Chapter 32
4 Months Later
As I tape up the last box in my apartment, nostalgia hits me hard. I haven’t lived in this particular apartment for all that long, and I’m not really attached to it, but it’s what it represents. One life over. A new one about to begin.
A pounding on the door pulls me from my reminiscing. “Vivian!” Ella shouts. “We know you’re in there! Open up, or I’m breaking a window!”
I shake my head and chuckle. She’s threatened that before, but she probably means it this time. I open the door, not surprised to find all of my bridesmaids with huge smiles and glasses of champagne. “All right. You found me.” Ella hands me a flute of champagne. I cock a brow at her. “We’re drinking? At 7 a.m.?”
Juliette squeals over Ella’s shoulder and thrusts her glass in the air. “You’re getting married today!”
“One glass of champagne to celebrate the start of your big day doesn’t count as drinking,” Ana says.
My eyes rake over the group. Ella, the twins, Alice, and Emma, who flew in two days ago, grin at me with giddy smiles. My heart seems to grow in my chest as the five women I adore most in the entire world barge into my tiny apartment like a herd of elephants.
I shut the door behind them and laugh at the looks on their faces. They’re taking in my furniture-less apartment and the boxes and packing tape. “Are you seriously packing?” Ana asks. I laugh at the amount of disgust in her voice.
Juliette’s horror is just as comical. “On your wedding day?”
I shrug. “I have to be out by December 31st, and I couldn’t sleep.”
Ella’s face fills with concern. “Why’d you sneak out last night? You’re not having second thoughts, are you? Cold feet?”
Last night, Ella and Jules demanded all the bridesmaids have a sleepover. We kicked Brian and Apollo out and took over Ella’s mansion. Not a bachelorette party—Alice and Ella already threw one of those, and let me tell you, those girls are crazy. This was simply a relaxing girls’ night. It had been just what I needed after the last couple months of chaos.
After filming ended for Marry Me, Sebastian and I only had four months to plan an entire wedding, and of course all of it was filmed for some big Marry Me wedding special—part of the contracts we’d signed when we went on the show. All Marry Me weddings are televised. And the worst part of it was that it all had to be done in secret because we couldn’t give spoilers before the season aired. Sebastian and I weren’t even allowed to be seen in public together until the live season finale last week. We would have waited to plan the wedding after the show, but Sebastian has to be married before the second week of January in order to meet the requirements of his father’s will. So, secret wedding preparations it was. Not kidding, wedding invites were sent out with nondisclosure agreements attached.
I am so excited for this wedding, but I’m just as excited for it all to be over.
I give Ella a reassuring smile. “My feet are as warm as they can be. Hot, even. I’m so ready for this wedding. But Willow got me hooked on all that meditation. I just needed a few hours to myself to relax and reflect. Everything changes today.”
Ella grins, and her big blue eyes gloss over. “For the better,” she says. “You’re going to love being married. It’s the best.”
Juliette snorts. “Didn’t you tell me last week that you were going to kill your husband?”
Ella rolls her eyes. “He was being a stubborn ass. But the for better or worse part just brings a little excitement to it all. Trust me. It can be hard and frustrating sometimes—especially when you’re married to a cocky, spoiled celebrity—but it’s worth it.”
“It’ll be worth it if you get there on time,” Ana gripes.
“It’s seven in the morning, Ana. The wedding’s not until three. I think we’re okay on time.”
Ana huffs. “You are the worst bride.”
“And you’re a bridezilla, and it’s not even your wedding.”
She glares at me, but then cracks a smile. She knows what she is. She, Juliette, Ella, my mother-in-law-to-be, and my sister-in-law-to-be formed a wedding committee, and Ana led the charge. I had final say over everything, but I was never lacking help. “Whatever, let’s just go.”
There’s a limo waiting out front of my apartment. I lurch to a stop and point at the obnoxious vehicle. “Please tell me there’s not a camera crew in there.”
Emma slips her hand over my shoulder. “Not in there,” she promises, then winces. “They’re already at the venue. Andrea’s been texting me for half an hour.”
I sigh and climb into the limo, but I’m not really that upset. I’ve gotten so used to the cameras. I resigned myself to the idea of a televised wedding months ago after Sebastian tried to pay our way out of our contract. Of course Marry Me said no. Sebastian and I quickly became Marry Me’s most famous couple and made our season the show’s highest-rated season ever. No way were they going to let us out of our contracts when the entire nation is waiting for our wedding. Besides, it’s not so bad without Jeremiah or Aaron lurking around every corner.
