think I can handle it from here.”
“Really?” Cameron said, raising one eyebrow. “Are you feeling lucky?”
So that had happened, and Aidan had quickly brushed it off as a practical joke played on him by his moronic twin. But then Sally had deliberately thrown her bridal bouquet straight at Ellie, who hadn’t even lined up with the other ladies to catch it. What was that all about? Wasn’t there some bizarre old omen that the woman catching the bridal bouquet would be the next to get married? He was going to have to look that up. Fast.
“Nice catch, champ,” Logan said to Ellie, who laughed and grabbed him in a big hug.
The Dukes’ wives all gathered around Ellie to congratulate her.
“Guess you’re next,” Trish teased.
Aidan felt a hard lump of something cold and near-panic-like settle in the pit of his stomach.
“I don’t think so,” Ellie said, but she blushed as she held the bouquet up to breathe in the floral scent. “I wasn’t even trying to catch it.”
“Then it’s doubly meant to be,” said Kelly, Brandon’s wife.
Aidan frowned.
“Doesn’t she look beautiful holding those flowers?” Sally said fondly.
Aidan jolted, then looked down, a little disturbed to see Sally standing next to him and staring directly up at him. He’d been so distracted by the flower toss that he’d let her sneak through his defenses.
He debated whether to call her out right then and there. Because really, this little matchmaking act of hers was beyond obvious, at least to anyone paying attention. Unfortunately, Ellie seemed to be the only one who wasn’t paying attention.
A little desperate now, he glanced around. What about the Duke brothers? Was there no solidarity among males anymore? Where were his cousins and twin brother when he needed them? Instead of coming to his aid, they were all standing back enjoying the show. What the hell?
They’d all been innocent victims of Sally’s relentless attempts to get them all married off. And she’d succeeded! Aidan was the last line of defense. The least they all could do was rally to his side when he needed them most. They were all brothers now. They needed to band together. But no. Looked like they were all anxious to see the last of them fall.
“Aidan, dear, are you all right?” Sally said with a concerned pat on his arm.
“Huh? What? Oh yeah, Sally. Fine,” Aidan said, feeling like a cornered rat.
“Well, then?”
He had to mentally retrace their conversation. “Oh, yeah. Absolutely right. That was nice of you. Ellie looks great with the flowers.”
“Yes, she does,” the older woman said softly, tucking her arm through his. “Such a beautiful girl. You’re so lucky to have her.”
“As a business partner? That’s for darn sure.” That was all he was willing to say. Lucky? Damn straight he was lucky. He had thought he’d lost her to Blake, but now that he had her back, he wanted her for however long it lasted.
He followed Sally’s gaze across the room and found Ellie. Sally was absolutely right. Ellie looked flat-out gorgeous today, flowers or no. She was wearing her hair up on top of her head in that sexy style he’d grown to like so much, if only because he couldn’t wait to pull the pins out one by one and watch as each of her thick strands of hair draped gently across her shoulders. The pink roses she held in her hands looked perfect against her soft skin and rosy lips.
Still, Sally was up to no good.
The orchestra members came back from their break and began to play a slow, romantic love song. Several couples walked out onto the dance floor and began to sway to the melody.
“Oh, the music has started back up,” Sally declared, and patted Aidan’s arm once more. “I want to see all my sons dancing.”
He had no argument with her there. Turning to her, he smiled and held out his hand. “May I have this dance, Mom?”
She let out a little gasp and Aidan had the distinct pleasure of watching her eyes well up with tears.
*
Two days later, the Dukes left the island and Ellie missed them horribly for an entire day. She loved having all those wonderful women around. They had included her in everything and it had turned into a sorority party. Or at least, it seemed like every sorority party Ellie had ever heard of or seen in the movies, since she’d never been involved in a sorority herself. The night before the wedding, Sally, Trish, Julia, Kelly, Grace,