Page 24 of Losing Hope

Beth beamed. “I’d like that.”

“I can have someone go back to the house and get things we need,” Aria said.

“Let’s see what we’ve got,” Beth said. “We need to make bouquets. Alistair already told the kitchen, so they’re scrambling to make a fancy dinner. One of the cousins will take pictures, and someone is running out to get a wedding cake.”

“There is a lot to celebrate,” Faith said to Hope and squeezed her hand.

Hope was shell-shocked. How could things get so out of her control?

Beth laughed and slipped her arm through hers. “Everything will be okay. It’s just the way the Maclean men are. Once they have an idea, nothing can stop them from getting it done.”

Once in Beth’s room, the girls went through several dresses.

“I’ve got a dress at home that I can wear, so let’s just worry about you girls,” Aria said. “I’ll have one of the guys take me to get it, and I’ll go through your closets to find suitable dresses that look alike and grab shoes that match them.”

“Okay, Mama,” Hope said and hugged her mom.

The morning and afternoon sped by. Hope was thrilled when her mom returned with her grandmother’s wedding gown. She pulled it on and gasped. Besides being an inch too long, it fit just fine. Her mom also brought her own dress and several others that looked enough alike to pass as bridesmaid dresses.

“Oh, Mama, you look beautiful.”

Aria hugged her. “You look like a beautiful bride.”

They both sniffed and then grinned at each other.

Baskets of flowers were brought up, and Angelica and Faith made bouquets for all of them. They even made a boutonniere for Blake and his dad and a corsage for their mother.

The three girls stood up with her. Beth, Faith, and Angelica wore creamy white dresses. They looked so similar in style and color they could have passed for bridesmaid dresses.

They all gushed over each other, and Hope realized they’d never been like this with her family before or been that happy. Her family was safe, and the monsters were gone. She was marrying the man she was falling in love with, and her sisters were settling in.

During the afternoon, she’d learned her mother and her men were going to live in their house. She planned to change it enough to take away any memories of Lorenzo. The three were going to take care of the legitimate businesses and dismantle the human trafficking and prostitution.

For the time being, Angelica was staying with the Macleans, and she got the impression one of Blake’s brothers was interested in her. It would be wonderful if the three would marry into the same family, and then they’d never be separated, but Angelica was, of course, being stubborn. The brother—she couldn’t remember which one—seemed to be fighting the attraction, too. They stood across from each other and glared but she could feel the heat of attraction in their eyes they tried to hide.

There was a knock on the door, and Beth went to open it. She laughed at something the person said, closed the door, and turned to them.

“Alastair said everything’s ready to go, and Blake is getting impatient.”

Everyone laughed.

“I think we have everything, girls. Let’s head down,” Aria said.

Hope’s stomach did somersaults, and her hands shook. God, was she ready for this?

Her mother cupped her face. “Baby, everything is going to be okay.”

“Are you sure I’m doing the right thing, Mama?”

She nodded. “Yes. He’s a good man, and I would bet he’s already in love with you.”

“How can you tell?”

“Look how quickly he set this wedding up because he’s afraid he’ll lose you. Go with your heart, baby.”

Hope hugged her mother. “I’m so glad you could be here,” she whispered.

“I am, too. Now the music has started, and Mateo and Trent will walk me down the aisle and sit in the front row.”


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