Janice Thompson - It Had to Be You

Weddings BY Bella

BOOK THREE

IT HAD to BE YOU

A N OVEL

Janice Thompson

2010 by Janice Thompson

Published by Revell

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

[http://www.revellbooks.com] www.revellbooks.com

E-book edition created 2010

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-1204-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Published in association with MacGregor Literary Agency.

To Emilio. Mama mia! Youve been a wonderful addition to the family. Also, to Brenda White, Don Pope, and the other illustrious members of the swing band at my daughters surprise birthday party. And to my four girls, who boogie-woogied the night away along with their friends. Swings the thing!

Those from Italy send you their greetings.

Hebrews 13:24

Contents

If Aunt Rosa and Uncle Lazarro hadnt wasted sixteen years bickering over who was the better singerFrank Sinatra or Dean Martinthey probably would have ended up married years ago and I would never have found myself trying to factor a mob boss into the wedding party. Still, Ive learned not to question Gods timing, particularly in matters of the heart. So what if the sixtysomething lovebirds waited until their golden years to confess their undying love for each other? The blissful couple still had plenty of days ahead to make up for lost time. And I made it my goal to give them the best possible chance at happiness by coordinating a wedding they wouldnt soon forget, even if it did include a few questionable characters from their past.

Laz and Rosas desire for a forties-themed reception came as no surprise. They were both born during the swing era, after all. But their plan to transform our familys Galveston Island wedding facility into a big band wonderland would take some work and lots of it. With only six weeks till the mid-December extravaganza, I had my hands full. Hiring a band, designing the room, helping Rosa pick out her gown and forties-themed bridesmaids dresses. Whew! And all while planning my own wedding to D.J. Neeley, the hunkiest cowboy on the island. How could I possibly handle it all?

Ah yes, with the Lords help. He alone would see me through this. And I might even have a little fun along the way.

I met with the happy couple on a Tuesday afternoon in late October to talk things through. We didnt have to go far to meet. After all, our family-run wedding facility was just next door to the Rossi home on Broadway, near the heart of the island.

Rosa, my mothers older sister, grinned like a Cheshire cat as she settled into her seat on the opposite side of my desk. Rosa had never been the sort to pay much attention to her hair or makeup, and her simple dresseswhich were usually hidden behind a tomato-stained apronwerent exactly couture. The sagging knee-highs were a bit of a distraction at times, as were the orthopedic shoes. Oh, but as she sat across from me now, a blushing bride-to-be, the joy of the Lord radiated from her smile and her eyes. In that moment I thought her the most beautiful bride Id ever seen. I could hardly wait to see her walk down the aisle in her white wedding gown.

My gaze shifted to Lazarro, my fathers older brother. Laz had always been the cocky, sophisticated sort with a somewhat brusque demeanor. These days, however, he was a changed man, a happier version of his old self. Thats what love would do to you. This I knew from firsthand experience, having finally met the man of my dreams. Like Uncle Laz, I had been transformed.

Rosa glanced at the clock on the wall, her eyes narrowing. We cant stay long, Bella. Laz and I have already started dinner. Well need to get back to the house by 5:30.

No problem. Ill have you out of here in plenty of time. I leaned back in my chair, my gaze shifting between my aunt and uncle. So, lets start with you. Whats up? You two said you had something special to tell me. Im dying to know.

Bella, the most wonderful thing has happened. Rosa looked at Uncle Lazarro, then back at me. She clasped her hands together and grinned. Laz has found the perfect swing band for our reception.

Oh? This news surprised me, particularly in light of the fact that Id been looking for a band for over a week now and hadnt been able to locate one yet. Apparently, there was a run on swing bands during the Christmas season. Most were booked well into the New Year. How my uncle had accomplished this feat was nothing short of a miracle.

Laz leaned forward, and I could read the excitement in his eyes. These guys are based out of Houston. Theyre called Band of Gold. Want to guess why?

Um, they have matching gold jackets?

Nope.

Gold teeth? I tried.

No. Laz laughed. Ill put you out of your misery. Theyre all in their golden years. The youngest guy in the group is sixty-seven. The oldest is eighty-four.

Whoa. I swallowed hard, curious as to how this would work. Laz, have you heard their music? How do you know theyre any good?

I went to their website this morning, he said with a wave of his hand. Heard samples of their stuff. Theyre amazing. And they know all of the best swing musicGlenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Kay Kyser, Count Basie, Paul Whiteman, Artie Shaw. He went off on a tangent, listing bands Id never even heard of. Apparently Band of Gold knew them all and played their tunes to perfection, at least according to Laz.

They even feature a few Rosemary Clooney songs, Rosa threw in when Laz paused for breath. You know how much I love her music. She began to list Rosemarys top ten songs, her eyes wide with excitement. Then she began to sing Come On-a My House in perfect pitch. Hmm. Maybe we could get Rosa to sing a number at her own reception. Something to think about.

My aunt finally stopped singing and flashed a girlish smile. Great music sets the tone for a wonderful event, and we want the best. As she began to explain her passion for music, her language shifted to Italian. I had to smile. She often did this when excited, though she rarely realized it.

Well, speaking of the best music around, what about Sinatra and Dino? I asked the question hesitantly, predicting the answer before it was spoken. For years, Rosa had listened to nothing but Ol Blue Eyes. And my uncles addiction to Dean Martin had spilled over to his restaurant, Parma Johns, where the daily pizza specials were named after some of Dinos most famous songs. The Mambo Italiano was still my favorite, but the Simpatico came in a close second. Just thinking about that pepperoni made my mouth water, even now.

Rosa shook her head at my question. Weve declared a truce.

And in honor of that truce, there will be no Dean Martin tunes played at our wedding, Laz said with a nod. Ive had my fill of him.

Or Frank Sinatra tunes, Rosa was quick to add. Im sick to death of Ol Blue Eyes, if you want the truth of it.

Gotcha. I knew theyd put their quarreling to rest, but secretly hoped theyd work in at least a few Sinatra/Martin tunes. The rest of the Rossi clan still loved the dynamic duo, even if Rosa and Laz had given up on them. Well, tell me more about your new band, and Ill get them booked right away. Reaching for a pen and paper, I scribbled down the information Uncle Laz gave. Turned out the bandleader was a fellow named Gordy. I made a mental note to call him as soon as our little meeting ended.