ighteen months later

JUST BEFORE IT WAS TIME to walk down the aisle, Parker peeked into the main part of St. Andrew’s. The flowers were amazing—of course, she’d done them herself last night with help from Lavinia. And the place was packed.

The great state of Maine was well represented—Maggie and Malone had come down with their little boy, Aedan, who was happily tugging on his father’s hair at the moment. Lavinia and Dewey sat together; according to Vin, they were back together, having dated sometime in the ’90s. Parker had invited Chantal and Jonah, too, but Chantal was expecting another baby any minute, so they hadn’t been able to make it.

James’s mom had come down with Mary Elizabeth—who was holding her Spike doll, Parker noted. James’s brother Pete and his wife and two daughters had come, too, which was so nice. Mr. Cahill and the other two brothers had opted not to come, but James had been okay with that.

Ellen, Parker’s agent, had come, too. In one of those ironic twists of life, Parker had sent Mickey the Fire Engine to her publisher, though they’d originally rejected it years before. This time, however, the story had been deemed a winner. And while the advance had been hefty and the royalties were flowing in, Parker had decided that being a florist and the wife of an up-and-coming lawyer would ensure a solid living. So once again, all proceeds from the book were going to Save the Children.

Lucy’s aunts and mother, who’d always treated Parker like another niece, were sitting with the elder Mirabellis, as well as with Althea, who wore a fabulous hat. Friends from town, some of Nicky’s schoolmates and their parents. A few Harvard chums, Suze from Miss Porter’s. Lucy was matron of honor, so pretty in her lavender dress. Ethan sat in the front row with their daughter, Lily, who was supposed to have been flower girl but had fallen asleep instead. Taymal, James’s Little Brother, was best man and looked utterly gorgeous in a tux. He was winking at Lucy’s aunts at the moment, causing a ripple of giggles from the two old ladies.

And in the back row, accompanied by a plainclothes guard, was Harry. The judge had granted him a furlough for today. He glanced back, caught her eye and tapped his hand over his heart, and Parker smiled. He was far from perfect, but a woman only got one father.

Well. Time to marry her man. The thought caused a rush of warmth from her toes to her scalp. “You ready?” she asked Nicky.

“Mom, I’ve been ready for nine minutes,” he answered, showing her his watch. Both his front teeth were missing—finally—and the gap gave him an adorable lisp.

Nicky wasn’t giving her away, absolutely not. But he was accompanying her down the aisle.

Parker glanced down at her dress—a simple, pale peach silk dress that stopped just above her knee. No white for her. She was thirty-seven, for heaven’s sake. But Althea had wept in a most gratifying manner when Parker had emerged from the dressing room, and with the bouquet of apricot, cream and white roses and still-green hydrangeas, as well as a few roses in her hair, she felt quite bridal indeed.

“Then let’s get this show on the road,” she said, and Nicky offered his arm with a grin, looking as ever like a miniature of his father. But she could see bits of herself, too. His eyebrows, and maybe his cheekbones.

So many people here, and everyone she loved. Malone grinned, Maggie was smiling and teary-eyed, Vin already sobbing into a bandanna. Her mom blew her a kiss, and Parker returned the gesture. Nicky gave a stately nod to Colette and ducked as Ethan reached out to ruffle his hair.

And James. He was so handsome in his tux, his eyes crinkled with a smile, and he looked completely and utterly sure.

She got to the altar and handed her flowers to Lucy. The music stopped, and everyone sat down. Then she bent down and kissed Nicky twice on the cheek, and he smiled and wiped it off, making everyone laugh. “You can go sit with Daddy, honey,” she whispered.

“In a sec,” he said.

Reverend Covers cleared his throat. “Dearly beloved, welcome to this very happy occasion. Before we get started, the groom has asked if he could say something.”

“Be with you in a minute,” James said to Parker, and his smile flashed. He stepped around her and took Nicky’s hand and looked down at him, his face growing solemn.

Oh, man. The tears came in a rush.

“I, James, take you, Nicholas, as my stepson.”

An audible sigh came from the guests. James glanced at her, smiled again and then grew serious as he looked at Nicky. “I promise to love you like you were my own, to always be grateful that you shared your mom with me, never to boss you unless absolutely necessary and to buy you the Lego model of the Death Star that your parents said had too many pieces, which is in my car at this very moment.”

“Yes!” Nicky pumped his fist, and everyone laughed.

“I also promise to let you help name any baby your mom and I might have—”

“Mistake,” Parker said unevenly. “We’ll have a kid named Chewbacca.”

James smiled at her again, and honestly, she hadn’t known it was possible to feel so much happiness, so much love. Then he looked back at her boy. “And, Nicky, I promise always to remember that you were your mom’s son long before I was her husband.”

That was perfect, said Spike. The other Holy Rollers had left her bit by bit, but Spike remained, and Parker was kind of glad.

“Amen,” Nicky said, mugging for the guests and getting a big laugh. “Okay, my turn. I, Nicholas Giacomo Mirabelli, take you, James, as my stepfather.” He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “I promise to try eating what you cook, even though your food isn’t as good as my dad’s. I also promise to try to keep my room clean and not let Apollo out of his cage without asking. And I’m glad you’re marrying my mom, because she’s really happy. And also, you’re nice.”

“Thank you,” James said, and they shook hands on it, and Nicky got a round of applause as he went to sit in the front row.

Then James took Parker’s hands, and without waiting, gave her a long, hot kiss that made her nearly forget there were a hundred people watching. Then he pulled back and smiled that full, wonderful grin, his dark eyes so happy.

“Parker,” he said, “always lovely to see you.”