Page 32 of Fake Out Forever

“It’s going to be alright.” Cade steps onto the altar puts his arm around me and helps hold me up.

Richard mutters something to the priest. Then he starts walking out of the church.

“Where are you going?” Father snaps.

“Home. I suggest you do the same. I’ve suffered enough humiliation for one day.” Richard turns to me. “That man loves you.” He points to Cade. “For what it’s worth, Maya, take my advice and don’t let him go.”

I look over at Father, his gaze darting back and forth between Cade and my mother. He’s torn as to whom he should punish first.

“Father?” My voice trembles. I push the swell of panic down.

“What?”

“I am leaving with Cade.” I take a deep breath and thrust out my chin. “Because I love him.”

Cade squeezes me tight. “Finally.” He sighs. “She says she loves me.”

“I do.” I look into his eyes.

“If you leave with him, you will not be welcome home, Maya.” Father barks. “Choose wisely.”

“Cade is the wise choice.” I smile up at Cade. “The best choice I’ve ever made.”

“Let’s go home, duchess.” Cade scoops me into his arms. “Let’s go home.”

I toss my arms around his neck, rest my head against his chest, and breathe a sigh of relief. Some guests wave as we pass, while those in my father’s camp feign horror.

“How did you know where to find me?” I kiss his jaw.

“Your mother.” He kicks open the church door with his foot.

“My mother?” I glance over his shoulder to see my mother wiping tears from her eyes, along with my sister. “She told you?”

“She did, duchess. She told me everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes.” He nodded as he carted me down the sidewalk. “She told me about how you feared your father, how worried she was about you, and how you were going to marry a man you couldn’t stand just to protect me.”

“But… I never told her those things.”

“Are they untrue?”

“No.” I don’t know what to say. After all these years, I didn’t think my mother knew me. Evidently, I was wrong.

Cade opened the door to his Rover, set me down, and started stuffing the tulle inside.

“Not for nothing, duchess…” He snapped my seatbelt in place. “But this dress doesn’t suit you.”

“I know. I picked the ugliest one I could find.”

“Make sure you burn it.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “When you marry me, duchess, I don’t want to see you walking down the aisle in a dress that looks like Tinkerbell sneezed glitter all over it.”

He closed the door, and my heart soared.

My man had come to claim me.

And one day, I am going to be his bride.

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