“Charlotte Deluca, you are the most beautiful, wonderful woman that I have ever had the pleasure to meet and fall in love with. So I have one important question for you and I hope that the answer is yes” he said almost robotically as Charlotte beamed at him, getting down on one knee and producing a ring box as the crowd began to cheer loudly “Will you marry me?”
“Yes” screamed Charlotte, waving her hands in the air.
I watched as Johnathon put the ring on her finger and they embraced on the stage. She took the microphone back “Now it’s time to celebrate our official engagement. Please help yourselves to food and drink. Johnathon and I will try to get around and speak to all of you” she said beaming “And once again, our thanks for being here.”
It wasn’t a bad speech I thought, watching Charlotte and Johnathon link hands, handing a microphone to a band coming onto the stage. Music started up and Grayson led me onto the dance floor that had been set up.
“Dance with me” he whispered and I wrapped my arms around his neck and began to sway in time to the beat, becoming lost in his eyes and oblivious to everything around us, until Charlotte chose to come storming over that was.
Grayson POV
The party is tame by Charlotte’s standards. I assume that Grandfather and Karen had something to do with that. I can’t stop looking over at my wife, who is wearing a red wine dress that has a split along the leg and shows off her accents and curves. She’s stunning, a goddess in a sea of women who can’t even hope to remotely compare to her. I’m proud to have her on my arm, proud to call her my wife. As I drag her to the dance floor, my arms wrap themselves around her, my body instinctively moving closer so that I can look deeper into her eyes. It’s heaven. The whole world just drops away. It’s like there’s nobody else there but the two of us. Exactly as I like it.
She’s so soft. Her hair has soft curls that make her hair more wavy as it cascades loosely down her shoulders. Her eyes are dark and smoky, effective with the color of the dress. I want to groan out loud as she sways to the music with me, distantly aware we’re in public when all I want to do is take her to the nearest bedroom and ravish her. Her eyes gleam in the light of the marquee and fairy lights dance above her head, granting her a soft halo above her head and an angelic look. I pull her in closer, resting my head on top of hers as she closes her eyes, one arm around her waist, the other one holding her hand.
“This is nice” she murmurs as I chuckle.
The atmosphere is calm and pleasant, and the music is soft and gentle. I hear the sound of footsteps approaching and turn my head to see none other than Charlotte accompanied by Johnathon coming toward us and immediately tense. My grandfather is in the crowd I take note, and he’s watching from a distance, prepared to step in at a moment’s notice as my sister pauses, while I stop dancing and squeeze Flair’s hand, turning her to face Charlotte and that no good ex-husband of hers. I force a smile on my face.
“Congratulations to you both,” I say pleasantly, offering a handshake to a grave-looking Johnathon.
His handshake is weak at best. I grip it tightly and see him wince, before I let it drop, placing a hand on Flair’s shoulder and pulling her into my side. “Congratulations” Flair’s voice is soft and musical, her eyes wide and filled with untold emotion as she respectfully bows her head towards the two people she should hate the most.
“Why thank you Flair” Charlotte trills, a wicked smile coming to her lips.
She’s intentionally loud, drawing a crowd who gather to see what’s occurring right in front of them. I fight back the scowl from my lips, conscious of watching eyes and her brothers who were still in the back.
“I appreciate you coming here, even though I know how difficult it must be, to see your ex-husband in love with another woman that he intends on marrying, now that he’s divorced you” she continued viciously as I stiffened and Flair continued to look at her passively “you’re so courageous to show your face in public like this and stand tall” she pretended to compliment Flair.
I was practically shaking with rage. Flair’s eyes slid to mine and she discreetly shook her head, a small smile on her lips. She wasn’t going to play in to Charlotte’s game. Johnathon was silent, rubbing his chin and looking slightly sheepish at Charlotte’s attack on Flair.
“That’s enough Charlotte” I broke in.
She turned and viewed me with a skeptical gaze. “It’s so nice to see you again Grayson. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, my brother” she said with sarcasm “and when I see you, I find you with Flair, the irony is astounding” she laughed, putting a hand to her mouth, acting for all she was worth to the crowd of people who tittered alongside her “pray, tell me, what are you doing with such a lowly woman as Flair?”
My wife had remained tight-lipped during Charlotte’s accolade. She kept her dignity and composure, a brilliant smile on her face. She didn’t waver not once and I admired her greatly for it. The urge to shout out that she was a Grant rested heavily on my lips, but I kept them back, knowing Flair wanted to divulge that information herself when she was good and ready.
“Well, I guess that it’s time that we spread our good news then isn’t it Flair honey?” I said, turning to my wife and regarding her with a gentle smile, pushing a loose tendril of hair behind her ear as she smiled up at me, ignoring the crowd completely.
Charlotte scoffed. “Good news,” she said in disbelief as Johnathon glanced at her uneasily “I doubt it’s as good as ours” she exclaimed pettily.
“Charlotte maybe we should just…” Johnathon started to say, glancing around uneasily.
Charlotte’s eyes flashed as she turned on him “Johnathon, let my brother speak. Grayson was about to impart some very important news. Let’s hear him out” she said with deliberate emphasis “It must be something very special if he wants to announce it in front of our friends and family.”
She was gloating. She had always been one to play to the crowd who continued to cheer her on now.
“Tell us Grayson” one man urged, grinning at Charlotte who smirked at him “Tell us the good news.”
Flair looked nervous but I squeezed her hand. “I’m proud,” I told her meaningfully and watched the light brighten in her eyes.
She understood what I was saying. Her brothers continued to watch the crowd, a look of disgust on their faces. I straightened my shoulders.
“Charlotte I congratulate you on your engagement and your upcoming nuptials. I’m sure that the wedding will be a grand affair” I told her as she nodded smugly at me.
I inclined my head towards my beautiful wife “But I’m afraid that Flair and I might have beaten you to the punch so to speak.”
She looked confused as did Johnathon, while Ian and Knox high-fived each other in the back, while nobody else was looking. My grandfather was grinning and nodding. He knew this moment would come. Damn him. We could have done this moment more privately but thanks to him, Charlotte, and Johnathon that was no longer an option.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Charlotte said puzzled “Beat us to the punch? Are you two dating?” she asked suspiciously “My god Grayson, how low can you go? I thought your standards were a lot better than that” she added callously, Flair stiffening at the insult.
I smiled cockily. Oh Charlotte, how words can wound. That was an intentional slight towards Flair and the crowd knew it, some of the girls eyeing Flair with open hostility and contempt. I gave a nonchalant shrug.
“You’re right Charlotte, my standards are better than that,” I told her smoothly as she played with her hair and laughed out loud.
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.