Aisling was leaning against the jamb, hair curled, understated makeup making her pretty face even prettier, her curvy body encased in a cute short skirt, tights, cuter low-heeled boots and a pretty sweater.

“Hey, blossom,” I called.

“Love you, Amy,” she replied quietly.

She’d seen the candle.

Sitting at the desk, working, suddenly I was flying.

“Love you too, kiddo,” I returned.

She gave me a small smile and disappeared.

I drew in a deep breath so I could get my feet closer to the ground in order to concentrate on work.

When I accomplished that, I turned back to my computer and went back to work on the invoices.

* * * * *

“I’m gonna vomit,” Robin mumbled.

“You’re not gonna vomit,” I retorted.

“If she doesn’t vomit, I’m gonna vomit,” Alyssa stated.

I looked to Josie, who was standing with the rest of my girls in our klatch.

All my girls together.

Happy.

I saw Josie was looking at me and when I caught her eyes, she said, “It is nauseating.”

I gave my attention back to what was happening across the room, this being my mother and father fawning over Mickey’s mother and father.

We were at Mickey and my rehearsal dinner in the back room of The Eaves. A grand spectacle dripping with flowers and free-flowing champagne with the dress code my mother decreed as strictly cocktail, something that didn’t bother me or anybody but the guys.

I liked dressing up.

And it meant I got to give Mickey his own personal LBD.

Mom could decree this since she and my dad were paying for everything, the food, the flowers, the hostess gifts (two expensive crystal champagne flutes for everyone, except the kids who got boxes of imported Belgian chocolates) and the open bar.

Needless to say, my parents’ freeze out had ended. This happened when Lawr told them I was marrying into the Maine Fresh Maritime family. In fact, it wasn’t just that the freeze had ended, they were beside themselves with delight.

This was because Mickey’s family had more money than Conrad’s and they felt this move on my part was me again toeing the line.

Mickey’s family didn’t have as much money as my family did (and this wouldn’t do, the Bourne-Hathaways always had to have the upper hand). Not to mention, Mickey didn’t work in the family business.

But surprisingly, this last didn’t bother Mom and Dad.

“Runs his own business,” Dad had stated arrogantly over the phone during the official end of the freeze out call he’d made to me months before. “There’s a lot to be said about a man who’s his own man.”

I already knew that so I’d said nothing.

They’d arrived the day before, and since their arrival they’d spent nearly all of their time crawling right up Mickey’s family’s asses. Including Mickey’s brothers.

Genteelly, of course.

Mickey’s family was great, just like Mickey. Friendly. Teasing. Affectionate. Loving.

Mine, not so much.

“It’s just their way,” I said to the girls.