Once Upon a Marriage

“You saying you don’t approve?” He wasn’t sure even that would make much difference at the moment. It was as if he were drunk, on some insane collision course, and couldn’t stop himself. Whatever was driving him was stronger than anything trying to stop him.

Liam shook his head. “I’ve been watching out for Marie for well over a decade. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see the day when a man walked into her life and had the power to break through the walls around her heart.” He shrugged. “Marie needs you.”

Now he was confused. “But you don’t want her to marry me tonight.” He wasn’t the best catch. Marie could have children who grew up to tower over her.

Thoughts of children stopped him cold. And had his heart racing at Mach speed.

“I don’t want you divorcing her,” Liam said. “This is pretty sudden. You sure you’re in it for the long haul?”

“I knew a month after I met her that I wanted her to be my wife.”

“I’d feel better if I’d been aware of that.”

“You’re my employer, Connelly. She’s your friend.” He hated the subterfuge and gave what he could of the truth. “But this is not your call.”

“I’m still your employer.”

True. But... “You going to deny that you set me up with her a week ago Friday night? That that dinner out after the shooting episode at the elementary school wasn’t your weak attempt at matchmaking?”

Liam’s ready grin finally surfaced as he cocked his head and said, “Must not be that bad at it if a week and a day later you’re taking her to the altar. Maybe I’m in the wrong business...”

Elliott might have been subjected to more of Liam’s cockiness if the minister hadn’t come in through a secret door behind the altar, his hair somewhat mussed, in full robed garb.

“Who’s getting married?” he asked.

“He is.”

“I am.”

Elliott and Liam spoke simultaneously.

“Who has the ring?”

Elliott looked at Liam. Who was looking at him.

“Where’s the closest jeweler that would be open all night?” Liam spoke first.

“Right here,” the minister said. “We have a decent selection of rings. If you’d like to follow me?”

Elliott was in over his head. He knew it. And he still didn’t care. He was a man who’d learned long ago to live by his instincts. And they were telling him that marrying Marie was the right thing to do.

He turned to Liam.

“I’ll wait here for the girls,” the financier said. “And, by the way, Marie likes white gold.”

Good to know.

Elliott nodded. And followed the minister out of the room.

* * *

“YOU THINK I’M CRAZY, don’t you?” Marie moved closer to Gabi as they exited the elevator they’d been riding on alone, making room for the group of people who’d been waiting on the main floor to go upstairs to their rooms.

In their black dresses, the two stepped onto the carpeted hallway that led to the casino floor and throughout the resort.

Gabi took her hand, squeezed it, while the two moved as quickly as they could in their high-heeled shoes. “Believe it or not, I think that you’re doing absolutely the right thing.” She ran a finger through Marie’s hair. It was curled a bit at the ends from the updo she’d worn that morning. Gabi had been ready to pin it back up, but for once in her life, Marie wanted it down. Loose and free.

She stopped in the middle of an aisle to stare at Gabi now, though, completely frozen with fear. Even at just past two in the morning, machines rang out bonuses as players sat pushing buttons again and again.