No Groom Like Him

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

All About Angel blog

Wedding Angel or Antibride?

After a string of matrimonial messes, wedding watchers around the globe are wondering if the Wedding Angel—founder and CEO of a widely celebrated destination-wedding agency that shall remain nameless—has reached the end of her luck.

Consider how her engagement ended when the paparazzi caught her fiancé—an international bridal-show producer, also nameless—in flagrante delicto with a Brazilian runway model.

Now consider this weekend’s fiasco of A-list actress Emmelina Belle’s Polynesian nuptials. Celebrity and wedding bloggers alike have been reporting that this much-maligned diva was seeking public redemption with her wedding to Drew Hatcher, the leading man she hooked up with last year on the set.

Stealing Axis’s Sexiest Man of 2010 from his television-actress wife devastated Emmelina’s career, but maybe she should have reconsidered her choice of event planner. Or maybe the Wedding Angel should have washed her hands of this messy client after her own run-in with infidelity. While it’s true the event was already in the planning stages when the Wedding Angel’s engagement went bust, a woman touted as the Martha Stewart of matrimony should have recognized Emmelina’s bid for favorable press. (What some folks won’t do for attention!)

The ceremony took place during the magical moments before sunset. The media swarmed the island in helicopters, in Jeeps and on foot, scouring every corner for celebrity sightings, given carte blanche by Emmelina to publicize to the ends of the earth—or the farthest reaches of satellite coverage.

While no one could expect the Wedding Angel to control the weather…Mara’amu shouldn’t have been a surprise.

This easterly trade wind is known to gust through the islands in winter, so one would expect contingencies to be in place for an outdoor wedding. But when Mara’amu swept across the beach during the fire dancers’ tribal performance, the wind sent flames toward the highly flammable bamboo tents. The ensuing conflagration sent panicked guests fleeing in every direction. Emmelina wound up treading water. (Score one for karma! Drew’s ex-wife is probably still laughing.)

As firefighters and local emergency personnel contained the flames, Emmelina emerged from the surf, steaming from both ears while the paparazzi documented everything—including the groom’s reaction. He took one look at his ranting almost-wife (check out the photos at CeleBrats for the best shots—you can see when he makes up his mind to escape) and seized his chance for freedom, leaving Emmelina dripping wet at the fiery altar.

The paparazzi caught Drew at the airport an hour later, threatening an airline clerk to find him a seat on the first plane off the island…and said clerk politely suggesting Drew swim to the mainland.

So, thanks to the fiancé fiasco and Emmelina Belle, bridal bombs dominate the tabloids and internet, leaving wedding watchers all over the globe wondering: Wedding Angel or Antibride? Cast your vote!

All About Angel blog: the latest buzz for brides!

“ARE YOU THE Wedding Angel or the Antibride?”

That one question stood out over all the voices rushing Lily Angelica as she disembarked the private jet. She hadn’t expected to find the press awaiting her on the tarmac, and even if she had, she definitely hadn’t expected that question.

Coming to a halt, she set down her purse and laptop case, buying herself time for a deep breath. She would use the exit stairs as a makeshift podium since she was obviously conducting a press conference. Exactly what she hadn’t wanted. Not with her nerves shot and the dark circles under her eyes.

Reflex had her fixing a smile on her face. She straightened and scanned the crowd.

“Lily, any comment on Emmelina’s wedding?”

“Will you confirm the rumor Worldwide Weddings Unlimited contracted the former president’s daughter?”

“Are you in town to hide from what’s being written on the All About Angel blog?”

Mention of the All About Angel blog had Lily searching their faces to see who was rude enough to bring up such nonsense. A tabloid reporter, no doubt.

When more press rushed across the tarmac—including a cameraman—she didn’t get a chance to identify any one individual.

Who had leaked her arrival? She hadn’t realized the area had so many media outlets. This was Pleasant Valley, for goodness’ sake. When she’d grown up here, the place had been nothing but villages orbiting towns defined by how long a drive it was to civilization.

Five minutes into the Valley.

Fifteen minutes into Poughkeepsie.

A half hour to the mall.

Two hours to the city—Manhattan and definite civilization.

“No comment on Emmelina’s wedding.” She projected her voice and the reporters quieted. “And, yes, I’m pleased to announce that Worldwide Weddings Unlimited is contracted for Kate Cochran’s event. That’s breaking news since we went to contract right before I left the Manhattan office an hour ago. And do you really think I’d hide from an anonymous blogger who can’t be troubled to sign his or her name to erroneous posts?”

Posts that appeared to have no purpose other than casting doubt on Lily’s reputation? She hadn’t expected legitimate media to give credence to such nonsense. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, my friends, but I’ve come to town for a family wedding.”

“Haven’t heard anything about a family wedding on the wire services. Are you attending or planning the event?”

She spotted the reporter who had asked the question. Poughkeepsie Journal. She’d answer. “Both actually. Can’t have a wedding planner in the family without asking for input. Not if there’s to be peace at the event, anyway.”

Laughter erupted from the crowd and camera shutters clicked wildly.

“Will you comment on the All About Angel blog, Lily Susan?”

Lily Susan.

The only people on the planet who used her first and middle names together were family, so her gaze automatically zeroed in… Her breath caught as she saw the familiar man standing half a head above the crowd. Not family. And how had she missed him? Despite the two dozen people huddled around him, suddenly, he was all she could see.

Max Downey.

The same glossy dark hair. The same chiseled face. The same fast smile.

Had the inquiry come from anyone else, Lily would have offered a quip these reporters could milk in print for all they were worth. But Max owned the Mid-Hudson Herald, a legitimate media corporation, even if his questions hadn’t sounded like it—not when he was asking about the All About Angel blog.

From him the question took her so off guard she could barely think let alone quip, with her heart pounding too hard. Their gazes met across the distance…?.

All these years and his piercing green eyes still tied her tongue in a knot.

But Lily wasn’t the same young girl who had nursed a crush on her big brother’s best friend. Max’s flashing dimples and deep voice could no longer take possession of her reactions and make her blush like a teenager.

Especially when he asked such idiotic questions.

“Last I heard you owned the Herald, Mr. Downey. Don’t you have professionals on staff who know the difference between relevant and irrelevant questions?”