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“Try and stop me,” she said with a huge smile, and slipped her fingers in his.
Luc turned to Reverend Barnes. “From the top, Reverend. And this time, don’t skip a single word.”
And he didn’t.
Hourslater, everyone had left, leaving Luc’s apartment empty and silent. Grace wandered from room to room, not quite sure what to do with herself now that she didn’t have Toni to keep her busy. Luc had disappeared into his study and closed the door. It had turned into a very bizarre wedding day. She considered changing out of her dress, but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. After all, a woman only marries once, right? Unexpected tears filled her eyes. At least, this woman only married once.
Finally, she retreated to the kitchen and put her bouquet of tea roses in a lovely earthen vase she discovered under the sink. Then she brewed a pot of coffee. Luc appeared in the doorway just as she finished preparing two mugs. He leaned against the door jamb and watched her closely, making her strangely self-conscious.
“The silence is odd,” he said.
“I already miss her.” Grace handed him the mug and he inclined his head toward the living room. She joined him on the couch, curling up beside him. “I didn’t expect to grow so attached.”
“Amazing how something so tiny and helpless can worm her way into your heart when its going blithely from one beat to the next.”
“Luc—”
He took her mug from her unresisting hands and set it alongside his on the coffee table. “It’s natural to feel out of kilter, sweetheart. A lot has happened in a very short time.”
“Including our marriage.” To her horror, her voice broke.
He wrapped her up in a tight embrace. “Especially our marriage.” He kissed the top of her head. “You’re having second thoughts, no doubt because I left you alone for too long. It’s perfectly natural.”
She pulled back slightly, eyeing him in alarm. “Does that mean you’re having second thoughts, too?”
His tender smile eased her fears. “Not a single bridal jitter. They’re all reserved for you.”
“For your information, brides experience jitters before the ceremony.”
“I suspect many a bride experiences them afterward, too, so I’m sure you’re not alone on that front. Maybe they don’t talk about it because it makes them feel a bit foolish. But after such a life-altering event, it’s normal to wonder if you’ve made the right decision, especially once it’s too late to change your mind.”
She stared at him in wonder. “That’s exactly how I’m feeling.”
“Give it a few days and you’ll realize that we didn’t just make the right decision. We made the most perfect decision possible.” The doorbell sounded and Luc nodded as though expecting it. “Right on time.”
“Who’s right on time?”
“The limo.”
“What limo?” she asked in bewilderment.
“Our limo.”
He crossed to the door and opened it. A chauffeur stood there. “Mr. Salvatore? Your car is here.”
“We’ll be down in just a minute.”
“Very good, sir.”
Grace came up behind. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”
Luc gathered her close. “It’s our wedding night. I want it to be special.”
Suddenly, his odd disappearance after the ceremony made sense. “Is that what you’ve been doing in your study for the past hour?”
He nodded. “I didn’t give you the wedding you deserved. But I’d like to try and give you a wedding night you’ll always remember.”
“Oh, Luc,” she whispered. “It doesn’t matter where we are. I’ll always treasure this day.”
