I followed her line of sight that way, but he came around the couch before I could make the full rotation.

  Griffin bent to my level, gathering me within his wingspan, and so thrown he’d made it, I couldn’t give a response.

  “But your session?” I asked him, finally finding my voice when he pulled away.

  He kissed my cheek, grinning at me. “Cancelled. This is more important.”

  Chewing my lip, I made room for his large body. And he was large, taking up the whole couch like he usually did. We’d had a few couple sessions now, pre-marriage counseling as they called it, and we had a laugh recently about the wording of that. The word “pre-marriage” counseling was funny since we’d already…

  “Okay,” Dr. Dow said, watching Griffin settle in and put his arm around me. “Now that he’s here, you can’t ignore the elephant in the room anymore, Roxie.”

  Griffin and I faced each other. Though he was probably unsure of what the good doctor referred to, I wasn’t exactly. I had caught her staring at my hand on several occasions during our talk today.

  To let Griffin in, she pointed to that hand now. It rested on Griffin’s leg, and even though she couldn’t see it as Griffin’s hand covered mine, she could definitely see his. He had a band of platinum there around his finger.

  It paired with the one he’d placed on my finger two weeks ago.

  I think Griffin and I both snorted at the same time, definitely caught, and Dr. Dow only shook her head.

  “So when did this happen?” she asked with a smile. “The press is under the belief you two rescheduled your nuptials.”

  Exactly what we wanted them to believe.

  With a laugh, Griffin raised his hand, giving me the floor.

  I guess I’d be the one to tell the story.

  “Everything is all set, my bride,” Troy said into my ear.

  Drawing in a deep breath, I flicked open the blinds, the people below seated in white, wooden folding chairs. Troy’s designs surrounded them, ivory and persimmon floral arrangements lining the aisle and leading up to the grand finale, a hand carved wedding arch. Pop had polished it, made it shine, and even though it was empty underneath for now it wouldn’t be long.

  I let go of the blinds’ slats, no idea why I was nervous. Only the people closest to Griffin and me were down there, a small event of no more than fifty. That’s what we wanted in the end.

  I smiled, bringing the Walky Talky up to my lips. “Everyone’s there?” I asked Troy. “All the press?”

  I told Troy the idea Griffin and I had to fool the press with bated breath. Troy and I had planned so hard for the wedding. We’d put a lot of hours in only for me to change everything on him like Griffin and myself had. But his reaction, I shouldn’t have been surprised by at all. He supported it fully. He supported it because he was a friend.

  “They’re in the skies above as we speak, a helicopter crew and all.”

  A helicopter crew? Wow, these folks were dedicated.

  “And the mock bride is coming down the beach now to join the mock groom at the alter surrounded by mock wedding guests,” Troy said, and I could hear the grin in his voice. “Too bad this is simply a photo shoot for my new line of wedding dresses.”

  Troy told me about the line and… damn, had it warmed my heart. It was a special line he’d created with my body type in mind.

  A plus size line.

  “I’m sure they’ll find out soon this isn’t the Chandler/ Peterson wedding,” he continued. “After all, the bride looks nothing like you.”

  He even let me pick the model too. A red head. Why not make it super obvious Griffin and I decided to get married elsewhere—on the other side of the country.

  As the date got closer and closer to Griffin’s and my destination wedding, reality became more and more apparent that a very important member of Griffin’s family wouldn’t be able to attend. Pop’s health still wasn’t one hundred percent, so Griffin’s Gram and Aunt Robin still didn’t feel comfortable with him doing a lot of moving. That meant traveling was out, and though disappointed, the whole thing almost seemed like fate. We didn’t have to cancel the wedding, move the date and time. We simply changed direction, made things different, our way, which suited Griffin and myself just fine. That’s why we chose Texas.

  We were getting married in Texas at his family’s ranch home.

  The only issue of course was the press. We didn’t want to give them fuel by suddenly changing the entire concept of the wedding. The stories of the reason why would spread like untamed fire, so Griffin and I decided to have some fun. We’d give them their wedding on the beach—we just wouldn’t be there.

