Page 74 of The Billionaire's Bride
I walk up to him, glance down at the photograph. "She was so beautiful," I whisper.
"I saw her across a crowded house party in London and knew she was the one for me."
I’ve heard the story of how they met a thousand times, and yet, I can’t resist asking, "What was she wearing?"
“A sleeveless dress that reached her knees. I saw the back of her neck, the curve of her bare shoulder, and I was a goner."
"And you?" I murmur, "What were you doing?"
“I was in a pair of shorts, wearing a Santa hat while I jumped up and down on the couch.” He chuckles.
"Was it Christmas?"
"Not quite. It was the middle of summer, but I was high enough on life… And yeah, enough alcohol to not give a damn. Then I saw her and knew that my life would never be the same again." His voice breaks and I turn to him in time to see a tear run down his cheek.
"Oh, Dad." I grip his arm. "I’m so sorry, Dad."
"Me, too." He swallows. "You meet your life partner and you think you’ll be together for the rest of your lives. You think you’ll always have them next to you, that you’ll be old and wrinkled before you have to say good-bye. Yet one day, they are gone, and you are left to pick up the pieces of your life and move on... Even as the grief consumes you from the inside, and you try to put on a brave face and smile because that’s what they would have wanted. I don’t want your Mum to be upset. I want her to feel like I am still living my best life for her."
"Oh, Daddy." I stand up on tip-toe and hug him, and he puts his arms around me and holds me close. The woodsy scent of his aftershave is so familiar, so comforting, that I almost break down. I bite back my tears, pat his shoulder, "I am so sorry I said those horrible things to you earlier."
"I think we all say things we don’t mean when we’re upset." He rubs his cheek across my hair. "You were hurting. So was I. We were all trying to figure out how we were going to go on without her."
"You’re doing the right thing by marrying Aunty Lina." I lean back and he releases me. "I hope the two of you are happy, Daddy."
"Thank you, sweetheart." He smiles down at me, "It means a lot to me to hear that."
There’s a knock on the door, then Raisa peeks in. "Everything okay?" She glances between us.
"Yeah," I sniffle, "I was just catching up with Dad, that’s all."
"I am so happy you came, Ava." She smiles at me.
"Me, too." I look up at the ceiling to keep the tears from falling and messing up my make-up. "Thanks for being so patient with me, big sis."
She screws up her face, "Don’t call me that. Not that I am not your older sister, but it makes me feel old when you do."
"Some things never change." I chuckle.
Her smile widens. "And some things do." She peers into my face, "You ready for this?"
"Yeah," I square my shoulders, "I am."
"Good." She turns to my father, "And you, Dad, you ready to do this?"
He blows out a breath. "Yes." He straightens his spine. "Yes, I am."
He tucks me under his arm, then holds his other arm out to Raisa. She walks over to us, and the three of us hug.
"Thank you," Dad says hoarsely. "Thank you for understanding."
Two hours later, I watch from the sidelines of the small dance floor that had been erected in the backyard of my childhood home. The large white marquee that had hosted the ceremony is aglow with twinkling lights strung from the ceiling. The sides of the tent are open and a gust of air sweeps through, rustling the table cloths behind me. The DJ on the far end plays a tune that has me tapping my foot in rhythm.
"Hey, you," Isla comes up to stand next to me, "long time no see."
I glance at her sideways, "Speak for yourself. You’ve been missing all through the ceremony."
"Don’t ask." She mimics wiping sweat from her brow "Last minute issue with the DJ, but I finally pulled in a favor." She waves at the tall man behind the console, who grins at her before turning his attention back to the set up.
