Sanctuary (Family Justice Book 3) (68 page)

“Here comes Brody and Heather. At least, they know how to be on time.”

The sharpness in Victoria’s tone made Angie do a double take. It was more than unusual for the little woman to operate in bitch gear. But suggesting to her that she shift into first and slap a happy smile on her face was a job for somebody else. Parker would murder her if she started any shit with the St. Johns. Either of them. Her lawyer lover might piss and moan about what a douchebag Draegyn was, but that was just superficial bullshit. Deep down, he held the guy in high regard. Anyone who showed the sort of dogged loyalty and unflinching support to Alex that Drae did, earned Parker’s respect. And gratitude. Tori was included in those feelings. She was an Alex Marquez groupie of the first degree.

It was a beautiful spring day. Practically made to order for the romantic wedding she’d been killing herself over for months. Giving her brother the perfect day as he married the woman sent by angels to be his life partner was more than just an event for her.

Angie experienced the uniqueness of Meghan and Alex’s union the moment she saw them together for the first time. Sometimes, you just know when the universe does something fantastic. Not only did those two finding each other feel right, the happy couple triggered a domino effect of extraordinary that wove through a number of lives.

Getting this day right was going to be her crowning moment as an event planner. Only a royal wedding could be anywhere near as challenging and exciting as this one.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming message. The dog was in place and ready to go.
Whew.
Not that she was worried. Brody saw to it that Zeus enjoyed her own Boston adventure. And for shits and grins, he’d asked the dog minders to take a buttload of pictures that he was going to put in a digital photo album for Alex and Meghan. A sort of ‘My Boston Vacation’ from the dog’s point of view. She knew they were gonna love it.

When Brody saw them, he waved and headed their way with Heather rocking along beside him in the bronze-colored lace dress they’d helped her pick out. The transformation over just a few days in the woman was breathtaking. The way the damn dog trainer swaggered told Angie he was having himself a satisfied alpha moment. Men. Jeez.

Checking out the well-matched couple as they approached, she had to give it up for the guy. The longish dirty blond hair and male model facial scruff made for some serious eye candy. Especially on a body which all the ladies wagged their brows over. No debate necessary. The guy was unbelievably smokin’ hot. Brody’s book nerd charm and ‘aw, shucks’ manners almost made the whole package a study in overkill.

Sniggering to herself, she toyed with the notion of innocently commenting about Jensen’s good looks in front of Parker but instantly thought better of it. Her ass wouldn’t survive his reaction.

“Mornin’, ladies,” Brody drawled with a two-finger salute that could only have been better if he’d worn a cowboy hat. Looking around, he gave Angie a quizzical look. “Did I stumble into the man-free zone? Where is everyone?”

Tori came toward them. Actually, she kind of furiously stomped while she held the front of her dress out of the way of her feet. Angie watched her friend’s red shoes pound the stone floor outside the lounge where the bridal party was staging. Wasn’t hard to visualize puffs of steam shooting from the top of her head like
The Little Engine That Could
.

Sparing Brody less than a glance, she did an air kiss with Heather and gave her a brilliant smile. Exclaiming, “You look fantastic!” she twirled her finger to cue Brody’s gal to spin around. Tori was right. Heather looked fan-fucking-tastic.

Lacey stuck her head out of the door to the lounge, saw Brody, and threw up her hands. “Thank god, you’re here. Cameron wants you to call him. He said ASAP, please.”

Brody smirked. “He can cool his jets. I’m a little busy here.”

“Actually, he was quite insistent that you call. Said I should tell you it’s about a case you guys have going on. I guess he’s tracking something?”

Angie saw Tori straighten and glance sharply at Brody. The air suddenly seemed heavy with something she couldn’t pin down. Heather noticed too. It was obvious in the way she watched the interplay between Lacey and the dog trainer. A rush of concern slithered along her nerves. What could possibly be more important than the wedding?

M
EGHAN COULDN’T REMEMBER
ever laughing so hard as she doubled over and slapped a hand on her thigh when a spasm of cackling giggles burst free.

“Stop! Stop!” she shrieked. “You’ll make me have to pee, and I don’t think that’s possible in this dress.”

With a deep chuckle, Alex’s uncle wiped his nose with a handkerchief and grinned at her. “Ah, Meghan. You are a delight. I envy my nephew and that’s saying a lot. I hope you laugh like this with him.”

She flashed the collared priest a brilliant smile. “Oh, my God, Uncle Ed. He’s got the most outrageous sense of humor, and now that I’ve met his whole family, I see where he got it from.”

The last time she’d been in a room alone with this man, the conversation was heavy and serious, but today, Father Ed was on fire and taking names as he worked his man-of-the-cloth comedy routine.

They were at the back of a small, private chapel tucked away in the cavernous cathedral, where in just a short time, she’d be making the long walk down an aisle more than three hundred feet long. This less-intimidating space was the complete opposite of the main church and just what she needed to calm her nervous energy.