We head over to the Hotel Bel-Air where the wedding is being held. It’s a beautiful venue that fits Sebastian’s classic taste and yet still has a bit of that old Hollywood feel that I love. It’s both elegant and opulent, with lush landscaping to give you the feel of a hidden oasis. It’s intimate and will give us a sense of privacy despite the cameras. I fell in love when I saw it.
Sebastian rented out the entire hotel. The presidential suite has been turned into the bridal suite for the day. When we get there, James, Andrea, and a film crew are already there and waiting. I’m really excited to see Tina and Sadie, and not just because they’ll be helping with my hair and makeup, and I trust them to make me look beautiful. I haven’t seen them since filming wrapped, and I’ve missed them.
After all the greetings and hugs and one obligatory interview, Tina shoos me into the bathroom to shower so she can get started on my hair. Once I’m sitting in her chair, she and Sadie demand all the gossip. “So…how’s it been? How’s Sebastian?”
“It’s been busy,” I admit. “I started my new job last month, and we only had four months to plan this shindig. With Sebastian settling into his CEO position and catching up with work after his leave of absence for the show, and the fact that we can’t be seen together in public, we’ve been lucky to spend any time together. It’s basically been all wedding stuff every time we’ve been together.”
Tina attacks my hair with a large curling iron and a ton of product. “It’ll die down,” she promises. She waves at the camera crew. “Once all this is over and you finally move in with Sebastian, you guys will find your groove.”
“Starting with your honeymoon,” Sadie says with a waggle of her eyebrows.
It’s no secret that Sebastian and I decided to wait to be together intimately until after the wedding. It wasn’t any religious or traditional reason on our parts. We’ve just been so busy and under so much pressure, we thought it would be nice to wait to share that moment until we both had the time and peace of mind to really enjoy it. It’s been a long four months, but I’m glad we decided to wait.
Of course, on our live season finale last week, during our couple interview the show’s new host shamelessly asked us about it, so now the whole nation knows. Which was just another reason we decided to wait. We don’t want the attention of the whole nation hanging over our heads when we finally take our relationship to the most intimate level. It’s our business and no one else’s.
Still, I have a bright grin and a laugh for Sadie. “Yes,” I agree. “That is going to be nice.”
“More than nice, I hope,” Juliette chimes in with a smirk.
Everyone laughs.
“Speaking of the honeymoon,” Tina says, “where are you going? You guys have kept that pretty hush hush.”
Yeah, that has been a hard secret to keep. We’ve been questioned about it a million times, but we weren’t obligated to divulge that info, so we’ve worked hard to maintain our privacy. “You won’t sell us out to the tabloids, right?”
Sadie rolls her eyes, hard. “Girl, please. You know that’s Aaron’s department.”
I smirk. Yeah. Aaron’s plan to ruin Sebastian failed spectacularly. Mrs. Monroe decided to come forward about Sebastian’s reason for coming on the show, explaining in detail the stipulations in her late husband’s will and the effects it could have on the company if Sebastian couldn’t find a wife in time. The show opened the season with that interview, and after that Sebastian’s grumpiness came across as what it was: stress. The nation rallied behind him from the beginning. Needless to say, they were rooting for him to win me over from the moment he told me to take the twins’ place. It really was the most amazing season the show has ever had.
Aaron was publicly crucified. In order to save face, the show decided to paint him as a villain from the beginning and aired pretty much every sleazy interaction he had with me. There was more than enough footage. He totally came across as a huge creep. Add that with the Monroes’ lawsuits, and he was the one who was ruined, not Sebastian. Poetic justice, if you ask me.
“So where?” Sadie asks.
I grin. “Back to Paris. Then to Japan.”
Both women sigh wistfully. “That’s so romantic,” Sadie says.
“I’m so jealous,” Ana admits.
Juliette scoffs. “Not me. I’m making my husband take me to a tropical paradise. Unlike Vivian, I have nothing but love for the ocean. The beach and I are best friends.”
“What about you, Emma?” I call across the room to my shy friend who’s been sitting on a sofa, quietly taking it all in. “Where is Luke going to take you on your honeymoon?”
Her face turns bright red. “Vivian! Stop!” she cries, laughing. “It’s only been three months!”
