Trinity Harbor 3 - Along Came Trouble (40 page)

“It’s right on the boardwalk, which brought Bobby and Jenna together, and our first date was a bingo night over at Colonial Beach, and Anna-Louise has agreed if I can get you to go along with it.” She regarded him with luminous eyes. “What do you think?”

King had envisioned a quiet church wedding with family and friends and neighbors. Something traditional and elegant, something befitting a Spencer.

“Of course, we’l want to do it soon,” she raced on, as if she was afraid to stop and let King get a word in edgewise. “Because the fact is that Anna-Louise and Richard are expecting a baby, and she’s going to want to take some time off, and I real y want her to perform the ceremony, don’t you?”

There were too many questions on the table for King to think straight. He focused on the least controversial first.

“Of course I want Anna-Louise to marry us. You say she and Richard are expecting? When’s that? Nobody tel s me anything anymore.”

“I just told you.” Frances flushed guiltily. “I don’t think I was supposed to. Anna-Louise wanted to tel you herself, since you were the one who gave Richard a proper nudge in the right direction. Don’t let on I told, okay?”

“Sure. Whatever,” King said dutiful y. “A bingo-hal wedding, that’s what you real y want?”

Frances nodded. “It is.”

It would be the talk of the town, that’s for sure. King began to grin. “Why the hel not?” he said, picking her up and twirling her around. “We’re Spencers. We can do whatever we want. Trinity Harbor is our town.”

“I am not a Spencer,” she reminded him sharply, though there was a twinkle in her eye. “Not yet, anyway. My ancestry has just as big a claim on Trinity Harbor as yours does, but you don’t see me throwing that fact in people’s faces the way you do.”

King laughed. “I am not going to get into a debate with you about whether your family or mine settled this town. Not on a day like today. Besides, once we’re married, we can run this place jointly.”

“From the sidelines, of course,” Frances said.

“Of course,” King agreed. “Isn’t that what I’ve always done?”

Hoots of laughter greeted that remark. He looked up and discovered that the whole family had come back to see what was taking the two of them so long.

“Ungrateful brats, the whole lot of you,” he accused.

“But we are Spencers,” they al dutiful y declared, even those who’d married into the family.

“Indeed,” he said, a smile splitting his face despite his irritation. His chest fil ed with pride as he gazed at each of them in turn—Daisy and Walker, Tommy beside them, Jenna and Bobby with young Darcy and J.T., Tucker, his gaze locked on his beautiful bride, and the two he was wil ing to consider honorary Spencers, Anna-Louise and Richard. His gaze final y came to rest on Frances, who would be official y one of them as soon as he could arrange it.

They were a fine lot, no question about it. And if a man had a loving—if occasional y disrespectful—family around him, what more could he possibly want? Yes, indeed, King considered himself blessed.

And while he was here in the church he’d attended al his life, he gazed heavenward and said a silent prayer that al of his children would one day know the richness of life that had been bestowed on him.

The sun, glinting through the stained-glass window, winked at him in response. Yes, indeed, it was a glorious day…and just the first of many, if he had anything to say about it.

Which he usual y did.

ISBN: 978-1-4268-2733-4

ALONG CAME TROUBLE

Copyright © 2002 by Sherryl Woods.

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