Always on My Mind
Page 61
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Lori knew how much Marcus’s pop-star fiancée loved his vineyard in Napa, and that her brother loved touring the world with Nicola just as much. “Just wait until you get out there with the pigs,” Lori teased her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “You’re going to love the one I named Marcus. He keeps all the other pigs in the pen safe and sound.”
She’d taken pictures of each of the pigs and given them as gifts to their namesakes in special frames, knowing her siblings would love it. Her brothers and sister hadn’t let her down—each of the pictures were now displayed on their mantels along with their other family pictures.
There were few things Lori loved more than being surrounded by her friends and family. This family reunion had already made the short list of the best days of her life. Meeting Grayson was, of course, at the very top.
As the makeup artist and hairdresser both got to work on her, Lori sipped her champagne and listened in on the half-dozen conversations going on around her—about dogs and kids and car races and new sculptures and movie sets. Clearly, she thought as she took in the extra-big smiles and happy voices, everyone was having just as much fun at the reunion as she was. And the farm had been the perfect place to host it.
“Wow,” Summer said as she came over a short while later when her hair and makeup were done, “you look so beautiful, Aunt Lori.”
Lori smiled at one of her favorite kids in the whole wide world. “You do, too. I love your crown of wildflowers. It’s so pretty.”
Summer was holding something behind her back and gave Megan a quick glance. When her mother nodded, she held it out to Lori. “I made you one, too.”
Lori was beyond touched. “You’re the best! Can you put it on me?” She bent her head down so that Summer could reach the top of it.
When Lori turned to face the mirror again, she barely noticed how glossy her hair was, or the way her features had been perfectly played up with mascara and blush. All she knew was that with the wildflowers in her hair, she’d never felt prettier.
The room grew quiet and she noticed all of the women looking at each other in a particularly serious way. And her mother was gone. When had she left the studio?
“Hey, is something wr—” But she never got a chance to finish her sentence, because just then her mother walked back into the room holding a dress.
A wedding dress.
It was the most beautiful wedding dress Lori had ever seen…because it was the one that her mother had worn at her own wedding. And Lori knew it would fit perfectly.
“Oh, my God.” She tried to stand, but when her legs were too wobbly to hold her up, she had to grip the arm rests and sit down again instead. “What—” Her brain wasn’t working. “How—” Her mouth wasn’t working either. “You—”
Her mother smiled at her and said one word. The only word that mattered. “Grayson.”
Lori Sullivan wasn’t a woman who cried. But she’d broken that rule on this farm in Pescadero again and again. Out of despair on her first night in Grayson’s house. Out of pure sadness after Sweetpea died.
And now, out of pure joy.
“From the first moment I met Grayson,” her mother told her, “I knew he was the man for you, sweetie. But if I’d ever had any doubts, his asking me to help plan a surprise wedding for you would have put them immediately to rest. Only a man who truly knew and loved you would think to do something this perfect for you.”
Sophie put a Kleenex in one of Lori’s hands and then pulled her out of her chair with the other. “Your groom is waiting. Rather impatiently, I believe.”
Lori laughed even as her tears continued to spill. Everyone she loved was here with her today and they were all so amazing to help Grayson surprise her with this wedding.
“I love all of you so much.” The girls all gathered around her in a group hug, all of them crying and laughing now.
Lori was notoriously steady, both on stage and off, but now her fingers were shaking so much that her mother and sister had to help her get her clothes off. After she’d put on the gorgeous silk lingerie Sophie handed her, her sister showed Lori the amazing heels they’d bought to go with the dress. Lori shook her head. “I’m going to wear my boots.” They were her new white ones with colorful wildflowers stitched up the side, after all. Then she lifted her arms and they slid the silk and lace wedding gown on, her mother lacing up the back while Sophie readjusted the flowers on her hair and dabbed at the tears under her eyelashes without smearing her new makeup.
A knock sounded on the door and her mother went to open it. Lori’s oldest brother Marcus was standing there in a tux. He was smiling at her, but she could see his eyes grow a little glassy as he said, “You’re absolutely beautiful, Lori.” He held out an arm. “Ready to take a walk down the aisle?”
More tears threatened to spill as she put her hand in Marcus’s. “Did you know about this?”
“All of us did.” He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes and added, “You were right not to give up on Grayson. Talking with him these past few months has proved to me that he truly does love you the way you deserve to be loved. With absolutely everything inside him.”
She hugged her brother, his support meaning more to her than he could ever know. Everyone else moved past them to go take their places at the surprise wedding set up in the middle of the open field. She knew she should have been amazed that they had been able to pull all this off without her guessing something was up, but she’d always known how wonderful her family was.
Her hand tightly grasped in her brother’s, the two of them made their way to where the country band from her very-first-ever barn dance was playing a waltz, and Sullivans from all over the world, along with Grayson’s parents, were there to celebrate with her and Grayson.
And then she saw him, standing at the end of the wildflower-strewn aisle, gorgeous in a tux, black cowboy hat, and boots. She didn’t think before letting go of her brother’s hand, lifting up her skirts, and running to him.
She no longer saw anyone else, no longer heard the band playing. All she could see were Grayson’s dark eyes filled with such hunger, such passion, such love. And all she knew was that he was everything she had ever wanted, everything she had ever waited for, as she flew into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.
