Sam smiled. “That’s sweet of him.” The flash of a camera interrupted the moment, and Sam looked over to find several of the roving pack of photographers who’d dedicated themselves to documenting her and Nick’s every move over the last few months. While her first inclination was to scowl at them the way she normally did, this time she smiled radiantly, refusing to let them ruin her mood.

Shelby shepherded Sam and her sisters smoothly into the limo. As they proceeded through the city to the church at 16th and H Streets, Sam marveled at the people who’d come out apparently hoping for a glimpse of her. That, more than anything else that’d happened in the last few months, told her how popular they’d become in the city. As someone who preferred life well below the radar, it certainly was a jarring realization.

The closer they got to the church, the bigger the crowd seemed to get.

“Damn,” Tracy said. “Look at all the people!”

“I wonder if William and Kate will get this big of a crowd for the royal wedding,” Angela said.

“Shut up,” Sam muttered. “I’m not a princess, and this is just another wedding.”

“Whatever you say, Your Highness,” Ang joked.

From the front seat, Shelby turned to them. “Don’t worry, Sam. We’ve got security all around the church.”

“What if Nick and my dad can’t get in?”

“They’re already there,” Shelby assured her with a comforting smile.

Sam was once again grateful for her presence. At first she had balked at the cost of a wedding planner, but she couldn’t imagine how they would’ve pulled this off without her.

Sam’s stomach, which had been on remarkably good behavior lately, took a nosedive as she experienced the day’s first flutter of nerves.

Tracy reached over to pat Sam’s arm. “It’s all good. It’s just you and Nick and a few thousand of your closest friends.”

Sam laughed, which helped with the butterflies.

They managed to get her inside St. John’s with a minimal amount of fuss, which Sam appreciated. She was escorted to a holding room at the back of the church where her father waited for her.

“There you are,” he said. “Quite a madhouse out there, huh?”

Sam bent to kiss his cheek. “My future husband is too popular for his own good.”

“I think his future wife is just as popular. She’s certainly beautiful today.”

She squeezed his right hand. “Thank you.”

Tracy and Angela came in a minute later looking frazzled.

“What’s the matter?” Sam asked.

“Small problem,” Angela said. “Leo just let us know that Nick’s mother is here.”

Sam gasped. “No. She can’t be! She wasn’t invited!”

“That doesn’t seem to have stopped her,” Tracy said.