Текст книги "Sensational"
Автор книги: Janet Nissenson
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Текущая страница: 28 (всего у книги 29 страниц)
But he’d been pleasantly surprised when his father – Patrick – had actually accepted the invitation and even brought one of Ben’s half-brothers along. Unbeknownst to Ben, twenty year old Callan had been attending San Jose State University for the past couple of years, and had made the drive down to Big Sur with their father. The two of them had been welcomed with open arms by Lauren and her family to last night’s rehearsal dinner held at the McKinnons’ beach house in Carmel.
It had been both awkward and strange for Ben to see his father after so much time, as well as the half-brother he hadn’t seen since Callan was in middle school. But Lauren, with her outgoing, irrepressible personality, had somehow made it all okay, chatting with Patrick and Callan as though she’d known them for years, and making them feel like part of the family. It had touched Ben deeply to see how much she cared, and the effort she made to bring him and his family closer together.
Levi had made it out, too, and upon meeting Lauren in the flesh had whispered to Ben that he must have gone a little crazy six years ago to even think of leaving a babe like her behind. He’d been initially intrigued to learn that Lauren had an identical twin, and then just as quickly dismayed when he’d been told that Julia was a newlywed of barely four months. Knowing what a ladies man his old friend had always been, however, Ben was willing to take bets on the fact that Levi’s visit here would not be spent alone.
And of course the entire crew was here – Karl and Tamsyn, George and Nadine, Chris and Mindy. Even now Chris was busy video taping the guests as they arrived, and trying not to bug Lauren’s Uncle Malcolm – one of Chris’s professional idols – too much.
Speaking of idols, it was difficult not to notice all the stares being directed towards the very tall, very buff, dark haired man who’d arrived with the twins’ best friend Angela – a man who looked decidedly ill at ease in these surroundings.
“I can’t believe that Lauren’s best friend is actually living with Nick Manning,” murmured Karl, awestruck. “I was at a Tennessee Titans game once when the 49ers were in town. Manning put a hit on our quarterback that echoed through the whole stadium. The guy was a beast.”
“Still is,” acknowledged Nathan. He and Karl had been chosen as Ben’s groomsmen. “I made the huge mistake of working out with the guy a few weeks ago. I was ready to crawl to the car – or puke – while he was still going strong. Nick could probably suit up and play ball today if he wanted.”
Ben smirked. “I wish Lauren was here right now to see how this is going to unfold. Because I’ve got a feeling Nick is about to make the acquaintance of our boy George, and I can see the stars in his beady little eyes from here.”
The three men watched in amusement as George eagerly took a seat next to the brooding, hulking Nick and proffered his hand. Astonishingly, though, Nick not only returned the handshake but continued to converse with a starstruck George until the ceremony began.
Robert had arranged for a local string quartet to play the music for the ceremony, all four of the musicians longtime friends of the McKinnons. Ben had never been much of a classical music aficionado, and didn’t recognize most of the pre-ceremony pieces that were played. But once Nathan had escorted Natalie to her seat, the quartet struck up a tune that Ben not only knew but one that brought a huge grin to his face.
It was a Beach Boys song, entirely appropriate considering the setting they were marrying in. The song was one of the band’s lovelier, more poignant ballads – God Only Knows. The forty or so guests stood as first Angela and then Julia walked down the “aisle” – in this case a length of burlap fabric that had been stretched out along the sand. Both bridesmaids carried simple bouquets of wildflowers, and wore more of the same blooms in their hair. Angela was wearing a dark red cotton print maxi dress that made her look like a 1960’s flower child, especially given the long, straight fall of her raven hair. Julia’s dress was a froth of pale blue and lavender tiers, and the caramel curls that were identical to Lauren’s tumbled in lush abandon over her shoulders.
But it was Lauren to whom everyone’s eyes – especially his own – were drawn as she stepped onto the beach just as the music reached a crescendo. She was clutching Robert’s arm affectionately, her gorgeous face alight with happiness as she waved, winked, and beamed at each of their guests, blowing kisses to her Aunt Madelyn and her beau James, and then to Natalie. She looked so beautiful that she took his breath away, her simple cotton dress a hundred times more appealing to him than any designer gown of tulle and lace would have ever been. She, too, wore a wreath of flowers in her hair – white roses and yellow daisies to match the beribboned nosegay she carried – and she reminded Ben of some Greek goddess of the spring or the forest.