Laughing with her, he swung her around, her hair flying behind her as they did yet another perfect dance together. Their mouths found each other a moment later and the crowd of Sullivans cheered them on.
She’d taken pictures of each of the pigs and given them as gifts to their namesakes in special frames, knowing her siblings would love it. Her brothers and sister hadn’t let her down—each of the pictures were now displayed on their mantels along with their other family pictures.
There were few things Lori loved more than being surrounded by her friends and family. This family reunion had already made the short list of the best days of her life. Meeting Grayson was, of course, at the very top.
As the makeup artist and hairdresser both got to work on her, Lori sipped her champagne and listened in on the half-dozen conversations going on around her—about dogs and kids and car races and new sculptures and movie sets. Clearly, she thought as she took in the extra-big smiles and happy voices, everyone was having just as much fun at the reunion as she was. And the farm had been the perfect place to host it.
“Wow,” Summer said as she came over a short while later when her hair and makeup were done, “you look so beautiful, Aunt Lori.”
Lori smiled at one of her favorite kids in the whole wide world. “You do, too. I love your crown of wildflowers. It’s so pretty.”
Summer was holding something behind her back and gave Megan a quick glance. When her mother nodded, she held it out to Lori. “I made you one, too.”
Lori was beyond touched. “You’re the best! Can you put it on me?” She bent her head down so that Summer could reach the top of it.
When Lori turned to face the mirror again, she barely noticed how glossy her hair was, or the way her features had been perfectly played up with mascara and blush. All she knew was that with the wildflowers in her hair, she’d never felt prettier.
The room grew quiet and she noticed all of the women looking at each other in a particularly serious way. And her mother was gone. When had she left the studio?
“Hey, is something wr—” But she never got a chance to finish her sentence, because just then her mother walked back into the room holding a dress.
A wedding dress.
It was the most beautiful wedding dress Lori had ever seen…because it was the one that her mother had worn at her own wedding. And Lori knew it would fit perfectly.
“Oh, my God.” She tried to stand, but when her legs were too wobbly to hold her up, she had to grip the arm rests and sit down again instead. “What—” Her brain wasn’t working. “How—” Her mouth wasn’t working either. “You—”
Her mother smiled at her and said one word. The only word that mattered. “Grayson.”
Lori Sullivan wasn’t a woman who cried. But she’d broken that rule on this farm in Pescadero again and again. Out of despair on her first night in Grayson’s house. Out of pure sadness after Sweetpea died.
And now, out of pure joy.
“From the first moment I met Grayson,” her mother told her, “I knew he was the man for you, sweetie. But if I’d ever had any doubts, his asking me to help plan a surprise wedding for you would have put them immediately to rest. Only a man who truly knew and loved you would think to do something this perfect for you.”
Sophie put a Kleenex in one of Lori’s hands and then pulled her out of her chair with the other. “Your groom is waiting. Rather impatiently, I believe.”
Lori laughed even as her tears continued to spill. Everyone she loved was here with her today and they were all so amazing to help Grayson surprise her with this wedding.
“I love all of you so much.” The girls all gathered around her in a group hug, all of them crying and laughing now.
Lori was notoriously steady, both on stage and off, but now her fingers were shaking so much that her mother and sister had to help her get her clothes off. After she’d put on the gorgeous silk lingerie Sophie handed her, her sister showed Lori the amazing heels they’d bought to go with the dress. Lori shook her head. “I’m going to wear my boots.” They were her new white ones with colorful wildflowers stitched up the side, after all. Then she lifted her arms and they slid the silk and lace wedding gown on, her mother lacing up the back while Sophie readjusted the flowers on her hair and dabbed at the tears under her eyelashes without smearing her new makeup.
A knock sounded on the door and her mother went to open it. Lori’s oldest brother Marcus was standing there in a tux. He was smiling at her, but she could see his eyes grow a little glassy as he said, “You’re absolutely beautiful, Lori.” He held out an arm. “Ready to take a walk down the aisle?”
More tears threatened to spill as she put her hand in Marcus’s. “Did you know about this?”
“All of us did.” He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes and added, “You were right not to give up on Grayson. Talking with him these past few months has proved to me that he truly does love you the way you deserve to be loved. With absolutely everything inside him.”
She hugged her brother, his support meaning more to her than he could ever know. Everyone else moved past them to go take their places at the surprise wedding set up in the middle of the open field. She knew she should have been amazed that they had been able to pull all this off without her guessing something was up, but she’d always known how wonderful her family was.
Her hand tightly grasped in her brother’s, the two of them made their way to where the country band from her very-first-ever barn dance was playing a waltz, and Sullivans from all over the world, along with Grayson’s parents, were there to celebrate with her and Grayson.
And then she saw him, standing at the end of the wildflower-strewn aisle, gorgeous in a tux, black cowboy hat, and boots. She didn’t think before letting go of her brother’s hand, lifting up her skirts, and running to him.
She no longer saw anyone else, no longer heard the band playing. All she could see were Grayson’s dark eyes filled with such hunger, such passion, such love. And all she knew was that he was everything she had ever wanted, everything she had ever waited for, as she flew into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.
Laughing with her, he swung her around, her hair flying behind her as they did yet another perfect dance together. Their mouths found each other a moment later and the crowd of Sullivans cheered them on.