I chuckle. Emma went home to Iowa and asked out the love of her life. Turns out he was more than ready to rekindle their relationship. They’ve been going strong for three months now. He even flew out to LA with her for the wedding. I’ve been teasing her nonstop. “It only took Sebastian and me, what, seven weeks?” I tease with a wink.
“I am not you, Vivian. It took me twenty-seven years to get my first kiss. It’ll be a while before I’m walking down the aisle.”
“If you say so, but I saw the way he looked at you when we met. He’s smitten.”
Her face flames again.
“I’m just saying, you might want to be prepared for a proposal soon. He strikes me as a Valentine’s Day kind of guy.”
Emma rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch at the corners like she’s fighting a smile. “Well, stop talking about it before you jinx it or something.”
“Fine. But I’m throwing the bouquet straight to you.”
“She’ll have to fight me for it!” Juliette says. “I want to be next, damn it!”
We all laugh.
There’s a knock at the door, and all of my bridesmaids jump up screaming for whoever it is to stay out. Sebastian told me yesterday at the rehearsal dinner that he’d try to sneak in a kiss or two this morning, but there is no way he’s going to get past my security team before the wedding.
“It’s okay!” Alice calls. “It’s just reinforcements.”
“And we have the gowns!” calls a voice in a light French accent.
This sends my bridesmaids into a tizzy. The girls were all fitted for their dresses of course, but only Ella has seen the wedding gown. I’ve been keeping it a complete secret. I’m pretty sure Juliette and Ana contemplated murder when I told them it would be a surprise. But come on, a girl’s got to have some secrets. Plus, I’ve loved torturing them with it.
Patricia Monroe, who insists I call her mom, Sophie, who demands I call her sister, and my flower girl and soon-to-be niece Olivia, come in with the twins’ mom, Jennifer, who is my honorary Mother of the Bride, and Marguerite and Antoinette Dubois. Sebastian, knowing how much I love their work, commissioned the sisters to help me design my wedding dress. The women, who had become as swept up in Sebastian’s and my romance as the rest of the nation, were more than happy to be involved. Together with my fathers, the five of us came up with something so beautiful and perfect that I cry every time I see it. I don’t even want to know how much Sebastian paid them. Ella’s always complained about Brian spoiling her, but honestly, Brian has nothing on Sebastian. I’ve given up lecturing him about it. Like with his niece Olivia, there is just no stopping him.
“Come on!” Juliette whines. “Let us see it! We’re dying!”
“Not until I put it on,” I demand. “Worry about your own dresses.”
This appeases the girls for now. While the Dubois sisters only helped with my dress, my fathers and I did the girls’ dresses, and they’re fantastic if I do say so myself. We decided on a winter theme for the wedding since it’s December. The bridesmaid dresses are ice blue. They’re flowy strapless gowns that have a sprinkling of glitter to give them a slight shimmer. They all have silk tulle shawls to wrap their shoulders and are a ballerina length, stopping just above the ankles. They have satin heels that lace up the ankles.
Once all the women are dressed, they sit down for their hair and makeup. Tina and Sadie brought in a few extra hands to help with all of them. I didn’t want the girls to have to be on their own for makeup when the whole wedding is going to be broadcast to millions of viewers. No one complained.
Tina lets me up from her chair long enough to let me hug all the newcomers. When I hug Jennifer, I cling to her just a little longer. “Thank you for coming,” I whisper, getting choked up. “I’m so sorry this is happening so soon after…” I swallow hard. “We wanted to wait, but Sebastian couldn’t.”
Jennifer hugs me tighter and gives me a watery smile. “It’s okay, Vivian. I understand. To be honest, it’s been nice to have something else to focus on other than the grief. I just wish he could have been here. He was so excited for you.”
Ella and the twins’ father passed away just four short weeks ago. The loss hit us all hard, but we were glad his suffering was cut short. Those final weeks were difficult. He was so sick and in so much pain. We all miss him terribly, but we know he’s here in spirit. The show ended up filming a special episode where the whole Coleman family was interviewed. The twins introduced the world to their father before he passed, and the show dedicated the season to his memory. It was surprisingly nice of them, even if they did do it for the ratings.
Jennifer’s eyes well up, and she sniffles. “Don’t,” I warn her in a sad but teasing voice. “If you start, then I’ll start.”