Halfway up the aisle her gaze met his, and her eyes lit up with pleasure as she gave him a quick onceover. He’d been relieved as hell when she had scoffed at the idea of him wearing a tuxedo or even a tie, and she had been the one to select the plain white dress shirt and tan slacks he wore instead. His two groomsmen were similarly attired, and, of course, all of them were barefoot.
Robert cupped his daughter’s left cheek in his hand as he pressed a lingering kiss to the right one. He whispered something in her ear that made her smile but that also brought a shimmer of tears to her luminous eyes. And then Robert was placing Lauren’s hand in Ben’s as the pair of them turned to face the shaman.
Ben had been greatly relieved upon meeting the man – whose name was actually Jeff and not something mystical like Golden Eagle or Oberon – to realize he was just a normal guy. Lauren, in fact, had met Jeff years ago while surfing, and he was part of the regular group who went out on their boards each morning. And instead of some weird ceremonial robes, Jeff was wearing cargo shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.
The ceremony itself was also quite normal, save for a couple of the blessings that Jeff invoked, and the burning of some incense that smelled like rosemary and sage. As for their own vows, Ben and Lauren had opted to keep them simple, pledging only to love each other with all their hearts, to make every single day of their lives an adventure, and to cherish every moment they would get to spend together.
They exchanged their rings – identical bands of gold that had been delicately etched with the sun, moon, and stars – and shared a lingering kiss – to the delight of their guests who clapped and cheered.
And then, as Jeff pronounced them husband and wife, the string quartet began to play the recessional – another Beach Boys tune – and Ben laughed with delight as he recognized the strains of “California Girls.”
***
The reception went on for hours, long after the sun had set, the meal had been eaten, and the cake cut. The night was surprisingly balmy, and most everyone had gravitated out to the deck where a fire blazed in the outdoor pit. Karl was strumming his guitar, humming a tune or two, and rather unexpectedly Robert’s voice rang out in song.
Ben recognized the song as Ray Lamontagne’s Trouble, and smiled a little as he thought how the lyrics could have been written with Lauren in mind. Not just the part about her being trouble – which he’d known from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her – but the line that talked about being saved by a woman. And there was no question that Lauren had saved him – from a life of loneliness, from never knowing the love of a family or a woman like herself, from merely existing as opposed to actually living.
Karl and Robert were singing together now, their voices in perfect harmony, and Ben looped an arm around his brand new wife’s shoulder.
“It’s been a day for very appropriate music, hasn’t it?” he murmured against her hair, inhaling deeply of the fragrant roses she still wore in a wreath around her head. “Though I still don’t understand how you knew about the California Girl connection.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Well, duh. When your buddy Levi there called the apartment looking for you one day and I answered, he said “Oh, so you’re California Girl. The one Ben was all gaga over for so many years.” I figured it would make a nice little change from some traditional classical piece that most people have played at their weddings.”
Ben chuckled, hugging her a little bit tighter. “There is nothing the least bit traditional about this wedding. Or about the bride. But I wouldn’t have had either of them any other way, you know. Because in addition to being unique, you are utterly unforgettable, Mrs. Rafferty. Just ask Levi if you don’t believe me. I’m pretty sure he got real sick of seeing me moping over you.”
Lauren arched a brow at him. “Mrs. Rafferty, is it? You’re just assuming I’m going to take your name, are you?”
He shrugged. “Actually, it really doesn’t matter that much to me. You can keep McKinnon, hyphenate your name – hell, I’d change my name if it came to that. Because the only thing that matters is that you’re finally my wife. That after all that time apart we’re back together. And back in this house that is the only place I’ve ever really felt at home.”
“Speaking of which,” she murmured softly, “how has it been going with your dad?”
He smiled down at her, for she was still barefoot as she’d been all day, and the top of her head barely reached his shoulder. “Surprisingly well. My dad has always been the quiet type, a lot like me, actually, and talking about his feelings and such just isn’t his sort of thing. But he did manage to mumble something about not having been the greatest father over the years, and that he hoped we could try to mend some fences. He’s divorced again, you know. Third time. He swears he’s never getting married again, that he makes a lousy husband, but that he wants to try and be a better father. We’ll see.”
