Page 36 of The Forgotten Queen
“It’s nice to meet you, Sydria.” Marx didn’t pull his hand away. He didn’t want to.
“This doesn’t mean you’ll get your wedding kiss now.”
“We don’t even need the kiss.”
Her brows lowered as if she didn’t understand.
“I don’t know about you,” he said, shoving his hands in his suit pockets, “but I’d consider that a successful wedding.”
“You would?” Her lips grew into a shy smile.
“Definitely. When we started the ceremony, we didn’t even know each other, then during it, we somehow managed to have a fight in a closet, make up, and agree to marry each other.”
She let out a small laugh.
“It was a very productive twenty minutes,” he said with a glint.
Dannyn exited the chapel, stopping right in front of them. “That was the most awkward wedding I have ever seen. Who stops the officiator to have a mid-ceremony broom closet conversation?” She smiled at Sydria. “Hi. I’m your new sister-in-law.”
“Hello.” She straightened, extending her hand to Dannyn. “I’m Sydria Hasler.”
“McKane,” Marx muttered. Both women looked confused. “Technically, your name is Sydria McKane now.”
She swallowed. “Right.”
“I can’t believe my son is married!” His mother squealed as she swept through the door. She grabbed Marx and pulled him into a tight hug, sniffling the entire time. Was his mother really crying over his fake wedding to a woman none of them had ever met? He looked at Dannyn for confirmation, but she rolled her eyes.
His mother released him from her death grip and turned to Sydria, who took a step back, probably fearing that the queen mother would choke her in to a hug. “Oh my dear, welcome to the family.” Sure enough, his mother leaped forward, pulling her new daughter-in-law’s head down to her chest, hugging her tightly. Sydria bent over awkwardly as her cheek smashed against his mother’s bosom. She stood unmoving, arms to the side, eyes wide.
Marx doubted there was a more awkward hug between two women in the history of time.
“Mother.” He sighed, prying Sydria from her grip. “She doesn’t want to be hugged by you and your chest. You don’t even know her.”
Sydria shot him a grateful look as she backed away.
“Well, we can’t wait for you to tell us all about yourself,” his mother said.
Sydria’s face paled.
Did his mother not know about the amnesia? Because there wouldn’t be a lot for Sydria to tell.
“Malory, don’t make her nervous. I’m sure this is all very overwhelming.” His father smiled sweetly, taking Sydria’s hand and kissing it.
Wow.
He was really laying on the charm thick for this girl. Whoever she was, his father wanted to impress her.
Marx had been curious before the wedding about his mysterious bride, but now his curiosity was at an all-time high. He felt something for the woman. Not love or anything like that, but a sort of protectiveness, like he needed to rescue her from this marriage and his father more than he needed to rescue himself.
His mother clapped her hands together. “I couldn’t be happier about this wedding!”
Couldn’t be happier that her son had been forced into a marriage with a woman he didn’t love? It was crazy. But that was his mother, always pretending that everything in their family was perfectly fine.
He’d learned how to pretend from the best.
Marx caught Sydria’s eye, and though he didn’t know her, he could’ve sworn she was as baffled by the queen mother’s happiness as he was.
“Let me escort you into the courtyard.” His father offered Sydria his hand. “We have a small gathering setup with our close friends to celebrate the marriage.”
