Montana Sky

dogging his heels, or picturing herself in a wedding dress.
    She stopped outside the door, pressed a hand to her fluttering stomach. As composed as possible, she strode inside and was met by the sight of Adele weeping and leaning on Louella’s arm as they came down the steps.
    “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Willa was braced to rush to the gun rack when Louella smiled.
    “Nothing’s wrong. Adele’s just having a mother-of-the-bride moment.”
    “She looked so beautiful, didn’t she, Louella? Like an angel. My baby.”
    “The most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. You and me, honey, we’re going to open a bottle of that bubbly early and drink to her.” She patted Adele as they walked. “Will, you go on up. Lily asked if you would when you came back.”
    “I should find Rob.”
    “Men just don’t get moments like this, Addy.” Louellasteered her toward the kitchen. “We’ll hunt him up after we’ve toasted the bride. A time or two. Get upstairs, Will. Lily’s waiting for you.”
    “All right.” But she had to shake her head a moment, baffled and amused by the bond that these two very different wives of Jack Mercy had forged.
    She was still shaking it when she opened the door to Lily’s temporary bedroom and was struck dumb.
    “Isn’t it great?” Tess bubbled over as she fussed with the veil. “Isn’t she fabulous?”
    “Oh, my—oh, Lily. You look like a fairy tale. Like a princess.”
    “I wanted the white gown.” Dazzled by herself, Lily turned in front of the cheval glass. The woman who beamed back at her was beautiful, draped in billowing skirts of white satin, nipped into a bodice romantic with lace and tiny gleaming pearls. “I know it’s my second marriage, but—”
    “No, it’s not.” Tess brushed a hand down the long, snug sleeves of the bridal gown. “It’s the only one that matters, so it’s your first.”
    “My first.” Lily smiled, touched her fingers to the veil that drifted over her shoulders. “I’m not even nervous. I was sure I would be, but I’m not.”
    “I’ve got something.” Nervous enough for all of them, Willa brought out the small velvet box she’d held behind her back. “You don’t have to use them. You’ve probably already got the old and new and all of that stuff taken care of. But when Tess told me there were pearls on your dress, I remembered these. They were my grandmother’s. Our grandmother’s,” she corrected, and held the box out.
    Lily could only sigh as she opened the lid. The pearls were fashioned into fragile eardrops with old-fashioned and lovely filigree settings. Without hesitation she removed the earrings she’d bought to match the dress and replaced them with the gift.
    “They’re so beautiful. They’re so perfect.”
    “They look good.” Made for the delicate, like Lily, she thought with a tangle of pride and envy. Not the sturdy like herself. “I figured she’d like you to have them. I didn’tknow her or anything, but . . . hell, I’m going to start leaking again.”
    “We all are, but I can fix that.” Tess stuffed a tissue into Willa’s hand. “I stole a bottle of champagne and hid it in the bathroom so Bess wouldn’t know. I’d say we deserve a glass.”
    Willa chuckled as Tess hurried into the adjoining bath. “Takes after her ma.”
    “Thank you, Willa.” Lily touched the drops at her ears. “Not just for these, for everything.”
    “Don’t start on me, Lily. I’m running out of fingers to plug the dam. I’ve got a reputation around here, and it’s not as a sniveler.” She heard the pop of the cork echo off the bathroom tile with great relief. “The men figure out I’m a soft touch, there’ll be no living with them.”
    “Here we go.” Tess brought in three flutes and a bottle foaming at the lip. “What’ll we drink to?” She poured generously, passed out glasses. “To true love and connubial bliss?”
    “No, first . . .” Lily lifted her glass. “To the ladies of Mercy.” She touched her glass to Willa’s, Tess’s. “We’ve come a long way in a short time.”
    “That I can drink to.” Tess lifted a brow. “Will?”
    “So can I.” Willa bumped the rim of her flute against Tess’s, grinned at the celebratory ring of crystal. Leave it to Hollywood to pick the best glasses.
    Smiling, Lily touched the glass to her lips. “But I can only take a sip. Alcohol isn’t good for the baby.”
    “Baby?” Tess and Will choked in unison.
    Savoring the moment,