“It takes two, you know,” she reminded him gently. “You’ve accused me of holding a grudge before, but I think perhaps you do as well when it comes to your family. I don’t blame you for being resentful, but maybe if we reach out a little to them it would make things easier.”
“Maybe,” agreed Ben. “At least with my Dad. My mother – well, that’s going to be a much tougher one to crack. But not tonight, hmm? The last thing I want to think about tonight is my screwed-up childhood.”
Lauren smiled at him very suggestively. “Okay, I’ll bite. What do you want to think about tonight, Mr. Rafferty?”
“How fast we can get all of these people out of our house,” he growled in a low voice. “And after that how fast I can get you out of this dress and what’s underneath it.”
She gave him a flirty pat on the cheek. “Honey, who said I’ve got anything on underneath? But let’s see if we can’t hurry things along here so you can find out for yourself.”
Ben wasn’t sure what Lauren said to her mother and sister, but within the next half hour everyone had left – after Lauren had tossed her bridal bouquet to the half dozen single women who’d gathered around to catch it. At first Angela had hung back, shaking her head emphatically when Julia had urged her to join the little group. But then Nick had taken her by the arm and marched her firmly out to take her spot, refusing to let her argue with him on the matter.
But it wasn’t the five foot eleven inch Angela who caught the pretty nosegay of roses and daisies. Instead, it was Madelyn Benoit who snagged the bouquet, to the utter delight of her sister and nieces. Lauren, bold as ever, had then turned to a beaming James Butterfield and told him quite plainly, “Well, now you have to marry her, Uncle James. After all, it’s tradition.”
James had winked at her. “Already in the works, my dear. Isn’t that right, Madelyn?”
Maddy had nodded happily. “We didn’t want to say anything, darling, didn’t want to take anything away from your big day. But James and I plan to marry on Valentine’s Day next year.”
Lauren had given her beloved aunt a hug. “Looks like you and I are more alike than we thought, Aunt Maddy,” she’d whispered. “Because we’ve finally snagged the men of our dreams, the ones we never stopped mooning over, even when we thought we’d lost them forever. I guess sometimes it just takes a little bit longer for dreams to come true.”
***
They honeymooned in Hawaii – a place that astonishingly enough neither of them had ever visited. They spent a week on the island of Maui, where they rented a spacious surf cottage only steps from the beach, and packed a month’s worth of adventures into just seven days – wind surfing, paddle boarding, ziplining, snorkeling, hiking, and driving to the 10,000 foot peak of Haleakala before dawn in order to watch the sunrise before embarking on a death-defying bike ride back down the mountain.
It was a wondrous, magical week, and the newlyweds quickly discovered they had each met their adventure soulmate, both of them up for just about anything daring and fun. They played hard during the day, basking in the hot sun and refreshing tradewinds, and then relaxed in the evenings with sumptuous meals of the local cuisine and Lauren’s new favorite drink – a Mai Tai with an extra floater of rum on top.
And of course they spent a great deal of time engaging in the sort of activities that honeymooners were notorious for – morning, noon, and night; in every room of the cottage; on the porch swing, the double hammock, and the hot tub; in their rented Jeep perched high atop a cliff; and on a deserted stretch of beach just before sunrise.
Ben had grimaced after that particular encounter, however, grumbling that it had taken three separate showers to get all the sand out of certain body parts. Lauren had merely laughed and offered to help him with any sand removal in the future.
It was their last night in Maui, their flight back to San Francisco due to leave late the next morning. They would spend a single night with Julia and Nathan before returning to New York. Ben had less than two months remaining in his editorial job, and would begin to train his replacement in about a week’s time. Lauren was scheduled to fly out on an assignment soon after their return – the second to last one she would embark on without Ben. And then, come January, they would be together all the time, every day and every night.
“You’re probably going to get sick of me,” she told him as they snuggled up next to each other in the hot tub.
“Impossible,” he assured her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Because this next year is going to be the best time of our life, sweetheart. At least until the next year begins. All of those things you told me you wanted to do six years ago – we’re finally going to have the chance to do them together. And it’s going to be epic. Sensational.”
