Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
VIVIAN
“So the architect said the review process can take up to a year.” I babble between licks of ice cream. “But with Axel’s legal connections.” Lick. “It should go through.” Lick. “I mean, we’re preserving the home, and adding to culture.” Lick. “Helping tourism and—”
I glance over at Jace.
He roams beside me, licking his ice cream, grinning smugly like the cat that ate the canary.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he lies.
“Jace, you’re acting weird.”
He laughs, eyes wide. “No, I’m not.”
I stop in the middle of the sidewalk, tourists brushing by. “Yes, you are. What’s going on?”
He shrugs. “Nothing. We’re on an ice cream date.” But his eyes sparkle devilishly, so I tap my sandal. Waiting. “Okay, fine.” He aims his creamy lips at mine. “You’re really fucking beautiful today. If you keep looking like that, I’ll keep you pregnant for life.”
I take his delicious kiss, tasting like bay leaves and cheesecake. I moan at his tongue playing with mine, making my tender nipples pearl under the long ivory silk dress Nadine bought me.
It’s a sleeveless, relaxed silhouette of the most sumptuous fabric I’ve ever worn. She wanted to buy me some signature pearls as well, to celebrate the baby, but I’m not used to couture. These gifts so far feel special enough.
From the park by the river across the street, some guy whistles at our public display of affection. It makes me laugh over our lips. “Okay, big guy. I almost believe you.”
“Almost?” He presses into me, wearing a sexy navy suit on a spring day. “Need me to throb even bigger for your beauty?”
Lifting my cone to his lips, I let him lean down, locking his eyes on mine while he obscenely licks my cream as he will between my legs tonight; I know. “Almost, because you have pit stains the size of Canada.”
“Oh, do I?” He edges back, swiping his lips clean.
I point at the cute blots marring his perfectly starched white shirt. He can’t hide them under his gentlemanly jacket. He’s even wearing a navy tie today, adding to my suspicions. “Something’s making you nervous.”
Silently, he takes my cone and his. Four steps away, there’s a trash can where he tosses them inside.
Yep, something’s going on.
It makes my pulse double as he returns to me, clasping my hands.
“It’s the meeting tomorrow, isn’t it?” I ask. “The one with your…” I swallow. “Father?”
He doesn’t answer, making fear storm my veins. “You don’t think he’d hurt you all or…” I choke on the word. I can’t fathom losing Jace. Or anyone I love. Not again. Not after losing my dad.
He shakes his head. “Ironically, with you being pregnant with my child, we’re even safer now. That man has too much pride in blood and lineage.”
“But you’re worried about tomorrow, aren’t you? About the deal? What if he doesn’t take it? What if this war never ends?”
“Doesn’t matter.” He cups my cheek. “You can’t have a war without an enemy, and he’s not mine. I won’t give him that power over me anymore. Loving you gives me peace. I’ve won.” He gazes down at my belly. “We won.”
My throat tightens, a bittersweet sensation. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to tell you in a special way. I had big plans to, but I was so—”
“Don’t apologize for making my dreams come true, Viv. We’re right here, where we belong.” He nuzzles my nose, grinning. “Actually, we’re supposed to be two blocks down the street at your house with you showing me the plans for our new gallery.”
I do it.
I let myself squeal with excitement. “Let’s go!”
Yes, it’s possible to drag a six-foot-six man down the cobblestone streets of Charleston. Especially when you tranquilize him with rambling plans about gallery lighting and paint.
Entering the code for the iron gate to my courtyard, I’m stressing over the perfect color. “Not all whites are the same.” I’m boring Jace, but he’s just grinning. “We could go with something warm, but I want a true, creamy neutral—”
White.
Everywhere.
I gasp at my courtyard.
White jasmine vines blossom in an explosion of light over my pergola, reaching for the deepening sky, their starry flowers more abundant than usual. Like they’ve been doubled.
White magnolia petals carpet my antique brick terrace. It takes me a moment to realize they’re fashioned into a heart, trimmed with glowing candles in glass votives. Their flicker dancing in the early evening light.
