Page 38 of One Night in My Rival's Bed

‘Don’t weddings take ages to organise?’ Grayson asked.

‘Yes, but I know of a good wedding planner that might be able to help,’ I said. ‘There’s a company run by three best friends called Happy Ever After Weddings. I’ve read about their hugely successful business and seen interviews on various social platforms. But, of course, they are popular, so it might not be easy to engage them, especially with such a short timeframe.’

‘Can we talk in private?’ Niamh asked me with a beseeching glance.

‘Sure, but you’d better tell the celebrant we won’t be needing them,’ I said.

Ethan and Niamh mumbled something to the celebrant, who didn’t seem all that fussed with the sudden change of plan. But, judging from the queue of couples lining up to get married, perhaps he was confident the vacant space would be filled within minutes.

I took my sister by the hand and led her out of the chapel. I spied a café nearby and suggested we go there.

‘No, I want somewhere more private,’ Niamh said.

‘Okay, we’ll go to my room.’ I led the way to the lift.

‘You have your own room?’ Niamh asked once we were inside the lift and zooming up to the thirtieth floor.

‘Of course.’

Her forehead creased in a puzzled frown. ‘But I thought you might share with Grayson.’

I could feel heat pooling in my cheeks. Not could I only feel it, but I could also see it because three sides of the lift were mirrored glass.

I gave a little cough of a laugh. ‘Why on earth would you think that?’

‘I see the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him.’

‘Erm...well, he’s... I’m...’ What was I supposed to say? How could I explain our fling to my sister? What sort of hypocrite would she think me?

‘Are you in love with him?’

I rapid blinked like I was a rabbit suddenly realising a speeding car was about to turn me into roadkill. Niamh’s question blindsided me. I didn’t want to think about my feelings for Grayson Barlowe. I didn’t want to acknowledge I even had feelings for him. We were having a lust-fuelled fling. Emotions were not supposed to be part of the deal.

‘Erm...it’s complicated...’ What a pathetic cliché to resort to, but it was actually true. It didn’t get much more complicated. ‘So, what did you want to talk to me about?’ It was time to get the focus back on her, not me.

Now it was time for Niamh’s cheeks to go pink. ‘Let’s wait until we’re in your room.’

The lift doors pinged open, and we stepped out and made our way to my room. I glanced at Grayson’s door next to mine and a hot shiver passed through my body.

I opened the door to my room and Niamh walked through. I closed the door and followed her to the sitting room that overlooked the colourful and busy Vegas Strip.

‘So, what did you want to talk to me about?’ I asked.

Niamh turned from looking out of the window, her hands twisted together in front of her body. ‘I’m having a baby.’

I stared at her in shocked silence. My mind was spinning out of control like a Buick on black ice. Niamh was pregnant? She was going to be a mother. Ethan was going to be a father. I was going to be an auntie. Grayson was going to be an uncle.

‘Aren’t you going to say something?’ Niamh was looking a little worried.

I blew out an uneven breath. ‘Wow... I mean...congratulations. How many weeks?’

‘Four.’

‘Four?’ I gaped at her. ‘But you only started seeing each other, what, seven weeks ago now?’ That meant she’d got pregnant at the very start of their relationship.

‘Yes, but our connection was instant. I knew he was the love of my life the minute I met him.’

I sat down because my legs were suddenly strangely unsteady. ‘Wow, I can see why you both wanted to get married in a rush.’

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