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Chapter17
Charlotte
“Oh, honey. You look so beautiful.” My mother stands from her chair where the stylist was just finishing her hair and walks over to me, studying my face. I’m not gonna lie, I love the way the makeup artist did my makeup, and the low bun hairdo the hairstylist did for me looks great too. I feel beautiful.
“Thanks, Mom.”
But then her brows draw together, and she reaches up to push a finger between my eyes. “Have you considered Botox yet, Charlotte?”
“What?”
She holds up her hands. “I’m just saying. You have a few lines between your eyebrows that you could stop before they get worse with a little injection, sweetheart,” she says with a wink. “Think about it.”
Aunt Gigi comes up beside me as my mother walks to the other side of the bridal suite. “Don’t do it, Char. Botox will have your face frozen in place, looking like the Wicked Witch of the West.”
“I’m going to scream,” I say under my breath. “She’s ridiculous.”
“Just wait until after the ceremony to do so, because if you ruin that, you’ll never hear the end of it from your mother.” She shoots me an amused look and then pats me on the back. “Come on, let’s get our dresses on. This is almost over.”
My mother, my aunt, and I are the only ones in the bridal suite. Since I’m the daughter of the bride and groom, the role of bridesmaid falls to me. And my aunt is here with us to get ready since she’s family. It’s been a long morning of primping and listening to details about the ceremony, things my mother has already told me about several times by now. My aunt and I shared many discreet eye rolls, but this day is important to my mother, and regardless of my conflict with her right now, I truly am happy for my parents. Any long-lasting love should be celebrated.
Thirty minutes before the ceremony, a knock on the door of the suite pulls me in that direction. But when I answer it and find Damien on the other side, my entire body jolts when I see him.
He looks so handsome in his dark gray suit and tie, a light pink to match the shade of my dress. My mother must have coordinated that without me knowing. His hair is combed back and gelled in place, his beard neatly trimmed and his narrow waist highlighted by the fit of his jacket which perfectly contrasts the crisp white of his shirt.
God, he’s so handsome, and seeing him right now is making me even more aware that everyone believes this is as real as it feels.
I’m no longer faking it with this man. I’m wanting to keep him forever.
“Damn, Charlotte. You look gorgeous, babe,” he says as he leans in through the doorway to kiss my lips and then retracts, eyeing me up and down.
The pink dress that my mother picked out for me has a corset bodice that feels a lot like a girdle. I’m not gonna lie, it’s a bit hard to breathe in it, but it does help accentuate my waist and leads into a mermaid-style fit of pink silk, with the base of the dress complete with a light, shimmery organza formed into ruffles that look like roses. It’s fancier than my prom dress from high school, which doesn’t surprise me. My mother has never been one to blend in, and she doesn’t like for me to do that either.
“Thank you. You look very handsome yourself,” I say as I reach up and straighten his tie; the gesture feels so normal, like something we do all the time.
“I can’t wait to strip you out of this dress later,” he whispers in my ear, his warm breath making my skin pebble with anticipation.
“I’m counting on that.”
“Damien?” I turn around to find my mother in her dress, the lace overlay standing out against the champagne color underneath. Her dress is also form-fitting, yet elegant and eye-catching. She looks stunning.
“Savannah, you look amazing.”
“Aw, thank you. That means a lot coming from my future son-in-law.”
“Mom!”
Damien laughs but pulls me toward him. “With any luck, huh?” Jesus, he plays his part so perfectly.
“Oh, Charlotte would be a fool not to marry you. Besides, it’s not like she’s had many other opportunities,” she says with a wave of her hand and internally, the lava starts to boil again.
Damien clears his throat. “Well, the wedding coordinator told me to come and get you girls so we can get this show on the road.”
“Oh, it’s time!” My mother claps her hands. “Thank you again for walking Charlotte down the aisle, Damien. It will be such good practice for when it’s your turn.” She winks again and then moves into the other room to gather her bouquet.
I twist to face Damien. “I’m so sorry. You know how she is—”
He cuts me off with his lips. “Stop apologizing for her,” he says when we part. “Come on.” He takes my hand and pulls me out of the door. “Let’s just get this over with so we can lock ourselves away from everyone tomorrow, pretend like we’re here alone, and then we can leave on Tuesday and get back to our lives.”
Resting my head on his shoulder as we walk, I sigh in contentment. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Then it’s a plan.”
At four o’clock sharp, the ceremony begins and my nerves are on high alert.
“You okay?” Damien asks as the music starts while waiting for the coordinator to give us the signal to start walking.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Don’t worry, Charlotte. You look amazing. I’m lucky to be walking you down the aisle right now.”
I peer up at him as he stands by my side, my arm weaved through his. “Damien…thank you for doing this.”
“Hey, you’re not the only one who benefited from our arrangement, remember?”
“I know, but I feel like you’ve done more for me than I have for you.”
He shakes his head. “No, Char. You have no idea how much you’ve helped me. In fact, there’s something I want to talk to you about later…” A reverent smile spreads across his lips.
My heart jumps with anxiousness. “Okay…”
“Alright, you two,” Cheryl says, pulling us from our conversation. “It’s time.” She waves us forward, and Damien pulls me with him as I put one foot in front of the other, exiting the building we’re in and walking out onto the patio where the guests are waiting in rows of white wooden chairs. An archway decorated with magenta hibiscus flowers and white lilies stands at the end of the aisle, where my father is standing proudly, tears forming in his eyes.
“I love you,” I mouth to my father as I fight back my own emotions while Damien leads me to the end of the white silk aisle sprinkled with flower petals and kisses me on the cheek before letting go of me.
“My job is over,” he says with a wink as he releases me and walks back to his seat.
But I don’t want your job to be over…
Swallowing down the sadness that overcomes me, I take my spot near the officiant and watch as my mother appears in the doorway I just walked out of.
I quickly glance at the rows of guests, finding their attention fixated on my mother, until I land on a pair of eyes staring back at me.
Penelope flashes me a sad smile before mouthing, “I’m sorry.”
And relief floods my chest. “I’m sorry too,” I mouth back to her as my mother arrives at the arch. The officiant begins speaking so I turn my attention back to my parents and stand there like the proud daughter that I am while wondering if I’ll ever get my happily ever after too.
* * *