Black-and-white photos in ash wood frames nestle beside the candles. Pictures of me that Jace secretly took on the beach. Shots I thought I snuck of him, reading on his stool. Photos Delphine took, close-ups of our tender kisses.
“Jace…” I turn to him, joy spilling over my lashes. “What… what did you do?”
He takes my hand, pressing it to his heart. It’s thundering under his sweaty, starched shirt. “I fell in love with my best friend, and now I have something to ask her.”
He leads me to the pergola dripping with columns of white jasmine blooms; their calming perfume can’t quell my fluttering heart.
Lowering to one knee, he lifts a white velvet ring box from a round, woven seagrass table.
Who put it there? And when? And oh my god, he did all this for me?
“Vivian Tate, I’ve had a year to plan what to say right now.
” The ring box shakes in his hand. “All these poetic quotes about loving you and growing old with me, and you being my sun and stars and light and… Ahem. Sorry.” He swallows.
Tears brimming. Mine spill. “But I never thought I’d get to ask you and my baby.
I never imagined… God, Viv.” He reaches for my hips, awkwardly jostling the box in his grasp.
His smile flooded like his eyes. His lips tenderly kiss my belly before he gazes up at me.
“I never dreamed I’d get this honor to ask you both; will you marry me? ”
“Yes.” Shaking, crying, smiling, I cup his whiskered jaw. “Yes. Yes, Jace Ryan, we’ll marry you.”
“Give her the ring!” a muffled voice booms from inside my house.
Startled, I glance over and see a crowd gathered by the bay window in my dining room. Delphine’s in front, taking our picture, and Grant’s gesturing to Jace, wagging his left finger. “The ring, fucker. It’s not official without it.”
I laugh, loving this life we’re about to begin. Breathless at the ring Jace slides onto my finger.
“It’s an icy-white diamond,” he explains its hazy sparkle.
“It reminded me of a flash bulb, perfect for my wife, the photographer. It’s even square, like one, and cushion-cut.
Five carats. It looks like you, antique and…
” He shakes his head. “I mean, you don’t look antique.
You’re fucking beautiful, but the ring is—”
“Perfect.” I tug him to stand up, to kiss me. “You’re picture perfect.”
With our kiss, a cacophony of muffled shouts explodes from my house before the back door opens, and everyone spills out, clapping and pulling us into hugs.
In a blur, I’m in my mom’s arms, her tearful hug warm and strong. “Oh, my sweet child. Your father would love him. You have our blessing.” She squeezes even tighter. “And you’re making me a Nana; I’m moving back home.”
I’m shocked, sobbing, laughing with my mom before Harlow’s next.
“Told you he had a crush on you.” She whispers into our embrace. “Now you get a colossal clit thriller and a fuckable friend guarding your heart for life. I’m so happy for you.”
I pull back, wiping my eyes. “I have so much to tell you. I met Wilder Lawless and—”
Her palm flies up, stopping me. “This is your day, not my drama. That man and his motorcycle can kiss my ass.”
She and my mom fit right in. It seems they’ve been having a covert party in my house, helping Jace’s family set up this surprise today.
Southern morsels and Russian treats are served. We raise a champagne and sparkling lemonade toast. Babies fill arms. Music croons. Laughter floats into the perfect night as stars emerge, twinkling above, like the hundred little string lights decorating my courtyard.
It’s magical.
We joke with the kings and hug the queens. Jace won’t stop smiling, watching me hold my future nieces—Lyona, Bluebell, then Zarina—cherishing their sweet cheeks before Lev, my future nephew, innocently touches my belly.
“Dad says there’s a baby in there, but I don’t see it. You’re not fat.”
Axel waves at me, mouthing, “Sorry,” but I laugh. It’s too cute how Jace lifts Lev, resting his nephew on his hulking arm. “Give it time, little lion. You’ll have another cousin soon.”
“Can it be a boy?” Lev rolls his icy eyes. “There’s too many girls.”
I gaze at Jace, holding a little boy, and even the perfect picture couldn’t capture this pure moment.
One where every star aligns.
Illuminating your path.
