Misadventures of a Backup Bride

And I wish like hell we’d planned a honeymoon now. I saw an internet ad for this great new bed and breakfast right on the coast of Maui that sounds amazing. Maybe I’ll bring it up to Carson once we get settled in the new house.

We slide rings on each other’s fingers and the minister says a few more words before pronouncing us man and wife. When we kiss officially for the first time as a married couple, I feel joy speed through my body, ooze out my pores, saturate every moment between us.

We may have started with a fake relationship for all the wrong reasons, but what Carson and I have now is so real.

Suddenly, the guests clap. The minister introduces us as Mr. and Mrs. We run down the aisle together, hand in hand, to start our glorious new future.

I’m still grinning nonstop and loath to leave Carson’s side as we sign our marriage license, take photos, and greet everyone who comes through the reception line. By the end of the night, my feet ache from standing and my cheeks hurt from smiling—and I’m still the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m now Ella Frost, married to a man who genuinely loves and understands me, working for a great charitable organization, living in a new city I can’t wait to make my own, on the precipice of a future richer and more loving than I ever imagined.

We dance and eat dinner, slice cake and toast. The cocoon of sublime happiness is almost more than I know how to process, but I’m doing my best to bask in every moment so I can remember it for the rest of my life.

The deejay blasts a romantic ballad over the speakers. My husband claims me for another dance now that the crowd has begun to thin out. “Can I tell you how happy I am that you said yes, Mrs. Frost? I’m also glad I listened to Eryn this morning and followed my instinct to call Shaw. I knew I needed to convince you and—”

“I was already convinced,” I murmur.

“You were?” Surprise widens his eyes. “You were going to marry me even before I told you about my deal with Shaw?”

I nod. “I’d decided I would take a leap of faith about five seconds before you told me what you’d agreed to. It wasn’t strictly necessary, but it was a beautiful gesture. And it definitely sealed the deal. It gives a lot of comfort to know we’re married and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

When I wink, he laughs. “Not a damn thing.”

“It also gives me tons of power. Now I can torment you in bed all I want.”

“You can. In fact, I dare you. It will be my job to make you burn right back. And to love you with my whole heart because I intend to keep you sublimely happy, wife.”

“I’m looking forward to that, husband.” I brush soft fingertips across the back of his neck, just above his collar. “I’ll give you equal bliss.”

“Hmm. I can’t wait. I’m definitely ready to get out of here and make love for the first time as husband and wife.”

I want that, too. I look around to gauge crowd size, see if we can make our exit without making too many chins wag.

Instead, I see Gregory Shaw saunter over and tap Carson on the shoulder.

“You cutting in?” he asks the older man.

“No. I’m heading out…after I come clean.” He glances across the room, where Kendra and Brayden are kissing quietly in a dark corner, obviously more than happy with their decision to elope.

I wonder what Carson’s rival is talking about. Come clean?

“What do you mean?” my new husband asks.

Gregory Shaw sighs. “I haven’t told Kendra yet. That’s next on my agenda. On Tuesday I’m having surgery. The doctors think I have a benign brain tumor, but they won’t know for certain until they remove it and send it to pathology for study. It’s a risky surgery. I may not make it out. If I do, there’s a possibility I’ll never be the same again.” He lets out another breath, as if admitting all that was hard.

I’m staring at him, utterly stunned. He looks so robust, still in the prime of his life.

Carson looks dumbfounded, too. “I had no idea. I didn’t—”

“No one did, by design.” Shaw jerks his head. “I wanted to keep it that way while I found someone who could run Dulce Lama in the event I didn’t recover. I was hoping that someone would be Kendra’s husband, but when you got cold feet…things got out of hand. But you were still my best candidate. I simply needed to test you, see if you could handle adversity and would fight for what you desired and believed in. Today, you proved to me exactly who you are. This is yours.”

Carson takes the document Shaw offers with his proffered hand and unfolds it. “A power of attorney?”

“Yes. You’ll take charge of Dulce Lama until I’m capable of returning. If I don’t…the company is yours.”

“You’re signing it over if you can’t serve as its CEO? Outright?” Carson looks astounded as he clutches the papers in his hand. “To me?”

Gregory Shaw nods. “With a few stipulations. I’ve reserved twenty-five percent of the annual profits for Kendra for the rest of her life. I’d like another ten percent to go to a charitable foundation that studies brain tumors. It’s outlined in the document. The rest is yours to do with as you see fit.” Then he gives us his signature smirk. “Of course, that’s if I never make it back. But you should know, I’m planning to be behind my desk, giving you hell in the marketplace, in six to eight weeks. The competition is good for you.”

Finally, Carson smiles. “You’re right. I’ll hold down your fort until then. Whatever you, Kendra, or Brayden need during this difficult time—or ever—all you have to do is ask. Today, you were like the father figure I no longer have. I appreciated the ear and the sage advice.”

“And you were like the second kid I’m glad my wife never birthed,” he jokes for a moment as we guffaw and chuckle. Then he sobers again. “I’m glad you’re happy and that everyone got exactly what they wanted out of this situation. Good luck…son.” Then he turns to me. “How about you, pretty lady? How does it feel to be staying here, married to this guy? I’ll bet when he hired you to be his girlfriend, you never imagined you’d end up his wife.”

“Never.” I laugh. “Even though I’ve been an actress and I’ve played a lot of characters, I couldn’t have conceived of a better ending, and I’ll always relish the role of Carson’s bride. I expect it to last a lifetime.”

Gregory Shaw shakes my husband’s hand and wraps me in a fatherly embrace before he excuses himself with a polite goodbye.

A few minutes later, Carson and I dash out of the reception to the sounds of cheers, party horns, and catcalls. I hug each of my sisters on my way to the waiting car. Carson pumps each of his groomsmen’s hands in thanks before he clasps mine again. Then we sprint into our waiting limousine and drive off to start the best future ever.