Chapter 20 Scarlett
TWENTY
SCARLETT
After months of waiting, the day has finally arrived. I watch my sister in the mirror as the make-up artist does her make-up, the photographer buzzing about the room. Sadie and I are sitting in chairs by the windows in our silk robes, sipping champagne.
“Just think, Scarlett can be the next one getting married here,” Sienna says. “We can make it a family tradition.”
“I’m not getting married in Silverpine,” I say.
Most of these people might be nice, but I can’t imagine living here permanently. That hasn’t changed over the last few days I’ve spent with Connor. Being blissfully in love doesn’t mean I’m ready to uproot my life for Connor.
“But you are getting married,” Mom asks. She’s standing behind Sienna, supervising the make-up artist.
I raise my left hand. “I don’t see a ring on this finger.”
“That’s because it’s still in Connor’s sock drawer,” Sadie counters. “He’s probably waiting for Sienna’s wedding to be over before he proposes.”
I’m sure he is. Sienna has invited him, Harvey, and Marion to the wedding because we have a giant ballroom and fifty guests’ total. They’re mostly family and friends of Luke and Sienna’s who were able to fly out.
We finish getting ready and get our pictures taken.
Sienna chose black dresses for Sadie and me, as bridesmaid and maid of honor.
The color is simple and classy. While Sienna finishes getting ready, Sadie and I head to the lodge, taking Sienna’s dress with us.
We decided it would be better if Sienna had her hair and make-up done at the Inn, which we can always touch up later.
But if the dress gets dirty? There’s no fixing it.
“I don’t think Silverpine is so bad,” Sadie says, looking out the window. “Are you and Connor going to move back to New York?”
“I don’t know, Sadie. We got back together a few days ago. We haven’t talked about it, yet.”
Connor did build a recording studio in his house for me, but he also said we’re not obligated to live here permanently. I have dual citizenship, so I’m not worried about going back and forth.
“He’ll probably live anywhere you ask him.”
I don’t doubt it.
We get to the lodge and hang Sienna’s dress in the room Harvey has dedicated for us.
“Do you want to see the ballroom?” Harvey asks, smiling at me.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
When she leads us into the room, my jaw drops.
Flowers and string lights wrap around the wooden pillars and archways, drop lights strategically hanging from the ceiling.
The aisle has waist length columns along it, also wrapped in flowers, with three candles resting on each platform.
An arch of flowers and lights is set up at the end of the aisle, in front of the windows looking at the Rockies.
The ballroom is going to be used for the wedding and reception. Harvey confirms that the staff has been instructed on that.
“It’s like something out of a fairytale,” Sadie says, looking around wide-eyed.
“Sienna is going to love this,” I say.
“Connor had a fun time with the wedding bible,” Harvey says with a laugh.
My gaze snaps to hers. “He has the book?!”
Harvey smiles softly, squeezing my hand. “He wants to do things right, and you should let him.”
I’m more than willing to make Connor work for it. I just can’t picture myself in a white dress, walking down an aisle, not even to him.
Marriage looks good on my sister. She hasn’t stopped grinning since she and Luke said I do. They’re swaying softly to the music that’s clearly meant for dancing, which the rest of our families are doing.
I’m leaning against a pillar, watching my sister and new brother-in-law enjoy the first few moments of their married life.
“They look good together.”
I turn around to see Marion behind me.
“They do,” I agree.
“Maybe one day it will be you and Connor up there,” she says.
I give her a strained smile, the same one I’ve been giving everyone who’s said the same thing to me the whole day.
Somehow, being in love automatically means we’re getting married.
Which I’m not opposed to. Hell no, I want that ring on my finger and more importantly, I want a ring on Connor’s finger.
I just don’t want this. I don’t want fifty people watching me marry Connor. If Connor invites any of his old teammates, it’s going to be more than fifty people. It’s my worst nightmare.
“I’m happy you forgave him,” Marion continues. “I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
I look at Connor across the room, talking to Logan, my cousin. Connor in a suit is sexy as fuck. He’s trimmed his beard, his hair has been pushed back, he looks delicious. His eyes meet mine and he winks at me.
“It wasn’t easy, no,” I admit. “But I’m trying to be more understanding.”
“He’s exactly the same as Fred raised him,” Marion says, referring to her husband.
“But sometimes I wish he was a little easier on the boys. Maybe they would have been happier.” She sighs, patting my arm.
“I don’t want to bring down the mood. I’m going to run across the hall to the Christmas party. ”
I smile at her even as I inwardly roll my eyes. Jane is hosting a Christmas party in the smaller ballroom. Apparently, that day she asked to speak to Connor, she was inviting him to the party, and he denied. Even though we hadn’t invited him to the wedding at that point, either.
Connor walks across the room, swooping down to place a kiss on my cheek.
“You look happy,” he says.
“I am,” I agree. “Sienna looks beautiful and happy. The wedding went off without a hitch. The place looks gorgeous. Thank you for that, by the way.”
“You don’t have to thank me, baby girl,” he says, kissing me softly. “But if you insist, you can do it tonight when we’re alone.”
“The office is closer,” I say.
He laughs. “And you call me a sex-starved barbarian.”
“Well, I am leaving in a few days, so…” I shrug.
