“I’ll be waiting,” she said, trying out a seductive smile. She wasn’t entirely sure that it worked, but Julian sighed and reluctantly followed Murray out of the chapel. That was proof enough for her.
“All right,” Natalie shouted. “Ushers at the doors. Musicians, please cue up the string medley to take us through to the groom’s entrance. Gretchen...do something with yourself. Let one of the ushers seat you. They need practice.” Without another word, she disappeared from the room.
As she was told, Gretchen returned to the entrance and approached one of the ushers with a polite smile.
“Are you a guest of the bride or the groom?”
“The groom.”
He nodded, handed her one of the programs she’d made and took her arm to lead her down the aisle and to a seat on the right side of the chapel. She wasn’t alone for long. Guests started arriving in huge waves. This was a big wedding, putting the facility’s capacity limits to the test. Every spot in the parking lot, every seat in the chapel, would be taken, and taken by Nashville royalty.
The room filled quickly. Gretchen tried not to act out of place as different country music stars were seated around her. Before long, the chapel looked like the audience at the Country Music Awards. She was pretty certain Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were sitting right behind her. It was odd, but that hadn’t fazed her when she was working—a guest was a guest—but as a guest herself, it felt extremely bizarre to be sitting among them. She had to keep reminding herself that her date was a movie star and she needed to be cool.
The string quartet’s music medley faded, and she recognized them changing to the song they played when the parents were escorted in, then the officiant and the groomsmen entered. Julian sought her out in the crowd and gave her a sly wink as he went by. It was enough to make her heart flutter in her chest.
They assembled on the raised platform, and the music announced the arrival of the bridesmaids, then Kelly with her father. Gretchen stood with the crowd as the bride walked down the aisle in a lace-and-crystal extravaganza, custom-made for a country music diva.
As the wedding began, Gretchen felt her mind stray. Her gaze drifted to Julian, standing by with the ring and to catch Murray if he fainted. He looked so calm, so natural, compared to Murray, who’d started to sweat and could barely make it through his vows his voice was shaking so badly. Of course, Julian wasn’t the one getting married.
She imagined he’d still be calm at his own wedding. Even if he felt nervous, he’d fall back on his actor training and play the part of a confident groom. He’d speak the words to her without faltering, with nothing but love and adoration on his face and in his voice...
Oh, no. She stopped herself. Gretchen might be in the midst of a lusty haze, but she wasn’t letting herself go there. She wasn’t a naive girl who thought the man who took her virginity would love her forever and marry her and they’d live happily ever after. She knew the truth and she’d accepted it, despite the ridiculous tangent her brain had taken. Like it or not, she was a paid companion. He wouldn’t be looking adoringly at her and speaking vows of any kind, ever.
With a sigh, Gretchen let her gaze drop into her lap as she pretended to study the program. Maybe it was a good thing that their time together was coming to an end. Keeping her heart out of the arrangement with Julian was getting harder and harder.
He needed to get on that plane back to Beverly Hills before she lost the fight.
* * *
Julian couldn’t wait for the ceremony and all the pictures to be over so he could hold Gretchen in his arms again. She’d hovered on the fringes during the photo shoot, watching with adoration in her eyes, as she was instructed.
Their progressing physical relationship had certainly made their public appearances easier. Neither of them really had to act anymore. They just did what felt natural and it translated beautifully. He’d already had several people ask him about Gretchen, and he couldn’t help boasting about how smart and talented and beautiful she was.
It was all true.
At last, Julian’s duties were over, save for his toast at the reception. The wedding party finally made their way over to the ballroom and took their places to welcome the happy couple and witness their first dance. That done, they were allowed to take their seats, eat their dinner and finally relax. The round of toasts was completed during the salad course, effectively allowing Julian to be off duty the rest of the night. Weddings were exhausting, almost a bigger production than some of the movies he’d starred in.