For All Time (Nantucket Brides 2)

“I don?

?t think—” Jilly began, but then shook her head. “Who am I to judge? Because I wouldn’t like the job doesn’t mean no one would.”

“Where is the prince booked to stay tonight?”

“He’s with the young man who picked him up at the airport.”

“Wes?” Victoria asked, horror in her voice.

Jilly didn’t know the man but she followed Victoria’s glance to the back of the tent. In the darkest corner, behind a table, Jared’s cousin was wrapped around a very pretty young woman, and they were kissing more deeply than should be done in public. They were a living illustration of the phrase “get a room.”

Abruptly, Victoria stood up and looked down at Jilly. “I believe in True Love,” she said, her face quite serious, “and if there’s a possibility of it, I think a person should find out. I feel that it’s my duty to help this along.”

“You’ll tell me everything?” Jilly asked.

“Oh, yes,” Victoria said. “You’ve taken that poor-miserable-me look off Ken’s face, a look he believes that I gave him, so I owe you.” She made her way through the crowd.

“Darling,” Victoria said as she slipped her arm through Toby’s as she left the dance floor. Toby was still a bit breathless. “Whatever is going on with you and those two delicious young men?”

Toby looked toward the tent door and saw Princes Graydon and Rory standing together, both of them wearing tuxedos and looking quite handsome. Right now Rory looked as though he feared his brother might hit him, and Graydon was looking as though he just might do it. Since she had an idea this was about her, Toby had an urge to start giggling. “It’s just boy stuff,” she said as she turned back to Victoria. “Nothing important.”

Victoria lowered her voice and put her face near Toby’s. “In this case, it seems to be the battle of the princes. Can you really tell those two apart?”

“Yes,” Toby said, and she didn’t ask how Victoria knew who the young men were. “But I don’t see what difference that makes.” She changed the subject. “Are you having a good time?”

“Marvelous,” Victoria said, squeezing Toby’s arm. “You did a truly wonderful job and no one can thank you enough. In fact, I want you to plan my wedding.”

Toby looked at Victoria with wide eyes. Victoria was a very famous person, with a great many equally famous friends. She wouldn’t want a wedding with bouquets of what looked to be wildflowers hanging from the top of tent walls. Victoria would want crystal chandeliers and orchids flown in from Hawaii, Kobe beef from Japan, and—

“Toby!” Victoria said. “Come back to earth!”

Toby tried to refocus, but she still couldn’t speak properly. “I … I can’t …”

“Of course you can, dear,” Victoria said. “I must be married in my daughter’s chapel, and since it’s here on Nantucket, that’s where I’ll be married.” Her daughter, Alix, was an architect, and fresh out of school, she had designed the perfect little chapel. Her father, Ken, and Jared, both builders as well as architects, had finished it in time for the wedding.

Toby was beginning to recover herself. “You’ll want more than I know how to do.”

“Nonsense!” Victoria said. “Toby, dearest, you just need to dream big, that’s all. And believe in yourself.”

“What kind of wedding do you want?” Toby asked softly, even as she told herself that she should firmly and irrevocably say no to this.

“I’ll leave that to you. You’re clever, so come up with a theme. I’d help you, but I’m months late on my next book, so think of something and I’m sure I’ll love it.”

Toby had a vision of presenting thirty-one possible wedding themes to Victoria and her turning them all down. “I think you need a professional at this. I’ve done just this wedding, so I’m not—”

“Did you know that your prince is spending the night at Wes Drayton’s house?” Victoria nodded toward the far end of the tent to the two people who were kissing with so much enthusiasm that they were sliding out of their chairs. “Oh, good! Jared is going over there to break them up. Have you ever seen the tiny two-bedroom bungalow Wes lives in? I do hope your prince can sleep tonight. I wouldn’t want him to go back to his own kingdom—Where is it?”

“Lanconia.”

“Oh, yes. I’ve been there. Lovely place. They mine some metal the U.S. needs to keep the country running. But I’m sure diplomatic relations won’t be hurt because the future king spent a night listening to … well, to fornication. The prince has probably heard it before. Well, dear, I have to go.” Victoria released Toby’s arm and turned away. “Oh, and Toby, dearest child, the wedding has to be by the last day of August. My Nantucket friends leave the island at the start of September and I want them all to come. That’s just over two months away, so let me see your plans as soon as possible. Oh!” Her fiancé had taken her hand and was pulling her toward the dance floor. “Eager, isn’t he?” Victoria said to Toby, who was still unable to speak.

“What are you up to?” Dr. F. Caleb Huntley said as soon as he had Victoria in his arms.

“Why, nothing at all.”

“Don’t give me that,” Caleb said. “Toby is as white as a new sail. You knocked the wind out of her.”

“I just gave her a little project, that’s all. Lexie is going to be away and Toby’s going to need help, so …” Victoria smiled as Caleb waltzed her across the floor.