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Olivia thought she may go crazy out of her mind. What she was about to do at the chapel both thrilled and terrified her at the same time.
I must do this!
I will not be any old jilted bride.
But to her chagrin, she had a lot more on her mind, such as would Dane ever kiss her again? Would she be pleasured by the soft erotic touch of his lips and his muscular body over hers?
Stop it, Olivia!
Focus!
And focus, she would. On her mission to recapture her day.
It was bad enough that Christmas Day memories were tainted with the horrific death of her mother on the morning of December 25, but now this? Being jilted on her Christmas Day wedding, too? No way was she going to let that happen. Even if it killed her.
* * *
The chapel looked festive and the band played Here and Now by Luther Vandross. Olivia should have changed the song. How could she bear to listen to "Here and now I promise to love faithfully…" while walking down the aisle? Alone. She had already planned to walk down the aisle alone to the altar but hadn’t planned on walking back from the altar alone, too.
Loud whispers zoomed about the atmosphere. “Where’s the groom?” “Is she going to marry herself?” “Is she crazy?” Olivia could hear the frantic chattering of the guests. The pastor was at the altar waiting for her arrival, while Dane was near the front. God, she hoped Dane’s plan to make her day a good one worked—or else.
Bria walked behind Olivia holding her long silk train. Once the music stopped and she’d reached the front, Olivia sucked in a deep breath. Dane looked ravishing in his tux, his smooth dark hair slicked back. God, he was hot! A grin touched the corner of her lips. Okay, it was all worth it.
Olivia removed the veil from her face and turned towards her guests. The stunned looks in their eyes were enough to make her falter but she was determined to get through this. Dane was ready and waiting on the side.
Olivia looked over at the pastor who looked equally as uneasy about the new program.
“Friends and family,” the pastor proceeded, “we are gathered here to,” he coughed, “…to celebrate love and family as Olivia McAlister makes her vow to be happy no matter what.” Cough, cough!
Okay, that was awkward.
Olivia could hear chuckles in the audience and heat rushed to her throat. Could she do this? Could she really get through this?
“Before we begin,” Dane’s smooth, sexy voice sounded as he made his way up to the altar. “I just want to say how honored I am to have Olivia McAlister as my friend. Olivia has a heart of gold and a beautiful soul that would make any man happy. Actually, I haven’t known Olivia very long but after speaking with her here in the past twenty-four hours, I was over amazed at how remarkable she is. In fact, I asked her to be my bride for the day. I’m truly honored to have such a beautiful bride by my side.”
Overt approval sounded from everyone and that warmed Olivia’s heart. Dane was just so sweet. How had he managed to turn a humiliating disaster into something so beautiful and face-saving?
She would forever be in his sweet debt.
Olivia thought she was going to pass out. "Kiss me," she wanted to whisper to him but she resisted. His kiss was a magical elixir for pleasure that could send her spirits soaring even in her darkest hour.
“Not only that, but Olivia is the bravest, kindest woman I’ve ever met,” Dane continued. “Only a woman of true class could take a situation that she’d been through and flip it around to make the best of it.”
Dane then stepped away from the podium, appreciation for Olivia in his dreamy blue eyes, as he allowed Olivia to continue.
A single clap sounded that soon erupted to a round of applause. Olivia’s heart squeezed. This time with a profound and sincere appreciation. She mouthed "Thank you" to Dane before turning to face her family and friends again.
“As many of you may be aware, last night Jack and I broke up. And instead of cancelling what should have been a celebration of love, I decided to keep it as a celebration. Because true love doesn’t need perfect situations to flourish.”
“Hear, hear,” Macy chimed in after taking her place in the front row pew.
Olivia felt like her heart was going to explode. It must have been beating a thousand times per minute, hard and fast in her chest, thrashing against her ribs. But she could do this. She must continue.
“I thought of what my mother would say if she were here with us. I think she would have wanted this occasion to go forth. So I will say this. Today is the happiest day of my life. Do you want to know why?”
