AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My prayer is answered in a strange way. Instead of salad, Rose places mozzarella sticks on Ray’s plate before she does the same for Charlie and her son, Alex. She then leans forward and asks something to my son. I can’t hear her, but Ray’s face lights up and he nods.
When he looks back at me, there’s a broader smile than I have ever seen on his face.
He is happy.
My uneasy heart settles slowly. I’m doing this for Ray and his happiness is worth everything.
After dessert, we all return to the living area for coffee when Kristy wiggles her eyebrows at Zach. “So, you married in secret, but there has to be a reception.”
I sit upright in my seat. No one has mentioned the wedding throughout dinner, and I thought we were done with the discussion, but I guess not.
“Kristy is right,” Zander says. “It’s better to have a formal announcement before the media finds out.”
“Media?” I gasp.What the heck are these people talking about?
“You know your husband is one of the hottest bachelors, right? Or was.” Kristy raises her eyebrows, but her words shake me to my boots.
Hot-hottest bachelor?
When I look at Zach, he simply shrugs and asks, “What do you think?”
He’s asking me? I’m possibly the one person in this room who has no opinion of these things. “Why…are you asking me?”
“It’s our wedding.” Zach scratches his chin as if I’m crazy to ask this question.
“Is it necessary?” My folded hands tighten around each other.
“Not necessary as such. But why hide and make it look like a scandal?”
My mouth dries hearing Zander’s tight words.
“But if you are uncomfortable, we don’t need to do any-fucking-thing,” Zach says before shooting a death glare to his brother.
My chest tightens as I realize I’m the reason for the rift between these two. I’m about to cave in and agree to anything that will please Zander when Zane says, “We can d-do a simple announc-cement in the media.” He then picks up a metal tin from under the coffee table and directs it to my husband, while shooting me a grin. “S-swear jar.”
And that simple, affectionate gesture tugs my heart.
“Media is going to go nuts. Teager women are media averse,” Kristy chuckles.
Zach carriesRay to his bed. He fell asleep on the drive back home.
“It was a long day for him,” I say, running my hands through my sleeping son’s hair.
“For all of us.” Zach slumps down on the sofa in the corner and releases a deep sigh before looking up at the ceiling.
“Your family is not happy.”
His gaze turns to me, and he waits for a few beats before saying, “Zander is not upset with you. He has been looking out for us for so long that he doesn’t know how to stop it.” When I give him a tiny nod, not because I understand his cryptic words but because I don’t know what else to do, he says, “Let’s go to bed. It’s late.”
I place a kiss on Ray’s head and turn off the main light. When I turn around, I find Zach bent forward, kissing my son’s forehead.
My heart squeezes and I’m reminded once again that today was a life-altering day for all of us.
Ray has a father. Not just any father but a prince, as my son calls him. And with every passing moment I feel like maybe Zachisa prince, not mine, but a prince, nonetheless.
But how is he feeling? He has taken up such a big responsibility in his life. I sometimes wonder how well he thought this through.
After giving a final glance to the two most important men in my life, I amble toward my bedroom. I grab my yoga pants and T-shirt from the bed and go into the bathroom.
