Page 76 of The Unplanned Wedding

"Don’t look so doubtful." Irene laughs. "I know my daughter well. And regardless of what she may have convinced you to believe, I know for a fact, she wouldn’t have agreed to this marriage unless she felt connected to you."

I incline my head.

"She may not be my daughter by birth, but she knows what she wants. She takes after me, in that respect. She’s the most genuine person I know, and I don’t say that because she's my daughter. She’s an incredibly strong person, and you’re lucky to have her in her life."

I nod. "I’ll be the first to agree to that." I half smile. "I am lucky she agreed to be my wife."

"Hmph." Irene’s expression is noncommittal. "One more thing you should know. I love my daughter, and I’ll do anything to protect her. If you hurt her in any way, you’ll have me to contend with."

31

June

Whatever Irene told my husband has put him in a contemplative frame of mind.My husband—I gulp. He’s really myhusband. I roll the word around in my mind. It feels strange to call him that. And right now, his face in profile as he peruses his phone, combined with the hard edge to his jaw, he’s never felt more remote to me.

My brother and sister were unable to attend, as they were in the middle of their university term, but they called and wished me.

After speaking with my husband, Irene came over to me and kissed me. Irene congratulated me and told me she was happy for me. It pained me that I couldn’t tell her the entire truth behind how I came to be married to my boss, but Irene’s all-knowing eyes told me she'd already guessed there was more to the story than I was letting on. She told me my husband had asked her to bring Jillian and Ethan over for a visit at their earliest convenience.

Then Knox and I signed the paperwork, officially making us husband and wife. Zoey broke out the champagne and poured us all a glass. I barelymanaged to take a sip but had to stop when my stomach lurched. Knox also passed on the Champagne. His excuse was that he'd be driving. Zoey looked crestfallen, but then perked up when Knox promised he’d be holding a wedding reception for us in a few weeks.

He looked at me as he said that, and the fact that he was including me in the plans he was making, made the wedding all too real. He promised to invite Zoey and Irene, my siblings and Edward to the reception. Then Edward took his leave, and Zoey and Irene followed suit.

When it was just the two of us, my husband said it was best we head over to Arthur’s place and break the news to him. I wanted to change into the dress I'd been wearing when I arrived this morning, but he told me there was no time. Then he hustled me to the car.

Now, the silence fills the space between us. I lock my fingers together, and the adrenaline I’ve been coasting on all morning recedes, leaving me drained. I sink back against the buttery-soft leather of the Jaguar and sigh.

"Are you tired?" he asks without looking at me. Before I can muster the energy to answer, he slides open the door to a hidden compartment fitted below the rear seats. He pulls out a bottle of juice, twists open the cap and offers it to me.

I hesitate.

"Drink it," he orders. His bossy tone ignites a curl of heat in my belly.

I take the bottle from him and take a few sips. The orange juice is cool, and not too sweet. I take another sip and feel a spark of energy release in my veins.

"Drink it all," he insists.

Perhaps, I’m too tired not to obey. More likely, my body feels primed to obey his commands. I drain the rest, then cap it. When I look around, wondering where to place it, he takes it from me and fits it back into the hidden compartment. "Better?" He finally shoots me a glance.

I nod.

"This shouldn’t take long. It’s best to break the news to Arthur immediately. The element of surprise should, hopefully, help keep the fallout to a minimum."

Worry pinches my chest. "You think he’ll be upset?’

"Probably not. As long as I get married—and it probably doesn’t matter to whom—I’m assuming he’ll be fine."

"Thanks," I say wryly.

His lips twitch. "I’m not belittling our marriage, or you, for that matter."

"I understand." I clutch the small handbag Zoey passed to me before leaving. "Your grandfather can be daunting, is all."

"Didn’t notice you felt that way the last time you let him into my office," he points out.

A small burst of pleasure replaces the worry.Was that pride I heard in his voice? Nah, not possible.He was simply being polite. Not exactly how I envisioned the first conversations between us as a married couple. But then, I didn’t know what to expect anyway.

"With someone like your grandfather, it’s best not to show weakness. If I had, he’d have walked rough-shod over me and pressed his advantage."

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