EIGHTEEN
EACH PART OF the getting ready process ran like silk. Jane’s anxiety hadn’t lessened, not much. Given that her friend was the organizer, she knew exactly what should happen and when. The rest of them just had to turn up and hit their marks.
When the door closed behind the last floofy dress person, she and Jane were left alone in the bridal room. Next to each other. Facing the wraparound mirrors that showcased them on their pedestals.
She didn’t say a word. Jane was fixated on herself, on the reflection of her own perfect beauty, like she didn’t really believe it. In her defense, she didn’t have anything to believe a few short hours ago.
“This is really happening,” Jane whispered with no less wonder.
“It’s really happening.”
Jane grabbed for her stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Picking up the skirt of her dress, Roxie hopped down to go and take her friend’s hand.
“You’re not going to be sick. Not in that dress. Though, if ever there were a moment, there’s enough product in your hair that it won’t move an inch.”
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Do what?” Roxie asked, exuding only joy and optimism. “The standing up in front of people…” which was always going to be Jane’s hangup, “or marrying the wrong man kind of can’t do this?”
“He’s the right man,” Jane said quickly. “I can’t believe I ever…”
“Tried to wriggle out of the inevitable relationship between the two of you?”
“What if he changes his mind?”
“You didn’t even know this was happening this morning. If he’d got up and decided to call it off, would he have followed through on the proposal?”
“I can’t believe he… he didn’t want to see me before the wedding.”
“Isn’t that the rule?”
“Yes!” Jane said on a rapturous laugh. “He doesn’t care about anything like that, but for me…”
“He’d do anything for you. Don’t you think Toria and I ran the gauntlet with him? Many, many times. If either of us thought he wasn’t worthy of you, we’d have nixed this from the start.”
“How long have you known? You and Toria? Who else knew?”
“For most of the time, it was me, Z, Knox and Toria. Tripp figured it out or found out at some point, I don’t know when or who slipped up.”
“The guys?”
“Knox didn’t tell them until last night. They couldn’t believe he wasn’t going to bed with you.”
Jane’s cheeks pinked. “And his mom? His brothers?”
“I’d be willing to bet Cam heard it first, but you’d have to ask Knox about the others.”
“I’m getting married,” Jane said, awestruck, admiring the jewel that fit so perfectly on her hand. “I’m really doing it.”
“Yeah, you are. But what Toria said is true too. Don’t feel pressured into this today. We can do it later or not at all. If you’re not one hundred percent sure—”
“I’m sure,” she said. “Now I know Knox wasn’t… He really loves me.”
“He does.”
“Anyway, I would never do that to you and Zairn. This day is about all of us.”
“Zairn won’t care—” That dismayed Jane. “No, not that he won’t care.
He wants to do this. Really wants to do this.
Your happiness means a lot to him too. He wouldn’t want you marrying Knox unless you were sure.
He and I can still do the deed whether you do or not.
Unless you want to get out of here, in which case, I have a jet on the tarmac ready to go. ”
On a laugh, Jane used their link to step off the podium and into a hug. A sort of hug. Wasn’t easy to get close with all that dress.
“I love you, Roxie.”
“And I love you too.”
Still holding her, Jane leaned a little back. “Are you sure?”
“Am I sure, what?”
“Knox and I might have crashed your day, but it is your day too. Are you sure you want to go through with it?”
“To marry Zairn? You know, it never occurred to me not to. Weird, right? After that moment, in the CollCom editing booth, when it finally hit me what an idiot I was… Not marrying him never occurred to me.”
“You never wanted to get married,” Jane said. “You were never against it, but it wasn’t… you didn’t care about it.”
“I still don’t. It’s not like something I have great reverence for. The institution is… whatever, you know?”
“It’s about the man.”
Always full of wonder, Jane was a prize no woman would ever top.
“It is,” she exhaled with a laugh. Toria had given that speech more than once. “It’s Zairn. Married is just a word. But to be joined with him, to throw it out into the world that we belong utterly to each other. Yeah, I’m onboard. That matters.” They hugged again. “And it matters to Zairn.”
“Which means it matters to you. You care about what he cares about.”
“It’s our life. I want him to be happy.”
“It’s always easier for them to treat us than it is for us to treat them.”
“They like being in control.”
“They like spoiling us.”
“That too.”
“Roxie, will our…”
Jane’s hesitation was cause for concern. She couldn’t have her friend go through with this unless she was completely sure.
“Honey?” she asked, seeking her gaze and stroking her hair. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I—nothing.”
“Ask the question, whatever it is.”
“Will our…” Jane surrendered. “Will our children be entitled brats?”
“With you as a mother? Not a chance in hell. You think Auntie Roxie and Auntie Toria would ever let that happen? Your children will be the kindest, sweetest… probably most taken advantage of, in the whole schoolyard.” Holding her friend’s face in two hands, she brought them closer.
