Page 50 of One Hot Daddy

"Sort of," I hedge."Except we're already matched, so they're more like...celebration planners?On steroids?"

Henry's eyes go wide."Are they famous?"

"No, sweetie, they're not celebrities," I assure him."They're very, very determined people who like to help couples, that's all.Some of them are very wealthy too.Oh, and Lord Sommerleigh is a viscount."

Charlotte gasps."Is that like the royal family?"

"No, Hugh isn't royal, though he is a member of the House of Lords," Fletcher explains."And they're not exactly famous in the traditional sense.Influential is a better word.My mate Dominic Rigby is a former cricket champion."

Henry grins."I love crickets!They make a really cool sound."

"Not that sort of cricket, Henry."I ruffle his hair."Dominic isn't an insect.He played the sport called cricket, though now he's retired."

I squeeze Fletcher's hand, and the tension in his fingers releases a touch."What your father means is that these people are known for helping couples celebrate their relationships in very...creative ways."

"They're party planners?"Josh asks skeptically.

"Much more than that," Fletcher says."They're more like a romantic SWAT team."

I almost choke on my coffee at his description."Fletcher!"

"What?It's true."He turns to the children with a sigh."Look, these people mean well, but they tend to go overboard.Very, very overboard.With everything."

Maybe I should feel anxious about everything he's told us, but instead, I can't wait to meet his friends.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Fletcher

What two mothers and four children can do in three days astounds me.Mum and Patty took over the wedding details, which mostly involved helping Jennifer find her dream gown.Amelia and Charlotte dived into dress shopping with gusto for their bridesmaid ensembles.While the ladies handled that portion of the big event, Dad and Bob assisted me in finding the right suit.Henry and Josh needed suits as well since they will be my junior groomsmen.

The big day has arrived at last.

Are those real butterflies flitting around in my belly?No, that's barmy.What a daft thing to suggest, even in my own mind.I wasn't nervous at all when I married Claudia, but I reckon that's because she wasn't the right woman for me.She gave me four wonderful children who, despite being a large handful, became my world.I would never abandon them the way Claudia had done, and I know Jennifer wouldn't do that either.

Now that I'm standing at the altar, I experience a touch of anxiety.But it's the good sort of butterflies.I glance around at my junior groomsmen.Josh keeps adjusting his bowtie while Henry behaves as if he has genuine ants in his pants.They both stand up straight, seeming almost regal in their suits.Henry hasn't done anything inappropriate, such as bringing his favorite worm into the chapel.I'm grateful for that.

My father and Bob are seated in the front row with Mum and Patty.Several of my employees from the hotel are here, looking smart.Jennifer's parents are here too.They flew in from Arkansas yesterday morning, looking both proud and slightly overwhelmed by the chaos that surrounds every Murgatroyd family gathering.Jennifer's mum keeps dabbing at her eyes with a lace handkerchief, while her father sits ramrod straight, clearly trying not to let his emotions show.

The chapel doors open.

Charlotte emerges first, looking as lovely as an angel in her pale pink bridesmaid dress.She's carrying a small bouquet with the solemnity of someone handling the Crown Jewels, though I catch her grinning at Henry.

Next comes Amelia, and my heart swells to see how poised and pretty my eldest daughter looks.I'm grateful to see her genuinely happy.I haven't seen that since before her mother left.She's wearing the same shade of pink as Charlotte but somehow manages to seem both elegant and age-appropriate at the same time.

The music swells just as Jennifer appears in the doorway.

My throat thickens, and I forget how to breathe properly.

She's beyond stunning.Her dress is simple but elegant---ivory silk that flows like water, with delicate lace sleeves that make her look like a princess from a fairy tale.But it's her smile that undoes me completely.She's gazing directly at me with so much love and joy that I get choked up.

Her father walks beside her, his arm linked through hers, but I can barely focus on anything except Jennifer's face.She glows with happiness, her green eyes sparkling with unshed tears of joy.

As they approach the altar, I catch a glimpse of Henry fidgeting beside me.He's trying to wave at Jennifer while maintaining his serious junior groomsman pose, and the sight makes me grin despite my nerves.When Jennifer reaches me, her father gives her hand a gentle squeeze before placing it in mine.

"You are..."The words catch in my throat."Absolutely breathtaking."

Jennifer's eyes crinkle at the corners as she smiles."You clean up rather nicely yourself, Mr.Murgatroyd."