Tito took center stage for all the photos. One of the men kept grabbing at Tito’s loincloth and the pseudo angel kept smacking his hand away. Libby giggled through it all, wondering how everything could be so perfect.
Then just as Noah predicted, a bright light shone from the hole in the ceiling and Tito rose back up into the air, his wing catching on the edge of the hole.
“Angelica! Lower me back down!”
Angelica kept pushing a button on the wall by the stereo system. “It’s stuck.”
Noah ushered the three women toward the exit, snagging Libby’s hand in his as they moved. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Tito!” Angelica cried out, hurrying toward the platform. “I’ll get the ladder, baby.”
“How’d you two get here?” Libby asked the grandmothers after they’d made it into the lobby.
“We took a taxi,” Nana Ruby said, covering her mouth as she yawned. “It’s waiting for us outside, and I think I need to get back and go to bed. I haven’t been up this late since Nixon was in the White House.”
Gram curled her upper lip. “That’s a crock of bullshit and you know it. You were up late on that cruise you went on last summer. The one with the used tire salesmen convention.”
Nana threw up her hands in exasperation. “That was one night—one night—and I was drunk, besides.” She leaned closer to Gram. “And when I told you last week, you said you’d carry it to your grave.”
“I haven’t given up anything, you old fool. You’ve given yourself up.”
“Never mind.” Nana released a huge groan. “Maude. It’s time for both of us to go back and go to bed.”
Gram didn’t look pleased. “I wanted to take Noah and Libby out for their wedding dinner. And wedding cake.”
“I suspect they have other things on their mind,” Nana said with a sly grin. “Especially after what Noah told us earlier.”
Libby swung her gaze up to her new husband. “What did you tell them?”
Noah gave the two women a small shove toward the front door. “Thanks for coming to the wedding and I’m sorry about the dinner reservation. Let’s try it again tomorrow night. Say around eight?”
They nodded as they hurried into their waiting taxi, Gram pausing to shout, “You kids have fun.”
Noah and Libby stood outside Little Heaven, still holding hands. She glanced up at him, surprised to see he was staring back at her with a look of amazement on his face.
“What?” she asked, feeling self-conscience.
He slowly pulled her into his arms. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”
A slow smile spread across her face as warmth filled her chest.
He kissed her, but this time it wasn’t full of fire and passion. It was soft and gentle, like a welcome home. Tears burned her eyes and she smiled up at him. “Let’s go back to the hotel, Noah.”
He nodded and was about to flag down a taxi when Paul, the cab driver who’d brought them there, pulled up to the curb.
He leaned across the front seat and looked up at them through the passenger window. “I figured you two would need a ride after you got hitched.”
“Thanks,” Noah said as he opened the back door for Libby. He gathered up her skirts and helped her into the car. Then he settled in beside her and took her hand.
“Where to?”
“Caesar’s Palace.”
“Sure thing.” Paul glanced at them in the rearview mirror as he started toward the hotel. “Did you get the big show?”
Noah laughed. “Yeah, I got the deluxe package.” He tilted his head with an amused gleam in his eyes. “You could have warned us.”
“And spoil the surprise? Nah . . . But I’m surprised Tito and Angelica didn’t see you off. Tito likes to walk couples to the curb, strumming his harp.”
Libby broke into giggles. “Tito was a little stuck when we left.”
“Tried to go back up in the ceiling, huh?” He shook his head in sympathy. “He hasn’t got that one perfected yet.”
Paul pulled up in front of the lobby and the parking attendant, Ned, greeted them and opened their door. “Did you go to Little Heaven?”
“We sure did,” Noah said as he helped Libby out of the back.
“It was a wedding you’ll never forget, am I right?” he asked.
“Not even when we’re old and senile.” Noah grinned and leaned over to pay the cab driver.
“Good luck!” Paul said, sliding over in his seat and poking his head out the passenger window. “Getting hitched is the easy part, staying hitched takes work. But I’ve been married to my Annie for nearly forty years and I wouldn’t trade a single day for all the money in the world.”
“Thank you,” Libby said, giving him a small wave.
“What room are you kids in?” Ned asked as a group of three women climbed into Paul’s cab. “We’ll send up a little congratulatory gift.”
Noah took Libby’s hand as he gave him the number.
Ned winked and sent them off with more good wishes.
They didn’t say a word as they walked into the hotel lobby, although Libby’s dress drew quite a bit of attention. She realized she was still holding the bouquet, so she lifted it and motioned as if to throw it. A group of women saw her and started squealing with excitement as they formed a group. Laughing, Libby turned her back to them and threw the flowers over her shoulder.