“Yes, Knox can be overbearing and stroppy at times…” that the same may be said about her was irrelevant.
“But he will love you and your children with a ferocious fervor. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to make you happy, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. ”
“Sometimes I think you don’t like him.”
“It’s a game,” Roxie said. “He’s the big brother I like to prod at. I secretly love him. We have spent a lot of time talking to each other recently, like a lot, a lot. You deserve an endurance medal for what you tolerate.”
“Rox!”
“And, hell, if it all goes wrong, you can always move onto his brother. Pick Cam, not Caspian.”
Jane laughed her away. “Roxie!”
“What? No one would ever know with Cam, and I have it on good authority he’s the real Collier prize.
Though… hmm… he did renounce the trust fund.
Maybe he’s secretly crazy, like the ‘dead’ grandmother or inconvenient wife in the attic kind of crazy.
Given his life choices, that wouldn’t be a leap.
We’d have to do a full psychological work-up before making any final decisions…
Hmm, but…” she exaggerated. “Would make it easier to get power of attorney over his assets.”
“Roxie…” Yeah, sometimes playing was the easiest way to relax Jane. “You’re so bad!”
“Not bad, just considering your options. Once upon a time, Cam was a lady killer. I suppose Knox may have done his share of lady killing… Okay, homicidal maniac is not a good look when anyone could be watching.”
“Watching?” Jane’s panic hit eleven as her eyes darted around the ceiling. “Roxie, we got changed in here.”
“Yeah, and with a figure like that, you have nothing to be modest about. And, oh, yeah, your soon-to-be husband controls most every kind of media there is. And we have Roux, who can make Rourke do anything.”
Wouldn’t be the first time Rourke had gone in a digital back door to erase pictures or videos… or the entire conversation history of certain peoples. Did he help Knox with that whole getting London Guy locked up? She’d ask one of them later when there were a few less bottles of champagne.
“I don’t want him seeing me naked.”
“Relax, honey, all the cameras are elsewhere today. This body is only eyes on for Knox. After today you’ll be a respectable married woman. Faithful. Committed… in numerous senses of the word.”
The width of Jane’s smile grew as her knees bent in a bounce, and, of course, being Jane, she couldn’t help but squee.
“When I woke up this morning, I had no idea… No… I’m getting married today.” And the excitement faltered. “My mom was just… I don’t think she believes it either.”
“Don’t worry about her,” Roxie said. “Knox spoke to her. And all the seating plans have been amended to get them up front. Everything will be perfect, I promise.”
“I’m terrified,” Jane admitted, snatching her hands. “All those people out there…”
“Focus on Knox, he’ll be out front waiting.”
“And my dad… Did someone explain—”
“He’s ready and willing to walk you down the aisle.”
“Are we going together?”
“I’ll go first,” Roxie said. “I’m the opening act, you’re the headliner.”
She’d be the first to admit that even the dress, makeup, and hair didn’t transform her into the perfect picture bride.
Jane was picture-perfect. Her gorgeous friend had the glow.
Something that couldn’t be faked, the biological reaction to fulfilling an epic life goal.
Shit, it was almost enough to dampen her eyes, but no way was she sitting in that chair another hour to get the makeup fixed.
“People came here to see you,” Jane said. “Not me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. All of our people are out there. The guest list got Knox’s approval too. You don’t think everyone wants to know more about the woman who conquered Knox Collier?” She made such a vision that containing herself was near impossible. “You are so pretty.”
Toria came rushing in, tossing the door closed behind her.
“If you two are done chatting it up, we have a crowd of folks and two particularly focused men waiting out here for you. I’ve got to say, when I said ‘crowd’ shit, girls, it’s like the royal wedding.
How the fuck are there so many people in that room? Do we know that many people?”
Well, it wasn’t one room, it was several open to each other. That reminder, though, wasn’t helpful. Damnit Toria. The prospect of so many people may freak Jane out, but for Toria, it was Christmas. Sometimes the excitement got too much for her friend to hold in.
“Okay, if we’re doing this,” she said, locking eyes with Jane. “Then we’re doing this.”
“Is it twenty-three?”
“Twenty-three what?” Toria joined them. “I don’t get it.”
Without any uncertainty, Jane answered. “We have to be twenty-three minutes late.”
“You timed it?” Toria asked.
Wonders never ceased with beautiful Jane.
Why were they surprised? Being so specific…
talk about forward planning. A lot of thought had gone into this moment.
A lifetime of thought. Jane hadn’t known the wedding was happening this morning, not hers, though, shit, she’d sure turned up with her ignition on.
“Why twenty-three?”
“It’s long enough to fit tradition, but not too long it might be considered rude.”
On her wedding day, Jane’s precision, and politeness, remained intact. Even being late was planned to a T.
“Oh, honey, I’d kiss you if it wouldn’t ruin your makeup.”
“No kisses,” Toria said, taking each of their hands. “Not until Jane says so. Now let’s do this.”