Connor’s smile drops. “Right.”
“I can extend my trip until the new year, but I do have to go back eventually.”
“That should give me enough time,” he says.
“To do what?”
“Talk to Oliver about managing things here while I’m with you. There’s no way I’m letting you go now.”
I remember his letter and the guilt he always felt leaving his responsibilities. I don’t want him to feel guilty because of me.
“What about your brothers and Marion? You have to take care of them,” I say.
Eyes softening, he takes my hand and leads us onto the dance floor. “We’ll figure it out. And we don’t have to do it all tonight.”
I put the worries out of my mind for tonight.
I know tomorrow morning; I’ll go back to worrying about where we’re going to live and how often we will have to travel back and forth.
I haven’t met his brothers, and they can hate me, like half this town.
I wouldn’t be able to ignore them like I can this town.
But I don’t worry about all that. I let Connor’s arms surround me and feel his heart beating against mine. I lose myself in the feel of his lips pressing against mine, our laughter as he dips me. I lose myself in my family’s happiness around me because in the end, that’s all that matters.
I wake up on Christmas morning with my limbs wrapped around Connor. I go on a run with Connor following me in his truck and I’m struck with a reminder of telling dad that he’ll be the one keeping me safe forever.
As I run, I think about waking up here every morning and going for a run. Of days spent with Connor, Harvey, and Marion. Looking up at the Rockies every day and realizing how insignificant we are in nature.
“What are you thinking?” Connor asks, after we come back home, and I’ve showered and changed. Home. This place can be my home.
“I’m thinking about what it will be like to live here,” I say honestly.
His eyebrows shoot up. “You don’t have to move here, Scarlett.”
Taking a sip of my coffee, I let my eyes drift to the view out of the windows.
“But this is your home, just like New York is mine. You have responsibilities here and I don’t want you to feel guilty for leaving someone else to take care of them.”
Connor sets his cup down and turns me to face him, his eyebrows dipping down in a frown. “Don’t ask me to let you go. I’ll live through a thousand hells before I let you go again.”
“Connor, please tell me I’m not going to come home one day to you covering the walls with my photos,” I say.
“It’s a possibility,” he says.
Shaking my head, I arch up onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He’s so much taller, I have to go all the way onto my tippy toes.
“I love you, Connor. I’m not asking you to let me go,” I say. “I’m suggesting we can split our time between New York and here, or Toronto, if you think that’s easier. I’m a city girl, I can’t live here permanently but I can’t deny that Silverpine doesn’t have a certain charm.”
“New York is fine,” he says gruffly. “I want you to be with your family.”
I hug him, settling my head on his chest while Connor rests his head on top of mine.
“Connor, what’s in your pocket?”
“It’s nothing.”
I pull away to look at him, raising an eyebrow. Sighing, he pulls out the ring box.
“Were you going to propose at breakfast with my family?” I ask.
“No!” He looks at me wide-eyed. “I know you, baby girl. I wouldn’t make a spectacle out of the proposal. You don’t even have to tell anyone or wear the ring.” The tops of his cheeks turn red and feel a surge of love for him.
“I don’t have anything to tell anyone,” I say, shrugging.
“Baby girl, if you want to give people something to talk about, you only have to ask.”
“I believe you have to do the asking.”
Without a word, Connor drops down to one knee.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
He grins up at me lasciviously. “I like being on my knees for you. I know I fucked up our relationship, baby girl. I don’t take this second chance lightly and I don’t want to fuck this up.
It doesn’t matter if you say yes, no, or not now.
It doesn’t matter if we never get married.
I’m going to love you with every part of my being every single day.
I’m going to wake up the happiest and most grateful man alive because you love me back.
Will you promise to be mine forever, Scarlett Monroe? ”
A tear trickles down my cheek, and I wipe it away, nodding hastily.
“I promise to be yours, Connor Hayes.”
With the biggest grin on his face, he slides the ring onto my finger. It’s a perfect fit and the diamond sparkles when it catches the light. Standing up, he gives me a bone-melting kiss.
When we get to the Inn to have breakfast with my family and Marion, my mother’s and sisters’ eyes land on the ring immediately and they utter the loudest, most embarrassing squeal.
“Keep that up and only dad and Luke will be invited to the wedding. We only need two witnesses, anyway,” I say.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you have the most understated wedding of the century,” Sienna says, clapping her hands in excitement. Luke grins, kissing her temple.
“I know you’re excited, babe, but remember this is Scarlett’s wedding,” he says.
“I’m so happy for you both,” Marion says.
As the rest of them start making wedding plans already, I turn to dad, who hasn’t said anything. “Are you happy, daddy?”
“I should be asking you that,” he says, clearing his throat.
Under the table, Connor squeezes my hand. “I’m happy.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, Angel.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’m engaged, I’m not moving.”
I rest my head on his shoulder, and he kisses the top of it.
I thumb my ring, glancing down at it. It feels unreal.
In two weeks, I went from hating men because of Connor to being engaged to him.
I watch him laugh at something mom says, and I can’t stop smiling as he absentmindedly lifts my hand to kiss the back of it.
I’m not a person who believes in miracles. But I can safely say the greatest miracle and gift of the season has been us finding our way back to each other.