A father. Him, a father. Zach’s throat constricted. He wanted to tell his beautiful wife how happy he was, how happy her love had made him, but he didn’t trust himself to speak. Instead, he drew back, took her face in his hands, and gave her a long, sweet kiss.
“I adore you,” he breathed against her lips.
Eve laughed, though her eyes were shiny with tears of joy.
“Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Wonderful,” he said softly, and as he kissed her again, he thought that what was really wonderful was that he was the luckiest, happiest man in the entire world.
At noon, when the sun was a golden globe in an incredibly blue sky, a string quartet struck up the strains of “The Wedding March” and Kyra Landon appeared on the terrace overlooking the gardens, beautiful and glowing in a delicate gown of ivory lace. It had wristlength sleeves, a long, full skirt and a sweeping train inset with tiny ivory satin roses. The neckline was just low enough to be the perfect backdrop for the diamond-and-platinum necklace Antonio had
given his bride as a wedding gift.
The silver fire of the necklace, he said, matched the color of her eyes.
Antonio, handsome and imposing in black tie, stood waiting for her at an altar bedecked with overflowing baskets of white and pink tulips. The sight of him stole Kyra’s breath away. His dark hair was brushed back from his chiseled face, and his eyes, shining with love, were more blue than the spring sky.
Surrounded by her tall, handsome brothers, Kyra came down the steps and moved slowly along a path strewn with blush pink rose petals. When they reached the altar, Cade, Zach and Grant each kissed the little sister they so cherished and whispered their farewells.
Their wives, who had preceded Kyra down the aisle in gowns of palest pink, lavender and blue, tried not to cry as they took their husbands’ arms.
But how could you not get misty-eyed as the beautiful bride and her handsome groom exchanged their vows? How could you not weep at the very end, when the groom raised the bride’s veil to kiss her and the bride smiled into his eyes?
“I love you with all my heart, Tonio,” Kyra whispered. “And I will spend my life making you happy.”
“Kyra, mia querida,” Antonio said as he took her face between his hands, “you could not make me any happier than I am at this moment. You are mine and I am yours, forever.”
Kyra kissed her husband and then she drew back in his arms. She was the luckiest, happiest woman in all the world, she thought, and suddenly her throat tightened.
If only Father were here…
She looked at her brothers, and in that instant, she knew that what she saw in their eyes was what was in her own heart.
Months ago, it had seemed as if Charles Landon had left a legacy of anger and sorrow—but the power of love had changed that.
The Landon Legacy had turned out to be one of happiness and laughter, the greatest gifts a father could bestow on his children.
Maybe, just maybe, there was one last guest at the Landon wedding on this wonderful day.
For all Cade and Grant, Zach and Kyra knew, their father might be looking on, seeing the joy on the faces of his sons and his daughter, and smiling