“I didn’t think you’d really go,” she said. “Seriously, I thought there’d be at least one more warning.”

Kelly hugged her quick and hard. Then she pulled away, looked into Courtney’s pretty eyes and said, “Listen, I won’t be far. And I’ll be back at least every month, maybe a couple of times a month.”

“But no,” she said. “Don’t go.”

“Courtney, I’m sorry, but Luca’s counting on me. He offered me a good job and I made a commitment to him. He needs me. But I’ll visit, I promise.”

“But my dad needs you,” she said, her eyes welling with tears.

Kelly felt a hand on her shoulder, too big and heavy to be Jill’s. Colin’s hand. Shoring her up.

Kelly looked at Lief. His posture was unchanged, but he made a slight shrug, barely discernable.

“Courtney, your dad can call me every day. We’ll talk. We’ll see each other now and then. This isn’t a surprise. We talked about it.”

“You can’t just walk out on him,” she said. “You have to give it a little more time.”

“I’m not, honey. I’m not walking out on your dad and he understands that. Lief,” she said. “Lief, tell her that I’m not abandoning you.”

“She’s not, Court. She needs to be someplace where she feels she really belongs, where she’s counted on and feels useful and appreciated. I understand that.”

“This isn’t goodbye,” Kelly said. “I’ll see you soon.” She gave her another hug and stepped down the porch steps.

“Okay!” Courtney yelled. “I need you! Sparky needs you! Don’t go! Just please, don’t go!”

Kelly stopped in her tracks, met Lief’s warm and dark brown eyes and his slight smile. She slowly turned back to Courtney, who had her fist covering her mouth and tears slipping out of her eyes.

“Okay, so I really want you to stay,” she said softly, then hiccupped. She lifted her chin. “He won’t mind, believe me. But it’s me, okay?”

Kelly frowned. “Why?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged with a half sob. “Because you just take me as I am, pretty much. Because you’re not mean. Because you help.” She sniffed and wiped her hand across her nose. “Because you said my dad was going to ground me forever and wouldn’t cover for me to get on my good side, but still slept in my bed with me because I was crying. Come on.” She pulled the necklace Kelly had given her for Christmas out from the inside of her shirt to show it to her. “Give us a break. Huh?”

Kelly shot a glance at Lief. He just cocked his head to one side as if to say it had nothing to do with him.

She looked back at Courtney.

“You just have to give us one more chance. Me,” Courtney said. “You just have to give me another chance, because really I never wanted you to leave, I just… I just worried about not being important around here, like I wasn’t important at Stu’s house.”

“Maybe we should take a breather,” Kelly said. “See where we are in a few months…”

“Don’t go,” she said. “My dad loves you. He told me at Christmas—he loves you. And I didn’t really want to, but after Sparky blew his tail off, I knew you were the real deal and I started to love you, too.”

“Wow,” Kelly said. “You sure made me work for it!”

Courtney laughed through her tears. “Seriously,” she said.

“You need to know something, little chick. If I pack my car again, ever, I’m moving.”

“I get that,” Courtney said.

“Hey,” Colin protested from behind her. After all, he was the one who’d packed the car. She shot him a glare to shut him up.

“So you’re staying?”

“I’ll give this a try,” Kelly said. “If you really think we’re in the same canoe.”

“I do,” Courtney said. “I do. You do love my dad, right?”

“I love him a lot,” she said. “And you’re really growing on me.”

Courtney laughed at her. “You should probably kiss him, then. He’s been awful to live with lately.”

Kelly approached Lief warily. When she was about a foot away, she asked, “Was this your idea?”

“I had absolutely nothing to do with it. Nothing. Now come here. She’s right. You should kiss me.”

She allowed herself to be pulled into his arms, met his lips and behind her she heard, “Ewww. Gross.” Kelly jumped back and looked over her shoulder.

“Kidding,” Courtney said with a laugh.

Looking back into Lief’s laughing eyes, Kelly said, “I bet there’s going to be a lot of that sort of thing, huh?”

“It’s a tough assignment, babe,” he said. “Definitely not for sissies. Now come on, lay one on me. I’ve been hell to live with lately.”

Epilogue

Six months later

Kelly and Jill stood on the widow’s walk and looked at all the activity below them. Late September was a perfect time of year—most of the garden was harvested and the leaves on the trees were changing, but the branches were not yet bare. The day was sunny, the air cool. Between the garden and the house, large round tables had been erected and covered with starched white tablecloths. The folding chairs were dressed in linen with fancy ties in the back, and each table had lush flower arrangements in orange, yellow, red and some dark plum. There were tall candles that could be lit when the sun went down. There was seating for over a hundred, and guests were milling around, visiting as they held on to long-stemmed champagne glasses. At the far western end of the yard, up against the lilac and rhododendron, there was a trellis draped in white. Next to the trellis, a string quartet.

