Royally Seduced

Epilogue


JACK WAVED TO Lily, who was doing lazy laps in the backyard pool at the manor house, and sat down in a chair with his phone.

She swam to the side and rested her elbows on the tile.

“Lily, are we still good for next Saturday?”

“Trying to back out already?” She shook her wet head, darkened to honey by the pool water.

“Never.” He would never back out, never give her up.

“Then call your friends. My mother has the chapel booked, and Mrs. Wyndham is hosting the wedding dinner in her house for us.”

“As long as your mother and stepfather won’t be catering it. They are guests of honor.”

“No, they hired their usual outside caterer.” She shook her head. “Jack, I can’t believe it. Are we crazy for trying to get married in under two weeks?”

He knelt at the edge of the pool and kissed her wet, silky lips. “Crazy in love.”

“Good.” She swam away, her lithe tan body cutting through the aqua-blue water.

He sat back cross-legged on the pool deck to admire her for a few seconds and then dialed George first, then got Frank on the line, as well.

After the usual round of greetings and jokes, he came to the purpose of his conversation. “I want you both and Stevie to come to Philadelphia next Saturday.”

“Philadelphia? Are we visiting the Liberty Bell?” George asked.

“They do have good cheesesteaks there, George. Mmm,” Frank hummed in anticipation.

“Mmm, indeed. Renata, Stevie and I will be in New York, so it would be possible for us, but why should we come to Philadelphia Saturday?”

“Lily and I are getting married,” Jack announced proudly.

The brief silence was broken by both his friends offering their warm congratulations. Jack thanked them. “You don’t sound very surprised.”

Frank laughed. “We knew you were a goner as soon as you told us about her. It was rather entertaining to hear you lose your cool like that.”

“Frank,” George chided him.

Frank began to hum the melody from “Another One Bites the Dust,” and Jack rolled his eyes. “I’m glad my heartache was amusing for you.”

“Ignore him,” George commanded. “I have a feeling he’ll get what’s coming to him soon.”

Jack laughed as Frank abruptly stopped mid-note. “Frank, come to Philly. You can meet my new countess and get a cheesesteak all in one trip.”

“Forget the cheesesteaks. I can’t wait to meet Lily,” Frank promised. “George, I’ll fly into New York and ride down with you and the ladies.”

“This won’t be our only celebration. Lily and I will have a small ceremony here in the lavender-farm chapel during the harvest festival this fall,” Jack explained. “So we can invite all the people here in Provence whom we we care about.”

George asked, “But what does your mother say, Jack? I imagine she had a huge wedding planned for one of the big Parisian cathedrals.”

“She’s coming to Philadelphia, and I promised her a huge reception in Paris this winter during the society season.”

“And then Stevie’s wedding next June. A wedding for all four seasons.” Frank hummed “Here Comes the Bride.”

“I’ll make sure you catch the bouquet, Frank.”

Frank made a choking sound and they all laughed.

“Anyway, guys, come as soon as you can. Lily plans to call Renata to see if she has any ready-to-wear dresses.”

“For her, anything,” George promised. “Our gift to the bride. If you love her, then she is our family, as well.”

Jack swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

Frank cleared his throat as if it had tightened, as well. “Give me the address and I’ll ship out a case of our best sherry today. We’ll drink a toast together in Philadelphia.”

“Although we are in three separate countries,” George said, “I propose a toast today. To Jack and his bride.”

“Hear, hear,” cheered Frank. “To a woman as beautiful as her namesake and as patient as a saint to put up with our brother here.”

“Hey!” Jack protested halfheartedly. “Well, you’re right on both counts.”

Lily swam across the pool and smiled invitingly up at him.

“Guys, I have to go now. Lily wants me.”

George snorted.

“Ah, the bachelor life passes away with only a whimper,” Frank lamented.

Lily floated onto her back and untied her green bikini top, tossing it at his feet. Jack bobbled his phone, catching it before he dropped it into the pool. “Ha! I think married life will be much more fun.”

He turned off his phone on the chair and rapidly tossed off his clothes.

She gave him a smoldering glance. “Come on in, Jacky, it’s warm and wet.”

“I know.” He slid into the water. “And so’s the pool.”

She giggled. “You are so bad.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.” He found the ties to her bikini bottom and easily removed it.



“DID HE HANG up, George?”

“I believe so, Frank.”

“He is a goner, just as I said last week.”

“You were right, Frank. And you’re next. Renata and I and Jack and Lily will dance at your wedding someday soon.”

“Ha!”

“Ha, yourself. I have a feeling, Frank. And you know my maternal grandmother was a fortune-teller.”

“Then why can’t you ever pick the World Cup winner?”

“Never works for personal gain, old friend.”

“Hmmph. Kiss Renata for me.”

“I will. Ciao, Frank.”

“Ciao, George.”