Inconvenient Wife Page 22

  It’s dark inside after the bright sunshine, and I blink several times to adjust, but then suddenly lights blaze on, strung from every rafter and every corner, lighting up the whole space. And there are people everywhere, taking up all the space that used to house the boat and boat lift. Trystan strides forward in a suit, and I realize Rhys is wearing one too .

  “Congratulations on your engagement, Beau,” says Trystan. Behind him I see various friends. My mother. God, my mother is here with my stepfather. My eyes immediately seek out my father to see if they are in the same room. And he’s here in front of me, shaking my hand. Grandmother’s here. Wait, Isabel’s here ?

  I’m so damn confused as to what is going on right now. My collar tightens and I begin to sweat. Where the fuck is Gracie? “Where’s Gracie,” I ask Rhys between greeting people, my eyes scanning left and right. He disappears to go find her, he says .

  Alice. Penny. Euan. Jimmy who used to work here. Sylvie. Even our housekeeper Magda and her husband Jeremy. My sister, Suzy who I haven’t seen in weeks is hugging me and whispering in my ear how happy she is, and she can’t believe I didn’t tell her. There are the Rathbuns, the Ravenels, the Middletons, the Maybanks. People I’ve known my whole life, including Father Peter. Weird. There’s music playing. We’ve somehow managed to move toward the back of the warehouse .

  I grab Trystan. “Tell me this isn’t an engagement party without my fiancée. Where the hell is she?” My panic has begun climbing to epic proportions .

  “It’s not your engagement party,” he says, an eyebrow cocked .

  The music changes and goes up several notches. The throng of smiling people start splitting into two and forming a walkway. As the last person steps aside my heart crashes through my chest .

  Gracie is standing at Rhys’ side, her arm through his. She’s in a long cream gown, and her hair is up with a large white flower. Speaking of flowers, she’s holding a bunch of flowers. She’s … a bride. And she looks so beautiful smiling at me from across the room, my throat closes up .

  “Breathe,” Trystan says quietly at my side. “Seriously. Now is not the time to pass out. By the way, I’m your best man. I hope you’re cool with that ?”

  I tear my eyes from Gracie and blink at him, realizing I’m standing with Trystan at my side, Father Peter just behind me, and holy shit, I’m in the middle of my wedding .

  32

  Beau

  I take the deep breath that Trystan prescribed and then burst into a chuckle. I shake my head in disbelief that Gracie has just pulled this off .

  She can’t get to me fast enough, and I practically wrestle her away from Rhys, making everyone laugh .

  “Hey,” I whisper, looking down into her green eyes that look liquid under all the lights and emotions swimming in their depths .

  “Hey, yourself .”

  “The answer is yes, by the way. Yes, I’ll marry you.” That earns a chuckle from the gathered group .

  “How do you spell love, Pooh?” Gracie asks me .

  I mash my lips together as if I can stop myself grinning so much, but it’s impossible .

  “You don’t spell it, Piglet. You feel it.” My mouth descends toward hers .

  “Whoa there,” interrupts Father Peter. “Ahem. We didn’t get to that part yet .”

  “He’s always been impatient,” snaps my grandmother, and everyone is shocked into silence before someone snorts a giggle and laughter erupts around the room again. There are a few sniffs too, and I look up to see my mother wiping her eyes. She’s not the only one .

  Father Peter begins the ceremony, and I know I’ll have no recollection of all the prayers he utters. I’ll only remember a few key moments. The part where Eileen brings Trystan two wedding bands which he unties from her neck ribbon and hands to us, the part where we say “I do,” and most clearly, the part where Father Peter declares us man and wife and I grab Gracie and make out with her so passionately everyone starts whooping and yelling at us .

  “Hey, that’s my daughter,” yells Rhys .

  “That’s my wife,” I call back .

  I turn my attention back to her. “You look stunning .”

  “You clean up quite well yourself .”

  I look around. People have seemed to realize we need a second to ourselves, and they are milling around toward a table set up with drinks and food. A live band is tuning up. “How on earth—I can’t believe you set all this up .”

  She bites her lip. “I wasn’t sure you’d go along with it at first, but then I realized you wouldn’t do it if I gave you a choice. I know you too well. You’re worried I’m rushing into it to help you. And I am. But it’s the rest of our lives, Beau. We may as well start now. And this way you get to fulfill all the stipulations to your grandfather’s will.” She shrugs. “And I get to marry my best friend whom I love beyond all reason and never, ever want to be without .”

  “This is … this is amazing. I’m speechless. And you look … wow.” I sweep my gaze over her bared neckline and down the long line of her fitted gown .

  “It was my mother’s,” she says .

  “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful .”

  There’s a tap on my shoulder, and I turn to find Trystan, and with him is a petite redhead with twinkling blue eyes .

  “This must be Emmy,” I say and hold out my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you .”

  “Emmy this is Beau and his wife, Gwen,” Trystan introduces us .

  “Aaaaah,” Gracie squeals. “Sorry, Hearing myself introduced that way is going to take some getting used to. Nice to meet you.” She shakes Emmy’s hand .

  “Congratulations to both of you, that was the most interesting wedding I’ve ever been invited to. Do we call it a surprise wedding? I didn’t believe Trystan when he told me.” She nudges him and he smiles down at her, then kisses her on the nose .

  There’s another tap on my shoulder, and the look on Gracie’s face makes my gut clench .

  “I need to talk to you both,” says Isabel Montgomery .

  * * *

  “I’d like to apologize,” Isabel says to us as soon as the office door closes us in .

  “I’m sorry, what?” I ask .

  Isabel wrings her hands. She’s wearing a pale green linen skirt suit and her pearls. “Congratulations, Beau .”

  “Thank you, but why the apology ?”

