Tate couldn't understand why they needed so much time to get ready. As she sat around waiting for her turn with the stylist, she felt jittery. Jimmy was nearby.

Doyle sat next to her. "Have some champagne."

Tate shook her head. "I need to be clear headed to deal with the train." Ivy's dress didn't have a Princess Kate train, but Tate took her job seriously. She stood. "I'll be back."

Once out of the room, she looked at the upstairs hallway. She had never been this far into Jimmy's house before. Her fantasies had. She ran her fingers along the carved wooden rail on the curved staircase and stopped halfway down the stairs when the front door opened. Jimmy stepped in. He froze when he looked up at her. A slow smile crossed his face, if only he were coming home to her.

"Hello. You look the same."

"Too much waiting. You went out?"

He nodded. "Bax and I went for a walk. It's a long day."

She sighed. "I know." He took off his parka and Charles appeared to take it from him. "He's more stealth like than Percy."

"He's Ivy's friend."

Tate laughed. "That doesn't surprise me."

"Can I ask a favor?"

"Depends." Does it involve a wall?

He walked up the stairs and stopped in front of her, eye to eye. "Your brother thinks I need to fix my face."

She reached up and touched his cheek. "You need a shave." He was cold to touch from the outdoors.

"I know. I'll shower again. My chin is the problem."

"Looks like a hack job. After your shower, I'll touch you up."

"Where were you going?"

She shrugged. "I'm bored."

"Join the club. I can think of a way to pass the time."

She pushed on his shoulder. "Let me pass."

He stepped aside, and she continued down with no purpose. When she wandered into the parlor, Elena smiled. "Is everything okay?"

"Just needed a break."

"Is this hard for you after Vail?"

Tate let out a breath. "No. It was a lucky break."

"Time and distance improve vision."

Tate laughed. "I love that."

"I'm not sure where I picked it up. I told Shaun the same thing recently. Her vision has improved. Yours will too."

Tate cleared her throat. "Thanks for doing this for Ivy."

"I adopted her when she stayed here. Don't tell Ellen."

"It's hard to believe you raised the shark."

Elena laughed. "He prefers snake. My son is an M&M. He's only hard on the outside."

Tate had seen him hard. She bit her lip to stop from thinking of him without clothes. With a long day ahead, she sighed. Tate moved back to the stairs but Elena wasn't done.

"He needs a strong woman who can crack his shell, one that understands him. I won't dive back in time, but it would be nice if you two got along."

"We do. Mostly. I should get back up there." She pointed to the ceiling.

Two hours later, Tate was ready. Her pinned up hair was hard as plastic. Not even a hurricane would move it. Her face had just the right amount of makeup. When the flamboyant man walked in, she had some concerns, but trusted Elena.

"Okay ladies, your mascara is waterproof so cry. Our bride is ready."

Tate covered her mouth. Doyle didn't. "Bax is going to collapse."

Tate shook her head. "He might cry. Ivy, you are beautiful."

Ellen, who had been with her daughter and Ritchie for the finishing touches, reached up with a tissue. "Freeze, momma!" He gently blotted her face. "Beautiful. You look like sisters."

It was always an exaggeration, but he wasn't far off. The mother of the bride beamed. "Mom, you are beautiful."

"Darling, you are a fairy princess."

Tate frowned. Doyle looked at her, but she shook her off and smiled.

Ritchie waved. "It's Elena's turn."

Tate's phone lit up. SOS, from Jimmy. She picked up her makeup tote. "I'll be back."

She walked down the hall, and a door opened with an arm coming out of it. He grabbed her and pulled her in like he was protecting her from a monster in a horror movie. She landed against him.

He smiled down. "Hi." His neck bent and she gently palm struck his head back.

"Hair. Makeup. No touching." She looked down. "You're not dressed."

The man wore only boxer briefs. His soapy aroma went to her head. He eyed her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Sit down."

He sat on his bed. His bedroom was exactly as she imagined. Masculine colors, slightly more personal than a hotel room. She went to work covering up his cut. His face was moist and soft.

"It bled again. You were frowning when you arrived. What upset you?"

"You don't want to know."

"You're forgetting I'm the one who wants to talk. I'm guessing it's about your most recent worst day. If you recall, I was with you."

"Fine." Her fingers worked. "Ivy's mother was there with her while she dressed. I don't know where my mother was. She never saw me in my dress."

"Did anyone?"

"Only Doyle. Oh well, the whole thing was a mistake."

Jimmy nibbled at her ear. "Not all of it. See I didn't mess you up. Go." He swatted her bottom. He didn't know he had messed her under her dress. Just as she was about to open the door, he said, "Tate, you look absolutely stunning. You might outshine the bride."

She turned. "I've seen her, you're wrong. My brother will cry." Jimmy laughed. "Get dressed. You don't want to be late."

She turned away, knowing when she saw him in his tuxedo, she'd remember his bulging boxers.

