Little by little…she was accomplishing her goal.
I’d kept the wedding small since Dane was acting as my best man. Sebastian was walking Eva down the aisle, a responsibility he was taking very seriously. In fact, my middle brother had become a model partner, which was giving me some extra time to spend with Eva before she started culinary school in the fall. We were departing for a very long honeymoon shortly after the wedding, a vacation where I hoped we’d spent a lot of time naked.
Even though I was nervous, I smiled just a little because I knew Eva. She’d be determined to see the sights in places she’d never been before. I’d be just as stubborn about wanting us naked and fucking until I could get rid of the constant erection I sported whenever I was near her.
We’d reach a compromise.
We always did.
“I’m off to go find the bride. It’s almost time,” Sebastian mentioned anxiously.
Hell, he sounded almost as nervous as I was. I looked at my middle brother, grateful for all the discussions we’d had about the past. We didn’t talk much about it anymore, and I think we were past our differences. I hadn’t known what he wanted, and he hadn’t spoken up. We’d both taken our share of the blame and came out closer because of it.
“Don’t scare my bride off,” I grumbled as I looked at Sebastian who was dressed almost the same as me and Dane.
“I’m actually hoping she’ll dump you at the alter and run away with me,” Sebastian said mischievously.
I glared at him, but refused to let him goad me. There was nothing he enjoyed more than watching me get irritated and possessive. Honestly, I knew Eva was safe with Sebastian. He didn’t poach in another man’s territory, and he wasn’t about to steal away with my bride. Besides, I knew that Eva loved me. Still, I didn’t appreciate his humor right now.
“Just go find her and Isa, smart ass,” I growled.
Sebastian just grinned and ambled off to find my bride and her Matron of Honor.
I’d gotten to like Isa and her husband, Robert. They’d both come over to the house for dinner several times now, and I found myself looking forward to those casual nights with company. Isa was a sweet woman, and her husband was a rich guy with a sense of humor. The two of them were always welcome, pleasant guests.
“Are you okay?” Dane asked curiously.
“Fine,” I answered abruptly.
“You’re looking a little nervous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you anxious before.”
“I’ve never gotten married before,” I replied drily. “I just want to get this over with. I just want Eva to be mine.”
“Do you think she’s going to run away? She’s already yours, Trace. Relax.”
Easy for him to say. He’s never had a woman who had him by the balls. Not that Eva ever took advantage of that fact. But sometimes it was fucking terrifying to love someone that much.
“We’re ready gentlemen,” the wedding planner said from the doorway.
“Showtime,” Dane said unhappily.
I followed the wedding planner, with Dane close behind me. We stepped into our places in the front of the church, and I finally looked out at the attendees.
Many of them were casual friends or distant relatives, but my gaze landed on an elegant woman in the front row, an older female. Nora Mitchell. She was sitting with her three stepchildren near the front of the church, and I knew Eva would be happy they were here. I couldn’t say that everything was perfect in the relationship between Eva and her grandmother, but they were slowly working through the pain of the past. I was pretty sure that they had more happy times together than they did sad ones, and I knew that Eva had become fond of Nora’s stepchildren.
My cousin, Gabe, and his wife, Chloe, were both grinning in the front row. I was wondering if my cousin wasn’t enjoying my nervousness just a little since I’d teased him about how intense he was with Chloe before they’d gotten married. Now, unfortunately, I understood exactly how he’d felt. I glared at him unhappily before I shot Chloe a weak smile. Really, I was grateful to my cousin’s wife, and the fact that her friend had gotten caught up in the holidays and hadn’t showed up at my office to talk about being my fake fiancée. Indirectly, Chloe was responsible for me being with Eva now.
My heart started to speed up as the music fired up and Isa made her way gracefully down the aisle, shooting me an encouraging smile as she took her place across from me and Dane. As the guests stood for Eva, my gaze never left the door that I knew she’d enter from.
I held my breath as I saw her walking elegantly beside Sebastian, looking incredibly beautiful in the white wedding gown she’d chosen.