That Carrington Magic - By Karen Rigley Page 0,93
Toby’s nose. “You and I are going with Grandmother Margaret to Disney World while your mom and Grant are on their honeymoon. I hear one adventure ride shoots right through the water. Sound fun to you, Toby?”
“All right!” he whooped. “Mom, the music is starting. Let’s hurry so I can go to Disney World.”
“Wait a minute, honey.” Jami bent to cup Toby’s face in her hands. “I want you to promise to be on your best behavior for Nana Shirley. Okay?”
“Okay. I’ll pretend she’s the leader of Zonar. I’ll follow orders, I promise.”
“Thank you, tiger.” Jami kissed his cheek and squeezed him tight. “I’ll miss you, baby.”
“I’m not a baby,” Toby reminded her, then grinned and hugged her back. “I’ll miss you, too, Mom.”
Tears gathering in her eyes, Jami turned in time to hear Grant admonishing his mother in the same manner she had Toby.
“Stop laughing, Mother. I’m serious.” Grant sternly gazed at his smiling, twinkling-eyed mother. “Promise you’ll be on your best behavior in Disney World with Toby?”
“Of course, darling,” Shirley replied, stroking her grown son’s stubborn jaw. “You act just like your father did when he lectured me. What trouble could I possibly get into with Jami’s precious little boy along to keep me in line?”
Grant groaned. Shirley Carrington made Auntie Mame pale in comparison. His mother patted his hand. “Take your place now, Grant. It’s time to make your lovely bride Mrs. Cary Grant Carrington.”
“Cary Grant?” Jami echoed, laughter bubbling forth. “That explains the mysterious C.”
“Yes. Isn’t it the perfect name for your leading man, Jami?” Shirley winked at Grant, who stood sputtering.
“Let’s get this wedding on the road,” Toby declared, hopping on one foot and then the other.
“I predicted this wedding,” Grandmother Margaret announced, patting her silver hair and looking quite regal, though her eyes twinkled impishly.
“You did,” Shirley replied with a conspiratorial grin.
“Smile everyone,” Sierra admonished, one hand on her blossoming belly as the green-eyed pixie joined them, dragging along her husband Ty. “Mike is photographing the wedding, and we want to use some of the shots for our CupidKey ad campaign.”
“Get Cupid in the shot,” Grandmother Margaret instructed, reaching out to adjust Jami’s position.
“Right. The more the merrier,” Mike the photographer replied with a wink.
“Doesn’t the music signal time to begin?” Ty asked, poking Grant in the ribs. “Cupid sure got you—didn’t he, big brother?”
“Thanks to my brother,” Grant replied, trying to sound gruff, but his broad smile and smoldering gaze at Jami revealed his true feelings.
“Talkin’ about me?” Errol drawled, stepping up to join the party, dressed in his best cowboy duds.
“Our other brother.” Grant motioned toward Ty and Sierra.
Jami looked around at her new family and felt a lump form in her throat. She was the luckiest woman in the world. Her gaze lingered on Grant, definitely the most handsome groom to ever exist. She was marrying the most wonderful man, and he was giving her not one new family, but two.
Nell touched her arm. The tittering, elderly lady’s pink face crinkled in a smile. “Homer’s waiting to give you away, dear. This September sunshine is melting Shirley’s Cupid ice sculpture.”
Jami glanced over at the banquet table where water pooled on the silver tray holding a three-foot Cupid ice craving. At that moment, Professor Tolaski, seated at a keyboard hauled to the meadow, pounded out the beginning notes of the wedding march with a loud flourish. Seated in the cluster of folding chairs, Dottie and Doris, in matching green dresses, dabbed their eyes with green lace hankies. Ralph Ballingham with his wife and youngsters sat just behind the retired teachers.
Becca hovered on the other side by the tiered wedding cake, swishing away flies with a blue silk scarf.
“Ready, girl?” Homer Ballingham asked.
Jami swallowed and nodded as Homer shakily took Jami’s arm, and they began the rhythmic progression up the ribbon-strung aisle toward Grant and the minister.
Music played, birds sang, and Toby the ring-bearer grinned proudly. Minister Watkins performed the ceremony to forever unite Grant Carrington and Jami Rhodes. The wedding whirled by with the bride in a daze as she and her groom exchanged vows. When Grant kissed Jami, firing every nerve in her body, the guests roared their approval.
Under a shower of flower petals and birdseed, Jami grabbed Grant’s hand, and they escaped their reception in a mad dash. She finally caught her breath while they drove the short distance to Grant’s cabin for a Rocky Mountain honeymoon.
“Ready, Mrs. Carrington?” he whispered in her ear, sweeping her into his arms to