AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey,” I say, suddenly feeling up in my nerves.
“Hey, you.”
Her words are gentle and the happiness on her face tells me her heart is open. Maybe, I shouldn’t feel nervous because I know in my bones this is right.
Taking her hand in mine, I decide to pocket the ring, for now. I still don’t like the idea of doing this for the cameras. Our moment needs to be private.
With her full attention, along with everyone else’s here, I clear my throat then casually lead her back to the garden. The mood grows awkward with my lack of explanation, and I hate it. Her beaming smile falls, and the tear runs down her face, but she quickly wipes them away. Confusion replaces her happiness.
The photographer approaches us with furrowed brows and puts a gaudy diamond ring on Meno’s finger. It’s huge and sparkles in the sun. Suddenly, I regret my decision, knowing damn well my diamond is marginally smaller.
Between the sun beating down on us, this stuffy suit and the glaring judgment from the crowd around us, I last approximately twenty minutes.
“Okay, that’s all, folks,” I declare and take Meno’s hand, helping her run in the dress and heels as I pull her along behind me. She doesn’t question me, just trusts me and runs behind me.
The photographer yells and cusses, pissing me off and confirming that I won’t return. He can go get fucked.
More yelling comes from the crowd, but when I look back at Daphne, who I hadn’t noticed, and my sister, they’re smiling and not a bit mad.
I take their small waves as a blessing while Meno and I run off.
“What are we doing?” Meno giggles, struggling to run in her outfit.
“Hold on,” I say before scooping her into my arms and heading for dressing rooms. “We need to get out of these clothes then get all these people out of here, so we can find your treasure.”
To my surprise, she wraps her arms tighter around my neck, squeezing me close. She whispers softly in my ear, “I did find my treasure, Milo. It’s you. I love you.”
Stopping just outside the bridal suit , I freeze. I’m stunned by her words. This connection isn’t just on my side. She didn’t feel rejected by my earlier behavior. She wanted a private moment, too.
When she leans back, I move my hand to her face.
“I love you, Cherub. From the moment we met, I’ve been falling in love with you.”
My honesty chokes me, and my angel saves me with a kiss. There are no tears from either of us, just the love we share. Our kiss doesn’t have the usual fire. This one is intimate and adoring. My lips make promises for later, as her body melts to mine.
This week has been the biggest adventure of my life, and I know there’s so much more for us to explore.
9
Meno
With our love declared, I’m soaring on cloud nine, walking hand-and-hand with Milo. We stay in the shadows and watching the crowd fromEnvy Magazineshuffle about.
“How can we get them to leave?” I ask, as we hide behind a garden wall.Glad to be back in shorts and a tank top.
I loved every second of wearing that dress, draped on the arm of the sexiest man alive and knowing it will be featured in a magazine all my friends and family back home will see. I grin, imagining their faces filled with shock and awe when long-lost me pops up in such an unexpected way. Not having failed, but thriving on my own terms. I left behind that life a long time ago, and I look forward to my future. They can keep spinning their wheels while I move onto bigger and better things.
Milo points to a door that saysirrigation,and I almost hear his plan forming. Without another word, we scurry through the unlocked door and close it behind us. Easily finding the switch, I turn on the lights, illuminating the utility room. Boards and switches line a table, but the rest of the room appears to be storage.
“Here,” Milo says, heading toward the table. “If we set off the sprinkler system, those guys are sure to clear out, giving us the opportunity to figure out what’s at the altar.”
I nod in agreement, helping him to find the instruction manual on a nearby bookshelf. Skimming through it, I find what we need and show him.
“Push that one and then the big red button,” I tell him. “That will turn on the sprinklers at every location on property.”
He growls. “You’re so fucking sexy when you take charge.”
I smile at his words then follow my own instructions. There’s one big screen, displaying split images of the property, and we watch the water cause total chaos for the out-of-towners.
