Page 18 of Her Lion Lover

"But the engineering contractor is still bankrupt!" Jeremy snapped.

Leo sighed. "A person can be bankrupt, but not a company. I think you mean insolvent, and I don't see how that's even possible. VEE owns all its assets, has no debts or significant expenses while it's on hiatus, not to mention no directors who can call for voluntary administration even if the company was in trouble, until their offices reopen, which I have it on good authority will be well before we get council approval." Leo rose from his seat, planted his hands on the table and leaned forward. "You see, before his death, my father was in negotiations with VEE to acquire their company, as part of our own, and I still have all of their financial records for the due diligence, before the process was paused and the company went on hiatus. When it reopens, I'll be negotiating in Dad's place with the new directors, but if any deal is likely to see us earn profit within a year...it's that one. Which is why I cannot believe you could entertain even the slightest rumour that they're in financial distress. The company could liquidate its assets and all its staff could live like kings!"

"They are going bankrupt – you don't know what you're talking about!" Jeremy blustered.

"It sounds like all you have are rumours, and unfounded ones at that, so I propose we put this discussion on next meeting's agenda, where I hope you'll have proof of these baseless accusations, and I can hopefully give an update on the health and safety incident, and subsequent investigation." Leo glanced down at the agenda. "I see the performance reviews have all been completed. Shall we discuss the possible promotions?"

Jeremy rose from his seat, shaking with fury. "I'll give you rumours! Their bankruptcy will make the front cover of this weekend's papers! Then who'll look like an idiot?"

Leo forced himself to smile. "I doubt I'll have time to read the news this week, Uncle. You see, I'm getting married on the weekend. But don't worry, I'll be back at work on Monday, taking care of the company just as well as Dad used to do. I have a responsibility to the board, as well as our staff...and by Monday, to my family as well."

"Who's the lucky man?" Jeremy snapped.

"The lucky lady's name is Lily, and I'm sure you'll see her pictures in the papers, instead of some imaginary bankruptcy announcement." Leo coughed. "Now, those promotions? I do like to see staff rewarded for their work."

TWENTY-TWO

As they approached the village bridal shop, Alicia paused. "Are you sure you don't want anyone else to come shopping with you? Your mother, or a friend, perhaps?"

Lily suspected her mother would turn in her grave at the thought of Lily marrying for any reason other than love, and her friends...well, the agreement she'd signed said she couldn't tell anyone this was a fake marriage, so even if she could, she didn't want any of the girls she'd gone to school with to witness how far she'd fallen. Let them see the pictures on the news and think it was a love match. Because if she saw any of them – even Anna or Elsa – she'd blurt out the truth in a moment, and the deal would be off.

"I'm doing this for the company, to make sure the project goes ahead," she told herself, as she pushed open the door.

And walked into a world made of a million meringues.

Lily blinked. Wall to wall racks were filled with white wedding dresses, with a few extra poufy numbers displayed on mannequins, like giant warnings of what not to wear on your wedding day, lest the guests mistake you for the cake. Then again, if you were going to knock over the cake, like that gay prince in that movie, no one would notice...

In the place of honour was a white and gold dress that ended in an actual train that stretched several metres behind the mannequin, in a widening puddle that did Lily's head in. How could you even walk in something like that? Let alone dance...

"I know what you're thinking. Unless you're a princess with a dozen bridesmaids behind you at all times, how could anyone wear that? But that's the secret, you see. I designed it for an engineering competition. It didn't win – I was beaten by a sort of folding chair with a built in drink cooler, as if anyone needed such a thing – but it did get second place. I think it's about your size, too. Would you like to try it on, so I can show you the magic those men simply didn't appreciate?"

Lily considered saying no, but then she glanced at Alicia. "Is it too much?" she asked.

Alicia laughed. "My dear, you're marrying Leo King. None of Fleur's dresses will ever be too much for that. The question you should be asking is whether you'll be happy wearing it on the front cover of all the papers." She clasped her hands to her chest. "My new daughter in law will be the most beautiful bride my son's ever seen, so he can fall in love with you all over again as you walk down the aisle."

Well, at least she had a clear project brief. Be beautiful, eye-catching and newsworthy, so even a gay man would take notice. She could work with that.

"Let's do this," Lily said.

TWENTY-THREE

Sitting in the dim little village church, just him and the vicar, Leo began to feel nervous. Like actual butterflies lived in his belly, multiplying and turning his insides into a mad rave, the longer he waited. He flexed his claws, then put them away. Hell, what he'd do for an hour with the Felix 5000 right now, but Mother had insisted he wasn't allowed to shift while Lily was with them, because she was human, and if she saw him in his beast form, he'd be responsible for breaching the secrecy of the supernatural world.

But she wasn't here yet. What if...?

"She'll be here soon. The car's coming up the drive, and my wife's waiting for her in the foyer, to make sure she looks her best," the vicar said, as if reading Leo's mind. "Then your photographer might want to take some pictures, too, but then she'll be here and we can start."

Right. The photographer. One Mum had hired specifically because of his reputation for selling stuff to the gossip rags.

Which meant he had to look at Lily like he at least liked her. Love was a stretch, for a human who couldn't possibly be his fated mate, but if he imagined for a moment that she was, maybe he could maintain the right misty-eyed expression his mother hoped for.

Sounds in the vestibule drew his attention. He turned, and time stopped. A rare ray of sunlight streamed through the church door, haloing her figure like she was an angel. White...with rays of gold?

His mother and a strange woman he assumed was the vicar's wife bent over and did something to her skirt, before the vicar's wife hurried into the church toward the organ beside the altar. But she didn't sit down. Instead, she pulled out her phone, frowning at it for a moment, before tucking it into the dock that sat on top of the organ. A wedding march began to play through the church speakers.

Someone flicked on the church lights, and Leo truly saw his bride for the first time.

Her dark hair tumbled down her shoulders, covered by a gossamer thin veil shot through with threads of gold that glittered in the light. He hadn't imagined the gold on her dress, though it was mostly white. Gold hearts and curlicues emphasised her shapely breasts and narrow waist beneath the bodice, before arrowing down to meet the barely-there gold stripes that highlighted every curve of her fluted, bell-shaped skirt.

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