Page 47 of Wed to You-
Miss Z stopped fussing over the table settings and stood, with her hands clasped in front of her just like Mr. Grayson.
“She was my teacher.” Kaden took her hand and swung it with excitement.
Miss Z and Grayson nodded their acknowledgements. A prickle of unease formed in her belly. She was going to live in this house with these cold, distant people. It made her think of the movies in which an ordinary girl went to live with rich people and never fit in because she didn’t know the rules of polite society.
“While you’re all here, I have an announcement to make. Chelsea and I are getting married.”
Mrs. Stanton’s brows shot up, disappearing into her hairline. Grayson’s face remained impassive, but he shifted slightly. Miss Z’s frown drew tauter. Not good.
“We want to get married as soon as possible. Next weekend before the trip to New York. Any help you can give us with that will be appreciated. More importantly, I expect you to include Chelsea as part of the family.”
Gazes shifted from her to Jagger and then to each other, but there was still no congratulations or outward signs of response. Chelsea’s prickle was quickly morphing into indigestion. It was clear no one knew what to make of the announcement.
“I’m not pregnant,” Chelsea blurted.
Jagger flinched next to her.
She looked into his surprised but amused expression. “It’s all so sudden that they might think I’m with child...but...well, I thought they should know we’re doing this because we want to, not becausewe have to.”
His hand rubbed her back and he winked before turning back to his staff. “She’s right. We’re getting married because we’re in love. I know it’s a surprise...shock even, but Iknowyou’re happy for us.” The last part had force behind it. As if he was giving a command.
“Well, congratulations.” Mrs. Stanton stood, giving Jagger and then Chelsea a hug. “How wonderful.”
Chelsea hoped she was better at pretending she and Jagger were in love than Mrs. Stanton was at pretending she was happy for them.
“Congratulations.” Grayson extended his hand to Jagger. “Welcome to the family.” He reached out to shake Chelsea’s hand.
She took it, but like Mrs. Stanton, it seemed like he was only going through the motions.
“A week? I can’t even plan the menu in a week, how will I have the food prepared and served by then?”
Jagger laughed, giving Miss Z a hug. “I’ll hire extra help that you can boss around.”
“Harrumph.” She pursed at Jagger. “Married? Who’d’ve thought? So, you gonna eat or what?”
Chelsea satwith Jagger on the back terrace of his estate, she with a glass of wine and he with a beer. They’d had a nice dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread with Kaden. Mrs. Z might be a hard woman, but she knew how to make garlic bread, and Chelsea indulged in more than one piece. After dinner, they’d gone for a walk to the stables, and then Mrs. Stanton had taken Kaden to put him to bed.
Now they were alone, discussing the logistics of their plan.
“What’s the trip to New York?” Chelsea had been so preoccupied with the response of his staff to their marriage that she’d nearlymissed his comment about going to New York.
“I go about once a month, usually by myself, but this time we’ll all go. I’ll need to work on Talbot business for a day or two, but it will also be a good cover for a honeymoon.”
Honeymoon?They had to fake that too? “I don’t need a honeymoon. If you need to work, I’m happy to stay behind.”
He frowned. “If this were a real wedding, would you want a honeymoon?”
Since marriage was so out of the realm of possibility, she hadn’t thought about it much. When she was younger, a honeymoon, usually somewhere secluded, was definitely a part of the plan.
“I guess I would.”
He had that annoyed expression again as he leaned closer and spoke in a quieter voice. “I promised I wouldn’t touch you and I won’t. But this marriage needs to look real, including a honeymoon. I can’t have my staff or Mitch questioning this.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry about Mitch.”
He sat back and waved her apology away. “It’s not your fault. I knew he’d confront me.”
Chelsea didn’t understand where Mitch’s animosity toward Jagger came from, but Jagger seemed to have his own issues with Mitch as well. “You two used to be friends.”
