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“Alec,” I whisper. “All I want is you.”
He smiles, his fingers brushing aside my hair. “You have me, Elena. Forever.”
We’re so lost in each other that we’re both startled when Alec’s grandfather puts his hand on his shoulder.
“Congratulations, kiddo,” he says, looking as happy as we do. He glances at me and cups my cheek in an uncharacteristic yet totally grandfatherly way. “You picked a keeper. I couldn’t be more proud.”
He takes a step back and then looks at the two of us. “Marry her before the first of July,” he says, his eyes on Alec. “And my position as chairman is yours.”
I grab Alec’s hand and look up at him excitedly. He grins at me and leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.
“We did it,” I whisper, and he nods.
Dozens of people surround us, each of them wanting to congratulate us. Amongst the crowd, I spot my family, Jennifer by their side. The hatred on Jade and Elise’s faces doesn’t surprise me in the slightest—but the devastation in Jennifer’s eyesdoes. The way she looks at Alec makes me tighten my grip on him.
He looks at me, a questioning look in his eyes, and I shake my head. I rise to my tiptoes and kiss him with all I’ve got, cheers erupting around us.
I’ve never been happier than I am today, yet this happiness feels fleeting, and I’m terrified I won’t be able to hold on to it.
Chapter 43
Alexander
Elena can’t stop staring at her engagement ring, and I can’t stop staring at her. The wind rustles her hair beautifully, and I’m glad we opted to have dinner on our terrace today. I can’t remember any woman ever cooking for me—it’s always a chef. Yet Elena, a woman that grew up in the same environment I did, cooks for me all the time. She takes the time to find out what my favorite dishes are and buys exotic ingredients to surprise me with. I’m not used to being taken care of this way.
“It’s stunning,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “I wish I could show my mom.”
Elena never ceases to amaze me. She refuses to give up on her mother, no matter how slim the odds are.
“Do you think she’d like it?” I ask.
Elena nods. “Yeah, it’s simple but so luxurious at the same time. Mom would definitely love this.”
I smile at her. She lights up when she speaks of her mother, of her memories with her. “Tell me about your happiest childhood memory,” I say, my voice soft.
Elena looks at me and takes a minute to think about it. “I guess my happiest childhood memory would be from when things were still simple. When you were still part of my everyday life. I remember once my parents were so busy arguing with each other that they forgot about my birthday, but Luce and you didn’t. I came over to your house, and the two of you had baked me a cake, which was barely edible by the way, and you’d put up all those fairy lights for me. To date, that’s still my best birthday ever.”
I smile. “Hmm, I remember that. It was the last birthday you spent with us. Lucian called me in a panic when he realized everyone forgot about your birthday, and he made me come home from college to prepare you a little party.” Throughout the years, most of my memories of my childhood got lost, forgotten. I have more memories with Elena than I realized.
Elena laughs, lost in the memory. “The two of you made my childhood bearable. My home wasn’t a place I liked to be at, no matter how hard my mother tried, and you allowed me to escape from it. I always felt loved at the Kennedys.”
“You are loved, Buttercup. All of us adore you. I wouldn’t have married you otherwise.”
“Tell me aboutyourfavorite childhood memory,” she says.
I sigh. “My childhood wasn’t very good. I was forced to grow up quickly, but I had to watch my brother enjoy his childhood with you. The two of you always had so much fun with each other, and it made me feel a little lonely. It sounds really dumb, considering I’m so much older than you two, but that’s what it was like. My most precious memories are with Lucian and you, and I wasn’t really a child anymore then.”
Elena presses a quick kiss to my lips. “You’ve also always had me, you just never realized it,” she says.
“Hmm, I’m not sure. Even now that you’re my wife, it’s still Lucian you’re closer to.” I sound petty and I know it, but I can’t help myself. I empty my glass to take my mind of the sudden loneliness I feel.
Elena holds out her fork for me, feeding me a bite of her fish. “Soon enough we’ll be besties too,” she says, winking at me.
I laugh, and I suddenly realize that I want nothing more than that. “I’d like that, Buttercup,” I say, my voice soft.
Elena feeds me a few more bites and I shuffle my seat closer to hers, so our legs are touching.
“Tell me three good things that happened to you today?” she says, placing her fork down.
