Page 65 of Nico
"I could live with that."
She gave him a look which had him hissing out a breath and leaving the room.
*****
"I've never seen a more beautiful bride," Sylvia remarked in a hushed tone as she stood just outside the doorway of her daughter's room and gazed at her daughter. "The dress was a very good pick."
Coming further into the room, she clasped her hands in front of her and sighed. "The old-fashioned Venetian lace and yards of silk were a very good idea."
Crossing to stand in front of her daughter, she adjusted the wide off-the-shoulders collar made stiff by a special piece added to the material. The corset style bodice emphasized the bride's waist and swirled and flowed gently from the waist.
Her hair had been styled by Billy, stylist to the stars and he had chosen to deep condition, rub hair gel into the thick strands, with an intricate braiding to the left. Instead of a veil, flowers—tiny rosebuds, carnations, lilies, baby's breath and anemone—were placed strategically at the front of her hair.
A stunning diamond necklace, a gift from her fiancé, graced her neck, the stones dipping between her breasts. Matching diamonds dripped from her lobes.
"Something borrowed and blue." Removing the sapphire pin from her chic canary yellow dress, she pinned it onto the dress.
"Thanks." Sadie searched her face and marveled at how the woman had changed. She had flown back to the States and had been living in the house ever since. Sadie had all her stuff moved out and had spent her last night in her bedroom.
Which somehow did not feel like her bedroom anymore. The pool house had become home to her now. Another bedroom had been added as well as a walk-through closet.
"What will you do?"
Sylvia laughed softly and touched her daughter's cheek briefly. "Linda and I've been talking. I want to be active in doing charity. I will be keeping myself busy giving back. For years I considered myself the victim, never really appreciating what I have."
She shook her elegantly coiffed head. "Now it's going to be different. You'll see. You're finally getting a mama you'll be proud of." Her eyes misted. "I'm incredibly proud of you. Your father and I did something wonderful."
Sadie tried to swallow the lump inside her throat and giving up on that, she gathered the woman close. "Let's go get me married."
*****
Watching them walk towards him—his bride and the little girl who had come to mean the world to him—was the defining moment of his life. He stood there at the altar and could barely restrain himself from rushing towards them.
His little girl with her blonde curls streaming down her back had pink and white flowers dotting her hair, the exact shade of her pink and white tulle dress. His bride did not seem real. She was so beautiful, she made his heart ache.
Barely giving the man walking next to her a glance, he stepped forward, his heart in his eyes and did not give one blessed damn who saw it. Taking her hand, he delighted the guests by hoisting his daughter into his arms. Tucking Sadie's hand through his arm, he marched them up to where the priest was patiently waiting.
He still had his daughter tucked to his side when he exchanged vows. When it was time for him to kiss his bride, he still held her as he sealed their vows with a deep lingering kiss.
*****
"Happy?" he whispered in her ear as they circled the dance floor.
"Exhausted and yes, happy." She wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned into him dreamily.
"Your mother and sister outdid themselves." She glanced around the vast ballroom with the double flower bedecked arches. Furnishings had been moved to make room for the chairs and tables for their guests. A red carpet had been laid in the middle for the bride to make her way towards the head table.
And of course, a live band had been hired. The food had been carefully planned and catered for. The cake, a towering six tier orange blossom and raspberry and cream with frothy icing resided on a lovely table dressed entirely in white.
Sadie had changed out of her wedding finery into a dress of champagne wool that clung to her slender curves. An attendant had been specially hired to take care of the numerous wedding gifts. The official photographer had insisted on taking their photos outside in the lovely gardens, even though it was freezing and had snowed a day ago.
He claimed that the snow made a stunning backdrop for the photos.
"She did." He looked over to where Gracie, still wearing her pretty pink dress (no one could convince her to change!), was nodding off in her grandfather's arms.
"It's past her bedtime."
"She does not want to miss a thing. I'm happy we're leaving for our honeymoon in the morning. I would not want to leave without telling her goodbye."
