help Sophie. Today’s special for her, too. She’s going to be
the maid of honor and she’s getting a new dad.”
“And Henry needs me,” Isabel chimed in, not about to
be out-whined. “I have to make sure he looks al handsome
because he’s getting a new momtoday.”
Peg was fairly certain the last thing Henry wanted was
Isabel’s help, considering the girl had blatantly been
stalking the poor boy for the last two weeks. “Henry’s
grammy and auntie Caro are making sure he’s al
handsome. And besides, as the best man he’l be busy
helping his dad get ready. Now, are there any questions or
comments or concerns before I turn you loose on
Inglenook?”
Jacob, bless his little heart, actual y raised his hand. “Do I
come get you if I see that scary man?” he asked, giving a
shudder as he shrank back into his booster seat.
“Not today, big man,” Peg said with an encouraging
smile. “This morning we need to stay focused on Mac and
Olivia’s wedding. But first thing Monday morning, you and I
are going to find the man who scolded you, and after you
bravely tel him you’re sorry for climbing on his submarine
and that you won’t ever do it again, you wil see that you
don’t have to be afraid of him.”
And then I’m going to send you away,Peg silently
added, and give the bastard hell for scaring two years off
your tender little heart.
“So okay,” she said as she stepped aside and waved
them out of their seats. “Be good this morning, and by noon
you can al turn back into the noisy, disheveled little
heathens that I know and love.”
“I’m not changing out of my party clothes until after the
reception,” six-year-old Isabel said as she jumped out of
the van and smoothed down the front of her dress. She
squinted up at Peg. “And don’t forget to take a picture of
me dancing with Henry so I can bring it to school. Rhonda
Beekman is tel ing everyone that I made up my new
boyfriend.”
“Trust me,” Peg drawled, “if you get Henry to dance with
you, I wil definitely take your picture.”
“Mom,” eight-year-old Charlotte said as she helped Peter
get his booster seat belt untangled. “Does Sophie have to
change her last name to Oceanus, too?”
“Nope. She’l remain Sophie Baldwin until shegets
married, unless she decides to keep her maiden name.”
“I’m going to change my name to Oceanus when I marry
Henry,” Isabel said as she fussed with the bow on her
dress. She held out her hand. “Come on, Peter. Let’s go sit
in the gazebo and see if we can spot any whales.”
Not about to be caught dead holding his sister’s hand,
Peter jumped from the van and bolted toward the pine-
studded peninsula that jutted out between Whisper Lake
and the new Bottomless Sea. “You can watch for whales,”
he cal ed over his shoulder. “But I’m watching for sharks!”
Peg pul ed Jacob out of his seat to look him in the eye.
“Be brave, my big man,” she whispered. “I won’t let anyone
hurt you. But you have to help me by not going near the
science equipment, okay? You can see everything the
scientists are doing from the gazebo. And if you behave for
Charlotte, I’l buy you a book about ocean creatures.”
“Of my very own?” Jacob asked. “I won’t have to share it
with Pete?”
Peg gave him a quick hug and swung him out of the van.
“It’l be al yours. Together we’l write your name on the
inside, and if Peter wants to look at it he’l have to ask your
permission. Now go on,” she said, giving him a nudge to
fol ow his siblings. “And you al stay clean!” she cal ed after
them.
“Mom, where’s Miss Olivia going with that toilet plunger?”
Charlotte asked. “Shouldn’t she be getting ready for her
wedding?”
Peg looked at where her eldest daughter was pointing.
“Oh, good Lord,” she muttered, gesturing for Charlotte to go
after her brothers and sister. “Keep an eye on everyone for
me, okay, while I go see what Olivia’s up to.”
Peg headed off knowing exactlywhat her friend was up
to. Why else would Olivia be micromanaging her little
kingdom of aging cabins today of al days, if not to keep her
mind off the fact that she was about to marry one of the
richest, handsomest, scariest men on the planet?
“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Peg asked,
cutting her off.
Olivia blinked in surprise, then held up the plunger. “The
toilet in cabin three is overflowing and I have to go fix it.”
Peg snatched the plunger out of her hand. “Why isn’t one
of your employeessaving our mad scientists?”
Olivia brushed at nothing on the front of her old
sweatshirt, and Peg couldn’t help but notice her friend’s
hands were trembling slightly. “Um, our cook has everyone
helping him get ready for the reception.” Olivia grabbed her
arm. “My God, Peg, I swear a smal army of guests crawled
out of the woodwork. How in hel can everyone drop
whatever they’re doing to come to a wedding on only a
week’s notice?” She leaned closer. “I think several of the
people Mac’s father invited are royalty,” she whispered.
“And I heard one of them address Titus as ‘Your Royal
Highness.’” Her hand on Peg’s arm tightened. “Wil you
please tel me what in hel I’m doing?”
Peg wrapped an arm around Olivia and started toward
the smal cottage nestled in the woods a short distance
from the main lodge. “What you’re doing is marrying Mac,
who I happen to know loves you to pieces.” She gave her
friend a squeeze. “This wil al be over tonight, Olivia. Your
smal army of guests wil crawl back into the woodwork, and
tomorrow morning you’re going to wake up the happiest
woman on the planet. Al you need to remember is that
you’re not marrying Mac’s father or his royal friends; you’re
marrying the man of your dreams.”
Olivia stopped walking. “But you know everyone in town
is going to think I’m only marrying Mac because he’s rich,
especial y when word gets out that he purchased most of
the timberland surrounding Bottomless. And when they find
out we’re building a huge resort that wil turn Spel bound
Fal s into a world-class tourist destination, al hel ’s going to
break loose.”
“Which is exactly what this forgotten town needs,” Peg
said, starting them walking again. “Not only is Mac a genius
but his timing’s not bad, either, since that freaky earthquake
turned Bottomless into an inland sea. Hel , I actual y own
oceanfront property now because those shifting mountains
cut an honest to God fiordright past my house and flooded
my gravel pit.”
“Ohmigod,” Olivia gasped, stopping to grab Peg’s arm
again. “Why didn’t you tel me? Was your house
damaged?”
“I did tel you. But you’ve been a tad preoccupied lately,
what with helping your ex-in-laws pack, dealing with a
bunch of mad scientists trying to figure out exactly what
went on here last week, and planning a wedding that’s
taking place in three hours.” Peg started her moving again.
“So you go take a hot bubble bath while I go fix that toilet,
and I’l be back in time to help you dress and put up your
hair.”
“But—”
“No buts! You’re getting married today if I have to drag
you down the aisle myself. And then you’re going to smile
and nod your way through the reception, and tonight you’re