“You’re not just doing this to please me, are you?”
“No, I’m not.” Geren was adamant. “I would be lying if I said the same idea never crossed my mind. It did several months ago, but I hesitated to bring it up.”
Tempest felt the first tear caravan down her cheek, and her knees almost gave in. “This is so wonderful!”
“No, you’re wonderful!” He flashed that sexy smile of his again. Too bad he couldn’t see hers. “Now would you please do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Geren Kincaid?”
Tempest was crying tears of joy. “Tell them to strike up the wedding march!”
“It’s about time.” Geren chuckled, heading out the door to take his place at the altar. “I’ll see you in the sanctuary, Mrs. Kincaid!”
“I love the sound of that!”
“I love the sound of you!”
Once he was gone, Tempest came back out into the choir room and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Her ivory satin and lace wedding gown was perfect. The weather was perfect. Her man was perfect. Maybe it was a perfect world after all.
• • •
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present Mr. and Mrs. Geren Kincaid!”
The guests gave Tempest and Geren a standing ovation after Geren’s father, also his best man, announced their arrival at the reception hall.
The wedding had run extremely late, partly because of Tempest’s demand to speak with Geren first. It was less than ten minutes to midnight, the new millennium, when the wedding party finally arrived after taking tons of pictures at the church.
“Tempest, I suggest you postpone the receiving line and get ready for the New Year’s toast,” Mrs. Porter said, acting more nervous than the bride and groom.
“That’s fine,” Tempest said, holding Geren’s hand tightly, thoroughly elated about being his wife.
By the time everyone received a flute of champagne, there was only a minute left. The band was instructed to stop playing, and the ballroom at the Washington Hilton fell silent until the ten-second countdown.
“Ten-nine-eight-seven-six-five-four-three-two-one Happy New Year!” everyone shouted in unison as hundreds of black-and-gold balloons were freed from the suspension nets on the ceiling.
The band started playing “Auld Lang Syne” while everyone spread love and cheer around. Tempest and Geren intertwined their arms and sipped champagne. Their lips were mere centimeters apart when Janessa rammed into Tempest’s back, practically spilling champagne over them both.
Tempest and Geren stared at Janessa, confused by her behavior. There she stood glassy-eyed, holding the remains of a gold balloon in one hand and her flute of apple juice in the other.
“It burst!” Janessa screamed over the music.
Tempest looked down at the balloon, wondering if Janessa had lost her mind. “So what? We’ll get you another one.”
Janessa frowned and threw her apple juice all over the front of Tempest’s dress. “Not the balloon, dufus! My water broke, dammit!”
Realization dawned on both Geren and Tempest after they spotted the puddle of clear liquid surrounding Janessa’s feet.
“Oh, shit!” Geren shouted at the top of his lungs. The music halted while people speculated about whether or not the marital problems had started before the reception even jumped off good.
“Get the limo!” Tempest exclaimed, pushing people out of the way to make a clear path to the door. “We’re having a baby!”
Geren picked up Janessa and carried her out to the car. His father carried Mrs. Porter, who had fainted at the news.
The limousine with “Just Married” on the trunk pulled off from the hotel entrance with a screech, headed to
the hospital so Tempest could do her Lamaze coaching in her wedding dress.
CHAPTER 31
startin’ over