Page 46 of If You Could Only Imagine
“Yes. You would,” I countered. “And you,” I pointed to Sarah, “there’s no way you’d be all Casual Cathy about a last-minute meeting with Mason Buchanan. You would have picked up the phone and called me immediately.”
Kelly glanced over at Sarah. “Is that true?”
Sarah grimaced. “Yeah,” she answered. “She’s got me there.”
Kelly threw her hands up and gave up the ruse. “Okay, babe,” she said, shaking her head. “We’ve been caught and we’re really horrible at subterfuge.”
Sarah’s brows rose. “I told you I wasn’t cut out to be a spy,” she said, defending her less than stellar operative skills.
Kelly ignored her, and rolling her eyes, said, “I need you to come with us, Denise.” I stared at her in all her 5’6”, dark-skinned, brown-eyed, grinning glory, sounding just like the goddamn police.
“I’m not going anywhere with you two piss poor liars,” I scoffed.
Sarah threw a finger up. “Actually,” she began, “you should be grateful that we can’t lie for shit. It means you can trust us.”
Kelly jerked her head in Sarah’s direction. “She has a point.”
I crossed my arms over my chest again and glared at them. “I repeat. I am not going anywhere with you two.”
Then Sarah stomped her foot like a five-year-old. “Okay, that’s enough of that,” she growled. “You’re coming with you, Denise, or…or…” Kelly and I both stared at her, giving her plenty of time to shock me with her specialized method of torture, but after a few seconds, it was clear that Sarah didn’t have a torturous bone in her body.
Taking pity on both the lunatics, I finally relented. “Fine,” I huffed out, dramatically. “Lead me to whatever nonsense you two are up to.”
Sarah squealed and Kelly smiled as they turned to lead me to…wherethehellever. And the more excited their steps, the more I realized they were probably just trying to give me a surprise promotion party or something. I probably should tell them about Michael’s ridiculous party, but I didn’t want to disappoint them if they really had put together a surprise lunch for me.
I followed in silence, but soon, I realized we were headed towards Aiden’s office, and that’s when I knew they were giving me a little celebratory lunch party. It was sweet, and I was excited for Kelly to meet Aiden. Our whirlwind romance hadn’t paved much of a way for us to really meet and get to know the people in our lives, so this was kind of awesome.
Well…awesome until Sarah opened the door to Aiden’s office, and I walked in behind her and Kelly to see Aiden, Mason, Michael, Gabriel, Shane, Kelly, Sarah, my mother, my father and…and…
“Oh, Sweet Baby Jesus,” I whispered, standing in the middle of the room. “Is…is that…? Oh, God,” My eyes widened, and I slapped my hand over my mouth. I immediately shook myself out of my stupor and walked up to the man who was obviously here to guide my future. “I’m so sorry, Father,” I bumbled. “I didn’t mean to use The Lord’s name in vain like that. I just…”
He gave me a soft smile. “It’s okay, Child. I…” his eyes darted around the room, “uh, understand that this was a surprise of sorts.”
This time all grace and dignified attempts at maturity flew out the window. “A surprise?” I planted my hands on my hips and glared over at Aiden. “Try an ambush,” I snapped.
The priest looked over at Aiden. “Uh, son…uh, you said she was going to be pleasantly surprised and more than eager to wed you,” he said, clearing seeing how he was duped.
Wed him?
Wed him?!
Aiden walked over towards me, and ignoring everyone around us, said, “She is, Father.”
I growled up at him. “Aiden Buchanan, you did not arrange for us to get married in your office after only knowing each other a few weeks,” I insisted. “Please, tell me you didn’t”
The asshole smirked. “I can’t, because I did.” He turned to face the Father and straightened up to his full height. “Now let’s do this. We have a company to run and your parents are tired from their flight.”
My head swiveled over to where my parents were standing, and I lost all hope of them coming to my rescue when I saw the looks on their faces. I don’t know what Aiden told them, but it was clear they had joined the Dibtab train along with the rest of the nutjobs in the room.
“Aiden…”
He turned, looked down at me, and took my face in his hands. “Do you love me?”
I did.
I knew it with every fiber of my being. “Yes,” I whispered just for him.
His green eyes searched my hazel ones. “You’re the air I fucking breathe, Denise-Sorry, Father.”
