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."I know that Jed, in his own off-the-wall way, was trying to be gallant, to prevent me from being the payoff in his imaginary extortion plot," she saidwith a wiy shake of her head."But how did he get Lexie to cooperate? Somehow I don't see him telling Lexie that he thought Dad was beingblackmailed.Jed's got too much Ramsey pride to disclose anything that sleazy about the family to an outsider.""You're right, he kept his blackmail theory to himself." Linc propped himself up on one elbow and gazed down at her."He told Lexie that he wantedto play a practical joke on the two of us.Something similar to a stripper popping out of a cake at a bachelor party and then jumping into thehonoree's lap, he said.There wasn't going to be any bachelor party or cake or stripper, but Lexie could help him pull off a reasonable facsimile ofthe gag.""By wearing that costume and assaulting you in your bedroom while Jed recorded the hilarity on film.Which would conveniently develop inside thecamera within sixty seconds," Vanessa finished indignantly."How did they get into your apartment?""Oh, your brother is a detail man with plenty of foresight.He lifted my key during one of the parties this week, slipped out and had a copy made,then returned it, without me ever being the wiser.""It sounds like a typical Jed stunt," Vanessa said crossly."I can see why Lexie didn't question it.And of course, she'd leap at the chance to quote play a funny little joke end quote on me.""That's exactly what she said!" marveled Linc.He raised his voice to a ridiculous falsetto and batted his eyelashes in a rather dreadful imitation ofLexie," 'Why, I never meant to upset Vanessa.Jed and I were just playing a funny little joke on her.' ""Ohh!" Vanessa heaved an exasperated groan."I'd like to take the pair of them and and " she paused, pondering a suitably horrific fate.Linc smiled at her."After I sent Lexie on her wayshe did have a dress with her, thankfully I explained to Jed that we'd decided to postpone the wedding.We talked for a while and I think I convinced him that I'm not involved in some nefarious scheme.He seemed almost apologetic by the time he left.""Almost?" Vanessa scowled."To paraphrase, being Jed Ramsey means never having to say you're sorry.""Don't be too hard on him, honey." Linc leaned down and kissed her.She was smiling dreamily when he lifted his lips from a tender and passionatekiss later."Nothing or no one can ever come between us."'We'll always be open and honest with each other,"Vanessa vowed, lacing her arms around his neck."No secrets, no deceptions, no dossiers.Well always have access to all the intimate details about each other.""Always," Linc promised, sealing their pledge of faith with a kiss.EpilogueSix months later, a nervous trio of female Ramseys crowded around a magnificently gowned Vanessa in the small back room of the church.Theorgan music swelled and filled the air.Vanessa's four brothers, tall and handsome in their gray morning suits, ush-ered the arriving guests down theaisle to the pews.Sitting in several beribboned pews at the front of the church were the Harrisons, all nineteen of them, who'd flown in from Kansas two days before."Courtney," Erin Ramsey ordered her small daughter, "stand still while I fix your bow.Carrie Beth, come here, I have to retie your sash." She minis-tered to the girls with one hand, her other arm full of year-old Connor, who was rather rakishly swig-ging juice from his bottle."I just know that Robin will balk at going down the aisle," lamented a visibly pregnant Shavonne Ramsey."Oh Lord, now she's mangling her nose-gay!" She rushed over to rescue the flowers from the toddler's enthusiastic grip."Now, let's go through it one more time, Vanessa,"an anxious Nola Ramsey urged her daughter."I'm to walk down the aisle with Jed and Ricky.The other boys will already be at the front of the churchand, of course, Daddy will walk you down.Straighten your veil a little, sweetie.Oh, Vanessa!" The Mother of the Bride reached into herembroidered handbag and delicately sniffed into her lace handkerchief"I've never seen you look more beautiful!""Thanks, Mama," said Vanessa.She smiled at her tearful mother, she grinned at her nervous sisters-in-law and she laughed out loud at the anticsof her active nieces and nephew.She was gloriously se-rene, exempt from even a mild case of the bridal jitters.In just a few moments she would become Mrs.Lincoln Scott and she had never been happier or more at peace with herself and the world.Waiting these six months had been a wise choice, forshe and Linc had utilized that time to really get to know each other, to deepen and strengthen the bonds they'd already forged between them.She loved being with him.No matter where they were or what they were doing, whether alone or with others, their eyes would meet and they wouldsmile in joint recognition of the shared moment of intimacy.They had private jokes and secret smiles and understood each other in a way no oneelse ever had."Vanessa, you're not even nervous!" breathed Erin, shifting baby Connor to her other hip while she glanced askance at the three little girls chasingeach other around the room.Lace and ribbons and ruffles were flying, along with flower petals and ferns."I'm a wreck.I'm terrified these kids will turn your wedding into a free-for-all."Vanessa smiled placidly and shrugged."Stop worrying, Erin.Let the kids have a good time.It's our wedding, and Linc and I want everyone to enjoythemselves.We certainly intend to."There had been a time when Erin would've been right to worry about the effect of the children's behavior upon her, Vanessa knew, but those days ofhigh-strung, nervous edginess were over.She had outlets for all that repressed energy of hers now [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]