“Oh, some are our friends, but there are some important European business contacts your husband will want to know as he expands into Europe.”
A tingle ran through my spine as her use of the word husband. Ryan was about to be my husband. Well, fake husband.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
Now? Now was the time? “Ah…yes.”
She smiled. “You’re nervous. I was too the day I got married. All the way until I saw Christian at the altar. The minute he looked at me and I looked at him, all my nerves vanished.” She sighed at the memory.
I doubted seeing Ryan at the altar would settle my nerves. Really, what he and I were doing was crazy. But I smiled. “I’m ready.”
I took my spot and started up the aisle as the quartet played Pachelbel’s Canon in D. I looked to the arbor and my breath caught as I saw Ryan standing there. He was in a suit, but it wasn’t like his normal suits. It looked like a million bucks. He was amazingly handsome. My heart rolled in my chest as I got closer to him and could see his blue eyes watching me. They’d roamed my body and I thought I saw appreciation in them. Like maybe he thought I looked good too. It made me feel even more beautiful.
The minister went through the traditional ceremony. It was surreal to be standing next to my boss and marrying him. But as the ceremony proceeded, I saw less and less of my boss, and more of a lovely man so devoted to his family that he’d fake marry a woman to help them.
Rings were exchanged and I was stunned for a moment as I wondered when he’d gotten them. He’d left most of the arrangements to me, and yet he’d gotten rings? Or maybe Christian and Martina did. Nah, rings were too personal.
“You may kiss your bride.”
Those words stopped the internal conversation in my brain.
For a moment, Ryan just looked at me. Then he leaned forward, his eyes closing as he did. I followed suit, leaning into him, closing my eyes. His lips touched mine, soft and smooth, and yet, it felt like a zap of lightning. His hands slid to my back and pulled me closer as he slanted his mouth and took the kiss deeper, and I got lost in his taste, his scent, his touch. I’d been kissed before, but something about this was different and it wasn’t because it was supposed to be fake. This didn’t feel fake at all. Except it was, which made me wonder what a real kiss would be like. This one packed a wallop, so a real one would likely knock my socks off.
He pulled away and smiled, and in that moment, he wasn’t my boss. He put his arm around my waist and we turned to the guests who were clapping. I used the moment to push away this new light I was seeing him in. It was only happening because I was caught up in the moment. It was a beautiful day in Tuscany. The scene with the flowers, my dress, and all the guests was making me drunk on romance. Once we were done here, it would dissipate. At least I hoped so. It would be so hard to continue to work for him if every time I saw him, I remembered the first moment I saw him in this suit or how sweet his kiss was.
“I present to you, Signor and Signora Strong,” the minister said.
Holy crap, I was Mrs. Strong. Ryan led me back to the house where Martina and Christian congratulated and hugged us, and then handed us a flute of champagne.
“It’s French because only the
French can really do champagne,” Christian said with a smile.
“We’re going to clear the chairs, and your reception will be outside,” Martina said.
“This is so wonderful,” I managed. “You’re very kind to us.”
Christian patted Ryan on the shoulder. “Ryan here has a good head on his shoulders and an admirable commitment to his family’s business, but he needs a good woman like you by his side to keep him balanced. I’m happy to see this. It makes me feel much better about doing business with Strong Incorporated.”
“No business now, Christian. They just got married.”
“Right. But I know Ryan here is eager to know our business is going forward. Even on his wedding day, am I right?”
Ryan gave a curt nod, as if he felt chastised for caring about business as much as he did.
“I am too,” I tossed in, as an urge to defend Ryan built in me. “The family business is important to him, and so it’s important to me, as well.”
Christian smiled like he was so pleased to hear me say that. “Quite right. Come, have more champagne and let me introduce you to some important people.”
The reception was filled with champagne and lovely foods including prosciutto, figs, melon, and more. Ryan and I met several people from around Europe who did business and would be contacts for the company in the future. But it wasn’t all business. There was something about Europeans or maybe it was just Christian, that they could mix business with pleasure in a way that didn’t feel like work.
When the guests left, Christian and Martina set up a dinner for the four of us out on the terrace.
“It doesn’t matter what time of day or night, this spot is always perfect this time of year,” Martina said as we sat down to eat.
“It’s gorgeous,” I agreed.
“I hear San Diego is a lovely city,” she said.