James Patterson by Hide & Seek

Author:Hide & Seek [Hide & Seek]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-01-21T17:09:13.979000+00:00

felt beautiful inside and out. Not only was Will healed, but so was I.

"Elegant. Lovely. Perfection." Echavarria pronounced approval, eyeing me as

though he were Leonardo and I the Mona Lisa. I found it hard to keep from

laughing at his forgivable grandiosity.

"You look cool, Mom," was Jennie's assessment.

"Give me a few minutes alone," I finally said. "I just need a little time

to take it all in."

"Sure," Jennie said matter-of-factly.

"C'est ga, everyone out," said Echavarria, clapping his hands like a ballet

master.

They left, but I held Jennie aside. "Thanks for putting up with me these

past few weeks," I told her. "Now go get pretty. Only not too much prettier

than the bride, okay?"

"Don't worry about that. That couldn't happen even if I wanted it to, which

I don't."

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you even more, Mom."

HIDE & SEEK

213

"Couldn't."

"I do. Get it? I do."

The wedding list read like a who's who. Will's manager and friend, Winnie

Lawrence, would be there, of course. Nathan Bailford, Barry, my friends from

Bedford, my sisters and their families from upstate, musicians and singers,

soccer world people. And reporters and photographers from all the

metropolitan papers, the local TV stations, the networks, People, Time-I

swear, there almost seemed more strangers than friends.

One of the final cars to arrive, I found out later, was a gleaming burgundy

Maserati. Behind the wheel sat Peter O'Malley.

Somehow, Peter had gotten an invitation.

The door to the back bedroom suddenly swung open without so much as a knock.

Now who could-

"Will, you're not supposed to be-"

"-Getting married so young?" Will smiled. He looked gorgeous in a black

Brioni tuxedo, but he also looked refined. "True, but with a woman as

beautiful as you, I couldn't resist. Do you know how much I missed you last

night? I could probably show you."

He took a step toward me. "Out. Don't you dare." I started to laugh. He

could always make me laugh. "Out. I mean it."

He continued on undaunted, and took me in his arms. His hand gently touched

my breast. Nothing too provocative-and thus very provocative.

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"Ummmm," he said. "You are an eyeful. A handful too."

"Will!"

"Yes I am."

"I love you so much. Now, go."

"Enough, enough. I respect your wishes. I shall honor and obey, from this

moment on."

Obediently, he left the room, humming "Always." I smiled and thought it

was the perfect prelude.

CHAPTER 59

A YOUNG PIANIST from Juilliard sent the first notes of "The Wedding March"

crescendoing across the picture-book back lawn. The music, everything, sent

a shiver up my spine. I loved my wedding day even more than I thought I

would.

Latecomers were hurried to their seats. Pesky radio and TV station

helicopters whirled through the blue skies overhead, while television

cameras never seemed to stop shooting. What seemed like a thousand

photographers snapped photographs of the guests and the groom.

I finally appeared.

The bouquet of white calla lilies that I carried trembled in my arm.

I was used to large crowds, but I felt a little nervous here. I spotted my

few remaining relatives from upstate, smiling tentatively. Jennie, my

bridesmaid, stood solemnly near the altar. Mrs. Leigh sat in the front row,

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James Patterson

holding Allie, who wriggled in her arms.

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