“All yours, Pastor,” she said.

And when Dr. O’Connor opened his book to begin, and I took in that circle of smiling faces around me — my best friend, John Sampson; my grandmother; my beautiful children; and this amazing woman, Bree, whom I’d come to realize I couldn’t even imagine trying to live without — I knew that his first two words could not have more perfectly captured everything that was in my heart and mind at that exact moment.

Those words were “Dearly Beloved.”

Chapter 110

THE BEST PARTY EVER lasted long into the night. We didn’t skimp on the food, bringing in a friend’s catering company for endless amounts of jerk pork, coconut rice, fried plantains, and something Sampson had decided to call a Breelex. It was two kinds of rum, pineapple, ginger, and a cherry — or just pineapple, ginger, and a cherry for the kids, although Damon sampled the adult beverage once, that I know of.

Jerome Thurman jammed with his combo, Fusion, in the backyard, where there was plenty of dancing under the stars and even a little bad singing from me, after a Breelex or two. Or three. The kids said I was “pitchy” and “absolutely dreadful.”

We were all up bright and early the next morning, though. A cab took us to the airport for a flight to Miami, and then on to Nassau. At the other end, a limo picked us up and whisked us off to the aptly named One&Only Ocean Club.

Bree and I had seen this place in my favorite James Bond movie, Casino Royale, and I swore I’d get her here one day. The Bond jokes started as soon as we pulled into the familiar teardrop-shaped driveway, with the drool-worthy cars everywhere you looked.

“Cross,” she said as I helped her out of the limo. “Bree Cross.”

She’d surprised a lot of people, I think, by taking my name. It was entirely up to her, but I loved that she did. I liked hearing it as much as saying it.

“Dr. and Mrs. Cross, checking in,” I told the gracious, very welcoming woman at the front desk. Bree squeezed my hand, and we laughed like a couple of kids. Or maybe just a couple of newlyweds. “How soon do you think we can be out in that ocean in your backyard?”

“I’d say about three and a half minutes,” the woman told us, and slid our keys across the desk. “You’re all set here. That’s one double suite in the Crescent Wing and one ocean-side villa. Enjoy your stay.”

“Oh, we will!” Jannie had just come up behind us. Nana, Damon, and Ali were still outside ogling the white sand beach and turquoise water. It really was turquoise.

“Here you go, Miss J.” I handed her the suite key. “I’m officially putting you in charge of that, and we’ll see you guys for lunch tomorrow.”