She could almost hear him swallow. “I, uh, I’d be open to the possibility. If it was what you wanted. What we both wanted,” he added hastily, maybe afraid she would take that wrong, again. “As I’ve told you, I’ve loved being a dad. Maybe—well, maybe it’s something I wouldn’t mind so much doing again.”
Her heart was beating so hard, so fast. Did he know what he was saying? Could she really trust him to mean it this time?
“And all this freedom you’re coming into? Your first chance since you were just a kid to do whatever you want, whenever you want?”
She thought she saw the first glimmer of a smile in his eyes. “And if what I want is to be with you, whenever we get the chance…?”
She gave him a wistful little smile in return, her shaky resistance to him shattering. “Let’s just say I’m open to the possibility.”
He took a step toward her. “Bonnie?”
She rested her hands on his chest, the tension easing slowly from her clenched muscles. “I’m still kind of mad at you.”
He cupped her face in one hand, his expression soft with regret. “I know. And I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to you.”
“I was really angry,” she warned, her hands sliding up and around his neck. “Making up could take a while.”
“Whatever it takes,” he promised, his lips moving lightly against hers. “Have I mentioned that I’ve fallen in love with you, Bonnie Carmichael?”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Okay, you just made a lot of progress in making up. I love you, too, Paul Drennan.”
She felt tears pressing at the back of her eyes, but she melted into his embrace without letting them fall. They didn’t have much more time to be together on this glorious night. She wasn’t going to waste a minute of it with tears.
The wedding was as beautiful as any bride could have wished. Cassie glowed in the stunning white dress she had designed and sewn for herself, a long, fitted sheath with the tiny cap sleeves she seemed to favor, a deeply draped back and a clever little train that draped into a V from midcalf. Her maid of honor wore pearl gray, and the two bridesmaids, one of whom was her half-sister Jenna, were in pistachio green. An adorable little toddler served as flower girl, her dress pistachio with a silvery sash tied into a big bow at the back and the ring bearer wore a tiny gray tux. The groom and his attendants wore pale gray suits with white shirts and pistachio ties. The flowers carried out the colors with pale gray ribbons, green orchids and accents of coral roses. The weather cooperated, warm but not horribly so, the sky clear and a light breeze to fan cheeks and ruffle hair.
Because Cassie had wanted them there, Bonnie and Kinley were guests at the wedding as well as official hosts. They sat in folding chairs at the back of the bride’s side, Bonnie in the green dress Cassie had made for her, Kinley in one of her stylish summer suits. Paul had asked Bonnie if she wanted to sit at the front with him, but she’d declined, saying she thought it was a little soon for that step. She thoroughly enjoyed the wedding, watching as Cassie and Mike said their vows so confidently and contentedly in front of their friends and family.
Afterward, there was much celebration around the food tables beneath the lawn tent. Cassie really did have a large support group, Bonnie mused, watching as Cassie’s mother, stepfather, siblings, maternal grandparents, a few aunts, uncles, cousins and dozens of friends mingled, ate and chattered.
An arm went around her waist from behind and she gazed up with a smile at Paul, who looked so handsome in his gray suit and tie. “It was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever seen,” she said sincerely. “And trust me, I’ve seen a few weddings in my time.”
He smiled, and she was pleased to see that the gleam had returned to his jade eyes. “I thought it was nice, too. But I missed having you sitting beside me.”
“Maybe at the next wedding we attend,” she said lightly.
He lifted her left hand to his lips, placing a sweet kiss against the ring finger. “Or maybe you’ll be standing beside me at the next wedding we attend,” he murmured.
She looked up at him with widened eyes. “That sounded almost like a proposal.”
Whatever panic he’d felt only a few days before seemed to have melted away with the expressions of love last night, and the intimately heated hours that had followed. His grin was broad and bright when he looked at her in challenge and said, “A
nd if it was?”
Her heart swelling in her chest, she leaned against him, resting her head against his heart. “Let’s just say I’m open to the possibility.”
She and Paul were finally able to be alone together in her bedroom several hours later. The wedding guests had departed, except for the few that remained in suites upstairs. Amid tears and smiles and hails of good wishes, the newly married Cassie and Mike had taken their leave to begin their new life together. Some of the wedding decorations had already been taken down and stashed away, and Logan and his crew would take care of the rest tomorrow. Bonnie had the rest of the night free, until the morning when she would start all over again with her brunch preparations.
She was happy.
With the bedroom lamp dimmed cozily behind her, she moved to the window to draw the drapes. She paused for a moment with her hand on the draw-pull, looking out over the gardens. She was at ground level, looking out straight into the flowers and foliage at the path that led to the meditation garden. As she stood there, fog drifted in ribbons across that dark path barely lit by the discreetly placed security lighting and the bright late summer moon. The scene looked almost magical.
Paul stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking out over her head. “Looks very peaceful. I can see why you love living here so much.”
“Yes. It never gets old for me.”
As they stood there, a sliver of mist separated, swirled, coalesced into a shimmering column. For only a moment, Bonnie would have sworn she saw a pale face in that mist, smiling sweetly back at her. She blinked, and the illusion cleared, leaving only the fog dancing across the flowers.
Paul had gone very still. “Did you just see—”