“And then we’ll start,” Juliette says, coming over to give her mom a hug. Ella and Ana join us for a group hug, and despite our best efforts, we’re all in need of tissues before we let each other go.
“Okay, ladies,” Marguerite says, clapping her hands. “Let’s make you all beautiful!”
The girls all go to change into their dresses, and Tina calls me back to her chair. She starts piling all of my big loose ringlets into an elaborate updo. Once she’s got everything pinned into place except my veil, she hands me over to Sadie. Sadie promises me there’s no evidence of tears and assures me that the mascara she’s slathering on my beautiful fake lashes is 100 percent waterproof. Because there is no way I’m going to make it through this entire day with dry eyes.
A couple hours later, it’s getting close to time. The girls are all dressed and ready to go, and all I’ve got left is to put on my dress when there’s another knock on the door. They all shout, and this time it’s the moms who act as my bodyguards. “It’s Brian, Apollo, and Jesse,” Jennifer says. “No Sebastian in sight. Can they come in?”
I open my mouth to give the approval, but Alice beats me to it. “Only because Apollo is with them, and I want to see him in his tux.”
Brian and Jesse enter the suite, looking dashing in their tuxes, but it’s little Apollo who steals my heart. The two-year-old ring bearer with the head full of little blonde curls is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. Brian sets him down, his eyes glued to Ella in her dress. I think it’s sweet that even after all this time he can never take his eyes off his wife. I can’t help but think Sebastian will be the same way. For as grumpy as he can be, he’s actually a huge romantic, and he seems to love me more than life itself. I smile to myself, thinking of the two of us growing old together. I’m getting married!
Alice snatches up Apollo, and Brian carefully pulls Ella into his arms. Juliette stops him before he can kiss Ella, screeching about ruining her lipstick. It’s a running joke with them, but Juliette is also dead serious. Their first date was at a movie premiere where Brian did mess up Ella’s lipstick, and the poor woman had to spend the whole evening with it smeared.
“What are you guys doing here?” Patricia asks. “Shouldn’t you guys be out there ushering the guests?”
Jesse sighs forlornly. “We got kicked out.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “What did you do?”
He pouts at me. “Why do you assume I did something?”
I’m not falling for his innocence. “Jesse, if you are pulling pranks at my wedding, I swear I will murder you.”
He holds up his hands in surrender. “I’m innocent! I swear!”
Brian snickers. “He’s telling the truth this time. We were asked if we could wait inside because we were too much of a distraction.”
“People were too starstruck by our mesmerizing good looks.” Jesse puffs up his chest and grins so cockily we all groan.
“We kept drawing crowds, and no one wanted to take their seats,” Brian says.
Alice snorts. “That’s what happens when two of Hollywood’s biggest stars are groomsmen at your wedding.”
“Sorry,” I say. “But thank you for being groomsmen.”
I was shocked to learn that aside from Sophie’s husband, who is Sebastian’s best man, Sebastian really only had two other friends he likes enough to ask to be his groomsmen. They were his roommates in college and on his swim team with him. He asked if I had any friends who would like to stand in to even the numbers with all my bridesmaids. He said it like five was an obnoxious number, but I seriously couldn’t leave anyone out. So I asked Brian and Jesse to stand up with him since they’re the two he knows the best. He’s met them both several times, anyway. He couldn’t really get to know them all that well when we weren’t allowed to see each other in public.
“We were happy to do it,” Jesse says, then grins at Juliette. “You know it’s customary for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to hook up after the wedding.”
Juliette snorts. “Keep dreaming.”
“We don’t mind being groomsmen,” Brian says. “Sebastian seems like a good man.”
I smile at Brian’s approval. He can be a hard one to impress, but he’s a good judge of character, and Sebastian, though rough around the edges, is one of the best. “Yeah. I finally found myself one of the good ones.”
Everyone hangs out for a few more minutes until Patricia looks at her watch and shoos everyone out the door. “It’s almost time, and Vivian needs to get into her dress. Out with you all. And send up Glen and Stefan. Tell them we’re ready for them.” She even manages to get rid of the film crew. They don’t get to see the bride before Sebastian.
Once all of the bridal party—save Ella, who has Matron of Honor privileges and gets to stay to help—has gone down to get ready for the wedding procession, I slip into my dress.
