Page 138 of Loyally, Luke
Penelope:(Ignoring.) Anyway, I really am in love with a wonderful guy, and I want you to be happy too, Luke.
Luke:Penn, I will be. Just like you’ve told me so many times before, I can choose joy. That might be tough right now, but that doesn’t stop me from still trying to choose joy, because there’s so much to celebrate right now for you and Izzy, and even with Josephine and the twins.
Penelope:Well, choose joy but don’t close off possibilities. Remember: “Impossible things are happening every day.”
***
Weddings were hard-core.
Or maybe just this wedding since it happened in a different country than home?
And... it washisfamily.
Luke couldn’t have known ahead of time, but between getting family members settled in—especially those with twins and a bad case of jet lag—navigating the last parts of his reno job for Mr.Gray... er... Lewis, and helping repair a broken wedding arch two days before the ceremony, he needed a vacation from his vacation.
The calmest people of the bunch were the bride and groom.
In fact, Brodie and Izzy rolled with all the difficulties like they were floating through a lovestruck cartoon and nothing could dampen the anticipation.
Even the stag party for Brodie kept a low profile, with steaks and drinks and talk about life and books and hunting. After a ball—an unusually good night with his lovely princess—and a week of wedding prep, a little bit of testosterone-driven time talking about nothing related to romance fit the mental health bill.
Except, Luke kind of wanted to talk about romance.
With one person. Andonlyone person.
He grinned as he waited in the foyer of the beautiful stone church, dressed to the nines for a second time in less than a week. Though at least this monkey suit proved to be a sleek-looking gray suit and tie instead of a tux.
Brodie and Izzy wanted a simple affair. Close family with a largerreception afterward, and Luke was honored Brodie asked him to be a groomsman. Him and Matt, with Anders as best man. Of course, Izzy had Penelope as her maid of honor and Josephine as matron of honor. Brodie’s two sisters were included as well—the youngest, Fiona, guided by her elder sister down the aisle. Izzy had even been thoughtful enough to include Matt’s daughter, Iris, in the festivities as a flower girl.
He sighed. Everyone he loved best in the world was right here.
Except one person.
The music began and Luke took turns with Matt escorting guests to their seats down the stone aisle. Roses decorated various places in the room, the soft red color a nice contrast to the gray stone walls and floor.
But just before the ceremony was about to start, Matt met him at the beginning of the aisle with a strange sort of grin on his face. “I think you ought to escort the next guest, mate.”
Luke frowned and turned toward the foyer.
Standing in a simple light pink dress, golden hair spun up in some twist on her head, stood Princess Elliana St.Clare, Duchess of Mara and the North Country. Luke’s brain stopped working altogether and he blinked.
She was still there.
Luke looked back over at Matt just to make sure they both were seeing the same thing, and with a reassuring nod from the latter, he shifted forward a step. Then another. Until he came close enough to breathe in the scent of oranges.
“What are you doing here?”
Her smile faltered. “Well, I’ve been trying to meet with you all week, so I took whatever advantage I could to get your attention.”
He gave his head a firm shake, just to make sure he saw straight. “You’ve definitely done that.” He lowered his voice and offered hisarm to her. “But... even as a princess, don’t you need an invitation to a wedding?”
Her grin returned. “Well, I received a rather humorous and exuberant message from your sister Penelope through Lewis Gray.”
Luke cast a look behind him to find Penelope peering around the back entrance to the church, her grin as wide as ever. His chest tightened. What was happening?
“And with a little bit of inventive thinking, I worked my way onto the guest list as your plus-one.” Ellie raised a brow, her arm squeezing into his as they started walking down the aisle. “Assuming you’re fine with having me as your date?”
He peered down at her, forcing words through his throat. “My date for today, then?”
