Room for Murder (Book 4 in the Lighthouse Inn Mysteries) (22 page)

“
It’s soda, Alex,” Grady
said shortly, then saw the man’s grin. “Though I might freshen it
up just a bit from the bar. After all, it’s a day for
celebration.”

After he was gone, Alex asked Mor,
“Seriously, how are you doing?”

“
Hey, I’d be lying if I
said I wasn’t just a little nervous. Have you seen Emma? How is she
holding up?”

“
The last time I saw her,
she was scowling at the clouds, daring it to rain.”

Mor smiled broadly. “That sounds just like
her. Alex, I can’t tell you how excited I am. I’m a lucky man.”

“
You are at that. Is there
anything you need?”

“
Just to get this thing
moving so we can get on with our lives. You know I’m not fond of
crowds, and I swear, Emma has invited most of Elkton
Falls.”

Alex nodded. “It won’t be long now.
Remember, I’ve got your airline tickets on my dresser. You’re
flying out of Charlotte tonight, but you’ll have plenty of time to
get there after the reception. Did Armstrong give you any grief
about going?”

Mor said, “He thought about it, but Emma put
a knot in his tail about the whole thing. We’re just going to be
gone a week, it’s not like we’re never coming back. You know, I
never thought about taking a cruise for a honeymoon, but Emma
talked me into it.”

Alex laughed. “What was it, the women in
bikinis or the meals served seven times a day you were opposed
to?”

Mor said, “No Bikini Barbies for me, those
gals are too skinny. I like Emma, her shape’s got flair, you know
what I mean?”

“
So it’s the food,” Alex
asked with a grin.

“
Who could say no to a
midnight buffet? I’m planning to gain at least ten pounds.” For the
hundredth time, Mor looked at his watch. “I can’t believe the
wedding’s still an hour away.”

“
I’ve got an idea. Why
don’t we go up to your room? I’ve got a backgammon board set up. It
might take your mind off the clock.”

Mor said, “I’ll give it a shot, but I’m not
making any promises about what kind of game I’ll be able to
play.”

Mor normally won the lion’s share of the
games they played, but this time Alex won every match.

He thought it was fair to say his best
friend was more than a little distracted by the events to come.

The crowd was in place, all of Elkton Falls
dressed in their finery awaiting the start of the ceremony. Alex
and Mor took their spots up front, and Alex nodded to Father Gray,
the local Episcopal priest. He and the padre had been friends since
grade school, but Alex still couldn’t get used to seeing him
dressed in his priestly robes.

Gray said softly, “Are you boys ready?”

Alex said, “I’m fine, but Mor keeps trying
to make a run for it.”

Gray smiled and said, “If you do, I might
just marry the gal myself.”

Mor shook his head. “You’d have to go
through me, priest or no priest.”

Gray said, “That’s the spirit.”

Alex heard Irma Bean suddenly increase the
volume of her organ, and his gaze went to the back of the
canopy.

Elise was there, holding a bouquet of
flowers, wearing an emerald dress that highlighted her green eyes.
Her hair was pulled back with wisps trailing down, and she was the
most breathtaking vision he’d ever seen in his life. Sometimes it
was easy to forget how beautiful she really was as the two of them
worked side by side cleaning rooms or washing clothes. But she’d
outdone herself this time, and Alex felt his knees grow weak again
at the sight of her.

As she marched toward him, Alex couldn’t
hide his feelings from her, and he was rewarded with her warmest
smile.

As she approached, Alex whispered to her,
“You look stunning.”

“
So do you,” she said as
she took her position across from him. Alex was in his only suit,
since Mor had drawn the line against either one of them wearing
tuxedoes.

Mor said, “Hey, we’re here for me,
remember?”

Alex tore his gaze off Elise and looked back
up the aisle.

Emma marched in on Grady’s arm, and she was
truly lovely. Mor was right. Emma was elegant, a large-scale woman
full of grace and beauty, and there wasn’t a single man in the
audience that didn’t envy Mor just a little.

Alex saw a tear creep down Emma’s cheek as
she approached them, and he shifted his gaze to Mor.

