Built to Last (Middleton Hotels 2)

“I’ll give you three, keep your clothes on.” I gave him the finger and he walked back inside laughing.

“Marry me, Rachael. I promise to show you every day that you’re my reason for living,” I asked, pulling out the box I carried around with me for three long months.

Her eyes opened wide as she looked down at the ring and back at me. “Yes, Joseph,” she sobbed, nodding her head at the same time.

“Thank you, Rachael,” I said, slipping the ring on her finger and kissing her hand. I stood up and gave her one more deep kiss before taking her hand and walking back into the party.

“I was just about to get you,” Julian said. He looked back and forth between us and smiled when I lifted her hand.

“You made quick work of that. Hmm…I wonder if I’ll be quick to capture. It seems like a trait in this family.”

“Sweetheart, I have to go take these pictures.” I didn’t want to exclude her from this, but it wasn’t our wedding and our time would come very soon.

She placed her hand on my face, caressing my cheek. “That’s fine. I’ll sit right here.”

“I promise I won’t be long,” I said, kissing her hand.

“I’ve waited this long. I suppose a little longer won’t hurt.”

“And I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” The thought of leaving her alone made me feel like a prick. I had to get this over with as fast as possible.

Chapter 10

Rachael

I was stunned, sitting there with a large diamond that was around three carats and sparklingly beautiful. The past three months had been harder than the past three years and all for nothing. I let that woman and several others get in my head. They chirped, whispered, and threatened my common sense when it came to Joseph. God, the man had been in love with me this whole time. I finally understood what the old

er woman was telling me. She saw it without blinders on. I felt like a fool, but I suppose love did that to people.

The head server came up to me as I sat there. “Ms. Harrison, I have a question. Since they are all taking photos, I was told to ask you. Would you like to have more wine served?

“Yes, please. One more round. After the photos is the cake, so we need everyone to have a glass as they cut the cake.”

“Thank you,” he said, leaving me to sit there. I felt the demon approaching me, but I had power over her now and I wasn’t going to let Roxie play on my insecurities with their relationship. It took me until now to remember how he’d acted when she arrived. He wasn’t pleased. In fact, he wanted to say something, but everyone knew that he was the one not to say a word.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Why are you at my table, trying to annoy me?”

“You know, I know you’re after Joseph and that’s not going to happen. He belongs to me. He always has.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he has…in your mind. If you were so special to him, a single man, you wouldn’t have been his assistant all these years. He could have just married you.”

“Stay away from him. I’m not going to tell you again.”

“Good because I don’t want to hear it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to speak with the staff here.” I got up and walked away from her, ignoring her dirty looks. This wasn’t the time to punch her in the face. I’d save that for after the party if she threatened me again. But I was going to hold Joseph to his word and have him fire her. No way in hell was there room for the both of us in his life.

After about twenty minutes, the pictures were done and the party gathered around the cake where the bride and groom cut their cake. It was wonderful and I saw my fiancé smiling at me before making his way around to my side. “I was wondering if you forgot about me.”

“I didn’t. I’m just trying to do my best to keep my hands off you. I don’t want to ruin their moment by bragging about our engagement. After the cake, I have to go talk to Roxie.”

“Why?” I asked, wanting to see if he was going to take his stance.

“I’m going to ask her about the rumors, and then if she plays it off, I’m going to tell her about us.”

“I thought you were going to fire her,” I complained.

He wrapped his hand around my waist, rubbing my hip. The simple touch made me melt. I could barely stand. I would believe whatever he said at the moment. “I am going to fire her ass, but I don’t want to ruin my brother’s wedding.”