Page 34 of Promised Vows

At that point, I was fighting to keep my eyes open, and I think I nodded. The last thing I heard was “good night” before Anna’s soft lips pressed against my forehead.

Chapter Fifteen

ANNA

Two weeks later, I was officially out of a job. I’d run out of favors, and I couldn’t leave Ari. Not when he could barely take care of himself. He’d spent a lot of time resting. I cooked for him, made sure he didn’t overdo it, and was a general pain in his rear.

During that time, I’d texted Jason and told him Ari was under the weather and that I’d have a date soon. I’d also texted Papa on and off. At first, I didn’t feel all that bad withholding information from Ari, but then I started to dislike keeping secrets from him.

Papa’s messages were giving me an awkward vibe. Wondering when I’ll be back at my apartment. That he needed to speak with me and that it had to be in person. Even after telling him that I didn’t feel comfortable telling him where I was staying, he continued to pester me about it. After being gone three years, he seemed too pushy. How could he expect things to be normal when I didn’t know him anymore?

“Do you want me to come with you?” Ari asked, coasting his DB9 along the curb in front of Sealed with a Kiss, a print shop that specialized in invitations. With a name that cute, I couldn’t resist.

It was the first time we’d been out of the house since he returned half dead. I’d asked him more than once what happened, and all he would say was that he’d been ambushed after they took down Franklin—Claire’s father. I didn’t know if that meant Franklin’s guys wanted revenge or what. Ari sure wasn’t giving details.

While he was catching up on work he’d missed, I’d be tackling the wedding details since I couldn’t delay it any longer. This marriage was happening. I liked Ari. Was falling for him. But I was still trepidatious about the whole thing. Along with figuring out this whole marriage thing and how it was going to work, I was fighting insecurities that I couldn’t voice yet. They hung in the air, barely out of reach. I guess that was my mind’s way of compartmentalizing things, so I didn’t go batcrap crazy.

“You have stuff to do.”

“I can push it off if you want me to help.”

I palmed his cheek. “I got this. Go do your thing. I’ll see you in a little while.” I unbuckled my seat belt, lifted myself over the console, and kissed his cheek. “You better come back to me in the same condition you are now, or better.”

He took my hand and kissed the back of it. “I plan on it. Call me if you need anything.”

I got out of the car and watched as he drove away. My sexy beast of a man in his hot little sports car. He put the yum in yummy.

“Hey.”

I jumped and nearly broke a heel on my Jimmy Choos. “Thea?” A couple of days after Ari returned home, she called and offered to set up appointments for me. I didn’t know what I was thinking. I guess I assumed she was being something similar to a secretary. The dumbest thought I’d ever had. Thea? A secretary? Why hadn’t it dawned on me that she’d be, well, I can’t say tagging along because it didn’t sound right attached to Thea. I’d say she was supervising. That was more fitting.

I had no idea where to get stuff done, so she’d made suggestions. Claire’s wedding was gorgeous, and I figured, why not use the same vendors she did?

“I helped Claire, so I thought maybe I could help you.” She smiled.

Like I was going to tell Cruella that she couldn’t help? “Uh, really? I didn’t think you even liked me.”

She chuckled. “I didn’t, but now Ari does, and so do I.”

“You’re a strange chick. You get that, right?” I realized what I’d said and that I’d said it out loud. I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth. Death by glare was on my horizon.

The woman palmed her chest and her mouth dropped open. “You said that to my face. I think we’ve just become best friends.”

This woman was completely weird, but I liked her. “He said you’re an enigma wrapped in poison and manicured nails.”

With a sigh, she dropped her hand to her red clutch. “My brother has such a way with words.” She grinned.

That’s when I noticed a small blemish on the corner of her mouth. Curiosity killed the Anna. I had to wonder if the satisfaction of asking what happened would bring me back. I wasn’t sure I was willing to chance it. There was a kiss with my name on it and I couldn’t risk life and limb until Ari laid one on me.

“Ready to go pick out some invitations?” asked Thea.

“Lead the way.”

We’d taken about a half dozen steps before she looked at me. “So, have you picked a date?”

“I thought two weeks. That gives me time to get invitations out, which if this shop will address and send them out too, I’m splurging. Well, Jason is. He hadn’t spoken to me in eight months when he notified me of my marriage plans, so homeboy is going to pay.”

Her jaw dropped. “He did not.”

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