The big man had a tear of his own that
burrowed deep into his smile.

As Grady gave Emma’s arm to Mor, Alex knew
that these two truly belonged together.

“
I can’t believe it didn’t
rain,” Elise said as she and Alex danced during the reception after
the vows had been exchanged.

“
It was afraid to,” Alex
admitted, reveling in holding Elise in his arms. “You’re a
wonderful dancer,” he said.

“
I can’t help myself. I
took ballet for ten years when I was growing up, and the rest just
seemed to follow.”

“
Gosh, and I didn’t even go
to Arthur Murray. The only dance class I took was in
college.”

“
You majored in business,
didn’t you?” she asked.

“
I did, but senior year I
needed one elective, so I signed up for ballroom dance.”

She laughed. “That’s not what I think of as
a breeze class.”

He said, “Think about it. There were
twenty-six students in the class, and only two of us were
guys.”

He accented his words by twirling her, a
move Elise picked up solely from his hand pressure. They danced
together as if they’d been doing it for years.

“
I’m having a wonderful
time,” he admitted.

“
I am too, Alex. They
belong together, don’t they,” she said as she looked at Emma and
Mor.

Alex saw the new bride and groom dancing to
their own music in the center of the temporary stage. He said,
“It’s a match. From what Mor told me, the sheriff’s not too happy
about them leaving town for six days for their honeymoon, but Emma
probably threatened to stick him with the bill for their cruise if
they couldn’t go, so he backed right down. It’s not like they
aren’t coming straight back, and Armstrong knows it.”

Elise said hesitantly, “Alex, I’ve been
meaning to talk to you about something.”

“
I’m right here,” he said
as he held her close.

The music died, and they found themselves
rocking to a beat that was only between the two of them.

The lead singer said, “Now it’s time for the
toasts. May we have the best man and maid of honor up on
stage?”

Alex said, “What was it you wanted to talk
about?”

“
It can wait,” she said as
she took his hand. “It’s time for the toasts.”

The waiters were handing out champagne as
they walked forward, and Alex snagged a pair of glasses for them
before they walked up the steps.

On stage, Elise offered to go first, knowing
Alex’s dread of public speaking. She took the microphone and said,
“When two people find each other in this world, it is truly a cause
to celebrate. Mor and Emma, I wish you the greatest happiness as
you start your lives together, and may your love grow stronger from
this day forward. To Mor and Emma.”

The crowd lifted their glasses and repeated
the last line. Alex felt his heart tighten in his chest, knowing it
was his turn now.

Elise patted his hand softly, then
whispered, “You’ll be fine.”

Emboldened by her touch, Alex said, “I’ve
known Mor all my life, and it feels like I’ve known Emma that long,
too. All I’ve got to say is, you two deserve each other.”

That got a laugh from the crowd, one Alex
hadn’t intended.

“
No, what I meant to say
was, you belong together. That’s it.” Blast it all, he’d made a
mess of his toast. “To Mor and Emma,” he said, and again the crowd
raised their glasses to the newlyweds.

Elise joined him and said, “Alex Winston,
that was a bold move. I never would have imagined you’d go for
humor.”

“
I didn’t mean to,” he
admitted as they walked offstage.

Elise tried to hide her smile, but couldn’t.
“You were wonderful.”

And then she kissed him.

There was nothing odd or awkward about it.
It was almost as if the two of them melted together for a moment,
lost in each other’s arms.

Alex was jarred out of it by the mayor’s
hand on his shoulder. “Hey, I thought the tradition was to kiss the
bride, but if it’s the maid of honor now, I’m next in line.”

At that moment, Alex could have easily
killed Grady Hatch on the spot with his bare hands.

Elise looked startled by their kiss. “I’ve
got to go help Emma get ready for their getaway.”

“
Hang on a second, Elise,”
Alex said, wanting to hold on to the moment.

“
Later, Alex. There’ll be
time later.”

As she disappeared into the crowd of
dancers, Grady said, “Something tells me my timing was rotten
there.”

