Carl snickers, his churlishness grating my last nerve. “Still acting tough, huh? Don’t cry, Victoria. You’re marrying a pathetic loser without a job or a home, so at least you’ve got that going for you.”
Jade joins in, plastering herself to Carl’s side. “I bet the dump has openings. Why don’t you get married there? It’d be so fitting.”
Each one of my fingers curls tighter, the fist I’ve made begging me to let it punch the smirk off Carl’s face. But as they turn to leave, the wind picks up around us, fluttering the pages of the contract clenched in Jade’s bitchy hand.
Well, not exactly wind, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise quite yet.
Right on time, too. Not that I’m surprised, but impressive all the same.
The uniformly spaced, whomp
– whomp
– whomp of rotor blades fills the air. Trees rustle and sway, loose petals and wilted, dried-out leaves scattering across the pristine, manicured lawn.
Everybody cranes their necks, looking up at the sky.
A sleek helicopter approaches, solid black exterior creating an indomitable presence in the sky.
Jade and Carl stumble backward, shielding their heads. “What the hell?” Jade yells, strands of her hair whipping at her face.
Ever so casually, I snake an arm around Victoria’s waist and tuck her against my side. “See, babe. Here it comes-our solution. I told you we’d sort it out.”
Carl squints and speaks through the roar, a dumbstruck expression on his face, “Who the hell is showing up in a helicopter?”
Victoria
I think I’ve stared in shock more this past week than I ever have in my life.
One minute it’s disasters and assholes. The next, it’s dream scenarios and my very own Prince Charming coming to my defense.
The powerful gusts of the chopper blades send my curls off in random directions. I’m still sorting them out when Luis- of course it’s Luis-comes to a stop in front of Simon and me. He bows his head as if we’re royalty, and I struggle to make sense of what’s happening.
“Sir. Ma’am. My apologies for the delay.”
“I’m beginning to think there’s more to you than meets the eye,” I say, attempting to raise an eyebrow even though it never cooperates. “You rent Ferraris, run security details, and own a helicopter? Is there anything you don’t do?”
“Nope,” Luis says, giving me that same almost-smile from the hospital. If I’m not mistaken, we’re kinda-sorta becoming friends. At the very least, I know we both care a lot about Simon.
His answer has only left me with more questions, only I can’t sort one thought from the next because we just lost our wedding venue. All my energy is going toward trying not to freak out.
Mom showed me the alterations to grandma’s dress this morning. Mom wore it for her wedding to Dad as well, only making minor adjustments. For me, she’d retooled the bodice to be V-neck and sleeveless. The beadwork took hours, as did overlaying the vintage lace.
More than anything, I wanted to marry this man beside me while my mom and grandma watched on. While yes, I agreed to a holiday wedding to make them happy, I’ve always loved Christmas.
So, as impressive as Luis’s entrance is-seriously, it’s like he’s upping himself each time-it’s not going to land us a new wedding venue on Christmas Day.
At least his arrival halts the standoff between me and Simon and the two worst people in my life. It’s also rather satisfying, watching Jade’s snide smile disappear. Jealousy is not a good look on her, yet she wears it unceasingly.
Carl, ever a man of inaction, mutters something under his breath.
Simon remains infuriatingly composed, one thumb hooked in the pocket of his jeans, as if the cowpoke setting is rubbing off on him.
Meanwhile, Jade narrows her eyes, suspicion creeping into her expression. “What’s going on? Doesn’t that guy work at that luxury car dealership?”
Carl scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Again? What is it with you and these setups with paid actors? I get it. You’d rather make a scene than admit who you are. But it won’t change anything. This place is ours, even if your rich friend is here.”
Meanwhile, the hotel’s manager stands off to the side, rubbing his chin. Edward leans toward Carl and mutters, “Even if he’s a paid actor, that helicopter must have cost a pretty penny. He could’ve rented this place for six months with that kind of money.”
Jade bristles. “Nobody asked you.”
Jeez, she was rude. How did people keep agreeing to work with her? Was money truly all it took? When did the nice guys get to win?
I could really use a win.
Not for me, but for the sake of my family.
Simon turns to the manager, pivoting me along with him. “Edward, if you’ll hang on for a moment. I believe Luis has an announcement to make, then we’ll get this wedding business all sorted out.”
Luis clears his throat. With effortless confidence and an air of intimidation, he straightens to his full height and speaks in a booming voice. “This property has recently been purchased. The owners will honor the original agreement. Which means only Mr. Jones and Ms. Barron have the right to be wed here on Christmas Day.”
Jade aims her shrill disbelief at me. “What? That’s impossible. This is the Rose Hotel, not some local bar and nightclub. Who the hell could have swooped in and bought the entire property overnight?”
“There are a few billionaires out there who could make a deal happen,” Luis says, with a covert side-eye at Simon. Then he snaps his fingers. “Just like that.”
Edward’s phone rings, and Simon offhandedly tells him he should take it. As if we’re not in the middle of a hotel venue tug o’ war.
“Come again?” Edward’s bewilderment slackens his features. He also keeps lifting his clipboard like the news will magically show up there. “Did you say the CEO of a Fortune 500 company has purchased the entire hotel property?”
Victoria
I can’t be sure, but I swear relief flickers across Edward’s features. The corners of his mouth twitch, making me think that he’s on our side, despite having to honor the signed contract earlier. “Understood.”
Already Carl and Jade are preparing their tantrums.
“Damn it, how could this be true?” Carl asks Jade, as if he can’t comprehend that he won’t get away with his lies and shady tricks forever.
“Maybe it’s bad karma, stealing other people’s weddings,” I mutter.
Whether Luis is the new owner or not, he certainly acts like he is. He waves the hotel staff over. “Security! Get these two out of here. They’re no longer allowed on the property, end of story.”
Big surprise, Jade shrieks in outrage as two uniformed security guards step forward. She whirls on me, rage burning in her eyes. “I will not let this go?-“
“Ma’am, if you’ll come with me.” One of the guards places an unyielding hand on her shoulder. He increases the pressure as she tries to step out of his grasp, snagging her other arm as well, right above her elbow. “Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.