Chapter 48

Lacey

Lunch slipped by in a daze. I didn’t even taste the expensive wine, but Grant didn’t notice. After the meal, Grant said there was something else he had to show me. I couldn’t imagine what else there might be on top of what had already happened, and I followed him back to the car more concerned about my ring than anything else.

It looked so beautiful on my finger, like it had been made just for me. When I chose it originally, I’d thought I was marrying Rob, but now I knew it had always been meant for me and Grant.

“Are you really going to marry me?” I said when we got into the car.

He leaned across and gave me a long, passionate kiss.

“Yes, I am.”

“When will we get married?” I said.

He caressed my hand gently as he drove.

“Do you trust me?” he said.

“Of course I do.”

“All right. Then leave that to me.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant, but he refused to say anything else about it as we drove out of the city. We were headed toward the valley and I started to think he was taking me home, but as we approached the valley, he turned up, into the mountains, rather than down toward the river.

“Where are we going?” I said.

There was a hotel high in the mountains at a place overlooking the entire Socorro Valley. It was a beautiful spot and when he pulled into the lot, I wondered if he was going to take me to a hotel room to celebrate our engagement, but instead he just drove up to the door and stayed in the car.

“What’s going on?” I said.

I turned to look at the hotel and saw Faith and two valets from the hotel coming to greet me.

“Grant?” I said.

“Do you trust me?” he said.

“Of course, but what’s Faith doing here? What’s going on?”

Grant took my face gently in his strong hands and kissed me deeply and passionately.

“I’ll see you soon, Lacey,” he said. “You just follow Faith. She’ll explain everything.”

Faith opened the door and gave me a warm smile. “Come on, girl,” she said. “You’ve got a dress to try on.”

“What?” I said.

I looked from Faith to Grant. They both knew exactly what was going on, while I didn’t have a clue. I got out of the car and let Faith lead me through the lobby of the hotel. I turned back to the door in time to see Jackson, Sam, Forrester and Grady getting into Grant’s car, all of them wearing the most dashing tuxedoes I’d ever seen.

“Faith,” I said. “What the hell is going on?”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet, silly?”

“Figured out what?”

Faith just laughed. We got into the elevator and went to the top floor of the hotel, where the best suites were. Faith led me to the presidential suite and when I saw what was on the bed, I almost collapsed. Laid out, on a bed of light pink silk, was the most beautiful wedding dress I’d ever seen in my entire life.

“Oh my God, Faith, is that what I think it is?”

“Do you think it’s a custom Packham wedding gown, made just for you?”

“Are you freaking kidding me?”

Faith shook her head. “It’s yours, Lacey. And this is really happening, tonight, so we better start getting you ready.”

“What’s happening?”

“What do you think?”

There were so many tears falling down my cheeks I couldn’t speak.

“I’m getting married?” I cried.

“You’re getting married to the most amazing guy, Lacey. Grant’s planned everything. Right down to the tiniest detail.”

“How?”

“He knew what you wanted because, well, he knows everything about you. He’s been in love with you his entire life.”

“How did he have time to plan all this?”

“With a little help from his friends,” Faith said, smiling.

“Faith, tell me I’m not dreaming.”

Faith came over to me and cupped my face in her hands.

“You’re not dreaming, Lacey.”

Then she picked up the phone and told the front desk we were ready. A few minutes later the suite was filled with hair stylists, make up artists, and just about every other person a girl could possibly want to help her get ready for the wedding of her dreams.

There was a woman to give me a pedicure, and another to give me a manicure. I was getting the royal treatment, and yet it included none of the fancy cosmetic treatments Rob had expected of me.

This time, I was allowed to be myself. The dress was a perfect fit. It gave me a beautiful figure, but I wasn’t expected to wear a crazy corset that made me look like someone I wasn’t. The makeup was perfect, and there weren’t any high-tech laser treatments to contend with.

Grant loved me for who I was. He didn’t want me to be someone else.

And the dress. The dress was just stunning. The bead work was so intricate and precise that I was astounded Grant had managed to get it for me. There was usually a waiting list of months for a dress like that. How had he managed it?

I looked at my engagement ring. He’d managed that too. I couldn’t believe it. He was magical. He was like my wildest dream, my deepest fantasy, coming true.

I was alone in front of the mirror in my dressing room. Faith was out taking care of a few final arrangements for our limo. Everyone else was packing up their things and leaving. I looked in the mirror. I looked like the most beautiful bride in the entire world. I was certain Grant was going to love me. How could I doubt it? He’d loved me so deeply, for so long, and I’d felt the same way about him.

I thought back to that first time I’d seen him. Or the first time I’d watched him from my bedroom window. Or the first time I’d discovered that I could pleasure myself, just by looking at him as he showered with the hose after a long day’s work.

This was the completion of everything my life had been leading to. It had always been the final destination of my life, of my heart. Ever since the day my father discovered Grant.

I said a silent prayer of thanks to my father, for finding Grant and bringing him to me.