Chapter 21

21

Mira

"You ready?" Gio looks at me closely.

I tighten my grip around the bouquet, Rachel—the wedding planner—thrust into my fingers.

"I hope you don’t mind that we worked with your soon-to-be grandfather to pull this wedding together overnight?" Summer asks softly.

My friends are standing with me in the guest room we took over. After G-Pa’s announcement, things were out of my hands. Karma whisked me here, with my friends in tow. I was helped out of my clothes and into the gown that Karma had chosen and altered to fit my measurements, so it was ready for me in less than twenty-four hours.

"The only other time I had to stitch a wedding dress faster than this was my own," she murmurs.

I shoot her a sideways glance. "You stitched your wedding gown overnight?"

She laughs. "Let’s just say, I was not a willing bride."

"And Michael, he?—"

"Kidnapped me and forced me to marry him, yes."

I blink. "But the two of you are?—"

"So happy? Yeah." She rubs her massive belly. I swear, the woman seems about ready to pop. She winces, and Summer touches her shoulder.

"You okay, sis?"

"Of course." She waves a hand in the air. "Baby’s kicking, is all."

"And everything else is fine? Your heart?—"

"It’s all good," she insists.

I heard about Karma’s heart condition and how being pregnant put her in the life-threatening zone. But Karma was adamant about carrying another child.

"At least, sit down." Gio drags a seat over and Karma sinks into it.

"Thanks, that's much better." She places her hands on her belly and surveys my mermaid dress. "If I’d had more time, I’d have designed you a more spectacular one. But given the urgency I had to go over the dresses I had in stock and choose one and alter it to your measurements."

"This is perfect." I turn around, glance over my shoulder and take in how the neckline dips down almost all the way to the crack of my butt. "Is it too sexy?"

"Nope," Gio says with conviction.

"The long sleeves down to your wrists and the modest neckline that only hints at your cleavage make the entire effect even more startling." Summer nods.

"And sexy." Gio’s eyes gleam. "Priest is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you."

"I doubt he’ll even notice," I murmur. I rub my fingers lightly down the silky fabric. I mentioned to Karma that I’d always wanted an unusual wedding dress. To consider it my last stand at being independent. I wanted to break from what's customary and have a dress in a shade of purple for my wedding. She’d used that as a guide and while the dress looks different from a normal wedding dress, her genius is such that the pale lavender color is both demure and sexy, at the same time.

"Oh, he’ll notice all right." Summer laughs.

"You do realize, he couldn’t take his gaze off of you earlier," Karma says slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"He went all protective when Arthur announced the wedding was today. If I’m not mistaken, he was upset on your behalf."

I don’t comment. I sensed the same, but my thoughts were all over the place, so I wasn't sure.

"Arthur swore us to secrecy. I was tempted to break it, but the man has so much power and connections—" Gio shakes her head. "I should have told you what he was planning."

"I don’t think it’s advisable to go up against a man like Arthur," I say slowly.

"But it’s your wedding, your life, Mira." Gio takes my hand in hers. "If you don’t want to go through with it, say the word, and we’ll get you out of here."

"We’re on your side," Summer says softly, but there’s a hint of steel in her tone.

"Only you know what’s right for you." Karma rubs her belly. "No one knows what’s happening in a relationship except for the people involved, so if this isn’t what you want?—"

"I do." I draw in a sharp breath. "I know it seems strange. But I believe Edward has—feelings for me—" It’s half true. He’s not impervious to my presence, as he’s demonstrated, but he’s good at hiding behind that wall he’s built around himself. "I know he’s not very demonstrative?—"

"That’s putting it kindly." Gio snorts.

I half smile. "But if it weren’t Edward, my father would want me to marry someone else."

"You did mention arranged marriages are a norm in your family," Summer says slowly.

Gio stiffens. "Are you marrying him because you love him or because you think he’s a better option than someone else your father would choose for you?"

"A little bit of both, I don’t know. I mean, my father did choose him." I touch the petals of the flowers in my bouquet. "I think Edward will make a good husband. He’s not very demonstrative, but I don't think he’s the kind of man who’d knowingly hurt me."

"You sure?" Summer touches my arm. "The offer stands… If you want to call off the wedding?—"

"—we’ll march right out and tell Arthur." Karma nods.

"He doesn’t scare us," Gio says with a fierce look in her eyes.

I sniff. "You girls are the best friends ever. I appreciate the offer. Truly. But I want to get married."

There’s a knock on the door and Rachel the wedding planner, pops her head in. "Are you ready?"

I stand at the threshold of the library. Earlier, I got a glimpse of the skylight, the stained glass windows set high up in the walls, the floor-to-ceiling books, and the massive fireplace on the far side, before G-Pa’s announcement scattered my thoughts. As venues go, this is exactly the space I’d have chosen to have my wedding. And my wedding dress could not be more perfect. It's only the bride-groom I’m not sure about.

"Love you, babe." Summer kisses the air next to my cheek—so she doesn’t smudge my make-up, which she applied earlier— then pushes the door open and steps onto the aisle lined with the candles on either side. I draw in a breath. With the other lights in the room dimmed, and flower placements which were set up in the short time I was away, the space seems magical.

"You look incredible. Ed is a lucky man." Karma squeezes my shoulder, then follows her.

We agreed they’d be my bridesmaids. I'm so lucky to have my friends with me.

"You sure you don’t want me to escort you down the aisle?" Gio scans my features with her all-seeing eyes.

"Actually, I was hoping you’d give me that privilege." G-Pa steps up on my other side.

Gio looks from me to him, and her forehead furrows. "I’m not sure?—"

"I know, it’s a little unusual, I’m from the groom’s side, after all, but if you’d indulge an old man a little more, it would be my honor." G-Pa’s features are serious. There’s a plea in his eyes that goes straight to my heart. This man is responsible for my sudden change in status, from a single woman, to an engaged woman, to a soon-to-be married woman, not to mention, it’s because of him that my year of freedom is being cut short. So, why is it, I can’t seem to hold a grudge against him?

"Mira?" Gio frowns.

I clear my throat, then tilt up my chin. "I think I would very much like that G-Pa."

"You sure?" Gio touches my arm. "I can accompany you on your other side."

I half smile. "I’ll be fine, I promise."

"You sure?" She looks toward the aisle. I follow her glance and spot Rick waiting for her.

"I’m sure." I give her a big, genuine smile. "Go on, your husband is waiting."

She leans in and air kisses me near my cheek. Then, with a last scowl at G-Pa, she leaves.

"Your friends are protective." G-Pa holds out his arm, and I hook mine through it.

"So are you," I murmur.

He pats my hand. "If I could've, I’d have given you more time to prepare for the wedding. But it seemed fortuitous that all of my grandsons agreed to be here under my roof at the same time. I wasn’t sure if or when that would happen again. I didn’t want to let the occasion go to waste. Also, I want to see Edward married." He looks between my eyes. "Do you understand?"

"I do." I swallow. "I can tell you love Edward very much."

His features soften. "I see a lot of myself in him. Of all my grandsons, he’s the one who’s had it the roughest."

I take in the troubled expression on his face and realize he knows about the incident. I could ask him about it, but that doesn’t seem right. No, I need to wait for Edward to tell me, when he’s ready. And he will be. He has to be.

"You want him to be happy."

"I know he’ll be happy." He squares his shoulders. "Shall we?"