43. CHRIS
43
CHRIS
T he White Horse Tavern was older than half the states in this country, but it still had that timeless glow. Flickering candlelight bounced off the wide wooden beams, and the fireplace in the corner threw out enough warmth to combat the chill that slipped in whenever someone opened the door. The whole place smelled like rosemary, butter, and a hint of hickory smoke—a high-end rustic dream.
I’d wrangled a private table tucked near a leaded-glass window. It was set with fine china, polished cutlery, and a single white rose. Neither of us liked clutter.
This was perfect.
Bella brushed her fingertips over the rose’s petals as she sat down and her eyes flitted around the tavern in awe.
“This is… pretty incredible, Chris,” she said as she looked around. The place was elegant but understated, romantic without being over the top. “Everything is so… fancy .”
She still got intimidated by the whole high-society scene sometimes, which always surprised me because, to me, she fit anywhere—corporate boardroom, top-floor penthouse, this centuries-old dining room. But she’d always worked for high society. Served them.
And now, she was one of them.
And she looked radiant tonight in that ruby-red maternity dress that hugged every curve of her body in all the right ways.
She complained she was as large as a house, felt like a whale, and all the other analogies I forgot, but she still looked fantastic to me. There was something so beautiful about the fact that she was carrying my babies, the woman I loved and my children all in one beautiful package.
I leaned in. “Don’t worry, Bells. You belong here. Hell, you make this place look good.”
She blushed—God, I loved it when she did—but tried to hide it behind a sip of sparkling water.
I glanced around, looking for the manager I’d spoken to earlier. When I spotted him, he nodded at me.
Everything was ready.
My heart kicked up like I was about to close a billion-dollar deal.
A server approached, all polished manners, and poured me a glass of red and topped off Bella’s sparkling water. I gave him a quick nod. He got the memo that we wanted privacy—I wanted to be alone with the woman of my dreams.
“What?” she asked when she caught me staring. Still.
“Just wondering how I got this lucky,” I said, which earned me an eye roll, but Bella laughed.
It was true, though. Every moment with her felt like a gift I didn’t deserve.
The tavern’s low hum of conversation provided a soothing backdrop. Through the window, the moon was climbing higher, white light reflecting on Bella’s cheeks, making her look even more luminous. I had to remind myself not to stare too much—play it cool.
We ordered—lobster for her, filet for me—and dove into a shared brie salad with roasted figs. She made this little noise of delight at the first bite, which reminded me a lot of the sounds she could make in the bedroom, and I grinned at her.
“Good, right?”
“So freaking good. We should hire whoever came up with this recipe.”
I smirked. “You want me to steal the White Horse Tavern’s chef and put them on our payroll?” I could totally make that happen. If that was what she wanted, I would.
She laughed, and the sound eased the tension coiled in my chest. I’d faced down hostile mergers with less adrenaline than I was carrying tonight. Halfway through the salad, she caught me watching her again.
She raised an eyebrow at me. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“Can’t I admire my fiancée—”
She narrowed her eyes at me.
“Hey, I already see you as my wife, so…” Was that a good save? I hoped so.
Bella laughed. “You’re lucky you’re handsome. I let you get away with way too much.”
I forced out a laugh, trying not to dwell on how she’d react in about ten minutes when I laid the biggest question of my life on the table.
When the main course was done and I signaled the server, my heart was hammering in my chest. Fuck, I’d never been this nervous, and considering the kinds of hotshots I’d had to face in my life, that was saying something.
The server disappeared into the kitchen and returned with our desserts: a slice of lemon tart for me, a fancy chocolate dome for Bella.
She angled her head at it, curious.
“What on earth is this?”
I cleared my throat. ”Crack it open. See for yourself.”
She tapped the dome gently with her fork. The chocolate shell split, revealing a velvet box inside.
Her eyes went huge, and the fork clattered onto the plate before she looked at me with her lips parted.
God, that face—I would give anything to have that on camera. I hoped someone somewhere was taking photos so I could save that incredible expression forever.
Every other noise in the tavern seemed to drop to a whisper as I slid out of my chair and got down on one knee.
When I started talking, my voice cracked a little like I’d never talked in front of people before. “Bella, I’ve built entire divisions of a company, negotiated deals that would make most people’s heads spin. But nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to you. You turned my life upside down in the best possible way. Now, with our twins on the way, I don’t want to spend another minute without you as my fiancée—my wife. Will you marry me?”
Her eyes filled with tears, her mouth twitching like she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. Then she nodded—hard.
“ Yes. ” She breathed. “God, yes.”
A wave of applause rolled through the tavern, and after I slid the ring onto her finger, she threw her arms around my neck. The smell of her shampoo, the softness of her dress, the slight press of her belly against me—it all felt surreal. I clung to her, the two of us wrapped in our own bubble even though some of the most elite were present, watching us. But hey, they could all watch.
