“Whatever you need us to do,” Simon says without missing a beat. He reaches for the syrup and pours a generous amount over his steaming stack of pancakes.
Minding the sticky drizzle on the spout, I cover my pancakes with a generous glug and then glance at my mom. “Are you sure you don’t need us to take Grandma? I know it’s a lot to balance.”
She waves off my offer and my concern. “I’d rather you two go see the venue for yourselves. They recently remodeled, and the grounds are even more spectacular around Christmas. The both of us just want to see you happy and wedded. Simon obviously loves you, and that’s the best gift of all.”
Simon smirks as he takes a bite, chewing before adding, “I’m the best gift of all, did you hear that?”
“Somebody’s getting cocky,” I whisper, nudging him playfully before taking a giant bite from my own stack of pancakes.
We gawk at each other as we chew, as syrupy sweet as the pancakes with our over-the-top ogling and grinning. I’m too happy to care. Our wedding is no longer some abstract, means-to-an-ends plan.
A flurry of emotions float through my tummy-excitement, jumbled nerves, and a tiny flutter of disbelief. This hopelessly charming, infuriatingly handsome, my-type-of-ridiculous man was about to be my husband.
We eat quickly, the clink of forks against plates mixing with the refilling of coffee mags. My mother moves around the kitchen with ease, tidying up, humming under her breath. I offer my help, but she tells me to focus on eating and getting to the Rose Hotel ASAP.
As I push my empty plate aside, I look at her again. “Are you positive you’ve got it covered?”
She bends over my chair and gives my cheek a quick peck. “Yes, now shoo, baby girl, before I ask your groom-to-be to carry you.”
Simon chuckles as he stands and stretches. He eyes me like he’s planning to toss me over his shoulder and carry me on out of here, a mischievous, suggestive gleam in his eye. “Well, when you put it that way, I not only volunteer, I’m voting for that option.”
My mom eats it up, giggling and shrugging as if she’s not still playing puppet master.
Simon offers his hand, and I take it. Truth be told, I’m not as opposed to being carried out kicking and screaming as I probably should be. Butterflies reawaken in my gut, drunkenly crashing into each other as my body heats with the memory of last night.
Mom gives us one final nudge on our way out the door. “Hurry up now. You two go get that contract signed, so your wedding venue doesn’t get stolen out from under you.”
Simon
The Rose Hotel stands tall and regal against the blue-gray sky. A burbling fountain sits in the center of a sprawling lawn edged with poinsettias. Trimmed hedges with twinkling golden lights and red velvet bows add to its charm.
There’s even a horse-drawn carriage off to the side of the entrance.
It’s easy to see why it’s the most sought-after wedding venue in town-especially during the holidays. Festive and inviting, it creates a picture-perfect setting for the kind of wedding Victoria deserves.
Anna already set up the venue, which is typically the hardest part, so that’s a relief. Using Victoria’s wedding board as inspiration, Luis has called in favors with florists, caterers, and vendors who can help with décor. We’ll also have him for help with anything else we might need or want behind the scenes.
We’re good to go, the wedding only two more days away. So why, once we step onto the property, do I sense something’s gone awry?
As much as I want to be wrong, Victoria seizes my hand, her entire body tensing at my side. “No, it can’t be.”
I follow her gaze to the end of the sidewalk, to a man with a clipboard giving a tour to another couple.
Lead lines my gut and replaces the blood in my veins. My barely contained rage turns steely in my limbs. Which suits me just fine, because it would appear I might need to knock heads together.
Jade’s standing beside Carl, pen poised in the air-about to sign a contract, if I had to guess.
I don’t need all the facts to know they’re up to no good. It’s too orchestrated to merely be a coincidence.
Tightening my hold on Victoria’s hand, I pick up the pace and cut across the lawn. Gaze fixed on the man behind the podium set up outside the hotel entrance, I propel the both of us there in seconds.
“Okay,” the hotel manager says to Carl and Jade. “Since your mom booked this venue for your wedding on Christmas Day, this place is all yours. If you could just sign here-” he points to the paper and then moves his fingertip down, “-and here.”
“Wait.” Victoria’s request echoes along with the rapid beats of our footsteps. “There must be a mix up.”
“Victoria? Again?” Jade’s high-pitched sneer causes all the hotel guests in the vicinity to glance in our direction. “What are you, obsessed with us? Give it up, Carl doesn’t want you anymore. Why don’t you just leave us alone?”
I let out a measured breath, rubbing a hand over my jaw to keep my simmering fury in check.
“Leave you alone? That’s rich,” Victoria says, and while she hides it well, I hear the hurt in her voice. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know this is where Simon and I are getting married. Like you haven’t swooped in to try to take what’s mine all my life.”
My mouth closes with a light click of teeth. I’ll be here to back her up or step in if she needs protection. But she’s standing up for herself more and more. It fills me with pride to watch her come into her own like that, even if I wish she didn’t have to.
Jade turns to Carl and starts whining, demanding he do something.
The hotel manager, a man in his late fifties to early sixties with salt and pepper hair, pushes round spectacles up his nose. Edward Mueller, I recall from Anna’s instructions at breakfast. “What’s going on here?”
Victoria steps around the bickering Jade and Carl. It seems she’s decided it’s no use getting them to see reason. An opinion I share, for the record. “My mom is Mrs. Anna Barron, and she already reserved this place for our wedding on Christmas Day.”
Since that was about to be my play, I simply cross my arms and stand my ground behind Victoria. My message is loud and clear: mess with her, and you get this bull’s horns.
Edward consults his paper.
“That’s right, Mrs. Anna Barron did make the reservation.” A frown tugs down his mouth as his gaze shifts to Jade and Carl. With their lies exposed, they look significantly less self-satisfied, but I know better than to think that’ll be all it takes. “Ma’am. You informed me Mrs. Barron was your mother.”
“Different Mrs. Barron, thank Christ,” Jade says, as mean as ever. She snatches up the pen she dropped on the podium and scribbles her name. Her smile is viscous and lobbed directly at my fiancée. “Too late. My signature is on the contract now. Looks like Carl and I will be having a Christmas wedding after all.”
Victoria turns to the manager, wordlessly imploring him to fix it.
Edward tugs at his collar. “Sorry, it seems like they got this place first. With the contract signed, there’s not much I can do. You’ll receive a refund for the deposit.”
I watch Victoria crumble, shoulders sagging. “I dared to hope,” she murmurs with a sad shake of her head. “I can’t believe I actually thought I was going to get married here in a couple of days.”
A moment later, she shutters the disappointment, spinning
Just for a second or two, then she spins around and slings her arms around my middle. With a barely audible sniff, she lifts her chin and attempts a smile. “Well, I guess we can tell my mom and my grandma that we tried our best. We’ll… figure something out.”
Her facade cracks, just a flash of defeat before she smooths her features again and does her best to accept it.
Fuck that and these bottom feeders that keep take, take, taking.
I’ll handle them in a minute, once I’m done comforting my bride-to-be. “Hey, it’s okay,” I say, hugging her to me. “We’ll sort this all out.”
And by sort it out, I meant I’d make it happen, come hell or high-water. This venue and Christmas Day are ours.
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.