Page 84 of Forgotten Vows
“I know. But I want this moment to be my own this time. And just, I don’t know. He’ll get so overprotective and all and just—” She held her hands out as if to ward me back as she went in the bathroom. “Like you said. I’m being weird.”
I laughed, then waited. She came out a minute later with the test on a towel.
“Is it up yet?” I asked, taking the stick.
“Another minute to go.” She had it covered but let me take it. “I can’t look yet.”
“I can.” I grinned and checked. “Andre’s going to have to get ready to not be the only center of attention around here soon.”
She gasped, then snatched the test from my hand. She did another controlled squee and hugged me, thoroughly excited. Iwas too. I was thrilled for her and I couldn’t wait to be there for her. After the stilted way my father raised me, with limited contact and no chances for friends, she seemed like my first true friend.
“Don’t tell him yet. Please.” She smiled. “I wanna do something special or cute.”
“I won’t.” I waited as she hid the test in her lingerie drawer—not because a member of the house staff would snoop and use it against her since she’d replaced the catty women. She wanted to keep it out of Luka’s sight for now.
“Maybe have Andre wear a big brother onesie or something.”
She laughed, picking up the baby and kissing him. “Oh, I’m so excited.”
“And this time, you can have a normal experience without delivering in a gunfight.”
She smirked. “Don’t jinx it.”
We left the room together and handed Andre over to Allan, who would watch him while Ivan, Luka, Gabriella, and I went to tour a church.
“Now that my excitement is dealt with,” she said as we went to find the guys.
“Dealt with?” I laughed. “You just found out and it’s only starting.”
“I know. But on to you. Are you excited to get married?”
I smiled. “He hasn’t proposed yet.”
“Isn’t that just a technicality now?”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. And I really don’t need a huge wedding whenever it happens. As a matter of fact, I’d worry about my father showing up there and causing trouble.”
“Hmm. No.” Gabriella sounded confident. “I’ve already started planning so much for you. Luka will spare no expense. He’s already been planning more security here and wherever you might move with Ivan. If you want my opinion, he is onboard with letting me arrange a lavish and over-the-top wedding just to get the attention of anyone who might wonder who you belong to.”
“I don’t need to brag about being with Ivan.” I gave her a serious look. “I just need to make sure my father knows that I am.”
Then he can take that message to the grave.
Ivan and Luka were already heading toward us, and we were on our way to the church. Calling the massive old building a church was an understatement. Yet, after spending so much time in Europe and seeing the really ancient masterpieces of architecture, I felt like this just wasn’t the same. The cathedral loomed so tall and massive that it still stole my breath.
More than that, it was the first time I’d ventured out of Luka and Gabriella’s enormous home. I’d gone with Ivan to drop off Lev at school, but it wasn’t until we stood in the sunshine and looked up at the front façade of the big church that I realized I hadn’t gone anywhere lately.
It was yet another sign of how much my life had changed in under a month. Things were shifting so quickly that it should’ve alarmed me, but I wasn’t nervous about being rushed. My love began with Ivan a long time ago. We hadn’t just met. And all those years we were apart, I’d never forgotten him. It was true that absence made the heart fonder, even in my case where I had been so mad about how he’d left.
I smiled at the warmth of the sunshine on my face, marveling that I was a new woman, a different person. The version of me who had to hurry to work for a pittance of a paycheck was now included in a small group of powerful individuals to tour a church. This new me wasn’t worried about finances, how to raise my boy on my own, and keeping contingency plans in check.
I would always look over my shoulder. Until I saw my father dead, I would be nervous. But when I did that right now, glanced over my shoulder, all I saw was Ivan.
He gave me one of those secret smiles and came closer to wrap his arm around me. “You okay?”
I kissed his cheek as a reply. “Yes.” I’d be better if my father were dead, but I knew that would come. It had to. Ivan wouldn’t leave a loose thread like that to threaten me or Lev.
“What if we just got this done now?” Luka asked inside the mostly empty church. A few devout people were praying up front in the first couple of pews. Nuns in habit walked in a straight line near candles lit in an alcove. He held his arms out as if to saywhy not?
