The Manning Grooms (Those Manning Men #0)

The Manning Grooms (Those Manning Men #0) Page 40

James chuckled. “Wanna bet?”

Summer grinned.

If this woman’s smile could be bottled, James thought, it would be the most potent aphrodisiac ever made. He couldn’t look at Summer and not want to make love to her.

“What about Julie?” James said in an effort to get Summer’s mind off her parents’ imminent arrival.

“Oh—I nearly forgot my best friend.” She reached for the phone and called Julie’s cell.

Since there were a number of things to do before the actual ceremony, James walked over to the desk and sat down to write out a list, not wanting to forget anything.

He was only half listening to the conversation between Summer and her roommate when he heard Summer’s soft gasp and the mention of Brett, the man she’d once loved. James’s ears perked up, and his fingers tightened around the pen.

“What did you tell him?” Summer asked in low tones. This was followed by “Good. Then you’re coming? Great. You might want to talk to my parents and see if you can fly in with them. I’m sure they’ll be eager to pump you for whatever you can tell them about James.” After a few words of farewell, Summer replaced the receiver.

James turned around in his chair, wondering if she’d volunteer the information about Brett.

“Julie’s flying in, too. I suggested she catch the same flight as my parents.” She seemed self-conscious all at once.

Her eyes avoided his.

“So I heard.” James waited, not wanting to approach the subject of her ex-fiancé, hoping she’d save him the trouble.

After an awkward moment, she blurted out, “Julie…Julie said Brett phoned.”

James relaxed, grateful she chose not to hide it from him. “Did she find out what he wanted?”

“No. She hung up on him before he got a chance to say.”

James had the distinct feeling he was going to like Summer’s roommate.

Summer’s shoulders moved in an expressive sigh. “I don’t think either of us is going to be nearly as happy once our families arrive.”

“How bad can it be?” he asked. All he cared about, all that was important, was marrying the woman he loved.

“My mother’s going to insist we follow tradition and not see each other all day.”

James frowned. He wasn’t keen on that idea.

“My dad will keep you occupied with a whole bunch of questions. If you’ve got the slightest blemish on your record, he’ll find it.”

“I don’t. Trust me, sweetheart, my background’s been scrutinized by the very best. Your father isn’t going to find anything.”

She laughed softly. “In which case, Dad will probably thank you repeatedly for taking me off his hands.”

James laughed, too. “Never mind. By this time tomorrow, we’ll be husband and wife.”

Summer’s parents arrived early the following morning with Julie in tow. By chance Summer met them in the lobby on her way down for breakfast. James had called her room an hour earlier, before she was dressed, to tell her he was headed for the coffee shop. Summer had been too nervous to eat then, but had developed a healthy appetite since. She’d need fortification in order to deal with her parents.

“Mom! Dad! Julie!”

They threw their arms around her as if the separation had been ten years instead of a few days.

“I called Adam and told him his little sister’s getting married,” were the first words out of her mother’s mouth. “He’s taking time off work and he and Denise are driving in for the wedding.”

“Mom,” Summer protested, “James and I are having another ceremony later.”

“Fine,” Helen Lawton said briskly, “Adam will be there, too. Now stop fussing. It isn’t like I held a gun to his head and told him he had to come. Your brother wants to be here.”

“Daddy.” Summer hugged her father. Stepping back, she placed her hands on her hips. “James is squeaky-clean, right?”

“How’d you know I had him checked out?”

“You’re my father, aren’t you?” She slipped her arm around his waist.

“How’d you ever meet a man like this?” Hank Lawton wanted to know. “He’s as good as gold.”

“Yes, I know. He’s wonderful.”

James appeared then, coming from the direction of the coffee shop, a newspaper under his arm.

Summer made the introductions, and while Julie and her family checked in to their rooms, Summer and James reserved a table at the coffee shop. They sat next to each other, holding hands.

“Are you ready for all this?” he asked her.

“I don’t know.” She sighed. “My brother’s taking the day off and driving in for the ceremony. I thought we’d have a small, intimate wedding.”

“It is small and intimate.”

“My brother and his wife have three little kids, who’ll probably cry through the entire ceremony.”

“I don’t mind if you don’t,” James said and gently squeezed her hand. “I suspect folks will talk about us the same way when we drag our children to family get-togethers.”

“Our children,” Summer repeated. She felt weak with pleasure at the thought of having a family with James. “I know I’ve said it before, but I’m looking forward to being a mother.”

