I employed the breathing exercises. Then said, “The thing is…” I embraced the calm suddenly seeping through me. “Despite the fear factor for a woman like me—” marriage and the foreboding surrounding Dane’s world—“you won’t have to prompt me when the I do part comes. In fact, you just might have to slow me down.”
“Oh, Ari.” She squeezed my hand. “Now that’s romantic, darling. True love, really.”
She left me alone to collect my emotional self.
Luckily, it was a few minutes before my next visitor arrived.
“Dad.”
“Wow,” he said as he eyed the dress. It was full-length and sparkly silver. Sleeveless, cut-in at the shoulders, with the neckline sitting at my collarbone. The bodice was tight and clingy, the material dipping into my waist and hugging my hips. Mid-thigh a slit in the middle caused the skirt to cascade away into a slight train in the back.
I slipped on the four-inch silver satin and Swarovski crystal–accented shoes while my dad composed himself.
“Not too bad for last minute?” I asked.
“You’re just … Uh…” He blew out a long breath. “So beautiful.” Emotion tinged his voice, touched his eyes, misting them a bit. The skin crinkled around the corners, as though he fought to keep himself in check.
It choked me up.
“Dad.” I reached for a tissue and dabbed at my own eyes. “Don’t make me cry. I spent forever doing my makeup.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. Then shook his head as though to clear it. But he still appeared deeply affected as he said, “I’ll always think of you as my little girl, sweets, but you aren’t. You’re a very mature, very gorgeous woman. Guess I chose not to accept you were all grown-up, but … here you are. Absolutely breathtaking.”
I gave him a careful hug, though I really just wanted to throw my arms around him and hold on tight.
“I learned from you and Mother,” I told him. “From Grandma and Grandpa. Dane and I are different. I won’t let the ugly part of marriage in, Dad.”
He gripped my hands in his and stared into my watery eyes. “You know that if it starts to creep in, you have to talk immediately. Don’t let it fester. Don’t let it destroy you.”
“Dad…” I pressed my lips together a moment, trying to compose myself as well. “Anything could come our way. One thing I know for sure is that we’d never betray each other. The rest … well, you’re right. We have to deal with it every day.”
“All right, then.” He released my hands and stepped away. “No more lectures.”
I smiled through more tears. “Dad. I don’t mind. Really.”
“You always were a good kid.”
“And now I’m a good adult. Who needs to fix her makeup.”
“You look fine. Absolutely perfect.” He gave me a smile before turning to go. Over his shoulder, he added, “All that matters to me ever, sweets, is that you’re happy. And safe.”
I sucked in a breath. I was marrying a man who was part of a secret poli-econ society. A man who associated with the world’s wealthiest, most influential people. And some of those people had already proven they’d go to any length to protect what was theirs—or what they wanted to be theirs. Including taking out little ol’ me.
A shudder ran along my spine. But I lifted my chin and told another tiny white lie, for my father’s sake. “You don’t have to worry, okay?”
“Okay.”
He left me and I experienced a whole different level of wedding planning—the side of the bride. Myriad feelings coursed through me as I paced the dressing room, but I was grounded with this decision. I couldn’t explain why, except that, with every second now sliding by, I wanted to see Dane. I wanted to meet him standing in front of Tamera and tell him how much I loved him and say those two sacred words.
So I bucked up and entered the hallway, where I found Kyle wandering about.
“Hey,” I said.
His jaw slacked.
“Nice reaction,” I added. “Apparently, the dress is a hit.”
“I … um—” He shook his head. “Fuck. You’re … Fuck.”