The front of the Victorian showed cars, trucks and SUVs parked all down the drive. Out of sight from the widow’s walk, parked near the back porch, were two large white-paneled vans lettered with a red BRAZZI on their sides.

Jill glanced down at her fingernails. “I wore gloves all last week and I think I still have dirt under my nails…”

Kelly inspected them. “I think you’re okay,” she said. “I have some paprika under mine…”

“Kelly! Jilly! Come down here!” Courtney called. “Luca is here.”

They looked at each other. “Easy does it,” Kelly advised. “Getting up here in a long dress and heels is a lot easier than getting down.”

“You first,” Jill said.

When Kelly got to the bottom, there stood Luca bearing a silver tray holding four champagne flutes. His free hand went to his chest, and he sighed at Kelly. “Bella,” he said in a breath. “Magnifico! Mozzafiato! You have never been more beautiful.”

“Thank you, Luca,” she said. Her dress was a creamy off-white strung with dark burnt-orange ribbon around the bodice and decolletage. The ribbon matched the satin dresses worn by bridesmaids Jill and Courtney, and they would all carry bouquets of mums, daisies and the most luxurious burnt-orange roses brought from San Francisco by Luca.

“You are all so delicious,” Luca said. He lifted the champagne flutes one by one, passing them to the women, the last one his own. He put down the tray and raised the glass. “To the blending of two beautiful families,” he said. “May God bless your households with great bounty and joy!”

“Thank you, Luca,” Kelly said.

They sipped, and Courtney said, “I knew it. Cider.”

“If you were in Italy, little bella, you would have the wine. Kelly, I should be the one to give you away to the groom. After all, were it not for me, you would not have found each other.”

“Well, not exactly,” she said with a laugh. “I believe we can give most of the credit to your wife. Besides, there’s no giving away, only an escort to my groom. Colin has volunteered.” She smoothed the starched white of his chef’s jacket. “You are so beloved in the kitchen. That you would do this for me, Luca, is the greatest honor.”

“I wouldn’t let anyone else feed your guests on your wedding day, sweetheart. Are you almost ready? Because they’re beginning to chew on the linens.”

“Hey,” Courtney said. “I get to stay up here while you and dad are gone, right?”

Kelly picked up a little lip gloss and leaned toward Courtney, giving her lips a little touch-up. “Sure. Whatever you and Jilly work out is fine with me.”

“I don’t know why I can’t go with you. I’ve never been to Cabo.”

“I draw the line there,” Kelly said.

“It’s not like I’d bother you,” she said.

“I’ll make a deal with you, chickie. You don’t go on my honeymoon, I won’t go on yours.”

“You can come with me on my honeymoon,” Courtney said.

“You look so beautiful today, Court,” Kelly said, changing the subject.

“You’re done talking about it, huh?”

Kelly nodded. Courtney looked at Jill and said, “Kind of hard to believe she’s never done this mother thing before, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Jill agreed. “Now let’s go get her married before the groom gets cold feet!”

“Are you and Colin ever going to get married?” Courtney asked.

“You look very beautiful today, Courtney,” Jill said, changing the subject and smiling.

Luca threw an arm wide, indicating the women should precede him down the stairs. Courtney was last. To Jill and Kelly’s backs she said, “I really think we’re gonna have to work on our communication skills around here…”

The women had to pass through the kitchen to get to the back porch, and Kelly marveled at the industry— Luca brought his own staff and much of the food. She had suggested a buffet, but Luca wouldn’t hear of it—they would serve. He said it wouldn’t be too fancy—only five courses and two wines.

Colin was waiting by the back door. He took in the formally attired women and said, “Are you ready? Because Reverend Kincaid has herded everyone to their tables.”

“Ready,” Kelly said. “Is Lief there?”

“He’s been there, his two brothers beside him. Muriel managed to get a table up front, though I think she had to negotiate it. And there are more Riordans here than expected at first. I hope there’s plenty of food.”

“Always plenty of food,” Luca bellowed from behind them.

“Then let’s do it,” Colin said.

Courtney led the procession, followed by Jillian, followed by Kelly and Colin. They wound their way through the tables toward the trellis, toward the minister, as the strings played.

Kelly smiled when she saw that Lief leaned down to give Courtney a kiss before she stood in her place to the left of the men. He also leaned in to give Jill a kiss on the cheek before she took her place.

And then as Colin and Kelly neared, Lief’s eyes grew dark and warm, and he smiled proudly, reaching out to her. Colin escorted Kelly right into Lief’s hands. They gazed at each as the words that would begin a whole new family were spoken by Noah Kincaid.

“Dearly Beloved…”