Chapter Eleven
Two months later
“There’s still time for us to run,” Becca said.
They were in the room within the church for the brides to finish getting ready. Alexa looked over the large front garden that was full with the press. It seemed that even though Corey hadn’t been in the public eye, it didn’t mean he wasn’t remembered. Some reporter had seen him going into a wedding store over a month ago, and since then they had been hounded.
At first Corey had been really upset as he worried it would affect the publishing of his book. It didn’t. He had hit publishing last month, and the sales had been out of this world. Alexa knew it shocked him that people would actually enjoy his books, but there it was. He was already working on the second book, and he’d even been approached by an agent, whom he turned down.
Corey didn’t want to make his new passion stressful, which was why he was handling everything himself, without being ordered around.
“I’m not going to run.”
“The press out there are going to be doing nothing but flashing their cameras and telling stories,” Becca said.
“Are you going to run out on William? He’ll catch you.” Alexa knew William was tired of letting his woman run away. There was no chance in hell of her friend ever escaping.
“I’m not running. William, he’s it for me. I was just hoping he’d have gotten the hint sooner.”
“Hint? What hint?”
“Going away to Italy of course. I was hoping he’d see the error in letting me go, and follow me. It was all romantic in my head.”
“You’ve been doing that for years.”
“So? It doesn’t mean a girl can’t dream.”
Alexa shook her head. “How did you expect him to know that? You always told me you wanted your space.”
Becca sighed. “Why do you think I accepted his proposal? I accepted that he’s not like Corey with you, but he’s still my man.”
“What does Corey have to do with this?” she asked.
“He would follow you anywhere you wanted to go. It’s how I know he loves you so much. He follows you without shame, and he doesn’t care that anyone is watching him. Did you know that he told the men at the club you weren’t to be approached?” Becca asked, moving up behind her.
“Corey told me that. Kind of selfish of him, but I guess that’s men for you.” Alexa shrugged. She actually got a thrill after what he’d told her. Corey loved her, and she would do anything for him.
The storylines hadn’t been most favorable to her about her appearance, calling her a gold-digger, and many other names. After one of the headlines was particularly mean and he found her crying, Corey had taken the press on, and even threatened to sue them. For a few days it had gotten ugly as several people had lost their jobs. Corey may no longer be a businessman, but he’d kept contacts within the press. They owed him favors, and they had responded in kind.
There were no more nasty reviews or comments, which she was happy about.
“We’ve both gotten two amazing men.”
“That we have.”
The bell rang giving them the warning that they were five minutes from being given away. Their fathers hadn’t been able to make it, so they were both going to escort each other down the aisle toward their husbands. Neither of them was concerned about their parents’ absence. Both had grown up caring about each other, and being each other’s parent, getting them out of scrapes.
This was how she always wanted to get married, and it was a dream come true to her to finally be living it.
“Are you ready?” Alexa asked.
“I’m ready, I’m more than ready. What about you? Any nerves?”
Alexa thought about it. “Yes, I’m nervous. Corey’s not known as being the guy you marry.” She shrugged. “I guess I’ll find out if he’s the kind of guy I’ll marry.”
“How?” Becca asked.
Opening the door, Alexa chuckled. “We’ll see if he’s at the altar or if he’s taken a run for it to get as far away from me as possible.”
Becca was laughing as they made their way downstairs toward the small ceremony.
****
“Are you going to run?” William asked.
Corey frowned, turning toward his friend. “What?”
“You know, marrying Alexa? Are you ready?”
“I was the one who asked her, not the other way around.” He was nervous that Alexa was going to run from him, and he was tempted to go and escort her ass down here himself. Tapping his thigh, he glanced at his watch to see they had another few minutes. She wouldn’t run from him. They were happy, and in love, and even with his past, she had accepted that.