Page 8 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

There were a couple bottles of wine left. But after those were gone, John and Tabby headed back to the hotel, and the others followed. Daley surrounded herself with enough people to keep Tristan firmly at a distance. It was just as well.

He was in lust with the maid of honor, but that was as far as it could go.

Daley found herself arm-in-arm with her sister as they walked down the hall. John trailed behind them, yawning.

Tabby kissed his cheek. “I’ll be there in a minute. I just want to say good-night to my sister.”

John grinned a surprisingly wicked smile. “I’ll be waiting.”

Daley and John laughed when Tabby turned red as a tomato.

Daley unlocked her door. “You didn’t have to get me such a fancy room, but I love it. Did you have a good evening? Was everything the way you wanted it?”

Tabby yawned and stretched her arms over her head. “It was perfect. I can’t wait until tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be amazing. I’m glad about that.”

The guest list was very selective for the 5:30 p.m. ceremony and sit-down dinner. About fifty of John and Tabby’s friends and extended family would be arriving.

The wedding party would have brunch in the hotel dining room, and then everyone would have a few hours of downtime before getting ready for the big event.

Daley suddenly remembered the question she had wanted to ask. “Who was that one guy who wasn’t a grandparent but was sitting with them?”

Tabby’s eyes widened. “I thought you knew. That was Harold Dunn.”

“Of the advertising firm?” Daley was shocked. “Why was he here?”

“Harold and his wife were godparents to Tristan and John. She died a couple of years ago. He’s been lost without her. That’s why John wanted to include him tonight as well as tomorrow. Harold is like family to the Hamiltons. In fact, they called him Uncle Harold when they were little.”

“I had no idea.”

“Harold wanted both boys to go into business with him. Tristan was premed, super smart, but Harold finally persuaded him, and Tristan’s been great at advertising. John was a numbers guy from the beginning. Harold understood when he went into finance.”

Daley struggled with this new information, trying to fit it into her image of the Tristan she had created in her head.

Tabby touched her arm. “Tristan can be trusted, Daley. I swear. He’s not your enemy. I know you’ve had trouble letting men get close. Please give him a chance.”

“Give him a chance?” Daley gaped at her. “What does that mean? I promised not to fight with him this weekend. That’s all.”

“But you admit you have chemistry...”

“Where is this coming from? I barely know the man.”

That wasn’t exactly true. The day she had stormed into his office was only one of many encounters in the last six months. She’d met Tristan at a family dinner when John and Tabby were officially engaged. There had been a Christmas party and a spring trip to the mountains. Daley had brought a date on that one. She’d dumped the guy the following week.

Tristan was like a bad encounter with chiggers. He got under her skin and couldn’t be ignored.

Tabby held up her hands. “Fine. I’ll hush up about it. You can stick your head in the sand if you want to. For now, I’ll say good-night and sweet dreams.”

Daley hugged her sister. “I love you, Tab.”

“I love you, too.”

“Go to your man. He won’t be happy if he sees you crying.”

Tabby smiled through her tears. “It’s an emotional weekend. I think I’m entitled.”

When the door closed, Daley sank into a brocade-covered armchair and kicked off her shoes. She was tired to the bone but also wired. Tonight had been fun. It was lovely to see Tabby so happy.

If there was a part of Daley that felt a little weepy, too, it was only because life was changing. Time moved on.

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