Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
“My brother calls it the spark. My father might’ve used that phrase, too.”
“It’s a good description.” He looks at his watch again and frowns. “I’m not looking to force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. Especially when we’re talking about something as serious as marriage. But I know if she continues on this road she’s on, she’ll be unhappy for the rest of her life. She deserves more than that. I’m trying to protect her, and this is the best way I know how.”
A soft knock brings our attention to the doorway. Reggie, my sometime driver and butler, peeks his white-haired head in and then shuffles into the room.
“She’s here,” he says. “I’m sorry we’re late.
“Who are you?” Emil asks.
“This is Reggie,” I say. “He’s worked for my family for many years. He seems to put women at ease, so even though Emilee didn’t want to meet with me or even talk to me, I offered her the use of my driver whenever she’d like. I consider him my secret weapon.”
“I just tell it like it is, Sir,” Reggie says.
“You know I hate it when you call me that.”
“Yes, Sir.” Reggie smiles, clears his throat, and looks serious again. He turns to Emil. “Alex requested that I pick up Miss Emilee this morning and take her wherever she needed to go. In the past week, I’ve taken her shopping, for a mani/pedi, and for several other appointments as she readied herself for the wedding.”
Emil nods. “Good idea.”
“Did she say anything about Dylan?” I ask.
“No, Sir, but she did text and call someone several times and seemed frustrated afterward.”
“Now that he knows he can’t use her, he’s probably moved on,” Emil says. “No surprise really. I always suspected he was more interested in my bank account than in her. Which is a shame.”
“His loss,” I say.
“Your gain.”
An hour later, I’m standing at the altar next to a minister. Since everything was planned in under a week, and my brother is still on his honeymoon, our only wedding guests are Reggie and Emil.
The organ begins the familiar wedding notes, and Emilee appears in the doorway. She’s wearing a vintage floor-length V-neck dress with a cream lace overlay and colorful floral appliques. Her hair is down, and has flowers woven into her soft waves. I can’t help but think how angelic she looks.
She begins walking down the aisle towards me, her father alongside her. She looks nervous and apprehensive, and I worry that she’ll resent me for marrying her when she doesn’t want to. I keep my eyes on her face in the hope that she’ll lock eyes with me so we can feel that spark again, but she keeps her eyes focused on the carpet runner beneath her feet.
She’s walking too deliberately slow. She’s going to run. Would I chase her?
Emilee stops midway and turns her head towards the front of the chapel. I can’t help but think she’s waiting for someone. Maybe someone to rescue her. Looking disappointed, she begins walking again, but now I’m keenly aware of all the street noise coming from outside. I glance towards the window, expecting to see her knight in shining armor, but thankfully there’s no one.
I bring my gaze back to Emilee, and our eyes meet, but she quickly looks away guiltily. I turn my eyes toward Emil, and he nods with a defeated expression, also aware that she’s waiting for Dylan.
Eventually Emilee and Emil stop a few steps before me. Emil whispers something to his daughter, and she kisses his cheek. He offers her hand to me, and I take it then help guide her up the couple of steps to the altar.
This might not be an average wedding, but as she stands beside me, I silently promise her that I’ll do everything in my power to make her happy.
As if she can read my thoughts, she looks up at me, and our eyes lock as she smiles.
“You’re stunning,” I whisper.
“You’re old,” she says.
Emilee moved into my Hamptons mansion, which paled in comparison to what she grew up in. Did she hate it? Love it? I wouldn’t know since she hadn't spoken to me once in the three weeks since we got married. If she wasn’t looking at me with disdain, she was acting as if I didn’t exist.
Maybe I made a mistake by giving her a suite of rooms, but I wasn’t going to force myself on her. If she wants to hate me, that’s fine. Just means I need to work a little harder to make that change.
Right now, I’d be happy if she liked me. I can’t even think about love right now. I’d be happy if she just tolerated me.
As I descend the curved staircase with my rolling luggage, I hear Emilee’s voice in the kitchen. I can’t make out her words, but she sounds happy.