CHAPTER 5
Lia
“What in the hell am I doing?” I asked my friend, Ruby, in a moment of panic.
Only a few days ago, I’d been getting ready for my wedding to Stuart, and now I was just about ready to walk down the aisle with my best friend.
I had no idea how we’d managed to pull this whole thing together, but I’d forever be grateful to Ruby, and to Zeke’s mother, Marlene.
Zeke’s mom had been elated when she learned that her son and I were getting married, and she’d taken the whole last-minute wedding thing in stride. If I didn’t already think she was an amazing woman—which I did—I’d be totally in awe of her skills.
Marlene had hooked up with Ruby and me by video chat, and arranged to get us hitched in a century-old chapel in Gig Harbor, a lovely town about an hour from Seattle in good traffic. And the reception was taking place at the yacht club nearby.
Everything had come together perfectly, but the fact that I was actually marrying Zeke was still surreal.
“You’re getting married to the right man this time,” Ruby answered as she smoothed down the skirt of my second wedding dress. “And you look gorgeous.”
I had to admit that I felt pretty as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
I’d had no qualms about trading in the dress I’d had for my wedding to Stuart since I’d paid for the dress I’d never liked in the first place.
The traditional dress with the long train and old-fashioned veil had never been my style. So I’d opted for something I could feel comfortable in.
“It’s a really nice dress,” I said as I looked at the deceptively simple long-sleeved ivory gown. There was no veil, no train. My current choice was a vintage style that cinched at the waist, and fell in curtains of silk and lace to my feet.
When I caught Ruby’s reflection in the mirror as she flitted around to arrange my dress, I added, “You look gorgeous, too.”
Ruby stood up straight next to me in her muted dusty-rose silk gown. “I feel like a princess,” she said breathlessly. “I’ve never had a dress this beautiful.”
I shot her a tremulous smile. Ruby had been homeless before she’d met Jett. So I loved seeing a smile on her face over a simple bridesmaid dress. Actually, it was humbling.
Oh, God. I really hoped I was doing the right thing. “I just feel so guilty,” I confessed. “You know this is all a ruse, but Marlene doesn’t. And she’s so happy.”
“Does it feel right?” Ruby asked as she fussed with the silver clips that were holding my curly blonde hair back from my face.
“Strangely, it doesn’t feel wrong,” I told her. “I know that sounds weird, but I trust Zeke. I always have.”
“Then roll with it,” Ruby replied. “And stop feeling guilty. Zeke really wants this, and I think you do, too. I know you think this isn’t real, but there’s a marriage license that says differently. I think you’ll both be happy.”
“You’re saying that like I’m staying married,” I answered.
Ruby shrugged. “Who says you won’t? Maybe you’ll come back from your honeymoon knowing that Zeke is the right guy for you. I think he always has been, but you just never noticed.”
“Zeke and me?” I squeaked. “That’s crazy. We’ve always been just friends. Guys like Zeke don’t marry women like me.”
Ruby gave me a disbelieving look. “Why wouldn’t they?”
“He’s rich, and he’s obscenely hot. Zeke is educated, a Harvard Law graduate. He’s in control of one of the most prestigious law firms in the city. I’m not even remotely the woman for someone like him.”
Ruby pulled a face. “Please. Don’t start talking about a guy being out of your league. I’m a homeless woman who just got engaged to one of the richest men in the world. Sometimes those superficial things just don’t matter. It’s what’s in here that counts.” She thumped a hand on her chest.
She was right. “But we’ve always been friends.”
Ruby rolled her eyes. “Not for Zeke. He’s always looked at you like you were the only female who existed. If he looked at you as a friend, it was a long time ago. The guy adores you. It’s pretty obvious. Are you saying that you’ve never seen him as an attractive guy?”
“I did. I do. I just never thought about…him being mine. I admit, I was infatuated with him when I was younger, but even then, I wasn’t thinking he’d ever marry me.”
Ruby let out a playful laugh. “Well, you better consider it, because you’re about to walk down the aisle, and your groom looks a lot like Zeke.”
“But you know it’s not for real.” Zeke was doing all of this for me, and I shuddered as I thought about just how much he was giving up to do this whole charade.
“We’ll see. You’ve obviously never seen the way he looks at you,” Ruby answered mysteriously as she took my hand and led me the short distance to the chapel.
The distance from the doorway to the altar wasn’t exactly long, and Ruby managed to get there faster than I could blink.
I froze. As I looked around the small venue at the family and friends who had come to see Zeke and me get married, I realized the gravity of my decision.
Oh God, I can’t do this to my best friend.
I know he cares about me, but I can’t make him marry me just to get my inheritance.
I have to stop this right now.
It was like déjà vu. Except I wouldn’t be calling the wedding off for me this time. I’d be doing it for Zeke.
I’d gotten so caught up in doing tasks that had to be done over the last few days that I’d failed to think about how really unfair this all was to Zeke. Maybe because he kept telling me that it was no big deal.
But it was a very big deal.
I looked up, and I met Zeke’s beautiful eyes across the small room. His gaze was steady and reassuring, but I couldn’t shake the guilt that was pummeling me.
I didn’t move, so he stepped down from the platform and made his way to my side.
“You’re not backing out,” he said roughly in my ear as he took my hand. “Don’t even think about it.”
I wasn’t surprised that he knew exactly what I was thinking. He usually did.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this,” I whispered loud enough so that he could hear. “It’s just not right. I should have never said yes.”
“We’re going to walk down this aisle together. Come on, Lia. We’ve always made it through everything together. And this is no different. Walk with me. You look stunningly gorgeous, and my family is here. Please don’t make me tell them that the wedding isn’t happening.”
I didn’t have any relatives in the small gathering, but Zeke had family present. A few cousins, an aunt, an uncle, and most importantly, his mother.
I felt my heart galloping in my chest as I tilted my head and looked up at him. “This can’t be what you really want,” I said breathlessly. “Even if it’s only temporary.”
He pinned me with an intense stare that I’d never experienced before. “You’re wrong. I do want this.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, feeling confused.
“You will,” he answered ominously. “Just marry me.”
The last thing I wanted was to embarrass him, so I squeezed his hand. “Never say I didn’t give you an out.”
Like I’d told Ruby, I trusted Zeke. I wasn’t afraid of the consequences. But I was concerned about the fallout for him.
“I don’t need an out, Lia,” he answered.
I nodded slowly. “Okay.”
It was hard to take my eyes off him as I moved into position to walk beside him. I’d never seen Zeke in a tuxedo, and it looked pretty damn good on him.
“Smile,” he insisted as we walked toward the altar.
I felt twice as guilty as I saw Marlene in the front row, grinning from ear to ear. She winked, and I kept smiling as I passed her and we stopped in front of the man officiating the ceremony.
Ruby and Jett had agreed to stand up for us, and Ruby reached out to take my flowers as I turned to Zeke.
Somewhere between the beginning of the ceremony and the end, everything started to feel real to me.
The sincere timbre of Zeke’s voice as he took his vows, and the way he promised so steadfastly to love and honor me, made all of this feel real. Just like the words I said that bound me to him had come naturally.
Zeke had handled the rings, and I let out an audible gasp as he slipped a gorgeous diamond on my finger. It was huge, and a vintage style I would have chosen for myself.
And then, he kissed me.
It felt so much like he was staking his claim.
It was an embrace that felt like a promise.
And as I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back, I knew nothing would be the same between us ever again.