Chapter 33 #2
“Look at this skinny thing!” Lousia complimented. “This young woman is my inspiration.”
“Thank you, Louisa. You look fab as always.” They hugged. “Can I steal Lizzy from you?” Gigi asked.
“Absolutely, I need to go find Hurst and distract him from any temptation to alleviate himself in public. Don’t forget to give me that number, Elizabeth.”
She laughed.
Their marriage would not be lasting, but it seemed Louisa was already making plans.
“I’m so glad you were able to make the wedding, after all, Gigi,” she said.
“Me, too. I usually stay away from all this schmaltzy stuff, but I’ve been wrong about Carrie, and I wanted to make it up to Will. Besides, I love my cousin. Coming was the solid thing to do.”
“I think we’ve all had misconceptions and misgivings.”
“Facts. I didn’t think you were all that dank, even if Will did. I’m sorry if I treated you like crap when you got back from Paris.”
“No worries. It’s completely understandable. My actions years ago were reprehensible. I broke his heart, and you love your big brother.”
“But you mended his heart, and he learned a few things about himself in the process. Man, he was so uptight. I owe you big time because I’ve never seen him so happy and chill.”
“He did that all on his own. I only pointed the way, and we both allowed our hearts to dictate the future.” Taking Gigi’s hand, she vowed. “I promise you I will never misplace his heart again. I love him so much.”
“You can trust him to feel the same way, like, forever.”
“He is the best of men, the only one I trust.”
“And ... this may be awkward, but I have to spill. I’m sorry about George. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.”
“Oh, Gigi. That’s not your fault at all.
That’s totally on him. He scammed and used us all for his grand schemes.
He was a player.” Although it would be thoughtful to comfort Gigi about what George did to her as a teenager, she could not break William’s confidence.
“I’m truly sorry for all the heartache he’s caused you.
I know how difficult it is to put yourself out there. You deserve better.”
“Thanks. Our backstory is complicated.” Gigi smiled brightly, a smile she knew well: putting on a good face to move forward despite the pain. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad we’ll be sisters.”
Lizzy’s heart squeezed, and she hugged Gigi. “Me, too. I know I can never take Anne’s place, but I hope I can be the big sister you,” or I, “never had. I will always be here for you, and always love you, for you, Gigi.”
William approached with a naughty expression on his face, then took her hand. “Hey, kid, glad you came,” he said to Gigi.
“Yeah. Yeah. I’m still thankful this isn’t your bougie wedding to the vapid queen.”
“So, then, you’re okay with me marrying the cowgirl?”
“Meh. She’s not so bad after all,” Gigi said, bumping a shoulder with hers.
“C’mon, cowgirl, there’s somewhere special I want to take you.”
“But they haven’t cut the cake yet. You’re the best man. Won’t it be rude?”
He didn’t reply, just locked his fingers with hers and led her to the deck doors. The sun had set, and with the party going full tilt, the romantic in him clearly wanted alone time. They really hadn’t had much of that today with him in the bridal party.
Exiting onto the deck, a salty, summer breeze filled her lungs.
Her lover was a man on a mission, escorting her down the staircase to the sand. She slipped off her sandals, and, in silence, they walked hand in hand through lit tiki torches, then down the beach. Laughing she said, “Are you taking me where I think you’re taking me?”
“Yup.”
“You’re such a romantic.”
Stopping near the dune, he turned to her. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”
“Yes. But tell me again.”
“You take my breath away,” he said, lips lowering to hers. “Would you like to sit and listen to the waves with me on a chaise?” he asked, entwining his fingers with hers again.
“Are you feeling amorous?”
Wearing a soft smile, he led them to a covered lounge tucked amid the sea grass on the dune, then laid down beside her.
Once settled within his arms, they gazed out at the waves and how the moon glittered on the water. It was a beautiful night, just like in June. “The scene of the crime,” she joked.
“Best crime I ever committed.”
“That was really ballsy of me.”
“In the best way.”
They laughed, quipping back and forth about how easy he was to seduce, but then a contented, peaceful comfort settled in the silence with just the ebb tide’s roar and woosh as background.
Snuggled beside each other, from their perch, they watched the few evening beachcombers and romantic couples pass at the shoreline.
“So much has happened in the last eight weeks,” he stated.
“Yet, it seems like only yesterday when we were here. What a night that was.”
William chuckled. “And here we are making our public debut as ‘Manhattan’s hottest billion-dollar couple.’”
“The press. Ugh. Why did Carrie invite the press?”
“She dreamed of this wedding after Louisa’s, and she thrives on attention. Thank God, Rick hasn’t taken a piss on a plant yet. My aunt will be apoplectic.”
“For sure! And to compound matters, it looks like your cousin stole your fiancée and co-opted your wedding plans, and you ended up hooking up with the woman your fiancé hired to get the Seurat.”
“Ah, but in the process, La Tempera has made headlines, and you now have five new acquisition clients and an upcoming Anne Darcy exhibition.”
“All within sixty days! Isn’t fate a wonderful thing?” she gushed.
“I find it ironic that the marriage pact I made with Beanz all those years ago, with the intention of avoiding love and heartbreak, ended up being the very tool to bring you and me together again to uphold our marriage pact.”
“The power of a pinky swear. I guess it was written in blood rather than ink.”
Gently turning her face to him, his love-filled expression touched her heart. He kissed her, then whispered. “This is real.”
“This is heaven.”
“Lizzy ... Do you have anything you want to tell me?” he softly asked, smoothing the back of his hand down her cheek.
“Yes. I love you, Mr. Darcy.”
“I love hearing that, but ... isn’t there something else?”
“Well, I’d like to go up to the room for, you know.”
“I like that idea, but I think there’s more on your mind.”
“Let’s see ... you’re so stinkin’ handsome that I can’t believe you’re finally mine?”
He kissed her hand. “Nope. That’s not what I want to hear.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier if you just told me what you think I want you to hear?” she joked.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Okay, then, I’m having a wonderful time as your plus one tonight despite the press labeling me ‘the other woman’ and Louisa insisting that I had a boob job.”
“I’m having a great time, too, but those aren’t it either.” He kissed her head. “Wait, Louisa said that?”
“It’s the dress.”
“Right, the dress. I love this dress.”
“Hmm ... well, since I’m apparently at a loss for the words you want to hear, maybe you can coax a confession out of me back in the room? I’ll say anything you want.”