Page 111 of If My Wishes Came True
The show goes off without a hitch. Sunny and Dex settle onfourItalian landscapes, and the happy family of three manages to leave the gallery before anyone recognizes them.
Vanessa and Asher also pick a painting for their new home. Then they leave, but not before Tati Marie scolds them again for getting married in secret. She says she’ll only forgive them when they give her a grandniece or nephew. Vanessa’s response: “Why do you think we’re rushing home? We’re working on it!”
And Christy does what Christy does best, expanding my listof clients—with our mom working as her assistant. I can’t help but smile thinking about the adventures that are in store for us Andersen women in the Windy City. Well, the Andersen women, plus Sam. When the show’s all but over, she takes my mom and sister out for celebratory drinks.
But when Charlie and I are about to leave the gallery and head home, an all-too-familiar face appears in the doorway.
“We’re closing in five,” Odette says, before she looks into the man’s ocean-blue eyes and her jaw drops.
“I’ll only be a minute,” Grady Brooks tells her.
I look up at Charlie, stunned.
“What are you doing here?” I ask when he walks up to us.
He runs a casual hand through his jet-black hair. “My art dealer says you’re the next big thing. Thought I’d come by and take a look.”
“Well, you’re a little late,” Charlie says with a sympathetic grin.
The movie star’s eyes narrow at my boyfriend before he turns back to me. “You look well, Jenna,” he says, his gaze nowhere near my face.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Charlie interjects without a hint of irony in his tone. “I’m Charlie Sutton. Jenna’s fiancé.”
Fiancé?
Charlie extends his hand, which Grady shakes while sporting an unmistakable scowl.
“Fiancé, huh? Congrats. Where’s the ring?” he says, eyeing my finger.
My boyfriend doesn’t miss a beat. “At home, on her nightstand.We just got engaged, but we wanted the focus to be on her artwork tonight, not on us. We’ll celebrate tomorrow, right babe?”
“Right,” I say, playing along. I have to say, Charlie’s acting is superb—and it’s having the desired effect. Grady looks insanely jealous. I guess his twisted mind is still hung up on the fact that his “charm” never worked on me.
“Well, I don’t want to overstay my welcome, so I’ll just have my art dealer reach out. Good to see you, Jenna,” he says, ignoring Charlie.
But Charlie will not be ignored. “It’s too bad you didn’t come earlier. Dex Oliver was here. What a stand-up guy. Finest actor of our generation, I’d say. Wouldn’t you agree, um—I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s Grady,” I say, holding my breath so I don’t burst into laughter.
Grady rolls his eyes, and I’m pretty sure I hear him mutter, “Jackass,” as he walks away.
“That was a fun surprise,” Charlie says, looking pleased.
We’re still laughing about the encounter when we walk through the door of my apartment.
“You’re definitely a better actor than he is,” I say. “You really had him going with the whole engagement bit. The details about my ring being at home, on the nightstand, were a nice touch.”
“I was pretty convincing, wasn’t I,” my boyfriend says with a glimmer in his eye that I’m not sure I’ve seen before.
He takes me in his arms and we kiss...
But now I can’t help wondering if Charlie’s performance was so authentic because hewasn’tacting. Could there actually be aring on my nightstand?
“Hold that thought,” I tell him. “I’m going to freshen up. I’ll be right back.”
As soon as I turn away from him, I feel silly for even bothering to check. Charlie and I haven’t talked about getting married yet. We know we’re in this for the long haul—and maybe because we’re happy being a family of two, we don’t feel the need to rush down the aisle.
But if I’m in no hurry to marry Charlie Sutton, why is my heart racing as I step into my bedroom and turn on the light? Why do I hope to see something shiny glinting under my bedside lamp?
