Page 39 of One Wealthy Wedding

“That’s going to change. Starting tomorrow. We are going to put in a solid effort.”

She snorts. “Do you even know what that looks like?”

“Sure.” I turn right. “Buy you some diamonds. The bigger, the better. You do like diamonds, right?”

“I don’t mind diamonds,” she says quietly. “But if I were really in love, that’s not what I’d choose.”

She murmurs the words, and I chance a look at her at a red light. She’s smiling softly and curled up in the seat, like she really is my wife. Like I’m picking her up after a long night out and instead of going home alone, or with a stranger, we’re looking forward to the moment we curl up in our bed, with only each other for comfort. And it’s enough.

“I missed you when you left,” she says simply.

I still. What does that mean? She missed me as a friend? She missed me because she wanted more, like I did, before I thought better of it? Or she missed the air of danger I brought to her life?

“You were my only friend, you know.” She smiles hazily at me, and I realize with stunning clarity that she’s being perfectly honest. My heartbeat is loud in my ears. I don’t want to think of Cat that way—unbearably lonely. I want her prickly and out of reach. Firmly in a box.

“That can’t be true,” I say gently. Because if it is true, it means I deserted her, and when I left, she had no one. No. She had her family. The family that hates you, remember? She didn’t want you, she looked down on you, and she had her father do her dirty work.

“It’s fine.” She yawns. “It’s in the past. We never would have worked, anyway.” She yawns again. “I’m going to take a nap now. Wake me when we get home.”

14

Cat

Ichoose my outfit with care the next morning. Sun filters in through the giant windows in my bedroom. Theo has honest-to-god trees planted around the mansion, so it barely feels like we’re in the city. I can hear him jogging down the hall, the floorboards creaking under his feet. He uses the gym every morning and jogs through the hall as some sort of warm-up and cooldown, I guess.

I have four summer dresses I sewed, six pairs of jeans, three sweaters I knitted, and two sweatshirts, one of which says “I’d Rather be Reading.” High-society material, that’s me. I survey the clothes laid out on the king-size bed like a general going to war.

I need something sexy and mysterious that shows that I belong in Theo’s world, even if my name will soon be mud. Maybe simple is better. The ring glints at me from my bedside table, mocking the plainness of the clothes I chose to take in my haste to escape Rockwood.

All black and a giant diamond it is. I sigh and pull on black jeans and black boots before slipping the cool weight of the ring around my finger. I wear it as little as possible, and my hand still hasn’t gotten used to it.

I send Blair and Lane a selfie with the stupid ring pressed to my chest.

Cat

Do I look rich enough? Do you think a sweatshirt is okay with this?

Lane immediately responds

Lane

Definitely rich. Keep that silk tank top on.

I look down at my pajama top. It’s black silk with cream lace on the straps. Theo was eyeing it yesterday like it personally offended him. If I can’t look put together, at least I can irritate him, I guess.

Blair

Don’t be nervous.

I choke a laugh. Blair knows a text like that is enough to make my palms sweat.

Lane

Why would you be nervous?

I press a hand to my throat, already feeling hot and shaky at the thought of all the eyes that will be on us today.

Cat

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