  Troy came into the busy room, capturing the attention of my wedding team and me. Clare sat below me near my feet, her short dress fanned out on the wooden floor as she adjusted mine. Troy’s beauticians played with the batch of thick ringlets curled and placed over my shoulder, Gram and Aunt Robin nearby to make sure they did it right. Most of the Venomous Vixens were up here too, passing around mimosas in their own short dresses, waiting out the start of the event, but also on standby for me. Not that they’d be able to do much. Troy and his team had this thing down to a science.

  Troy pressed a finger to his headset, his feed to my walky. He had a cellphone in his hand, his viewfinder to the other side of the country. He’d been able to see the photo shoot in real time and gave me a play-by-play of the success. But now that the fake wedding was over, the real event began.

  And so came back my butterflies.

  Shit, this is really happening.

  Almost like Troy knew my thoughts, his lips lifted into a smile, for me I knew. He gazed around to the team. “Ready, everyone? Go time.”

  My attendants filed in line, his leaving the room. The remaining florist handed my girls gorgeous bouquets of wild flowers, our wedding colors throughout. It fit the theme of a country wedding. Clare kissed my cheek, squeezing my arm before taking her bouquet and stepping along with the rest of the party. They left, heels clicking down the stairwell, and little Sarah bounced along after them, Griffin’s sister-in-law Karen holding her hand. She also held Sarah’s orange flower petals in a white basket for now until Sarah was ready to throw them as flower girl.

  Troy himself pinned little orange flowers on Gram, my own Grandma Lillian next. We’d flown her down of course for the wedding too.

  “Grandparents will be escorted by Colton, Griffin’s brother, to their seats at the top of the ceremony,” Troy said to them.

  “And?”

  He set his grin on Aunt Robin. Pulling a single flower from his pocket, he gave it to her. “And of course yourself, Ms. Robin. You head down now and Colton will take you to your seat.”

  Always the star of her own show, she headed to the door, but not before giving me a large hug.

  “You’re the bell of the ball, darlin’,” she whispered, pulling away. She had tears in her eyes.

  Damn, I can’t handle today.

  She squeezed my hand. “We’re happy to have you in our family.”

  If that didn’t get me…

  She left before she could see any tears, taking Gram and my grandma with her. But not before, they themselves gave their own hugs and words of love. They varied from how pretty I looked to how much they loved me. I wasn’t much of a crier, but today would definitely be putting me through the ringer. I could already tell.

  Holding my waist, I let out a breath, getting myself together. I couldn’t cry or Troy’s people would have to fix me up.

  Troy waited it out, giving me time. Just him and me in the room now, he presented a shawl I didn’t realize he had. He lifted it, presenting it for me, but I raised my hand.

  “I think it looks better without it,” I told him, and honestly, truly felt that way. I’d come a long way with my counseling sessions. I still had a ways to go, but I had nothing but hope for the future. And the dress? Let’s just say, the major alterations didn’t really need to be done after all. The gown hugged my curves just fine today. They were curves I felt only comfortable with.

  Troy lowered the shawl, smiling. “I agree,” he said, folding it up and placing it to the side. Once gone, he adjusted the special belt he’d chosen for me, this dress. The green really did look nice, complemented the lacy dress that hugged my hips before flailing to rest on the floor. A mermaid style, I wouldn’t wear anything else for my now country-style wedding. Troy had changed elements of our previous wedding ideas due to the new locations, yes, but at the heart, the original concept remained true. This wedding was me and this wedding was Griffin.

  This wedding was us.

  Troy placed his hands at his waist, taking me in. “Your new aunt is right you know. The bell of the ball.”

  My cheeks warm, I pushed my wavy bang back. I really did feel that way, special. From a box of white tissue paper, Troy pulled my bouquet, the final element made up of Gerbera daises of persimmon and ivory.

