Read Online The Next Right Thing (Harlequin Superromance) by Colleen Collins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Colleen Collins
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wanted.”
“Except a baby.” He swiped at the air as though erasing the thought. “Enough looking back. Time to think about the present.” The expression on his face shifted, and she caught a funny, almost secretive smile. “I got a favor to ask.”
“As long as it has nothing to do with Marc and electric limeade, sure, anything.”
He paused. “You know Delilah and I are betrothed now. Took me a long time after losing Regina to lose my heart again. But now that I’ve lost it—” he slapped a hand over his chest “—it ain’t going anywhere, ever again. Anyway, I’m turning sixty-three next month, and Father Time is breathing down my back....”
“You’re a spring chicken, Uncle Frankie.”
He shrugged. “You’re a sweetheart, but I see what’s staring at me in the mirror every morning. And Delilah, she ain’t getting younger, either, although she’s one helluva good-looking woman for her age. Hell, for a woman half her age! So, what I’m trying to say is...it’s time for me to start living under the same roof with my lady. Delilah and I as man and wife proper. The way we see it, the sooner the better.”
“You’re eloping?”
“Sorta. We have a chapel in mind.” He glanced at the Sinatra picture.
Las Vegas was full of funky wedding chapels. At least a dozen that featured Sinatra impersonators. Some who were also ministers.
Oh, no.
“Don’t tell me you’re getting married by a minister dressed as Sinatra.”
“No, we’re not.”
“Good.”
“But you’re close.”
She could think of one infamous chapel that featured equally infamous impersonators, the kind that cropped up in all kinds of cheesy Vegas lounge acts.
“Please say it’s not the Elvis Chapel,” she whispered.
“Okay, I won’t say it.”
She scrunched her face. “No, not the Elvis Chapel.” Anybody who spent more than a day in Vegas was destined to see a billboard or TV ad for the place. “Where that skinny Elvis impersonator in a shiny gold jacket is the minister? Where people can get the dueling Elvis wedding package—” She caught a look on his face. “Uncle Frankie, you’re not getting married by dueling Elvises, right?”
“Actually, we’re thinking of the Burning Love package. Complimentary limousine, DVD of the ceremony, plus a live web cam for her relatives who can’t make it.”
This wedding was starting to sound uncomfortably like her job at the Cave. “Does the Elvis actually sing? Or is it lip-synced?”
“He sings. Several songs of our choice.”
She clamped shut her mouth before she said something she regretted.
It was so quiet in the room, she could hear the tick-tick of the kitchen clock. It took her a moment to adjust her attitude and see her uncle for what he was: a man in love. She remembered how sad and tired he’d looked during Regina’s long illness, and how disconsolate he’d been for months after she died. After meeting Delilah, he’d found happiness again. Some people spent a lifetime looking for that and never found it.
“Did you take a tour of the inside?” she asked, sincere this time.
“It’s nice. Green plants. White columns like the Greeks had outside their homes, but these are inside, of course. We liked the chapel idea because it’s going to be a small wedding. She’s inviting some relatives from San Bernardino.”
“Sounds nice.”
“And...she’d like you to be her maid of honor.”
Cammie felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. Her brain froze. Followed by her face, then her chest...all the way to her toes. After a few moments, her voice thawed enough to speak.
“Isn’t there somebody from San Bernardino...a sister, a niece?”
He shook his head. “There’s a niece, but Delilah isn’t very close to her. She wants you.”
Cammie blew out a puff of air. “I’m... This is...”
“Look, I know you hate these kind of formal affairs, but this would mean a lot to me, Camilla. I also know Delilah shoulda
“Except a baby.” He swiped at the air as though erasing the thought. “Enough looking back. Time to think about the present.” The expression on his face shifted, and she caught a funny, almost secretive smile. “I got a favor to ask.”
“As long as it has nothing to do with Marc and electric limeade, sure, anything.”
He paused. “You know Delilah and I are betrothed now. Took me a long time after losing Regina to lose my heart again. But now that I’ve lost it—” he slapped a hand over his chest “—it ain’t going anywhere, ever again. Anyway, I’m turning sixty-three next month, and Father Time is breathing down my back....”
“You’re a spring chicken, Uncle Frankie.”
He shrugged. “You’re a sweetheart, but I see what’s staring at me in the mirror every morning. And Delilah, she ain’t getting younger, either, although she’s one helluva good-looking woman for her age. Hell, for a woman half her age! So, what I’m trying to say is...it’s time for me to start living under the same roof with my lady. Delilah and I as man and wife proper. The way we see it, the sooner the better.”
“You’re eloping?”
“Sorta. We have a chapel in mind.” He glanced at the Sinatra picture.
Las Vegas was full of funky wedding chapels. At least a dozen that featured Sinatra impersonators. Some who were also ministers.
Oh, no.
“Don’t tell me you’re getting married by a minister dressed as Sinatra.”
“No, we’re not.”
“Good.”
“But you’re close.”
She could think of one infamous chapel that featured equally infamous impersonators, the kind that cropped up in all kinds of cheesy Vegas lounge acts.
“Please say it’s not the Elvis Chapel,” she whispered.
“Okay, I won’t say it.”
She scrunched her face. “No, not the Elvis Chapel.” Anybody who spent more than a day in Vegas was destined to see a billboard or TV ad for the place. “Where that skinny Elvis impersonator in a shiny gold jacket is the minister? Where people can get the dueling Elvis wedding package—” She caught a look on his face. “Uncle Frankie, you’re not getting married by dueling Elvises, right?”
“Actually, we’re thinking of the Burning Love package. Complimentary limousine, DVD of the ceremony, plus a live web cam for her relatives who can’t make it.”
This wedding was starting to sound uncomfortably like her job at the Cave. “Does the Elvis actually sing? Or is it lip-synced?”
“He sings. Several songs of our choice.”
She clamped shut her mouth before she said something she regretted.
It was so quiet in the room, she could hear the tick-tick of the kitchen clock. It took her a moment to adjust her attitude and see her uncle for what he was: a man in love. She remembered how sad and tired he’d looked during Regina’s long illness, and how disconsolate he’d been for months after she died. After meeting Delilah, he’d found happiness again. Some people spent a lifetime looking for that and never found it.
“Did you take a tour of the inside?” she asked, sincere this time.
“It’s nice. Green plants. White columns like the Greeks had outside their homes, but these are inside, of course. We liked the chapel idea because it’s going to be a small wedding. She’s inviting some relatives from San Bernardino.”
“Sounds nice.”
“And...she’d like you to be her maid of honor.”
Cammie felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. Her brain froze. Followed by her face, then her chest...all the way to her toes. After a few moments, her voice thawed enough to speak.
“Isn’t there somebody from San Bernardino...a sister, a niece?”
He shook his head. “There’s a niece, but Delilah isn’t very close to her. She wants you.”
Cammie blew out a puff of air. “I’m... This is...”
“Look, I know you hate these kind of formal affairs, but this would mean a lot to me, Camilla. I also know Delilah shoulda
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