The Millionaire's Intriguing Offer

The Wedding

"Stop fidgeting or I'll never get this tiny button fastened," Mitsy complained, as Bailey stood in front of the full-length mirror and Mitsy secured the neckline of the ivory Pandora satin halter dress.

They'd steamrolled right over her objections - her mom and Mitsy - and she'd ended up in a wedding dress that cost more than Bailey thought a person ought to spend for a dress that would only be worn once. Let me do this one thing, Adelaide had insisted, as she and Mitsy had practically dragged Bailey into the Miami bridal boutique.

And now, looking at herself in the mirror on her wedding day, with Mitsy fussing over her and her mom sitting on a chaise sipping a glass of champagne with such a look of pure happiness on her face - Bailey was glad she'd given in. The tea length dress was simple in its lines, and classic in a way that reminded her of old movies starring Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. And it was perfect for the venue.

Bailey had been afraid at first that she'd have to deal with some fancy society wedding, but Jack had put his foot down. His mother, he'd reported to her, had been surprisingly cooperative, once she realized there was no talking Jack out of his decision to marry Bailey. Now that Catherine knew Bailey's real identity, Bailey imagined her soon to be mother-in-law had been secretly relieved that they were having a small, mostly private wedding. She probably didn't want to introduce her new daughter-in-law to the denizens of New York society any more than Bailey wanted to meet them.

"You are breathtaking," Adelaide said, her eyes moist, as Mitsy finally finished fussing over the neckline and Bailey turned to face her mom.

"To my best friend," Mitsy said, reaching for her own glass, "a beautiful bride and a beautiful day."

Bailey joined the toast with her own flute of sparkling apple juice, along with Camilla's younger sister Olivia. She'd opted not to have a formal wedding party with bridesmaids, but Mitsy has still organized the unofficial bridesmaids into an array of colorful sundresses, which she insisted was both chic and casual for an outdoor wedding. All except Vivienne, who claimed she "didn't do sundresses" and instead wore narrow silk pants topped with a flowing caftan.

Somehow all these women had ended up in the large bedroom turned bride's room, nibbling on miniature breakfast pastries and drinking champagne while Bailey's hair was styled and makeup applied and she prepared for what she knew would be the most amazing day of her life. The day when she and Jack made promises to love each other and spend the rest of their lives together. It still seemed almost like a dream.

Camilla was there, trying to sip champagne and at the same time keep an eye on her daughter Sophia, the pint-sized flower girl, who was practicing her role by scattering rose petals all over the room.

Tito's sister Maria, who had quickly become a close friend of Bailey's, was chatting with Jack's "not-cousin" Caylee who had gotten to know Mitsy, Camilla and Maria when she recently visited Miami for her "official" interview to join the law firm owned by Jack and his partners Sam and Ritchie.

All of them were sitting together and laughing like they'd been friends forever. About halfway through the preparations, while Bailey's hair was being styled and she was still in her robe, she'd realized who was missing and, to Mitsy's dismay, had jumped up and left the room, heading down the hallway.

Mitsy had yelled to get back in here because she didn't want Jonathon to see her before the wedding, but Bailey had laughed at the superstition and run down to the kitchen anyway, where she dragged a protesting Bridget O'Sullivan away from supervising the caterers and brought her back up to the bride's room. Mitsy pressed a glass of champagne into her hand and finally Bridget stopped protesting.

Bridget was now sitting near Adelaide, and Bailey saw her eyes tear up as well and knew her impulse had been exactly right. All of these women were now her family.