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There was another knock.
“Coming!” She glanced in the mirror to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She could do this. Because whether or not she was a Bartolini, she was a wedding planner. No one could take that away from her.
* * *
The bride was stunning.
The groom, eh, not too bad.
And the entire wedding had gone off without a hitch.
Leo knew who to thank for making his sister’s big day so perfect—Bianca. She’d once again worked her magic. She’d smoothed out the rough edges, covered over the imperfections and highlighted the beauty of the day. The only thing that bothered him was that she’d been so busy he hadn’t had a moment to so much as thank her.
But there was another part of this day that he dreaded. It meant the deadline for choosing a wife was at hand. It was like a ticking time bomb. And when it went off, life as he knew it would be over. How was he supposed to spend the rest of his days with someone he didn’t love?
Because after spending time with Bianca, he’d realized how he longed to share his life with someone he cared about. Waking up in the morning, eager to see that person. Finding out something exciting and anxiously seeking out that person to share the news.
And then there were Giselle and William. They were so in love. They practically glowed when they were in the vicinity of each other. That’s what he wanted for his life. Not a cold, heartless business deal—
“Come dance with me.”
Leo turned to find the radiant bride next to him. “I’m not much of a dancer.”
“We both know that’s not true.” She grasped his arm. “Come on.”
With this being the formal reception, the music was more sedate. It made dancing and talking much easier, which didn’t thrill Leo. His sister was good at reading his moods and he didn’t want to get into what was on his mind at the moment. This was her wedding. A time for celebration. Not a time to dissect his life.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
“Why thank you. You look pretty dashing yourself. Except for that frown on your face.”
“What frown?” He didn’t know he was frowning. He forced a smile to his lips. “Better?”
“You don’t have to put on a show for me.”
His muscles stiffened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do. Mother gave you a deadline to find a wife and the time is up.”
He stopped dancing and looked at his sister. “How do you know?”
She smiled and shrugged. “Mother isn’t the only one with spies.”
He shook his head. “You weren’t supposed to know. This is your big day and it isn’t your problem.”
They started to dance again. “But I want to help.”
“No one can help. At this point, I’m considering putting the names in a hat and pulling out one.”
Giselle arched a brow. “You’re joking, aren’t you?”
Part of him was, the other part was seriously considering the option. “How do you choose a spouse that you don’t care about?”
“Do you really need me to answer the question?” When he nodded, she said, “You don’t.”
“But I have to. I need a wife in order to become king. And I need to step into the role by the New Year. The nation is becoming restless.” His gaze searched hers. “Who do you think I should marry?”
“I think the answer is right in front of you. All you have to do is open your eyes.”