Her guests’ eyes were wide in anticipation.
“Well,” Olivia continued, “because I woke up today and could take a breath with my own lungs. That’s more than what many people on this planet can do. Today, I took a breath this morning while someone took her last. Every moment in life is a special occasion. Being alive. Being surrounded by those who appreciate you is a blessing and it’s worth a celebration.
“So what if I got let down on my wedding day? I’m still standing and I’m still smiling in spite of it all because I love me. And I decided that the best gift we can give is happiness to those who’ve lost everything. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who’ve brought a gift—and that includes bringing yourself. If it’s okay with you, I would love to give most of the gifts to the victims of the fire that wiped out an entire block of townhouses in west end of Toronto about a week ago.”
To her surprise, a round of applause erupted from the congregation. “Really, it’s the least I can do. And as I said, today, my gift to you is to continue the wonderful holiday celebration and feast.”
Olivia turned to face Dane, her eyes beginning to sting with mist. “A good friend of mine, a guy who I least expected to befriend in my worst moment, reminded me that love begins inside. It’s meant to be shared but it begins with you and once you find that it’s easy to love or care for those around you—”
“And those who stab you in the back,” an angry voice interrupted to the gasp of the congregation.
Olivia almost dropped.
It was Jack.
What the hell was he doing here?
Jack stormed in towards the altar with some sheets of paper in his hand. What on earth was he up to?
Olivia panicked and turned to face Dane, only to find that Dane had already left the spot where he was standing, his jaw clenched as if he was ready to pounce upon Jack. Judging by Dane’s huge muscular frame and tall body, Jack wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Get the hell out of here!” Dane ordered, his voice icy and hard.
“Oh, well,” Jack said. “Well, isn’t that just fine. The Belmont Hotel heir screwing the guest bride at his hotel. Hmm.”
The guests gasped in unison.
“I think you should leave, Jack.” Bria stood up, ready to defend her sister.
“It’s okay, Bria,” Olivia tried to quiet her down. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to get hurt emotionally on Christmas Day. All over again. “Bria, leave now. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“No!” Bria rebutted. “I’m staying right here with you.”
Okay, this was so not how Olivia had planned to bounce back on her big day.
“What are you talking about, Jack?’
“Oh, didn’t you see the news today? Oh, wait a minute…” He held up the sheet of paper at the front of the altar. “So as you all know Olivia and I were to be happily married today, but funny thing, I was online last night and I saw this picture come up on a gossip website. Hmm. My bride-to-be kissing the hotel manager hours before our wedding and not just any hotel manager. Oh, no. The billionaire bastard child of Jonah Belmont.” Before he could finish, Dane had practically picked up Jack and shoved him off the altar.
“Get. Lost. Now,” Dane hissed between clenched teeth. Fire burned in his dangerously dark eyes. Aunt Sasha was fanning herself with her paper fan looking as if she was about to faint at any moment. This was horrible.
“Fine. I’ll go. See you later, Olivia.” Jack rushed out in the same tornadic style as he blew in, leaving Olivia feeling burned, stung inside.
“Dane, what was he talking about?” Her heart pounded hard and fierce in her chest, so much so she could hardly move. She ignored the commotion and whispers around her.
“You’re an heir? A Belmont heir? Is it true?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Olivia. I was going to tell you later.”
She felt gutted. She looked around the congregation, her mouth partly opened but she wasn’t able to say anything else.
Olivia then turned around, picking up her the bottom of her gown from the floor and walked towards the back of the chapel into the private room. She needed to be alone.
She’d been duped. She felt stupid.
God, how stupid of her to think he could possibly be interested in her.
No wonder he’d said this was the beginning of friendship, because it couldn’t possibly mean anything more. Dane Romano or Dane Belmont, whoever the hell he was, was way out of her league. Big time. What would a rich guy like him want with a rejected ordinary girl like her? She was more disappointed than she’d felt in the past twenty-four hours since Jack called off their wedding. Dane had lied by omission about who he was.
