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Carter spotted Dr. Peterson entering with his date, and they both nodded their heads at each other before he took his seat. The doctor had recommended that they give the girls steroids to help increase their growth, just in case they needed to go in and take them out early. So far everything was still going amazingly well. He was concerned, but Zahara was taking this well and said she had confidence and believed in the doctor and his capabilities. Hearing that had soured his mood because he did not want to see Zahara admiring anyone of the opposite sex. Once he had accepted that she was his, he found he was feeling very possessive about his soon-to-be wife.
His attention shifted, and he noticed that the small ballroom was becoming packed. The murmur of voices were loud in his ears, and he felt a hand touch his arm. He turned to see the wedding planner at his elbow.
“We are ready now.” He nodded and turned his head to see the officiant on top of the wedding altar. He motioned for his younger brothers to join them, then he straightened his tie and fussed with the carnation on his lapel.
“Don’t be nervous; she will think you are the most handsome man in the world and that she is very lucky to have you,” Leaf whispered at his side as the room began to grow quiet.
He gave Leaf a weak smile. Everyone thought she had finally agreed to marry him, but instead, he had used blackmail to get what he wanted.
Carter then saw the door open, and in walked his mother and Zahara’s mom. Their arms were linked together. His mom wore a yellow chiffon dress that complemented her dark hair and blue eyes. She gave him a wink as they got closer. Zahara’s mom was wearing a light-pink two-piece satin suit with matching shoes and a hat with flowers and a small veil covering her brown hair. Lily could have been a model, and Carter could see where Selena got her looks from. Zahara was the perfect combination of both her parents.
Everyone was finally seated, and then the bridal march began to play. Carter tensed in anticipation of finally getting to see his bride.
Chapter 13
He stood there looking outwardly calm, but he was on fire inside. Not from nerves, but because he was finally claiming her as his in front of everyone.
He was finally getting to see his bride. He hadn’t seen Zahara in two days. She had been out with her mom and the ladies, going to the spa, shopping, and having a small bachelorette party for her at the overnight spa retreat they had been staying at.
He missed her and couldn’t wait to see her in her wedding dress.
As the music played, the door was opened from the outside, and in strolled Zahara’s younger sister Ari. She was slightly taller and darker than Zahara but had the same signature hazel eyes. She was wearing light makeup and ballerina slippers underneath her light-grey short chiffon dress—cute for a teenage girl—with yellow and white carnations and roses in her hands. She looked so serious as she walked down the aisle, dipping her head at her mother and father as she passed. Her hair was pleated in a crown around her head, with tendrils of hair cascading down to her chin.
After a slight pause, Zahara’s high-school friend Coco entered. Her blond tresses were pulled back into a sleek ponytail that fell to her back. Her grey off-the-shoulder chiffon dress hugged her plump form, and she wore black high-heeled pumps. Her makeup accentuated her dark eyes and medium-brown skin. When she reached the end of the aisle she stood next to Ari on the platform. They smiled at each other before turning to face the door again, and then in walked Selena.
There was as hushed gasp when she made her appearance. Selena was stunning with her tall height, slim but voluptuous shape, medium-length brown hair, and hazel eyes. Selena had been a super model before finally retiring from the scene and marrying her cowboy Calum. Her chiffon dress was a slightly different shade of grey than the rest of the bridesmaids, and it criss-crossed in the front, exposing her upper chest and arms. The bodice was snug around her tiny waist, and the skirt fell over her shapely hips down to her knees. She wore matching pumps, and her bouquet was bigger, as she was the matron of honour. Selena strut down the aisle like she was on a catwalk, knowing all eyes were on her. Just like Deana, Selena only had eyes for her cowboy, and they lit up when she spotted her husband sitting at the front, giving him a soft, loving smile that made her look even more beautiful.
Before making it to the ladies at the altar, she gave Carter a warning look.
He sighed. Zahara’s family seemed to have a penchant for threatening bodily harm. He dipped his head, acknowledging her silent message, and she refocused on the front, turning to face the door with the others.
The music changed, and everyone stood up, turning to face the door. It opened to reveal his bride in a white A-line chiffon dress adorned with sequins and featuring pleated off-the-shoulder sleeves. The hem fell almost to the floor, with yellow satin slippers peeking out from beneath the fabric. Her curls were piled on top of her head, secured with pearl pins, and around her neck was a pearl and diamond necklace, a wedding gift from Carter. On her wrist was a pearl and diamond bracelet given to her by his mother and father, and in her ears were pearl studs, a gift from her parents.
She looked gorgeous, and his heart skipped a beat. He had always thought of her as beautiful, but today she was glowing. She spotted him at the altar, her gaze running over him, and he straightened up, hoping that he looked as good to her as she did to him.
She began to walk down the aisle with her bouquet of roses and carnations with pearls interwoven through the flowers. She linked arms with her father as he walked alongside of her, nodding to the guests. As she got closer to him, Zahara raised her chin in defiance, and even though a happy smile graced her mouth, it didn’t reach her eyes.
They stood near Carter, and he turned as the officiant smiled down at her. Then he asked, “Who gives this bride away?”
Both her parents responded together, “We do.”
Her father nodded to him and then handed Zahara over to him. Her hand was icy cold in his, and he began to rub it to warm it up while they turned and faced the officiant.
Carter leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Zahara, you look beautiful. I—”
“Let’s just get this over and done with,” she hissed under her breath, trying to remove her hand from his. But he held on and grazed her jawline with his lips, feeling her shiver before he pulled away and listened to the officiant as he continued with the wedding ceremony.
Before he knew it, he was facing her, looking deep into her eyes, which had a slight sheen of tears in them. As he said his vows, he found he was having a bit of trouble with them. His throat seemed to be swollen, and his words came out husky. She pushed his band onto his finger hard, and he looked down at the ring she had chosen for him. Even though she was hurt and angry, Zahara knew his taste and had kept it simple—a black onyx wedding band with gold flecks. He loved the ring.
Then it was her turn…
“Do you Zahara, take Carter as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from…”
When the officiant finished, Zahara was silent. She had paused in saying her vows.
He frowned as he stared down at her, seeing love, uncertainty, and anger swirling in the hazel depths of her eyes. Her lips were trembling, and then she licked them in her turmoil.
He heard the scrape of a chair in the watching crowd, and he could feel the eyes of Zahara’s father on him. But he maintained his focus on the most important person in front of him. He couldn’t go on letting her think that she was the only one in their relationship who felt something.
