Dashing into the church vestibule, Deidre and she removed their coats and hung them on the rack in the entryway. In the distance, she heard Father Mike calling out instructions.
Her heart thrummed with dread and excitement as they entered the church. Deidre hadn’t spoken to Brigit since she’d overheard an argument between Brigit and Derry sixteen years ago. In that argument, Derry had confronted Brigit with the fact that given their blood types, Deidre couldn’t be his daughter. Brigit had admitted Derry wasn’t Deidre’s father, although she’d kept the identity of Deidre’s biological father a secret until last summer.
Now Deidre was back in Harbor Town, and Colleen couldn’t help but worry that all hell was going to break loose for the Kavanaughs—again.
Despite her worry about Deidre and Brigit, it was Eric’s face she immediately sought out among the small crowd, not her mother’s.
“Oh, my God,” Deidre whispered without moving her lips. They paused at the back of the church, and the entire wedding party turned to look at them. “Is that Eric? He’s gorgeous.”
Colleen flushed, hoping fervently the excellent acoustics in the church hadn’t made Deidre whisper carry. Deidre was indeed staring at Eric, and he did indeed look gorgeous, as usual. He wore a black suit, white shirt and pale
tie. She hadn’t been able to resist her sister’s encouragements to reveal the truth about the reason for her frequent distractedness and occasional weepiness while they’d been in Tahoe. Now Deidre was privy to the secret workings of her heart. Well…most of them, anyway. There was no way she could convey with words the feelings she had seeing Eric at that moment.
The wedding party had apparently been practicing the bride’s entrance, because Natalie was holding Eric’s arm and they paused in the center aisle. His gaze fixed on her. Colleen couldn’t interpret his expression. Her heart plummeted to the vicinity of her belly.
Suddenly, Liam gave a shout, and Marc, Mari, Liam and Natalie were converging on them at the back of the church.
“I can’t believe it!” Liam said, laughing jubilantly as he hugged Deidre and picked her up, making her shriek in surprise. “You came!”
“I was wondering if I’d ever see the day,” Marc said a moment later, beaming at Deidre. He gave her a big bear hug. When he glanced over Deidre’s shoulder and saw Colleen standing there, smiling with joy, he reached and pulled her into the embrace. Laughing, Colleen put out an arm for Liam. The Kavanaugh children all engaged in a mutual, clumsy, heartfelt hug. “Do we owe you for this miracle?” Marc asked Colleen. “This is incredible.”
“I’ll say it is. All four of you together again in Harbor Town. I wondered if I’d ever see it again.”
They all broke apart and turned at the sound of Brigit’s voice. Brigit stared at her oldest daughter, her expression rapt. The hesitancy mingled with joy Colleen saw on her mother’s face sent a pain through her heart.
“Deidre. You’ve made me so happy.” She flew to her daughter, arms outstretched. Deidre didn’t speak, just returned the hug, albeit stiffly. When they parted, Colleen saw a film of tears over Deidre’s eyes, but she didn’t allow one to spill.
Father Mike approached, greeting them enthusiastically. Everyone started talking. Colleen sighed in partial relief. She’d been dreading the moment, unsure of whether or not Deidre would turn a cold shoulder and cut Brigit completely. At least the initial greeting between mother and daughter had passed and gone tolerably well. Brendan and Jenny ran up to hug her. She’d missed them like crazy while she’d been in Tahoe and they’d stayed with their grandmother.
When she straightened, she realized that while everyone else conversed and made introductions, Eric was watching her with that dark-eyed, knowing look that always seemed to pierce right through her.
She licked her lower lip nervously. She should say hello, at least. No casual greeting seemed to fit the mixed anxiety, uncertainty and pleasure she experienced at seeing him again, though. He looked tense. Deidre had suggested—very delicately—while they’d been in Tahoe that Colleen may have been a tad defensive in not allowing Eric to fully explain himself. Was Deidre right? Was he angry? Concerned? Or was he completely immune to her now that he’d met his personal challenge of seducing her?
He took a step toward her, and her heart jumped into her throat.
“Okay, everyone, let’s get back to business!” Father Mike called out, herding them back toward the front of the church.
Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for the next forty-five minutes to find out what Eric had been planning to say to her as Father Mike led them through the wedding proceedings. She kept stealing glances at him and occasionally caught him looking at her, but his expression gave her no clues as to what he was thinking or feeling. After they’d finished with rehearsal, she saw Natalie draw her brother aside and speak to him. Liam joined them. Eric nodded and approached Deidre. She became distracted when Brendan asked for permission for he and Jenny to ride to the restaurant with Eric.
“Eric wants us to,” Brendan insisted when she demurred. “We’re giving Lucy to Uncle Liam and Natalie after dinner tonight.”
“Lucy is going to be in the parking lot, waiting for Natalie and Uncle Liam when they leave,” Jenny said, brimming over with enthusiasm. Between the excitement of giving Lucy and the thrill of her flower-girl duties tomorrow, Colleen seriously doubted her girl would sleep well tonight.
A little later, she watched Eric leave with Brendan and Jenny. Everyone was trickling out of the church, leaving for the rehearsal dinner at Bistro Campagne.
“Natalie wants me to be in the wedding,” Deidre said later as Colleen drove over to the restaurant.
“She does? That’s a wonderful idea.”
Deidre laughed. “I told her I couldn’t. I don’t have a dress to wear. But it was sweet of her to ask. I like her…and Eric, too. I can see what you meant about him. Tall, dark and smoldering. What eyes,” Deidre added, giving Colleen a sideways, significant glance from the passenger seat.
She frowned, ignoring Deidre’s mischievous expression.
“Is that what Eric was talking to you about? Being in the wedding?”
“In part,” Deidre said lightly. “He also asked about you.”
“He did?” she asked, nearly missing her turn. “What did he say?”