  “Thank you,” he said, handing it to me, and I laughed, shaking my head. Why was he thanking me when he handed me flowers?

  “For what?” I asked him.

  He lifted his hand, sweeping the room. “For still trusting me with this despite all the trouble a member associated with my firm gave you. Despite Stasha.”

  That had all come out when I spoke to him about changing all the wedding plans. It was a needed discussion, and of course, he’d never been so remorseful.

  “And I know you said this was all water under the bridge,” he said, referring to something I had said when the situation with her had been brought to his attention. “But I want you to know she has been let go. I have a low tolerance for prejudice of any kind, bigotry. Perhaps, she’ll learn when any place she decides to work for calls my firm for a reference. I can and only will be honest about her practices. Brides come in all shapes and sizes in this industry, and they’re nothing but beautiful in those very differences.”

  She had affected me with her beliefs, what she did, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that. But I was in a place of forgiveness as grudges only fueled the ones causing the hurt. The fact of the matter was many wouldn’t agree with my relationship with Griffin. To them, we were so different. But to us? We were very much the same.

  Troy touched my cheek. “Ready?”

  I nodded, and then let him lead the way.

  He brought me down a stairwell that presented me to many faces, my party, members of Griffin’s family and mine, but stopped me in front of one very special man.

  Griffin’s pop stood dapper in his crisp grey suit. He’d been told he could dress a bit more casual like Griffin and his groomsmen, but he didn’t want that. And when it came to him, it was best one listened. He deserved nothing less.

  Troy handed me off to him, his arm raised to walk me down the aisle. The choice for me to have him do so wasn’t a choice at all. He looked out for me. He looked out for me at a time when I wouldn’t even look out for myself and that wasn’t lost on me. It brought me amusement that I ever questioned his disapproval of me. Not only did he approve, he cared.

  He’d been resistant of the duty at first, feeling he couldn’t take the honor, but eventually, I talked him down. He’d accepted because I told him it would mean a lot to me.

  He couldn’t refuse after that.

  I slipped my arm around his now, adjusting my bouquet in my other hand and Troy clapped his hands once. “All right, my friends. It’s time.”

  He guided everyone outside, toward the back of the house were this thing would get going. Clare arranged my train and then got in front of me, the last to come down with myself, Griffin’s pop, and…

  My dad faced me with a smile on my left, guided in from the kitchen by Troy. I’d been told he had a snag on his suit that needed mending, which was why he was a little late. He wore gray as well, a bit darker than Griffin’s dad though.

  I smiled at him. “Thanks for sharing this with Griffin’s pop.”

  Honestly, I’d been nervous about what he’d say about that. My dad and I still had so much to work to do on our relationship, but this arrangement only seemed right.

  Leaning in, he kissed my cheek. “Of course, sweet pea. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this at all.”

  We really had come a long way.

  He switched sides with Griffin’s dad, him standing in until my dad arrived. Griffin’s pop went to my left this time and a smile touched his eyes, ever so subtle and modest like him, but it was there.

  “You look real pretty,” he said to me, sounding so much like Griffin when he said it, accent and all. “And thank you.”

  He didn’t have to say for what. Yes, we moved the wedding for him, and yes, I asked him to walk me down the aisle with my dad. But he didn’t need to thank anyone for that. Again, it all felt right this way.

  Pop took position and the only person left in the house were my escorts, Clare and Troy. Clare stepped out, her bouquet at attention, and Troy pressed a finger to his headset.

  “Tell Prince Charming to get ready,” he said, watching me take my first steps to the door. “Cinderella is leaving the palace.”

  Everything blurred after that. And really, that’s what they say, don’t they? They say the emotions overload, everything firing off at the same time and making it hard to focus on one particular thing. You forget all the hard planning, the beautiful decor and individual elements that went into the wedding. You forget all the people there, the ones that travelled so far, miles and miles like those of Griffin’s friends from college, his team, and even mine from Miami. They’d come too. You forget the music, the glitz and glamour of a beautiful day. And I had to admit, I did forget most of those things, or maybe it was just that I didn’t focus on them. I guess I couldn’t. I was too distracted.