Three cars sat at the curb on Chestnut Street. Charles escorted Ivy and her parents into the first, driven by Georgie. Then second was for the three bridal attendants. O'Hara, who normally had Saturdays off, agreed to drive his employers to the church. Breaking protocol after the three Sinclairs were in the backseat, Charles sat in the passenger seat. The bride had insisted he attend the wedding.

Two years later, Tate finally took a walk down the aisle, but not as a bride. Ahead of her, Jimmy stood looking extremely handsome next to her brother. His eyes followed her as she approached the altar. Jimmy stared, but Baxter winked at her. As soon as she took her place, she turned to see her brother.

As the crowd stood to see the bride, Jimmy winked at her. Then he watched Baxter too. The moment Ivy came into view his face defined pure joy, better than any words. When Tate turned to see Ivy, she felt tears in her eyes.

The ceremony sped like a blur, except her eyes kept straying to Jimmy. He never looked away. A smile crossed his lips when Baxter and Ivy finally kissed. The guests applauded, and Tate looked at Jimmy with a furrowed brow.

As they proceeded out behind Ivy and Baxter, who were together as one forever, Tate smiled until her cheeks hurt. Once in the limousine driven by Georgie along with the other three, Jimmy turned to her. "You don't enjoy wedding kisses."

"No, I just think it's too intimate of a moment to share with business associates. How many of those people does Baxter even know?"

Doyle said, "I agree with Tate. I'm gonna elope."

Kasper frowned. "Not without me."

"Maybe friends and family, but not like this. It was terribly romantic. Baxter's face."

"Did he cry?" Kasper asked.

Jimmy smiled. "Almost, but not quite."

The others in the car laughed. "I'm glad I didn't bet, but I thought he would. I did." Tate admitted with embarrassment.

Kasper laughed. "I almost did too."

The car pulled up to the reception venue, and the wedding planner ushered the group to a small upstairs room for photographs. It was another necessity that took some of the magic from the day. At least there was champagne and crudites available. After the wedding party and family groupings, they were free to socialize, but there were more photographs with Ivy's parents and the couple alone.

Tate had a running list of things she hated about weddings, all of them she would have experienced. First she greeted a few people she knew until she found a corner to watch. Amelia smiled as if she were the hostess. Her mother was like the kid in a group project who skipped all the meetings but took credit at the end.

Jimmy sauntered to her with a glass of scotch. "There's a code word for the good stuff. Baxter's not paying for all these schmoes to drink it."

"Be nice. They're all feeling special."

Jimmy laughed. "Because they are at the wedding of the year. I agree with you."

"Can you say that again so I can record you?"

He laughed. "I agree with you about ninety-five percent of the time. Our disagreements are only five percent of the time."

"I believe in things you don't." Love and marriage.

"Like holding things in." She bristled but his hot breath melted her. "Although I like how you don't hold back when you come."

Heat moved across her cheeks. His arrogance should annoy her, but she pressed her thighs together to stop the humming. "Your chin needs a touch up."

"Will you do it for me?"

"No. You can figure it out. My bag is in the bride's room. It's across from the room where we did the pictures."

When he walked away she breathed. She looked up and her uncle walked towards her. Stephen Kane was her favorite relative, because her father's sisters were shrews. Uncle Stephen reminded her of Kasper. He was laid back for a Kane, and found his own path as an orthopedic surgeon.

"Tate, you're too pretty to hide. Is it the wedding?"

"What? No. It's the strangers."

His smile missed the mark. "Maybe the right man is out there for you."

Tate shook her head. "The cursed cross ruined my chances years ago. You're lucky."

"Not as lucky as you think."

"Why? I thought my dad held on to it."

He shook his head. "Your father left it behind one weekend. He probably didn't want to fall in love with a cocktail waitress on Nantucket."

"Did you wear it?" He nodded. "Not Aunt Bess?"

"No. She doesn't know. I love her, just not..."

"I understand. What happened with your love?"

"We were young. It was the best summer of my life until your father found out and convinced me to stop seeing her."

"It's a common theme. The Kane curse. Baxter had to fight for Ivy."

"She's a beautiful girl."

His forlorn look left an ache in Tate's heart. Her eyes open wide. "It's you!"

"Me?"

"Ellen. You're how she met my father long ago." He didn't confirm, but his face fell. "You must have seen her."

"She's beautiful."

"She is, but the years haven't been easy. She's living with the curse too."

He nodded. "My only consolation is your father suffered too." She looked at him wide eyed. "Sorry, I thought you knew."

"I suspected. Who is she?"

He shook his head. "He never said, but he apologized to me before he married your mother. It was too late, I had a child with another on the way."

"How can you marry when you love someone else?"

"You almost did."

"But I now know I would never have been happy." Before Duncan she had only shared one kiss with her love. What happened after enhanced her love for Jimmy?

"Does my mother know?"

"I think so, but my wife doesn't. Only you know the cross was involved. You can't tell anyone."

She kissed his cheek. "I know how to keep secrets."

They stood together making small talk until Jimmy walked towards her at a rapid pace. She excused herself to go cut him off.

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