“Luther, isn’t she the most beautiful bride you’ve ever seen?” Emerald proclaimed proudly, dabbing at her eyes with her lace-edged linen handkerchief.
“Miss Garnier does make a striking bride,” her personal assistant concluded in his usually stoic manner.
Emerald surveyed the gathering. Nearly everyone in the room was a member of her family—a family she’d taken great lengths and spared no expense in finding. And one that she was extremely proud of.
As her gaze settled on Jake, she frowned. He seemed to be more like his father than any of her other grandsons and was, without question, the one she worried about the most.
But unlike her irresponsible son, Jake was complex and felt more than he wanted people to believe. And unless she missed her guess, he had been more deeply hurt than any of the others by their father’s abandonment.
She sighed. Only time would tell if his devil-may-care attitude was nothing more than a smoke screen to hide his true, caring nature. And once he moved to Kentucky, taking charge of the enterprise given him as part of his legacy, the clock would start ticking.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the judge declared, drawing Emerald’s attention back to her now-married granddaughter and her handsome new husband.
“Well, Luther, we’ve been successful in setting things right once more,” she asserted, smiling.
“Yes, madam, it’s worked out just as you planned,” he agreed.
“Is everything in place for Jake’s move to Louisville?” she asked, rising from her seat.
Luther gave her a stiff nod. “The documents have been signed for him to take immediate possession of the Hickory Hills Horse Farm the first of next month.”
“Excellent.”
Emerald smiled contentedly as she and her assistant walked over to congratulate the lovely couple. She and Luther made a good team and had successfully helped five of her six grandchildren find true happiness.
Kissing the bride and groom and wishing them a long and happy life, Emerald placed her hand in Luther’s folded arm as they walked toward the buffet table on the far side of the room. “Well, Luther, that’s another one down. And only one more to go.”