  My gaze fastened to things like his eyes, so blue even from yards away as I made steps toward him under our arch, the one his dad made for us. I focused on things like the slight flush on his cheeks and the breath he let out as he waited patiently for me to come to him. He always did wait for me, didn’t he? And I got lost in things like the way he held my hand, brushing his thumb against my skin through the entire sermon read to us. He watched the officiant, waiting to give his vows, but I watched him. Again, so distracted. He looked so handsome, blond hair slicked back and in his linen pants and dress shirt. Beach wedding meets county rustic; that was us all right.

  He couldn’t get rid of that flush throughout the ceremony, his nerves getting the better of him and that made me love him more. He was human.

  He was mine.

  I remembered him saying, “I do.” I remembered him kissing me, touching my cheek and guiding me in, and I remembered, our reception, our first dance. He had me step on his feet since he was so tall. Things like that? Things like that I definitely remembered. They stood out. They were special.

  I’d watch the videography for the rest.

  I had been exhausted after it was all said and done, tired, but still I had enough energy to pester him. He did his secretive thing he’s done before, quiet about where we were going for our first night together as husband and wife. After we changed into more casual, post-wedding clothing, he wouldn’t tell me in the limo as we drove away from his family’s home.

  Into the night, we departed from the beauty of candlelight and mason jars. The reception had been in a barn that brought us together once before.

  Griffin stayed tightlipped even to the airport and in the jet he had taking us through the dark clouds of evening. We hadn’t been in the air long. Or maybe it just didn’t feel like we’d been in it long. His arm around me, I stayed snuggled up under it for the entire flight, playing with his wedding ring as he had his hand rested on my lap.

  I think it was the tiny Mercedes that gave it away though, the silver one. That and the sudden change of climate, the palm trees, I think I knew exactly where we were going.

  The fountain had been turned on when we pulled up to the house, lights in the pool of water underneath it, and outdoor sconces lit up home, the boxes of flowers underneath.

  Griffin opened the door to the white-painted house with a terra cotta roof, and then picked me up, overnight bag in his arms and all. He brought me across the threshold and I lost my breath at the sight, the interior of the house, our home.

  It had been decorated, paintings on the walls and chandelier above lighting our way. Griffin carried me in underneath it and I saw it all, beautiful leather furniture in the living room and roaring fire already started for us. He somehow had gotten the entire place furnished and all under my nose. We’d discussed some options in the previous weeks and he implemented most if not all of them.

  He carried me into the living room and placed me down by that warmth of the fire. The light brought out the natural hue of his eyes.

  His hands in mine, he squeezed them. “You can change it of course,” he said, tipping his head to the room. “Anything. I just thought it was important we come here.”

  I doubt I would change anything about what he’d done. In fact, I would only add to it possibly. He did a great job.

  Popping up on my toes, I pressed my lips to his. “I love it.”

  A quant smile touch his lips, his mouth warming mine. “I’m glad you like it.”

  And though I did, so much, I wondered why he said what he had, about us coming here. But then he pulled away, placing his hands to my cheeks. He touched my forehead to his.

  “Our first memories here didn’t start off so perfect,” he said, almost like he was in my head. His brushed my nose with his, his breath on my lips. “But let’s start new ones. Fresh ones. Here tonight.”

  God, this man of mine. This husband of mine.

  Drawing away, he took my hand, leading me down the hall to a room. It was a room he had filled with more candlelight and soft music. Our bedroom had been decorated too, a huge circle bed with a semi-circle window behind it. It would be there to let the day in. On the crushed velvet bedding, he had rose petals lining the surface.

  Grinning, I gazed away from the set up. “Someone tried hard.”

  Going modest, he placed a hand behind his neck, shaking that blond head. “Yeah. I just wanted it all to be special for you. Tonight.”