Page 76 of Married at Midnight

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

At 9:55 a.m., Ellie hurried into the already crowded ballroom. She’d dressed in her favorite dove-gray sheath dress because it accentuated the silver-and-aquamarine necklace Viola had given her perfectly.

“Is everything all right?” Connor asked, his voice filled with concern. His eyes moved to her legs, and desire flared in the dark-green depths.

Ellie slipped into the seat beside him in the front row and sat back against the chair, grateful for the momentary respite. “I’m a little frazzled from running up and down the stairs, trying to make sure both the open house and the wedding are on schedule.” Connor had dressed in a tuxedo for the day. He looked every bit as handsome as she remembered from their wedding photos.

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You’ve done an excellent job with both, Ellie.”

Looking behind her, Ellie saw that Olivia and Max sat together, and Connor’s friend Trevor sat beside Jordan. The two had their heads close, talking as if they’d been friends forever. Ellie turned back to Connor. “Did you set Trevor and Jordan up?”

Connor shrugged. “I introduced them yesterday.”

Ellie leaned into Connor and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You’re the best.”

“I didn’t do anything. You’re the one who’s created all the magic in this house.”

The wedding had garnered the attention of the press and the public. The first row in the ballroom had been reserved for family. The next two were filled with journalists, TV crews, and photographers. All the other rows were filled with friends, neighbors, and curious Seattleites.

She smiled. “I admit, this is the fun part, after all the work is done, sitting back and watching it all happen.”

“Nothing’s going to happen without Viola.” Connor frowned. “Where is she?”

“You know your grandmother.” Ellie gave him a knowing look. “She’s milking the attention for all she can.”

He raised a brow.

“She’s at the front door in her bridal gown, greeting every visitor to the house as a guest to the wedding.”

“It’s almost ten,” Connor said, looking at his watch.

“Don’t worry. I doubt Viola has missed a cue in her whole life.”

Less than two minutes later, Ellie squeezed Connor’s hand. “Here she comes.”

A whisper rustled through the ballroom as first Lenny as Red Elvis, then George as White Elvis, and finally Ernie as Gold Elvis entered the room and took up their positions. George was the officiant, Lenny was the best man, and Ernie was the Elvis of honor, as he liked to call himself.

“She’s marrying Aaron,” Connor whispered in Ellie’s ear. “Did you know?”

Ellie shook her head. No one but Viola knew what was in her heart. “I’m sure Aaron’s very happy.”

“Are we going to have to deal with three broken hearts when this is over?”

Ellie’s gaze strayed to where all of Viola’s friends from her retirement center were seated. All six of them had had their hair done and had dressed in their finest holiday attire. They looked at the wedding party with intense interest. “I’d say Lenny, George, and Ernie are going to have to watch out or they’ll find themselves married before the end of the year.”

Lenny, George, and Ernie started singing “Nothing’s Going to Keep Me from You” as Viola walked down the aisle with a beaming Aaron on her arm. At the altar, Viola and Aaron joined in, entertaining the crowd as they must have in the past.

“That’s not an Elvis song,” Ellie said with a hint of amusement.

Connor laughed. “Lenny told me it was my grandmother’s signature song when they performed in Vegas years ago.”

“They’re amazing,” Ellie whispered.

“Viola always was full of surprises.”

When they were through, the audience was on its feet, clapping.

“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they got job offers to start a new act right here in Seattle from this,” Connor exclaimed.