“We met at an art gallery. We both loved the same painting. It was the first time I’d been to an art gallery in years. It was like a sign from the universe that we were meant to be together.”
“Stop stalling, Nina. I don’t care where you met. I want to know when. How long have you and Heath been together?”
I should lie. But Eden always knows when I’m lying.
“We met six days ago.”
Eden doesn’t even react. She knew. Somehow, she knew that Heath and I hadn’t been together for very long.
“You aren’t getting married today, Nina.”
“You’re not my mother, Eden. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
“Yes, I do. I get to tell you what to do when you are being crazy!”
“I’m not acting crazy. People elope all the time. What’s the worst that could happen anyway? A couple of years down the road, we will get divorced. At least we can be happy and do something spontaneous now.”
Eden shakes her head. “Divorce isn’t as easy as you think it is. It’s messy. You have to divide everything. Fight over everything. Money, possessions, pets. Not to mention, if you decide to have a baby together because you are married. Marriage is meant for people who love each other and know each other well enough to at least know things like how he takes his coffee, where he grew up, and who his family is.”
I frown. “Those things don’t matter. I love him.”
“No. You are obsessed with him. There’s a difference.”
“I just met him. Give him a chance. I’m getting married no matter what, and I’d love it if my best friend in the whole world was there.”
Eden rolls her eyes. “Fine. But you can’t use the best-friend thing as a reason ever again.”
I smile. “Deal.”
* * *
I take Eden to meet Heath by the pool at the hotel. When I point him out to her, her mouth drops.
“If you aren’t going to marry him, I am,” Eden says.
I smile. “Nope. He’s taken,” I say as we both ogle Heath as he swims toward us.
He flips his shoulder-length blonde hair back as he climbs out of the pool and starts walking toward us, revealing every ripple of his abs and hard muscles of his biceps.
“How old is he?” Eden asks.
“Twenty-five.”
Eden raises an eyebrow as she looks at me.
“Okay, fine. He’s twenty-one,” I say, throwing my hands up like I give up. “But look at him! He’s gorgeous. He doesn’t act twenty-one. He’s a man through and through. Trust me.”
Eden laughs. “You don’t know him well enough outside of the bedroom to know.”
I grin. “Well, he’s definitely a man in the bedroom, so that’s all that matters.”
Eden’s face scrunches up as she judges me for marrying a man eight years younger than me.
“Just talk to him. He’s perfect for me.”
“I’m here. I’ll talk to him. But I’m never going to think that marrying him is a good idea. It can’t lead to anything but heartache.”
Heath stops in front of us, dripping wet. He sweeps me into his arms and kisses me, getting me soaked in all the right places.