Page 18 of Play to Win

The woman who greets us starts to talk, then says, “Lacey!”

Oh my God.“Janaya!Hi!”

Théo watches, bemused, as we hug.

“How are you?”I ask her.“I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“I’m good!I have three babies.They’re awesome!”

“Oh wow, that’s amazing!”

I turn to Théo.“Théo, this is Janaya.We went to high school together.Janaya, this is Théo.”

“You’re getting married!”She claps her hands together.“Exciting!”

I’m not about to tell her the whole story.“Soexciting!”

“Okay, let’s do this.Come this way.”

Janaya is obviously experienced at her job, running through the different packages.“The traditional wedding is $79.99.It includes the officiant signing the marriage certificate, a witness—which I assume you need since you’re here alone; that would be me.”She flashes a white smile.“And one complimentary photograph.Then there’s the signature wedding, which is $149.99, and includes music, fifteen digital photos, a wedding bouquet and boutonniere, witness if necessary—again, me.”She beams.“We also have?—”

“We’ll take that,” Théo says.“The signature wedding.”

“Of course!”

“We don’t need to spend that much,” I say to Théo in a low aside.

He laughs.“You need a bouquet.”

I roll my eyes.

Janaya bustles away to do her stuff, and when she returns she’s carrying not only a bouquet and boutonniere, but a veil.“It’s not included,” she whispers.“But who cares.”

She helps me fasten the veil to my head in front of a mirror.“I like it.”I turn my head and the tiara glitters in the lights.“I’ve always loved tiaras.”I’ve always loved anything sparkly.

Moments later, it’s all over and we are pronounced man and wife.“You may kiss your bride,” the officiant tells Théo.

Our eyes meet.I suddenly feel shy.Not that I don’t want to kiss him—I do.I have pretty much since I met him, when was that ...four hours ago?

But kissing is for real.

He smiles at me, bends his head, and brushes his mouth over mine.

My belly flutters and flips even at that brief touch, my skin electrifying.We stare into each other’s eyes again, and then Théo wraps one arm around my waist and pulls me up against him, like when we were dancing earlier, except this is different.Then he crushes his mouth to mine.

I melt into him, clutching the bouquet of pink silk roses in one hand, the other going to his neck.My mouth opens to his hungry kiss, and, oh my God, he tastes good, he feels good, and wow, can he everkiss.

We draw apart, breathing a little fast, blinking a lot.I swallow.“Wow,” I whisper.

“Yeah.”He smiles.

We pose for photos, which I don’t take seriously at all given our rumpled, drunken state, making faces at the camera while Théo dips me in his arms and I clutch my tiara, then me pretending to throw my bouquet.

Amazingly, our taxi is still waiting for us.I have no idea how much the fare will be, but apparently Théo doesn’t care.He directs the driver to take us back to the Wellborne.

Standing out front, the lights in the hotel lobby glowing, we face each other.Our eyes meet in another one of those showers of sparks that keeps happening, sparks I feel way down low in my belly.

What happens now?

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