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We might be near-total strangers entering into a fake marriage, but goodness sake, land ahoy. If there is a vision more beautiful in the entire world, I don’t know what it is. Azalea. Azalea is my new favorite flower. She said she doesn’t like flowers, but I think that if she were a flower, she’d be the most beautiful one in the entire world—a rare, lovely breed dressed in a shining white sleek gown that hugs her curvy body and comes complete with a shimmering cape thing that hangs off her shoulders. She’s a flower, alright, gowned in moonlight and bathed in the cool night’s dew.
What a time to wax poetic.
Granny spots the tray and raises a brow. I put on my best smile. “Drinks?”
“Don’t you think we should save it for after the ceremony?” Granny suggests dryly. The JP nods until it looks like his head is going to snap right off.
Lennox strides in behind me, cool and composed now that he’s probably laughed until he’s cried outside. He takes the tray from me smoothly and sets it on the coffee table.
“True love,” he sighs. “There isn’t anything more beautiful. I can’t wait to see you two get hitched.”
I can’t wait to look at Azalea again. I turn my eyes to her even though it’s almost painful to do so because she’s that gorgeous. I know my brothers got her some makeup in that big pile of stuff they went out and shopped for, but she’s used it sparingly. Her lips are berry red, her cheeks a soft pink, and her skin is as pure and soft as ever. Her lashes are super long, but when she blinks, I can tell it’s all her and none of the fake crap.
Her hair has been done into a tight twist at the back of her head, with a few tendrils framing her face. They’ve been teased into curls, and I can tell it’s Granny’s handiwork. She’s worn a similar hairstyle more times than I can count. On Azalea, it looks different. I mean, of course, it looks different. She’s Azalea, goddess of all women, and Granny is my granny. Not to say Granny isn’t pretty, but thank the stars that I’ve never noticed her the way I’m noticing Azalea.
I think the whole room notices Azalea, and while it makes me beam with pride for her, it also makes me want to tear off my shirt in a monstrous moment of overwhelming jealousy. In actual fact, I’m not usually an alpha-type male, and Azalea might be the most beautiful flower in the room, but she isn’t really my flower. I should remember that.
Granny lays her hand in the middle of my back—how the heck did she angle around me without me even seeing her move—and gives me a not-so-gentle shove toward the JP. I notice the guy is holding his black binder open now. Azalea is standing to the guy’s left, so that gives me the right.
You can do this. You can…you can…breathe. In. Out. Deep. Subtle. Who cares about subtle? In. Out. In. Out. Breathe hard if you have to. Just get some air in there.
I expect the whole dearly beloved crap to start spouting out of the JP’s mouth, but as it turns out, what they say now at weddings is a heck of a lot more progressive than what they show on TV. He starts by giving her some modern-day lovey-dovey mushy lines, but I’m tuning out fast. Not because I want to but because, suddenly, the sweat that broke out across my brow is very real, and so is the tremble that starts at the base of my spine and rocks through my body. Not only that, but so are the bright spots flashing in front of my eyes, the sharp breaths I’m attempting to haul in, the sweaty palms, my heaving chest, and the darkness that hovers around the edges of everything.
I know I should be focusing on what this guy is saying, but all I can hear is Ransom. “Shit, fuck, I mean, oh boy…sorry, Granny, but he’s going down.”
He’s right. At least, I think he is. The darkness becomes complete, and if there’s a going and a down and a thump, I don’t know because I don’t feel anything at all.
CHAPTER 13
Azalea
Boom!
Alden goes down hard right in front of me. I did notice that his eyes were doing funny things, like getting unfocused. And his breathing was kind of shallow, but honestly, I thought he was just nervous. Well, if he was nervous, he’s now down for the count. On the floor. On his back.
I’d be alarmed, but I know all about his history of crying wolf. He probably thinks this is funny. I’m stunned he’d pull this stupid prank when he was the one who freaking kidnapped me to get to this end goal, but I guess I’m starting to learn that Alden is a bit of a practical joker like he said his brother, Lennox, is.
