Sophia slipped up beside him. “I’m starting to fall in love with this family,” she told him. “When I flew here from Los Angeles for Emily’s wedding, I had no idea I’d be getting two for the price of one.”
“Much less a new man in your life?” Ethan asked.
A blush tinted her cheeks a shade of pink that couldn’t be manufactured. “Definitely a bonus,” she said, glancing toward Sam with an unmistakable sparkle in her eyes. “So, where do you stand on the whole romance thing? Will you and Samantha be next? Obviously Cora Jane is counting on that.”
“A worrisome situation,” Ethan said.
She laughed. “I imagine so. Cora Jane seems like the kind of woman who gets what she wants.”
“So do you,” he commented.
“Absolutely true, which is why I understand what you’re up against.”
In an attempt to deflect the conversation away from himself, Ethan asked, “Mind if I ask something personal?”
“Have I not just been butting into your life?” she asked, clearly amused by his hesitation. “And you don’t even need to ask. Yes, I find Sam fascinating. It’s been a long time since I met a man with substance and values and a great sense of humor.”
“Do you plan on sticking around?”
“For a while.”
“Until the novelty wears off?” he inquired, worried that Sam might be in way over his head. That might not be his problem, but it would be a concern for Samantha and her sisters.
“I’m not looking at it that way,” she chided. “When you get to be my age, you learn to seize the good things that come your way and treasure them for as long as they last.”
Ethan found himself in the uncomfortable position of defending happily-ever-after. “That sounds a little fatalistic. I thought good relationships were something you were supposed to nurture, that if you worked at it, they could last forever.”
She lifted a brow. “Voice of experience?”
He shook his head. “To the contrary, I’ve never believed in love-everlasting, at least until recently. Much to my own surprise, I find myself coming around.”
“It must be something about the Castles,” Sophia said. “After several divorces, I’m starting to think Sam could make a believer out of me, too.”
Again, her gaze sought out Sam Castle, who was leaning down to whisper something in Gabi’s ear. He glanced up, caught her eye and winked. To Ethan’s amusement, this polished, sophisticated woman suddenly looked as flustered as a schoolgirl.
“Go on over there,” he encouraged her.
“I don’t want to intrude,” she protested.
“Judging by that gleam in his eye, he won’t consider it an intrusion.”
He watched her walk across the room, every bit the confident, powerful woman they all thought her to be. He liked knowing that there was a hint of vulnerability just below the surface. He could relate. That’s how Samantha made him feel, too.
* * *
Samantha smiled as Judge Masters, an old family friend, performed the brief civil ceremony. Gabi and Wade looked as if they were unaware of another single soul in the room. The only time they glanced away from each other was when Daniella whimpered in Samantha’s arms.
“She’s fine,” Samantha reassured them, rocking the baby to quiet her.
The judge gave a nod of satisfaction. “In that case, Gabriella, do you take Wade to be your lawful wedded husband?”
“I do,” Gabi said, a smile on her lips.
“And, Wade, do you—”
“Oh, yes,” Wade said, jumping in.
The judge gave him a scolding look. “Hey, I don’t have that many lines. You could at least let me finish the ones I do have.”
“I knew where you were going,” Wade countered. “I was anxious to get there.”
Judge Masters chuckled. “In that case, let’s wrap this up. I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Daniella chose that moment to wave her little fist in the air and let out a full-throated cry. Wade immediately turned and reached for her.
“Is that you approving of me and your mom getting married?” he asked the baby, who immediately gurgled happily.
Gabi shook her head. “I swear that girl has him wrapped around her little finger.”
“Looks the other way around to me,” Samantha said. “It’s kind of wonderful to see how they’ve bonded. As far as Wade’s concerned, biology be damned. That little sweetheart is his.”
“It’s pretty amazing,” Gabi agreed. “We’re so lucky, me and Dani. We’ve got the perfect guy in our lives.”
Samantha hugged her sister. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Me, too,” Ethan said, joining them and slipping an arm around Samantha’s waist. “And I have to say there’s a lot to be said for this whole impromptu wedding thing. Much less stressful.”
“Don’t get any ideas,” Gabi warned. “This is what Wade and I wanted. Samantha has her own ideas.”
“Not the time,” Samantha protested as Ethan turned a little pale. She patted his hand. “It’s okay. This little run of Castle weddings has nothing to do with you and me.”
“You have to admit, they’re going to be hard acts to live up to,” he said.
Samantha shook her head. “No, they’re not. The whole extravaganza thing suited Emily. This simple ceremony was exactly right for Gabi.”
He regarded her with apparent interest, no hint of panic evident. “And for you? What’s your dream wedding?”
“Sunset on the beach,” she told him. “Maybe in Hawaii or the Caribbean.”
“Even here?” he asked. “I understand we have a fairly long stretch of ocean nearby. Couples come from all over to take advantage of the setting. Weddings are a big industry in this area.”
“True, but we did a location wedding in Hawaii once on a soap opera I was on. I got to go for the filming. My heart’s kind of set on a destination wedding.”
He nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Gabi’s eyes lit up. “Interesting. He said that without the slightest hint of hysteria in his voice. Could it be he’s resigned to his fate? Even eager?”
“Could we drop this, please?” Samantha said. No matter how calm Ethan seemed, she knew he was nowhere near ready for that kind of leap forward in their relationship.
