It Happened One Wedding by Julie James

watching must have ended. He shut off the television and stood up from the couch. “What time is lunch?” he called over.
    “Now,” Kathleen said.
    “That’s the best time,” he said.
    Vaughn was dispatched to alert Simon and Isabelle that lunch was ready, and within moments they were all seated around the knotted pine farm table. There was a bounty of food on the table: freshly baked soda bread, salad, and the main course, shepherd’s pie. Kathleen led them in saying grace, and Sidney and Isabelle shot each other we’re-such-heathens looks as they bowed their heads, not having done this in years. After a chorus of amens, Vaughn and the other Robertses all made the sign of the cross, and then everyone heartily reached for whatever dish was closest.
    “Oh! I almost forgot.” Kathleen momentarily left the table and came back with a bottle of wine. “Since this is a special occasion, our first time meeting our future daughter-in-law, I thought we should celebrate.” She handed the bottle to Vaughn, along with a corkscrew. “I can never work those things.” She turned back to the rest of the table, explaining. “One of Adam’s clients gave him this bottle years ago. We’ve been saving it for the right moment.”
    “Rich family, big house just outside of Milwaukee,” Adam added. “They wanted two walls of built-in bookshelves in their living room, and they asked me to do it in two weeks, before some big family party they were having. We got the job done in twelve days,” he said proudly. He gestured to the bottle. “I don’t know much about wine, but they said this is a good one.”
    “I think it’s time we found out.” Kathleen took the open bottle Vaughn set in front of her and poured each of them a glass. She then raised her glass in toast.
    Next to Sidney, Isabelle shot her a silent plea.
Help
.
    Sidney gave her a reassuring look that said she would take care of it
.
    “There’s an Irish blessing that I think fits well here,” Kathleen said. “May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.”
    After a round of “Cheers,” Sidney took a sip of her wine. She waited as Isabelle faked a sip, then deliberately set her glass on the table right next to her sister’s.
    Isabelle glanced over and smiled, catching on. The Robertses’ bringing out a special bottle of wine for a toast—that Isabelle obviously couldn’t drink—was a small hiccup in the let’s-pretend-nobody’s-pregnant plan, but nothing that couldn’t be resolved with a few stealth maneuvers. Sidney simply would drink a little of Isabelle’s wine when nobody was looking.
    People passed food every which way, and Sidney paused at the delicious aromas coming from the shepherd’s pie, the hearty layers of mashed potatoes, sautéed lamb, carrots, peas, and onions. “This smells incredible, Kathleen.”
    “It’s the boys’ favorite,” she said. “Isabelle, I’ll have to give you the recipe.”
    “I’d like that. Thank you.”
    Sidney peeked over, expecting to see a big grin on her sister’s face. After all, this was exactly what Isabelle had been hoping for—to bond with Kathleen this weekend.
    But instead, she looked pale while staring at the shepherd’s pie on her plate.
    Isabelle exhaled slowly, speaking under her breath. “Oh, boy.”
    Sidney’s hand froze. She knew that
Oh, boy
.
    Seriously, they couldn’t take the pregnant lady anywhere.

Nine
    VAUGHN HAD TO give the Three Amigos credit: they worked well under pressure.
    Next to him, Simon “stole” the last bite of Isabelle’s shepherd’s pie off her plate.
    “Simon,” she pretended to protest.
    “Sorry,” he said with an impish grin, gesturing to the empty casserole dish. “There’s no more left, and I’ve waited months for that pie.”
    “Now how could I begrudge you that?” They smiled at each other, all schmoopey-like.
    It took all of Vaughn’s undercover skills to keep from rolling his eyes
.
    This performance had been going