Lauren heaved a blissful sigh and tilted her head back to gaze up at the night sky. “Every time I would stand out on the deck of the cabin, or on a hotel balcony – no matter where I happened to be in the world – I would always think of you whenever I looked up at the stars,” she confessed. “And I’d remember that night like it had just happened. You know the one I mean?”
“Of course I do,” he replied. “Out of all the memories I have of Big Sur, that one definitely makes the top five.”
She laughed softly, looping her arms around his neck. “And I think I’ve finally got all those damned constellations right. That one right there – it’s Gemini, isn’t it?”
Ben shook his head. “’Fraid not, sweetheart. It’s still Cassiopeia.”
“Dammit!” she swore, slapping her palm on top of the water and inadvertently splashing Ben in the face.
He gave her a mock glare before pulling her astride him. “That’s two things I have to punish you for now,” he teased. “Splashing water in my eyes, and still not knowing your constellations. Let’s see – what would a fitting punishment be? A spanking?” He swatted her butt.
Lauren rolled her eyes. “Really? I barely felt that.”
Ben grinned. “How about I find some rope and tie you up again?”
She gave him a scornful look. “You’d have to catch me first, Blue Eyes.”
“Hmm. Let me think then,” he drawled, tapping a finger against his chin. “I know. Just thought up the perfect punishment. No sex for a week.”
She gasped in outrage, just before laughing riotously. “Oh, that’s a good one! Like you’d really hold out that long. Honey, all I’d have to do would be to parade around in my underwear for five minutes and you’d forget all about your so-called punishment.”
Ben’s mouth moved to the side of her throat as his hands cupped her ass. “Especially since I’d be punishing myself at the same time,” he murmured in her ear, his tongue tracing a wet, erotic circle around the lobe. “So I think instead that your punishment should be you on top for the next seventy two hours. That way you can do most of the work.”
Lauren laughed softly just before grasping his fully erect cock and then impaling herself on him in one fluid movement. At the guttural sound that escaped from his throat, she bent and whispered, “Honey, if that’s your idea of punishment, then I’ll take that sort of discipline all day long.”
He couldn’t even try to dream up a witty comeback, for her lips claimed his in a long, dirty kiss as she began to ride him with slow, almost lazy movements, rotating her hips in one direction then the other. Her breasts were crushed up against his chest, her thighs splayed wide apart as she began to pick up the pace of her movements. Ben groaned beneath her mouth, his hands gripping her ass firmly as he urged her to ride him faster.
Their cries echoed through the night as they both came hard, Lauren’s teeth biting down almost savagely on the flesh between his neck and shoulder blade, but he was too far gone to even wince at the pain.
“It’s a good thing,” he told her raggedly a few minutes later, “that our closest neighbor is at least a quarter of a mile from here. Though as loud as you just were, it’s possible they still heard you.”
“Hey!” she protested, giving him a little shove. Tenderly, her fingers traced over the purple mark she’d left on his skin. “Oops, sorry about that. But at least now you’ve got a matching set of hickeys.” Her hand slid to his other shoulder, where she had left a similar mark two days ago.
“Bloodthirsty little witch,” he growled, giving her a much harder smack on the ass this time. “Now, look. You’ve got one more chance to redeem yourself. Tell me what constellation is right up above us.”
“Okay. I’ve got this one,” she assured him, squinting up at the night sky. “It’s – um – don’t give me any hints now. I know!” she exclaimed proudly. “It’s Sirius, isn’t it?”
Ben shook his head, the look on his face one of pure deviltry. “Nope. Still Cassiopeia. Looks like you’re stuck doing cowgirl for a few more days.”
Her green eyes were full of mirth as she whispered, “Yee haw” just before bending her head down to his for another kiss.
Epilogue
Four Years Later – Christmas Eve, Carmel
James Butterfield smiled as he and his wife observed their great-nieces and nephews as they excitedly opened the gifts that he and Madelyn had brought for them. All four children – a pair each of male and female twins – were around two and a half years old, having been born within just a few months of each other. Every adult here this evening was thoroughly enjoying watching the youngsters as they got caught up in the Christmas spirit, and James was no exception.
