Page 10 of Harvey

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“I find myself wishing that this was a real ceremony,” Julia confessed to her husband as they prepared to go out for the evening.

“You had better not let our son hear you say that,” Gregory warned with an indulgent smile as he came up behind her and closed the clasp of her emerald necklace. His arms came around her waist, their eyes meeting in the mirror.

They had waited years when it seemed as if the good Lord would never allow them to have children, and he had watched helplessly as his wife became more and more despondent when nothing happened.

Then they had both decided to give a child a home and had gone to the children’s home downtown. At first, they had thought about getting a newborn, but she had fallen in love with the little dark-haired boy, and the decision had been made.

Reaching up a hand, she touched his dear face. “I want to see him settled, darling. He showed no interest in learning of his biological parents- “

“And you took it upon yourself to find out. “

“Only to discover that the woman who gave birth to him had been little more than a child who overdosed on drugs.”

“And the man who fathered him had been another teenager who had run away from home.”

“And who got mixed up with the wrong crowd and was gunned down.” Julia turned to face her husband, a troubled look on her face. “I realize I didn’t do him any favors where that was concerned.”

Cupping her face between his palms, he smiled at her gently. “It does not matter how he came about; he is ours.”

“Yes,” she said fiercely. “He is.”

Chapter 3

“Stop fidgeting.” Silas admonished in a stage whisper.

“Was this necessary?” Harvey hissed back, tugging at his bow tie. “You have me wearing a damn suit.”

“You are in the house of the Lord, have some respect.”

“Where the hell is this woman? I want this over and done with.” Blatantly ignoring the admonition, he passed a hand over his hair, which had been brushed and secured by a rubber back, and the ponytail reached the middle of his back. The navy tux had been rented because there was no way he would be owning something like this.

“She is here.”

“Then why isn’t she standing beside me to get on with this farce?” He growled.

“Is it too much to ask for a better attitude?” Silas almost bit his tongue off as his brother threw him a look that could have pulverized rocks. “You agreed to do this- “

“That was before I realized it would look like the real deal. Is the ring also a fake?”

“It’s on loan from mother, and it’s a family heirloom.”

Harvey turned to look at him in shock. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Making this ceremony as real as possible. I want this to be perfect.”

“Now listen- “

“Shh.” He was hushed as the organist started playing the wedding march. Turning automatically to look at the arched doorway of the entrance, he glanced at his dad briefly before looking at the woman clinging to his arm and carrying a huge bouquet.

He remembered her now – how could he not? He had pretended a lack of interest when he first saw her at the floral shop, but he was male enough to realize that she had exquisite bone structure, and her complexion was flawless- a cross between rich coffee and very light cream.

Her hair – he frowned at the pixie cut that somehow highlighted her cheekbones and pointed chin. She was also all eyes, and he also recollected that she had refused to look at him.

However, he had been insulting and impatient in getting out of the suffocating smell of too many flowers. Her ice blue dress was form-fitting, revealing gentle curves and a surprisingly complete pair of breasts. They would make a good team if his brother only dared to ask her out.

“Please be seated,” Silas quietly told the few people in the large main room of the chapel.

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