Fated (38 page)

It’s
still hard for Caden to talk about what happened the night he saw his father
murder his mother and commit suicide, but I don’t think it could be any other
way. You can never get used to that kind of horror. But he’s opening up more
and more every day, and his trust in himself is growing. My trust in him has
never wavered since I realized he truly loved me, and it never will.

The
pictures Caden took of me hang in our bedroom that’s now on the third floor.
He’s determined to get me pregnant, so he’s already hired a contractor to redo
all the rooms on the third floor. It was pretty funny when the contractor
walked into our bedroom to measure for a new closet. Caden was like a man
possessed as he ripped off all the pictures of me from the walls. I laughed as
I told him he should be used to the world seeing his photographs of naked
women. He told me it was different because none of those women had been his
soon-to-be wife.

I
keep telling him that we have to wait until after our wedding to get pregnant
because I want to do things in order. That doesn’t stop him from trying to
change my mind. We considered getting married quickly, but for once I wanted to
take my time. Besides, I’m busy helping to plan Macie’s wedding and I don’t
want anything to take away from her day. Caden and I have the rest of our lives
together.

I
was giddy with excitement when Macie’s wedding day finally arrived. I was
helping Macie get ready along with the other bridesmaids in her hotel room.

“Why
do I get stuck with Harry?” Jessica complained as she fixed her hair in the
mirror. I wasn’t exactly sure what she was fixing since her long black hair
looked perfectly in place.

Hillary
rolled her eyes. “Cut the kid some slack. It’s not his fault he’s underage and
you’re oversexed.”

I
laughed at Hillary’s disgust. I was now used to their banter since they had
enveloped me into their circle when I moved back to New York. It was amazing
how life could keep on giving and giving with no end in sight.

“I
know,” Jessica grumbled. “But how come one of you couldn’t be paired with him.”

“You
do
know
you’re not chained to him for the entire night, right?” I said as I helped
Macie rearrange the tendrils that artfully spilled from her updo. “You just
have to stand next to him at the ceremony.”

“I
know,” she groused. “Still, I wish I had been paired with Dominic.”

Dominic
was Brian’s cousin, and the latest man that Jessica had been lusting after.

“We
can switch if you want,” Maya offered, since she had been matched with Dominic.

“Absolutely
not,” Hillary said firmly. Throughout the wedding planning, Hillary had often
been the one to put her foot down since Macie was so nice that she tended to
agree with whatever anyone suggested. “You guys were paired for height. Harry
is too short for Maya.”

Jessica
harrumphed but didn’t continue arguing. I noticed she didn’t complain about not
being paired up with Macie’s brother. We had all been aware of something going
on between Jason and Hillary, even though she vehemently denied it, so the last
thing Jessica wanted to do was pull Jason away from her.

Jessica’s
disgruntled expression disappeared entirely when Hillary finished putting the
last touches on Macie’s makeup and she turned around.

“Well?”
Macie asked breathlessly. “What do you think?”

Macie
looked beautiful, but the most stunning thing about her wasn’t the gorgeous
white dress, her artfully done makeup or her hairdo that showed off her
graceful neck. It was the anticipation and love on her face as she prepared to
marry the man she loved.

Even
Hillary teared up, although she tried to hide it.

“You
look amazing,” I said, trying to not let my tears ruin my makeup. The others
chimed in with their agreement.

“Just
think,” Macie said. “In two months, this’ll be you.”

The
thought of marrying Caden in a couple of months made me breathless, but I
didn’t want to take any attention away from Macie’s day.

“I
can’t wait. But today is all about you.”

Macie
shook her head. “No, it’s about me and everyone I love. That includes you, Lauren.
Knowing that you’re happy makes this day even better for me.”

She
turned to include the others in her gaze. “Thank you so much for everything
you’ve done for me. I don’t know what I’ve done to be so lucky to have such
amazing friends.”

In
the midst of our tears, Hillary commanded Macie to stop being sentimental
because we were all getting weepy and in risk of ruining our makeup. There was
a knock at the door and Maya rushed to answer it.

“This
better not be Brian,” she called out as she unlocked the door. “You can’t see
Macie yet.”

She
peered through the crack and then opened it wider. “It’s just Caden.”

There
was no
just
about him. Caden looking amazing in his tux, so urbane and gorgeous that I
wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming that this man was mine.

“Can’t
you stay away for one minute?” Jessica grumbled. It had become a running joke
that Caden and I seemed attached at the hip, although I insisted we didn’t
spend
all
our time together.

“I’ve
just been sent to make sure you guys are ready. The limos are here.”

Macie
squealed and the others hurried to collect her things. “I’ll grab your
bouquet,” I called out as they rushed out the door. Caden caught my hand before
I could follow them.

“Caden,
we can’t be late!”

“Just
one kiss.” I was helpless to refuse when he pulled me towards him, kissing me
thoroughly until I was breathless, although I was careful not to crush the
bouquet between us.

When
we broke apart, a rush of happiness filled me. Caden looked at me tenderly.
“You look beautiful.”

“You
don’t look too bad yourself,” I said with an appreciative glance at him. I had
been surprised when Brian had asked Caden to be a groomsman, but he considered
him a good friend and someone who had always looked out for Macie. It made this
day even better since I was naturally paired with him.

“Sixty-eight
days until we get married.”

“Gee,
it’s not like you’re keeping count or anything,” I said with a grin.

“I’m
counting the minutes until you’re finally my wife. I can’t wait until I see you
walking down the aisle towards me in a church filled with calla lilies.”

I
reached up and stroked his jaw. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” I
whispered, feeling overwhelmed by my love for him. “It was worth saving up all
my luck until now, because it means I get to spend the rest of my life with
you.”

Caden’s
amber eyes glowed with love as he bent his head closer to me. “It wasn’t luck.
It was fate. We were meant to be together.”

My
heart swelled at his romantic notion and I leaned up to kiss him again.

When
we broke apart, he started laughing when I realized with horror that we were
holding the others up. I grabbed his arm to rush to the elevator to join the
rest of the wedding party.

It
was an incredible day. I watched Macie marry the man she loves with the man I
love by my side. I didn’t care whether it was luck or fate that put Caden in my
path. All that mattered was that we had found each other, and I had finally
found my home in his arms.

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