It still pained him each time he thought of the child that Madelyn had lost all those years ago – his child – and that she’d had to deal with the trauma and sorrow of her miscarriage all alone. And he deeply regretted that she had never had a child of her own, for he knew after seeing her with her nieces and their children what a wonderful mother she would have made. But she had assured him repeatedly that it didn’t matter any longer, that she not only had her sister’s children and grandchildren but James’s son and daughter and their offspring as well. More importantly, she had told him, they had each other after all those years apart.
“I do find it a bit odd, though, that both of the girls are such well behaved little angels, while the boys – well, I believe the word hellion fits them to a tee,” chuckled James. “Especially after all the stories you told me about their mothers – how different Julia and Lauren have always been from each other.”
Madelyn nodded, taking a sip of the very fine champagne that Julia and Nathan had brought. “It’s definitely not a case of history repeating itself with this generation,” she agreed, before adding with a chuckle, “in more ways than one.”
James looked around the great room of his in-laws’ Carmel beach house, a warm, open space that was very different from his former, rather stuffy residence in England. He and Madelyn had spent a considerable amount of time out here in California over the past few years to visit her sister and nieces, and would be spending even more time in the area after she retired next spring.
“One more spring Fashion Week,” she’d promised him. Then they planned to sell her apartment in New York, buy a home here in Carmel, and split their time between California and the flat they owned in London. When they weren’t traveling, of course, something they looked forward to doing a great deal more of come spring.
Their wedding anniversary would occur in less than two months time – on Valentine’s Day. They had been married in Paris nearly four years ago, in a simple but very romantic ceremony witnessed only by Madelyn’s sister, brother-in-law, nieces, and their husbands, as well as James’s son and daughter and their spouses and children. His family had welcomed Madelyn into their lives with warmth and affection, and had been all too happy that he had finally been reunited with his long lost love.
Madelyn shook her head as the two extremely rambunctious boys began to chase one of Robert’s prized Australian Shepherds around the room. But the young dog followed its inbred herding instincts, and instead began to lightly nip at the children’s heels, bringing them back in line. She laughed as this action repeated itself several times.
“I think perhaps their parents ought to buy themselves a herding dog – or two – to keep those little devils in line. Though it’s already too late to save their clothes, I’m afraid.”
One of the boys – Noah – had spilled juice on his neatly pressed tan slacks less than five minutes after the evening’s festivities had begun, while his twin – Justin – had lost his navy pullover sweater somewhere and his white oxford shirt was untucked and wrinkled.
By contrast, their female cousins – Daisy and Summer – were sitting contentedly on the window seat on either side of their father as he patiently helped them take their brand new Barbie dolls out of their packaging. The little girls were each wearing the gorgeous Christmas dresses that Maddy had sent them a few weeks ago – a red and black plaid taffeta for Daisy, and a white satin and green velvet for Summer. Like their mother and their aunt before them, the twins were never dressed exactly alike, their parents insisting that the girls establish their own identities. Except that Daisy and Summer were very much alike in both looks and personalities, just as their far rowdier male cousins were.
“Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes,” announced Natalie. “Nathan, do you mind pouring another round of champagne for everyone, please? Well, except for Julia, of course.”
Julia was four months into her second pregnancy, and it had already been confirmed that this time she would only be having one baby and not another set of twins. The news had actually come as a huge relief to her and Nathan, since their two sons were more than a handful.
Lauren patted her sister’s gently rounded bump, hidden behind a Tiffany Rose maternity dress of mulberry jersey. Julia insisted on being stylish even during her pregnancies, though her usual stilettos had been replaced by lower heeled pumps. “So you’re finally going to have a little one you can dress up in lace and frills. Not to mention being able to decorate the nursery in ten different shades of pink.”
The ultrasound Julia had undergone just a few days ago had revealed that this new baby would be the girl she’d always wanted. She had been shocked with her first pregnancy to learn that she would be having not one but two boys, but that realization had only been the beginning of her surprise. Because instead of being placid and docile like she had been as a child, Noah and Justin had been little devils from the time they could crawl. They constantly got into mischief, could rarely sit still, and were always getting dirty. Julia was usually exhausted after a day with them, and happily let Nathan take over when he got home from work. Working full time was out of the question for her, and she now handled design projects working from her home office as time permitted – which was not nearly as often as she would have liked given the amount of time and energy her sons demanded.