Bella was mine and I wanted the world to know.
When we finally left the restaurant we stepped out into the cool air and waited for the valet to bring around the car. The swirl of salt air hinted at the coast just a few miles away. Bella shivered, and I immediately draped my coat over her shoulders.
She shook her head with a watery laugh. “I can’t believe we’re engaged.” She held up her hand with the ring on it, the diamond winking in the moonlight. “This feels like some dream.”
I brushed a curl away from her eyes. “Well, you are the woman of my dreams.”
“That’s so cliché,” she said with a giggle and nudged me. “I don’t think this night can get any better.”
I hesitated for just a second. “It can.”
She frowned, curious. “How?”
I took a breath, my pulse thundering again. “Let’s get married. Tonight.”
She stared at me, lips parted in surprise. Or shock, maybe. “Chris… that’s insane.”
I shrugged, unapologetic. “Yeah, I never claimed to be sane. Look, babe, I’ve got everything set. Alex is waiting for a call. Charlotte and Sofia have been scheming with me for weeks. We can do this—right now.”
Bella’s eyes darted around as she processed. “You planned an entire wedding for tonight? I thought this was meant to just be a proposal.”
“Not ‘planned’ so much as ‘prepared for every possibility.’ I’m me, remember? Besides, after the ring comes the wedding… So, how about it? Say the word, and we’ll be married before sunrise.”
She closed her eyes for a second, like she was running through a thousand scenarios in her head. I watched her, not knowing what to think, what she would say.
Then a huge smile overtook her face.
A laugh bubbled up her throat, and she shook her head. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“And you’re the only one who’s ever made me want to be that guy. So?”
She let out a breath. “Let’s do it.”
By the time we got to Alex’s estate at Brenton Point, the night had turned still and star-studded. Fairy lights lined the winding driveway and looped around the old oak trees. The ocean roared off in the distance, waves crashing against the cliffs. Just beyond a flower-covered arch stood a simple wooden altar.
My family had pulled out all the stops. When I’d told them what I wanted to do—hoping that Bella would agree—they’d all jumped in to put it together.
Ben had even called Daniel to fly in and join us. I couldn’t do it without all my brothers present.
And Alex had gone to pick up Bella’s parents. I didn’t know what he’d done or how he’d phrased it, but he’d managed to put a smile on sourpuss Paul’s face as Bella’s dad stood close by when we approached.
“Oh my God.”
Charlotte rushed out, practically squealing. “Surprise! And congratulations!” She grabbed Bella in a hug, then Sofia appeared and handed over a garment bag.
Sofia grinned. “We have something for you to wear, if you want.”
Bella looked at me, tears threatening again. “Chris… you… did all this?”
I shrugged. “I pulled some strings. When I do something, I go all in.”
Charlotte laughed. “Yeah, yeah. We know. And the twins totally prove your point.” She turned her attention to Bella. “Come on, sis, let’s get you dressed.”
I wasn’t sure what overwhelmed Bella more—the fact my family had pulled together for a semi-impromptu wedding or the fact Charlotte had just called Bella her sister.
I watched them hurry off, then turned to Alex, who was leaning against a garden bench, a smug grin on his face.
“Dude. This is next-level. Even for you.” He shoved his hands into his pocket. He wore his classic suit, but no tie and the top button was undone. I didn’t want it to be too fancy. I just wanted it to be friends and family, intimate, perfect.
“Can’t half-ass your own wedding,” I said. “Or, you know, a proposal.”
He snorted. “I shouldn’t have expected anything else from you. Proud of you, man. She’s a catch.”
“Don’t I know it,” I said quietly.
I really was the luckiest man on earth.
Half an hour later, Bella stepped onto the lawn in a borrowed white dress with what my sister-in-law had called an empire waistline—whatever that means—and Bella’s dark hair had been fastened behind her hair in a messy but elegant updo. She had a simple veil, glittering shoes, and the material flowed around her belly so that she looked ethereal.
My entire chest felt tight.
She walked to her dad, and they had a soft conversation. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they both had misty eyes, and eventually, he nodded.
Her eyes locked on mine as she crossed the grass, the music turning to something more wedding-esque, and her dad held out his arm to give her away.
Around us, our tiny group of friends and family settled into an impromptu semicircle. The officiant, a casual friend of Alex’s, stood by the altar.
Alex and I joined him at the front.
I’d asked my brother to be my best man, and he was a steady pillar of emotional strength when I felt like I was about to unravel at the seams, looking at my perfect bride coming toward me.
“You’re the luckiest guy on the planet,” Alex murmured.