My dress is a ballerina-inspired silk tulle ball gown. It’s strapless with a surplice bodice and a sweetheart neckline. The waistline is belted with hundreds of sewn-in crystal beads that sparkle as much as the tiara my veil is attached to. The skirt is layer after layer of silk tulle. Like my bridesmaid dresses, the gown is a ballerina length, stopping just above the ankle, and I have white satin heels that lace up around the ankles like ballerina slippers. I’m the perfect ballerina bride.
Once Tina pins my tiara and veil into place, I step back to look at myself in a full-length mirror. My eyes prick with the threat of tears. I’ve never felt so beautiful. Like most girls, I’ve dreamed of this day my whole life, and seeing the final product, it feels like a dream come true. It exceeds all of my expectations. “It’s perfect,” I murmur, swallowing back a lump of emotion.
I turn around to face the moms, the Dubois sisters, and Ella, Tina, and Sadie. All of them look like they’re as close to crying as me. But when my fathers show up a minute later and get a look at me, they’re the first ones to break, and there’s no stopping my tears after that. “Dads!” I cry. “I was doing so well!”
After a couple long hugs from both of my fathers, Sadie gently dabs at my tears with a tissue and declares me ready to go. My heart races as we make our way to the front lawn where the wedding is taking place. It’s outside, but there are heat lamps for the guests. I meet up with the bridal party just before the procession starts, and we get all the fawning and cooing out of the way.
Then the music starts and every thought flies from my head aside from one. I’m getting married! I’m marrying Sebastian! I’m about to become Mrs. Monroe!
When I agreed to marry Sebastian at the final rose ceremony, I was nervous. It felt crazy fast and even unreal. A four-month engagement is still fast, but Sebastian and I have met up almost every weekend for those months, and every minute I’ve spent with Sebastian has calmed those nerves. Now, as I’m about to make my way down the aisle, the only nerves I have are from excitement. I am so ready to start my new life with the man I love.
One by one the bridal couples march down the aisle, then the ring bearer and flower girl follow them, earning lots of oohs and ahhs for their adorableness. And then my fathers are there holding out their arms to me. I take a deep breath, once again forcing back tears of joy, and take my fathers’ arms.
I enter the yard with a dad on each arm, and the whole wedding party stands. I hear the gasps and the quiet sniffles, but my attention is focused on one man. In front of the party, standing under an arch of roses, is my future.
Who knew that when I walked into the Marry Me production offices that day for a job interview it would set my entire destiny into motion? As I walk toward Sebastian, all of our memories fly through my mind. Every moment, good and bad. I smile as I think of our rocky start, and I tear up when I recall those final days on the show together when he said he loved me, and I realized that I loved him back.
Sebastian’s face when he sees me is everything I ever dreamed of since I was a little girl marrying my Barbie and Ken dolls. He looks at me with so much reverence that I couldn’t possibly be nervous about anything. This man loves me. He cherishes me. He’s devoted. I’ve never felt more beautiful, more special, or more loved.
I step up to him, and he gulps as he takes my hands. He leans forward to kiss my cheek and rasps, “You look so beautiful.”
It’s all a blur after that. I try to listen to the officiator, but my thoughts just keep coming back to Sebastian and how blissfully happy I am. It’s not until Sebastian says “I do” that I pull my attention back to the wedding. I look into his steely gray eyes and repeat my vows as fervently as he just spoke them to me. And then the preacher says the words I’ve been waiting to hear since Sebastian proposed to me on that beach. “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
Okay, maybe I’ve been waiting for his next words too.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
If the kiss Sebastian lays on me is anything to go by, those were the words he’s been waiting for too.
Since we’re in front of a crowd, we break the kiss long before I’m ready, but Sebastian doesn’t let me go. He grins down at me and presses several more quick pecks to my lips. “Thank you for marrying me, Mrs. Monroe.”
A thrill races through me at the new title, and I can’t help the giddy smile that stretches across my face. “Thank you for forcing me onto a reality dating show, Mr. Monroe.”
He chuckles and kisses me again. “Thank you for letting me have tacos at my wedding.”
I laugh. “Thank you for wanting tacos at our wedding.”
He grins. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
We finally face the cheering crowd with wide smiles stretched on our faces. We head up the aisle, and once we’re back inside the building, Sebastian grabs my hand and tugs me down the hall away from the crowd. “Where are we going?”
“We’re hiding until the reception before James finds us and makes us film a confessional.”
I can’t argue with that.