Julia heaved a tired sigh. “And I sure as hell hope this one decides to take after me, and not you. I still say our babies were switched at birth. There’s no other logical explanation why your girls are little angels, and my kids are – let’s just call them a handful.”
Lauren snickered. “Jules, those two are way more than a handful. I’ve seen them wear out eight adults in less than an hour. Look, even Scotty has given up.”
She pointed to the year old Australian Shepherd – their father’s youngest dog – who had just curled up on his bed in one corner and gone to sleep.
“They’ll grow out of it,” she assured Julia. “It’s just the terrible twos is all. And never forget your secret weapon when they get really, really naughty – tell them that they have to spend a week with Auntie Lauren. That usually puts the fear of God in them for awhile.”
Julia shook her head. “I’ve played that ace card one too many times recently, and they’re on to me now. Besides, they love coming to stay with you and Ben and the girls. Hey, I know – ”
“No.” Lauren glared at her sister. “We’ve been though this too many times before. You and I are not swapping kids. By some quirk of fate you wound up with your two little demons, while Ben and I have our little sweethearts. Did you ever think that maybe instead of taking after you and I, that our kids are more like their fathers? After all, Ben’s quiet and calm and easygoing, while Nathan was probably a little imp when he was a kid.”
“Not according to his mother,” replied Julia. “Alexis swears that he was an angel compared to Noah and Justin.”
Lauren gave her sister a sympathetic look. “Sorry to tell you, Jules, but a barrel of monkeys would be more angelic than your boys. And – uh, oh. Better go rescue Mom’s collectable Christmas ornaments. Noah Atwood, you’d better leave that alone if you know what’s good for you! Otherwise, Auntie Lauren is going to be very, very angry.”
Ben smiled as he watched his wife make a beeline for their naughty nephew, and hugged both of his daughters a little bit closer. “And we don’t want to make Mommy angry, do we?” he asked Daisy and Summer laughingly.
The twins shook their curly blonde heads slowly, both of them turning big blue eyes up to their father. He gave each of them a kiss in turn on their foreheads, breathing in the sweet baby scent that still clung to their skin even though they were now a little over two years old.
He and Lauren had been shocked to discover her pregnancy a few months after their first wedding anniversary, especially since they hadn’t planned to start a family for at least another year or two. And it had been the very height of irony that Lauren had become pregnant four months after Julia and Nathan had announced their happy news – since it was also the exact number of months between their wedding dates. But after Ben and Lauren had recovered a bit from the surprise, they had both been thrilled with the news, doubly so when it was discovered fairly early on that Lauren, too, was expecting twins.
Lauren, of course, had sailed through her pregnancy, rarely even suffering from morning sickness, while Julia had been miserable for months with nausea, swollen ankles, and fatigue. She still liked to joke that even in the womb her boys had done their best to wear her out. She had also gained a good fifteen pounds more than Lauren, and it had taken her several additional months to lose all of her baby weight. Lauren, on the other hand, had been able to wear her tightest jeans a mere two months after giving birth, which had earned her a very dark glare from her sister.
But when it had been confirmed that Lauren was having twins and their doctor had advised her to stop flying, Ben had set his foot down in earnest, one of the very, very few times he had ever attempted to do so. And, quite predictably, Lauren had argued until she was blue in the face, but in the end had grudgingly conceded to her husband’s edict.
“You are not going to keep flying all over the world in your condition,” he’d told her firmly. “Not only is the flying itself dangerous for pregnant women – especially when you’re carrying twins – but I’ll tell you right now, Lauren, that there is no possible way you’re going to attempt any crazy adventures when you’re carrying my babies. And since I have zero desire to travel anywhere without you, or leave you at home alone, both of us are going to turn in our resignations to the magazine.”
Lauren had sighed in resignation. “Fine. I can tell when you get in one of your pigheaded moods so might as well save my breath. But tell me, boss, how do you expect we’re going to pay the bills after we quit our jobs?”
Ben had smiled at her indulgently, the way he did when she was in a bad mood. Fortunately, since they’d been married, her bad moods were much fewer and further between, and she’d become far less terrorizing and confrontational. Love, it seemed, had been the key to taming the shrew.
