AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re just what he needs,” Van says quietly to Bailey. Then loud enough for the whole tent to hear, he adds, “If this guy gives you any trouble at all, let us know. We’ll make him suffer.”
Bailey giggles at this, and a blush rises in her cheeks, painting them a perfect pink as Van, who has recovered fromhis overly emotional moment earlier, hams up the act of placing Bailey’s hand in mine before giving me a half-hug and then murmuring something aboutprima noctain my ear that has me laughing and shoving him back toward the rows of seats.
The moment Bailey and I turn to each other and I clasp both of her small hands in mine, something shifts and settles inside me. A sense of place I’ve never had before, a peaceful confidence about what we’re doing here.
It’s more than what we said it would be. This isn’t what we agreed to between us. I know I’m not imagining the emotion in her face, the earnestness in her trembling voice as she recites her vows, the piercing way she holds my gaze. The way she squeezes my fingers as she slides the wedding band in place on my finger.
And when the blur of the quick ceremony ends with Alec telling me to kiss the bride as the whole tent erupts in cheers, Bailey’s lips on mine feel like forever, not fraud.
“You don’t have to carry me,” Bailey murmurs into my neck while snuggling even closer to my chest and tightening her arms around me. I think at this point, if I let her go, she might stay attached. A Bailey barnacle.
“Of course I do,” I tell her, tightening my hold with one arm as I fumble with the hotel key. “It’s tradition.”
“But this isn’t a threshold,” she says through a yawn. “It’s a hotel room.”
“A threshold is a threshold. And if I need to carry you into our house tomorrow, I will.”
She giggles, her breath ghosting over my skin and creating a cascade of goosebumps. I drop the key card.
“Hang on, Leelee.” I crouch, keeping her cradled to my chest as I fumble for the card, finally coming up with it.
“Just like when we were dancing,” she says sleepily, and I notice her eyes are closed now.
I dipped her more than once tonight when we were dancing to the surprisingly appropriate playlist Van made. Every time I tilted Bailey back, her cheeks flushed and her grin grew. I wanted to keep that look on her face all night, and I did—up until she got sleepy after hours of dancing and a glass of champagne that hit her hard. It was right after Van’s dance-off with—shocker of the night—Wyatt. Bailey and I held hands and ran to the limo through two lines of our guests, all waving sparklers. I’m pretty sure Bailey’s gran tried to burn me with one.
“That’s right,” I say. “You’re quite the tiny dancer.”
“I’m only tiny because you’re a giant,” she argues, poking me in the chest.
“Sure,” I say agreeably, finally getting the card positioned just right to see the green light flash on the door of the suite. Bailey gives a soft sigh as I walk us through the door, her weight settling more fully against me.
Is she asleep?
I tilt my head, peeking down at the dark lashes resting against her cheeks, still wearing the flush they’ve held all night. Totally asleep. And it’s no wonder.
The emotional exhaustion of the day is starting to catch up to me. I feel it seeping outward from my bones. We did a big thing today. Maybe not traditional in the typical sense of the word, today carried the same weight as any other wedding. Maybe more, considering the underlying duplicity.
Or … lack of duplicity?
Today didn’t feel like an act. It didn’t feel like an arrangement. I know on my part, it was all sincere. But itseemed to be the same for Bailey. From the way she looked at me during our vows to the firm press of her mouth and the smile she wore when Alec announced us as Mr. and Mrs. Eli Hopkins.
And then there were all the other emotions, ones tied to my mom and sister, who definitely believed it all. Annie, who never cries, even got teary when she hugged Bailey after the ceremony. I think she also squeezed all the oxygen out of Bailey’s lungs and possibly made some kind of threat—probably to come after me if I hurt Bailey, not the other way around.
I’ve never seen Mom so happy or smile so big. Which made the guilt twine itself around the happiness into a heavy rope looped tight around my chest.
Because what happens if Mom or Annie find out the truth? Or what if instead of this becoming more, it ends?
I hope they never know, just like I hope Parker’s idea to woo my wife will result in something real growing from the seeds of what started as practical necessity mixed with a little insanity. Today made me hopeful. If I wasn’t actively thinking about the way this began, I got completely lost in the genuine emotion of it all.
Despite Parker’s recommendation to wait, I wanted to talk to Bailey about it tonight. But hearing the conviction in Bailey’s voice when she said her vows, the way her eyes never left mine, I don’t feel like I need to wait. The whole night felt like a big green light.
Only now as I’m seeing Bailey’s physical and emotional exhaustion, I know this wouldn’t be the right time. I want her fully awake and fully cognizant when we talk about our real future.
I also don’t want to mess with the perfection of today.
As I cross the suite’s living area, I toe off my shoes, leaving them by the couch, which will likely be my uncomfortable bed for the night. One of the guys booked this room for us, and whileI would have picked a suite with two rooms, Wyatt chose the honeymoon suite.
To be funny? Or maybe because he’s also rooting for us?