“Not nearly as much as I am to making you one,” he said in a low voice. The teasing light left his eyes. “If you have no objections, I’d like a large family. Maybe four kids?”

“Four.” She nodded. “I’d love to have four children. We’re going to have a good life, James. I can feel it in my heart. We’re going to be so happy.”

“I feel that way, too. Being an only child, I was always drawn to large families. I suspect that’s why I’ve been such good friends with the Mannings over the years.”

“Christy’s family?”

He nodded. “She’s the youngest of five.”

Her parents and Julie appeared just then, and ever the gentleman, James stood until the ladies were seated.

“I hope you don’t mind if we steal Summer away from you for the day,” Helen said even before she looked at the menu. “We have a million and one things to do before the wedding.”

“We do?” Summer didn’t know why she bothered to protest. She’d realized this would happen the moment her parents announced they were coming.

“First, we need to buy you a dress.”

Silly as it seemed, Summer hadn’t given much thought to her attire. A nice suit would do, she supposed, something flattering and stylish. The elaborate gown and veil could wait for the April ceremony.

“Then there’s the matter of finding a preacher.”

“The hotel provides a justice of the peace,” James said.

“Do you object to a man of the cloth?” Hank asked sternly.

Summer wanted to leap to her feet and tell James this was a test, but she bit her tongue. Sooner or later her soon-to-be husband would have to sink or swim on his own with her family.

“Not at all. I’d prefer one myself.”

Summer had to restrain herself from cheering. James had passed with flying colors.

“I’ve got the names of several ministers from our pastor in Anaheim.” Her father patted his shirt pocket. “We’ll leave the women to do their thing, and you and I can find us a proper preacher.” His tone implied that his little girl wasn’t being married by any justice of the peace.

“What about rings?” Helen asked.

“I thought I’d pick up a couple of plain gold bands for now,” James explained. “I’d like Summer to wear my mother’s diamond. She can choose the setting at a later date, and it’ll be ready before the April ceremony.”

Breakfast wasn’t the ordeal Summer had expected. Julie sent her curious looks now and then, and Summer knew her friend was waiting for an opportune moment so they could talk.

“We’ll meet again at what time?” Helen asked, glancing at her watch.

Summer’s father studied his, while Summer and James gazed longingly at each other.

“Six,” Helen suggested.

“That late?” Summer protested. They were being cheated out of an entire day. No one seemed to appreciate that her time with James was already limited.

“I’ll see to everything,” her mother assured everyone. “Hank, all you need to do is get James to the chapel on time.”

“Don’t worry about my not showing up,” James said. “I’m deeply in love with your daughter.”

Julie’s elbow connected with Summer’s ribs. “What did I tell you?” she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

Julie had more than gloating on her mind, and so did Summer’s mother. When they’d finished their coffee, Helen organized a shopping expedition. She made it clear that a suitable wedding dress wasn’t the only thing on her list. If her daughter was about to marry a superior court judge, she’d go to him with a complete trousseau.

The minute Summer and Julie were alone in the store, her roommate grabbed Summer’s arm. “I heard from Brett again,” she whispered.

“Did he phone?”

“No. This time he stopped by the apartment, right before I left for the airport.”

“No.” Summer closed her eyes, not because she had any regrets or because she harbored any doubts about James.

It was as if Brett possessed some kind of radar that told him when he could cause her the most trouble.

“He’s been asking about you. Apparently he talked with a couple of the cast members at Disneyland. Steve and Karen? Do those names sound familiar?”

“Yes.” Summer clenched her fists. “I can’t tell you how much this irritates me.”

“You? The man’s been making a pest of himself all week. According to Brett, you’re pining away for him.” Julie made a melodramatic gesture, bringing the back of one hand to her forehead. “You’ve been unhappy ever since the two of you split up—he says.”

“Oh, puhleese.”

“That’s what I told him.”

“If I was pining for anyone,” Summer said, “it was for James.”

“Exactly. I told Brett that, too.”

“Thanks.”

“I explained, with a great deal of satisfaction, that you’re involved with someone else now, and he should stay out of your life.”

“Good grief, he’s married and about to become a father. The man has no principles.” The thought of Brett trying to reestablish their relationship while his wife was pregnant with their child made Summer sick to her stomach. “I’m glad to be rid of him.”

“You couldn’t be getting married at a more opportune time. I’m telling you, Summer, from the way Brett argued with me, your marriage is about the only thing that’ll convince him it’s over.”

“You did tell him I’m getting married, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but he wouldn’t believe me. He accused me of fabricating the whole thing.”