A Cold Dark Promise (Cold Justice #8.5)(40)
Three minutes to two o’clock.
They’d stuck to all the major traditions.
Something old—she’d had the two platinum signet rings she and her sister had once worn melted down to form a new ring which she wore on the pinky finger of her left hand.
Something new—her dress, shoes and underwear were all new. She had a new pair of converse trainers for later if her shoes became uncomfortable. The dress was so long no one would notice, and if they did, she didn’t really care. She could pretend to be hip for a day.
Something borrowed—the diamond studs in her ears were her mother’s pride and joy and could probably be sold to feed a third world country for a day. Mallory was glad for the security.
Something blue—she’d had the word “blue” embroidered in blue silk on her panties. She wasn’t leaving anything to chance.
One minute to two o’clock.
She walked over to the sideboard and picked up her bouquet. Her bridesmaids looked at one another.
“But Alex isn’t here yet,” Anna, one of her bridesmaids, cautioned.
Mallory nodded. “He’ll be here.”
He’d promised her he would be. He wouldn’t jilt her at the altar. She had to trust him.
“Daddy,” she said quietly, inclining her head to one of the men she loved most in the world. She smiled at her bridesmaids, looked over to the wedding planner. “Let’s get this thing started.”
Her father drew in a deep breath and seemed to realize she meant to go through with the ceremony despite the fact the groom was missing. The wedding planner looked stricken but squared her shoulders and disappeared for a moment. Strains of “Mendelssohn’s Wedding March” started playing.
Mallory straightened her spine and took her father’s arm. They walked quietly to the entrance just as Ashley Chen came flying through the front door of the hotel. Her gown—lilac tulle with a tight, ruched fitted bodice and spaghetti straps—was hitched up to her waist so she could run more easily. Mallory didn’t know how she did it in the silver heels she wore, but she managed. Ashley dropped her skirts and the wedding planner smoothed them out and fluffed her black hair which was loose around her shoulders. There was a slight blush to her cheeks and a sparkle in her eye. The woman looked beautiful, but more important, she was here.
A wave of relief rushed over Mallory when she saw her fellow FBI agent arrive. She knew that meant Alex was here, too. Just like he’d promised.
The wedding planner appeared with Ashley’s bouquet and hustled her friends towards the rear door of the hotel and out into the garden.
Her father patted her hand. “Are you all right, love?”
Mallory looked up at him. “I am now.”
And they stepped out to face the congregation.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Alex, Frazer, and Lucas made it to their places at the front of the crowd with one minute to spare. That was cutting things a little fine.
Was Mallory still here or had she left in disgust? He wouldn’t blame her one bit. For all she knew he’d ditched her, or had been lying to her all along. Or was just an asshole, and she’d wised up and changed her mind.
Frazer turned him around by the shoulder and gave him a thorough onceover. “Not bad, considering.”
Alex laughed and shook hands quickly with all his guys and Haley who was looking unimpressed with his tardiness.
Her hair was arranged in fancy curls and she wore a long, dove-gray dress held up with thin straps.
He kissed her cheek. “You look lovely.”
She let out a long-suffering sigh. “You must be hellish good in bed for Mallory to put up with your nonsense.”
“Was there ever any doubt?”
“I guess not.” She touched his cheek and blinked rapidly before turning away. Haley wasn’t one for mushy talk.
Cherry blossoms on the nearby trees trembled on the slight breeze. He glanced around the crowd. Matt and Scarlett were back. Tanned. Happy. Grinning like lazy loons. Scarlett’s parents were here, too, at Alex’s invitation. Richard Stone was still battling cancer and had lost most of his hair, but the treatment seemed to be working for now. Killion and the cute and feisty Audrey Lockhart sat holding hands. Izzy Campbell and her sister Kit sat beside the spook. Darsh Singh and Erin Donovan completed that row. Some of his favorite people.
Alex nodded to Darsh, a man who’d saved his sanity and probably a lot more on the first day of the year. Sam Walker, Bradley Tate, Moira Henderson were in attendance, as were Dermot’s and Haley’s families.
Steve McKenzie, whom Alex had helped foil a domestic terrorism plot back in March, had his arm around Tess Fallon who’d been badly injured during the same event. Tess sent him a tentative smile which he returned. There was no sign of a wheelchair or crutches, which was a good indication she had recovered from her ordeal. She probably felt as comfortable as he did surrounded by all these politicians and law enforcement officers.
Jed Brennan grinned at him from where he sat with Vivi and Michael. Lucas’s family took up two rows—the Rooneys and the Randalls were old family friends—and Becca, the girl Lucas and Ashley had saved in Boston earlier that year, sat next to Lucas’s nieces, all of them giggling madly.
That was good to see.
Mallory’s mom sat in the front row. As he eyed her worried expression, Alex felt a pang for what he’d put her through. He walked over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Sorry, Margret.”