  “Can’t an old woman apologize? I’d particularly like to apologize to you, Gwen. I know I don’t show it, and I’ll try to do better, but I’m extremely fond of you .”

  Gracie tilts her head. “Um. Okay. Thank you .”

  Then grandmother looks at me. “Here’s the thing. I know it seemed like I bought this building out of spite. But really — ”

  “Let me explain,” Rhys said from the door .

  “Dad?”

  Isabel and Rhys trade a glance .

  “The thing was,” he begins. “I thought — ”

  “We both did,” Isabel interjects .

  Rhys nods. “We both thought that if Beau had good reason to be forced to get married quickly, he would naturally pick you , Gracie. And it would finally make you both admit your feelings and well, we’d be doing this. A wedding .”

  “And then I said, ‘no.’” Gracie bites her lip .

  “For good reason, I might add,” Rhys says proudly. “No offense, Beau .”

  “None taken.” It’s the truth after all .

  “I told Isabel you wouldn’t get married under those circumstances. For convenience. I was right. As usual .”

  “Naturally, sorry Gwendolyn, I disagreed,” Isabel says. “I thought you’d always maintained a friendship with my son out of a bid to get close to him and our family. But recently, I realized even if that were the case — ”

  Gracie stiffens next to me .

  “Grandmother,” I say in a warning tone .

  “Hold your horses and let me finish. Even if that were the case,” she looks at Gracie, “and I’m not saying it was, it
also didn’t bother me quite as much as I thought it did. When I found out what Robert had stipulated in his will, I was as shocked as the rest of you. And I didn’t want Beau to become fish food. I considered Gwendolyn the lesser of two evils .”

  “Wow. Thanks for that ringing endorsement.” Gracie snorts, and I take her hand and give it a squeeze .

  Rhys scowls. “And we know what my reaction was to that, don’t we?” he snaps at my grandmother, some earlier irritation clearly being brought back to the surface .

  Isabel clears her throat. “I apologized,” she says to Rhys imperiously. “And you accepted, if you’ll recall .”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Rhys grumbles .

  “And now I’ve apologized to you, Gwendolyn. Do you accept ?”

  It isn’t much of an apology. But it’s typical Grandmother, leaving a sliver of ‘I told you so’, in case she turns out to be right .

  But really I just want to focus on the fact the Gracie has just become my wife .

  Holy shit .

  I stare at my best friend, incredulous .

  “Fine. I accept,” she’s saying to my grandmother graciously, even though she’d be well within her rights to tell her to fuck off. “Now do you think we can go back and enjoy our wedding. Alice is catering. I think we all need a drink. And Beau needs to make a speech .”

  I shake my head. “I what ?”

  “Kidding,” she says and squeezes my arm. “Just making sure you were listening .”

  “I’m not done,” says grandmother. “This is a valuable piece of real estate and as much as this scheme was thought up to find a way to force you too together, it is a good investment. But there’s no rush. I see no reason why things can’t continue on. And Rhys agrees .”

  My skin chills. “Are you saying the boat shop can stay here?” I ask, carefully, daring not to hope too much .

  Rhys purses his lips. “I still want to retire. But Beau, I’ve got orders. You and Gracie both know how to manage all my filing systems. And my customers will still be getting a Rhys Thomas boat. And perhaps you might consider Thomas-Montgomery as a future business name ?”

  Gracie slips her arm around my waist and presses herself to my side. It’s like she knows the shocks of the day might be quite a lot to take in .

  “I would … be honored. Sir.” I nod. It’s all I can manage .

  Rhys extends his hand and I take it .

  Of course he pulls me into a hug and slaps my back. “I love you son, take good care of both my babies .”

  “Will do .”

  “Who’s that woman with Trystan?” grandmother asks. She’s distracted herself from our manly display of affection by peering through the office blinds. “They are together, but not talking. They keep looking at their phones and smiling and winking at each other. It’s very bizarre .”

  “Oh, that’s Emmy. That’s how they met,” I tell her. “Through their phones. Trystan says they have entire conversations with each other over text, even when they are in the same room .”

  Grandmother shakes her head. “You young people are just so odd. I can’t imagine trying to date in this day and age .”

  I open the office door and we all file out to whoops and cheers .

  “Speech!” someone yells and hands me a beer .

  I lock eyes with Gracie. “Fine,” I say loudly and turn to the room. “I’ll say a few words .”

  Gracie winks at me .

  “Women are dangerous and expensive …” I begin .

  THE END

  Thank you for reading Beau and Gwen’s Story

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  ALSO BY NATASHA BOYD

  The Butler Cove Novels

  Eversea (Eversea #1 )

  Forever, Jack (Eversea #2 )

  My Star, My Love (An Eversea Christmas Novella )

  All That Jazz

  Beach Wedding (Eversea #3 )

  and

  Deep Blue Eternity

  (A standalone contemporary romance )

  and

  The Charleston Series (unofficial series title )

  Accidental Tryst

  (A Romantic Comedy )

  Inconvenient Wife

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  A LSO : Ever wished your favorite romance author would write a “bookclub” type book? Well, I did! The Indigo Girl a historical fiction ( or should I say, herstorical fiction?) novel is available now in hardcover, ebook and audio. It’s based on a true story and it’s a woman’s story you don’t want to miss. I am so incredibly proud of this book, and the honor of being able to tell this incredible young woman’s story. I do give talks about it at libraries, museums and schools. You can check my Website to see where I will be discussing it next .

  About the Author

  Natasha Boyd holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She has lived in Spain, South Africa, Belgium, England and wrote most of the Butler Cove novels while residing with her husband and two boys on Hilton Head Island, SC, USA—complete with Spanish moss, alligators and mosquitos the size of tiny birds. She now splits her time between the “Lowcountry” and Atlanta, GA .

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