Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Granny throws her hands up. “That’s exactly what you should do. Now come give me a hug, go get your party dress on, and then come back in here before you all leave so we can take pictures.”
I hug G extra tight. When I turn around, Lucas is standing with the white box in his hand, and he holds his other one out to me. I take it, and we walk out of the room hand in hand. As soon as we’re through the doors, I pull him to a stop. “Lucas... I don’t think we should go.”
He cups my cheek. “I know. I don’t want to go either, but I’m not going against her tonight. She wants me to go, and she feels pretty strongly about it. We’ll go for an hour or two, make an appearance, and then come home.”
“Fine.”
We go to our bedroom, and the bed is still unmade from this morning. I know my face is at least ten shades of red when I see the bunched-up sheets reminding me of when Lucas was between my thighs.
“Bella. Earth to Bella.”
I drag my eyes off the bed, and Lucas is smirking at me. “I called your name a few times. What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
He grins knowingly and holds the white box out to me. “Open it.”
I take the box from him and open it. Inside is a fitted black cocktail dress with diamond accents. I drop the box as I pull the dress out. “Lucas, this is beautiful.”
He shrugs. “Not as beautiful as you.”
I almost choke up, and he puts a hand at the curve of my neck. “You okay?”
“Yeah, but Lucas, you’re going to have to stop being so sweet and saying things like that.”
He shrugs like he doesn’t understand what I mean. “Why?”
I grip on to the front of his shirt. “Because I may start to like you even more and not want this to end.”
I don’t wait for him to respond. I’m too scared that I’ll see fear, distaste, panic, or hell, all of the above. I walk toward the closet to find shoes and a purse to match what is probably the most expensive item in my closet.
I grab tights and shoes before walking through the closet to the bathroom. I get ready, touching up the curls in my hair and putting makeup on for the first time today. When I walk out, Lucas is stunning in a black suit and tie.
“You’re breathtaking, Bella.”
I look down at the sweetheart neckline. “It’s the dress.”
He grabs me around the waist. “No, honey, it is most definitely you. Now let’s go pose for some pictures so I can take you to the ball.”
He has his arm around me and doesn’t let go. Not while his brothers tell me how great I look. Not when I hug his granny, and not when we pose for at least thirty pictures. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to let me go.
Lucas
By the time we arrive at the fundraiser for wounded heroes, it is in full swing. We missed dinner, and we made it just in time for me to run to the podium and present the donation check from Blaze Whiskey.
The room is full of congressman, the governor, and CEOs of big corporations, but instead of looking at any of them, I’m looking at Bella. She has her hand to her chest, right over her heart, and I don’t think anyone has ever looked at me with so much pride as she is right now.
She worried the whole way here that she wouldn’t fit in or she’d do something she shouldn’t. As soon as I’m done with the presentation, I walk down from the podium and meet Bella. I’m about to ask her to dance when Walker and his wife Brooklyn come toward us. I’m about to say hello and introduce them to Bella when they both grab my wife up in a hug. I’m standing here off to the side with my mouth hanging open. Walker pretty much owns Whiskey Run–at least most of it. He owns multiple businesses in downtown and a number of homes and land around Whiskey Run. He also owns a huge compound at the edge of town. He’s definitely a good guy to have on your side.
Finally, Walker turns to me and holds out his hand. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
I nod and pull my wife back to my side. “Yes, I was going to introduce you to Bella, but it seems you already know each other.”
Walker nods. “Oh yeah, she’s been out at the compound a few times when I couldn’t get ahold of the doctor and I needed someone sewn up.”
I don’t even try to hide the shock when I look at my wife. “Really?”
Brooklyn nods. “Oh yeah, Issi has saved us quite a few times.” She turns to Bella. “Bo Bo is going to be so sad when he hears you got married.”