Thinking he was in priest mode when he asked her to accompany him to the chapel, she’d been pleasantly surprised when all they did was crack jokes and make up scandalous ditties.

“Meeting the folks gave you a whole new perspective then?” a smiling Cristián Marquez asked when he peeked his head into the room.

“Mr. Marquez!” Megan yelped with delight when she saw him. Loving Alex’s mom and dad was easier than falling asleep. They were the coolest parents ever. Next to her own, of course. “Are you the search party looking for the missing bride?”

She stood from the hardwood chair Uncle Ed brought out and gave her father-in-law both hands when he gestured for them.

“Miss O’Brien, you were never missing. Alex tagged you with an implant when you were sleeping. Didn’t you know?” The light of mischief in his eyes made her giggle. “GPS.” He chortled. “The possessive husband’s best friend.”

“Oh, god. Please don’t give him any ideas!”

Kissing her on the cheek, he stepped back with her hands in his and spread their arms wide. The appreciative smile as he studied her dress made Meghan blush. Cristián Marquez wasn’t a stupid man. He knew what he saw was chosen specifically for his son’s pleasure.

Carefully spinning her around, Meghan was grateful that her train was pinned up so she could walk around without tripping. Facing his smiling face once again, she felt the blush turn to flames on her cheeks.

Releasing her hands, he turned to his grinning brother and dryly remarked, “Do any of the guests know CPR?”

CPR? My word. That sounded serious. Ever helpful, she started awkwardly and mumbled, “My brother is an EMT.”

Both men looked at her and laughed. Was she missing something?

“Well, good,” Cristián drawled. “Tell him to come prepared, my dear, because when my son gets an eyeful of what you’re wearing? He’s going to swallow his damn tongue.”

She was momentarily perplexed when the two good-looking Marquez men broke out into gales of laughter. And then she understood.

“Holy cannoli.” Eduardo chortled with a thunderous slap on his brother’s back. “Hope that boy you and your beautiful wife made doesn’t embarrass the hell out of you when he gets a load of his bride.”

As their laughter eased, Alex’s father turned serious and looked at her with a thoughtful stare. “You’re probably tired of hearing us say this,” he spoke somberly. “But thank you. Thank you for bringing my son back to life.”

“I didn’t do anything, Mr. Marquez. Truly. Alex got there on his own. I just pushed a little.”

“Ah Jesus, Meghan. You did more than push. I don’t know if you can understand this, but when someone who was born to great things loses that promise, it’s a terrible thing for the people who love him to witness. Whatever you did to bring Alex out of the darkness and into the light restored the man we knew and gave us all such wonderful hope for the future.”

She wasn’t sure she could stop from weeping. “Your son is the best man I’ve ever known. They say a girl looks for a husband with all the best qualities of her father. Alex takes those qualities and elevates them. I’m the luckiest woman who ever lived. He is everything.” She glanced at Eduardo. “Being his wife is a sacred covenant that I will honor all the days of my life.”

And she meant it too.

“Now that he’s back, I predict even greater things in my nephew’s future. Why, if Alex had the itch, he could run for president and probably win too!”

“He’d have the military vote for sure. And probably the women’s vote as well.”

Meghan agreed and nodded with a smile. There was some truth in the humorous jest. She could totally see the Major swaggering into national office on a wave of integrity, pure grit, and brains out the ass. Probably what the country needed. And then she flashed on an image of her hunky husband slam fucking her from behind as she bent over the presidential desk in the Oval Office.

Aargh.
Enough. She’d been without him in her bed for weeks and the only way to put an end to this sleeping alone bullshit was to marry the man.

“Gentlemen,” she said. “Can I get married now? Seriously. I’ve waited long enough.”

Both men beamed at her and nodded.

Father Ed offered a blessing, kissed her on both cheeks, and smiled into her eyes. “Prepare yourself, my dear.” She thought he was being all spiritual and stuff. And then he drawled, “You’re about to become a Valleja-Marquez. And we take our family craziness seriously!”

Chuckling as he left her with his brother, Meghan slipped her hand through Cristián’s offered arm. They walked slowly down the long stone hallway together.

“Thank you for making Alex.”

He turned his face and kissed her forehead. “My wife will tell you it was our absolute pleasure. Took a bit of an effort—not that I’m complaining.”

She busted out a laugh at the naughty innuendo.
Yep. Like father, like son
.

“Just before he left her at the door to the bridal room, he quirked a silly grin. “Now, go get married and then get busy making us some grandbabies. If you don’t come back from Spain with a round belly, I’m going to have a talk with my son because clearly he isn’t doing something right.”

“Dad,” she offered with a tiny smile. It was the first time calling him that. “We’re certainly going to give it an All-American, red apple pie and ice cream effort.”

“That’s all we can ask for.”

“Where have you been?” Tori snapped when Meghan walked into the room.

Raising an eyebrow at her tone, she immediately asked what was wrong because something so clearly was.

“Are you all right, sweetie?” Meghan gently asked her friend. “You seem a bit frazzled.”