All you have to do is be brave enough to follow it.
“Let’s do it now.” I exhale excitedly. Jace looks at me, a tender smile tugging at his lips. Like he wants to believe me, but… “Yeah.” I nod. “Right now. Let’s get married. Why wait anymore?”
He sets Lev down. “Viv…” He cradles my cheeks. “Viv, baby, don’t tease me. Are you for real?”
I nod, blinking back happy tears. “Very real because it feels so right. Everyone we love is here. This is all we need, Jace. Just me and you and—”
“And your brother, who’s a pastor.” Sire, standing feet away, grins, hearing us.
“And your dress is beautiful!” Wren gushes. “Your ponytail’s on point; you’re glowing.”
“I will take the pictures,” Delphine offers.
“I’m the best man,” Grant insists.
Axel grins. “I’ll take care of the marriage license.”
“Please do it.” Alena claps, her brown eyes pleading. “It’s so romantic: a surprise wedding and a surprise baby.”
“We already have a bouquet and a cake inside.” Vale surprises me.
I look at Jace. A sexy blush paints his face. “A bouquet and a cake?”
He smirks. “With sixteen candles like the movie because…” He laughs softly, grabbing my waist. “Who are you about to marry, Smokeshow?”
“A hopeless romantic?”
“Hopeless?” Nadine joins us. She stands arm in arm with my mom. “You two youngins’ need to realize there’s always hope.”
“Live long enough,” my mom concurs, “and it’ll find you.”
They’re right.
Mothers always are.
And that’s how I find myself marrying Jace Ryan under white jasmine stars.
“You sure about this?”
I sit in my dress, cross-legged on top of my dining table, a wedding bouquet of carnations, circa the eighties, by my side. A white cake with sixteen candles glows before me, in front of the bay window to my night-fallen courtyard outside.
“Yep, it won’t break,” Jace assures me, palming the antique table. His lips twisting. His massive body shuffling. His eyes, not so sure. “Nope, we’re good. No biggie.”
“No biggie?” I laugh with a diamond sparkling on my finger. “Big guy, you are six feet, six inches of the hottest, hulking body. And you think you won’t break our table?”
He winks. “Don’t forget hottest, hulking husband.” Gingerly, he climbs on top, joining me for the shot.
“Oh shit, it’s creaking!” Nick laughs.
“Thar she blows!” Grant booms.
“Now, if she blew him on the table, they’d break it,” Nash jokes, making Axel mutter, “Kids.”
The two exchange a knowing smirk.
Jace told me there’s been some tension between them. Something about Alena years ago, but I don’t sense it. They look like birds of an inked feather.
Everyone’s gathered around them in my dimmed dining room, an eager audience for this final scene.
Awkwardly, Jace tries to mirror me. At least he took his jacket off and loosened his tie. It hangs around his neck, his shirt unbuttoned after our dancing in the courtyard.
It takes him a moment to relax, to wrap his massive body and sit crisscross on the other side of the cake.
“Ouais. Beautiful.” Delphine sighs, aiming Jace’s camera. “Vivian, what aperture for candlelight? F/2?”
“Try 1.4,” I answer her while beaming at Jace. “But we have to hold still.”
Jace listens to me. He always does. He listens. Lusts. Laughs. Loves. Fireworks exploding inside him for this; I can see them lighting up his lapis eyes. The gold wedding band on his finger gleams—Nick let us borrow his—as Jace stills his body for the photo.
Only his smiling lips move, improvising the scene. “Thanks for giving me your undies.”
I fight my laugh. “Thanks for making them wet.”
“Thanks for marrying me.”
“Thanks for asking me.”
“Happy wedding day, Vivian.” He smiles. So damn handsome. “Make a wish.”
A wish.
It blooms in my belly, lighting up my soul. Joy this great shouldn’t be allowed, but it is; it’s abundant.
I’m his wife. I know my next romantic line, but it’s not my story because ours is real.
“You already made it come true, Jace.”
He leans over our wedding cake, giving me a devoted kiss.
The moment is captured in a photo, sitting by our bed.
For the next sixty years.