Alex said, “Don’t worry about it.”

“
No, I’m sorry. Alex, I
must have had too much to drink. I’m not usually this dense. Tell
you what, I’m going over to my motor home and taking a nap before I
hit the road. I’m not in any condition to drive.”

“
You can stay at the inn.
We’re just about empty right now.”

Grady said, “Thanks, but that’s why I got my
new wheels. I’ve got my bed with me wherever I go now.”

As Grady teetered off to his new abode, Alex
felt a meaty hand on his shoulder. Mor said, “Did I just see what I
thought I did?”

Alex felt his face flush. “I don’t know,
what did you see?”

“
Don’t mess with me, Alex.
Did you just kiss Elise?”

He shrugged. “You know how weddings affect
people.”

“
That wasn’t just because
of the wedding, my friend. I guess you finally found a way to break
the ice with her.”

Alex said, “I wouldn’t be so sure. Did you
see how fast she just ran away? When Grady Hatch interrupted us, I
thought she was going to run back into the inn.”

“
Talk to her, Alex. Don’t
let her get away again.”

Alex said, “Mor, I never had her to begin
with.” He slapped his friend on the back. “Don’t you have anything
better to do than worry about me? When are you’all getting out of
here?”

“
Trying to get rid of us
already?” Mor asked with a grin. “As soon as Emma tosses her
bouquet, we’re on our way. I’d better go see what’s keeping
her.”

Five minutes later they were ready to go,
with everyone milling around waiting for them. Emma tossed the
bouquet over her shoulder, and Alex was certain it was no accident
that it landed squarely in Elise’s arms.

She looked as if she’d caught a live snake,
but Elise somehow managed to be gracious about it until the
spotlight of attention left her.

After the newlyweds drove away in Emma’s
decorated car, the reception started breaking up. There were more
than a few glances at the oncoming clouds, and the planners looked
anxious to break cam and get everything packed up.

It appeared that they were in for one whale
of a storm.

Alex found Elise inside, staring at the
bouquet in her hands.

“
Nice catch,” he said as he
loosened his tie.

“
Alex, we’ve got to talk
about what happened.”

He said, “Hey, it’s just an old wives’ tale.
Nobody expects you to get married next.”

She said, “That’s not what I mean. We have
to talk about that kiss.”

Alex looked steadily at her. “Why? Why can’t
we just enjoy it?”

“
Alex, I was swept up in
the emotion of the moment. It was a mistake.”

“
How can you say that?”
Alex asked, fighting to keep his voice in control. “It didn’t feel
like a mistake to me.”

“
I’m not ready,” she said
softly. “I was engaged not that long ago.”

“
Elise, I’m not pushing
you. We can take our time, but you can’t deny there were sparks
between us.”

She said gently, “It was most likely the
champagne.”

He held her gaze. “I don’t believe that for
one second, and I don’t think you do either. It was us.”

“
Oh, Alex,” was all she
said before she rushed to her room.

So she’d thought their shared kiss was a
mistake. Normally Alex would have been shattered by the revelation,
by the rejection.

But this time it was different.

No matter how much she protested, Alex knew
that Elise had been as moved by the kiss as he’d been.

And hope sparked in his heart again.

Chapter 20

“
We’re looking for Grady
Hatch. Has he been out here?” Conner Shook asked as he burst into
the inn.

Alex was stunned to see Tracy following just
behind her ex-husband.

He said, “He’s sleeping one off in his
camper. What’s the emergency?”

Tracy said, “Let me handle this, Conner.
Alex, we need him to step in and take over this election. The board
is making a real mess of it.”

Conner added, “If Shantara would keep her
mouth shut and let them finish one count without butting in, we’d
have been done last night.”

“
She’s looking out for my
best interests, Conner. I’ve got the same complaint with Gladys
Rhine.”

“
Hey, she’s making sure you
don’t slip in the back door of the mayor’s office,” Conner
protested.

Alex said, “Listen, I don’t need to hear
this. Go talk to Grady.”

They both left, heading out for the motor
home where the mayor was about to get a rude awakening.