“I always wanted to be like you when I grew up,” I said softly. “And now, it looks like I am.”
Alex clapped me on my shoulder. “You are your own kind of great, Chris.”
A lump rose in my throat.
Bella reached me, and Paul turned to me.
“Take care of her, Chris.”
“I will,” I promised, and shook his hand.
Paul turned to Bella. “I know we’ve never seen eye to eye, but I can’t be happier for you, my darling. I love you, okay?”
Bella looked like she was about to burst into tears, and Paul hurried away quickly, clearing his throat.
“Ready?” the officiant asked when Bella and I stared at each other.
“You’re a vision,” I whispered.
“You’re my hero,” she answered.
The officiant cleared his throat and we both nodded, taking each other’s hands. Bella’s fingers were cold, so I squeezed them, hoping she felt how much I wanted this.
The officiant started with a quick speech about how we’d met and something about true love and blah blah blah… it wasn’t that I didn’t care. I just couldn’t focus on anything else, knowing that in about ten minutes Bella was going to be my wife.
When it was time for the vows, I cleared my throat.
“Bella, I’m not known for being patient, or gentle, or even nice sometimes. I crush obstacles for a living. But with you, I learned how to be more than a cold-hearted bastard.” Everyone chuckled at that, and I glared at them, although we all knew the truth. “I promise to stand by you, protect you and our kids, and love you in every way I know how.”
There were a couple of snivels from the group of onlookers, and Bella looked emotional, too.
“Chris,” she started, “you’re intense, and I love that about you. You make me feel safe and fearless at the same time. I promise to be your partner, your friend, and to never stop believing in the man you are—and the father you’ll be.”
We slipped on simple wedding bands—nothing flashy, just something that said we belonged to each other. The officiant pronounced us husband and wife, and I closed the distance between us in one heartbeat, cupping her face and pressing my lips to hers before I was told I could kiss the bride.
Because I felt like I’d waited my whole life for her, and I was done waiting.
It felt like the world cracked open in applause and cheers—but maybe that was just the thunder of the ocean behind us.
Under the fairy lights, we toasted with champagne for me and sparkling cider for Bella. Charlotte snapped photos on her phone, tears glistening in her eyes. Sofia quietly hugged Bella, whispering how beautiful she looked, what a great mom she would be, what a perfect addition to the family she was. It was beautiful to see how my family accepted her. When I glanced around, I noticed my dad was talking to Paul and Donna, and they were all smiling.
Good things everywhere, then.
I was so glad that it had all come together.
Alex and Daniel both came to me and clapped me on the back.
“I can’t believe you two figured it out,” Daniel said. “I thought you two were destined to be apart or something, with the way you kept her at a distance.”
“Hey, I was just an idiot,” I pointed out.
“Well, marriage suits you,” Alex said. He glanced at Daniel. “Now, we just need to get this guy married off, and then we’ll have a full house for Christmas.”
“Oh, no, no,” Daniel said, holding up his hands. “We’re not talking about my love life right now, thank you very much. I don’t even know if I’ll be home for Christmas. Tonight is all about Chris and Bella, right?”
I laughed but a part of me wished Daniel would find his true love and settle down, too. So much had changed for me in the last while. I’d learned that I was good alone, but with someone like Bella in my life, I was better.
Alex and Ben were so happy, too. It was just Daniel now.
But maybe he would be a lone pilot forever.
When it wasn’t rude, I pulled Bella away from the small crowd, leading her toward the cliff’s edge where the water stretched out to infinity. The wind whipped her hair across her face, and I brushed it away gently.
“You doing okay?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she breathed. “I’m… stunned, honestly. Engaged and married in one night. You really don’t mess around.”
“I don’t believe in messing around when something matters.”
She tilted her head, gazing up at me with soft eyes. “I’m so glad you decided to come back to me. To try to figure this out. I really thought I’d lost you forever. More than once. But I’m so happy we’re together now. You mean more to me than you know.”
I rested a hand on her bump, my chest tightening with about a hundred emotions. “Same goes for you. I may be demanding, a little rough around the edges sometimes—”
“A little?” she asked with a grin.
“Fine, a lot,” I said with a smirk. “But I promise I’ll always have your back. And our kids’, too.”
She pushed onto her tiptoes and kissed me, her hand threading around my neck. The sounds of laughter from the party behind us mixed with the crash of the waves. In that moment, I didn’t care that I had board meetings and corporate battles waiting for me, that the fight against Eli’s smear campaign was far from over. All that mattered was Bella, wrapped in my coat, married to me, carrying my children.
Bella rested her forehead against mine. “You were right, you know. The night did get even better. It couldn’t get more perfect than this.”
And for once, I didn’t have a snappy comeback or a grand plan to make it better. Because right then, it was everything.