full of smiles and nodding heads. If
most
of the town had shown up for the Brewster-Ralston wedding, the entire population was here for this one.
He had to admit, he wouldn’t mind hearing the words that had fueled the previous wedding drama.
He just wished he had a pen and paper.
The other pastors would insist on having it quoted word for word on Facebook, he was sure. “You did have an actual speech prepared, didn’t you?” Allie asked him, her tone teasing. “You wouldn’t just charge into a wedding fueled purely by emotion without a specific plan, would you?”
Gavin took a deep breath and leaned closer to Allie, lowering his voice. “I was kind of…winging it that day.”
Allie smiled knowingly. “No kidding.”
“Speak up! We can’t hear in back!” someone called from the pews.
Everyone laughed and the groom’s shoulders seemed to relax. He took Allie’s hands in his.
“But I think I can do this. You ready?”
She smiled up at him, the love clear in her eyes. “You don’t have to. I was just joking—”
“Oh, no. You started this,” Gavin broke in. “I think you do need to hear this.”
Allie’s eyes were wide as she nodded. “Okay.”
Gavin lifted one of her hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Then he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Allison Ralston, I love you. More than anyone else ever will. Let me be the one to love you for better or worse. Let me be the one to take care of you in sickness and in health. Let me be the one to buy you Froot Loops and the one to dance with you in the rain and the one to kiss you good night every night.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Let me be the one to love you for the rest of your life.”
Allie blinked at him, then opened her mouth, then shut it again without making a sound.
Gavin gave her a smug grin. “See, told you I could do this.”
“Way to go, Gav,” Hayley said from behind him.
Devon wiped away a tear.
Reverend Morgan chuckled. Looked like he was going to get to finish this wedding ceremony after all.
Pastor Richards was buying the coffee and muffins on Friday.
“Well, I think that sums everything up nicely,” he said. “Allison, do you take Gavin as your lawfully wedded husband?”
Allie cleared her throat and swiped at the tear that balanced on her lower lashes. “I most definitely do.”
And this time when Gavin scooped Allie up into his arms in front of all their friends and family, it was Josh Brewster who held the church door open for them.
About the Author
Erin Nicholas is the author of sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books; her kids, who will never read the sex scenes in her books; and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).