Page 23 of Priceless
-Frank
“Thank fuck.” My whole body released the tension I’d been holding since he walked out of our office this morning.
“Monday my ass,” Everett said. “I’m showering, then going to see how fast we can get everything together. I’m not waiting longer than I have to.”
Cameron grinned. “Time to go find out what we need to apply for a marriage license. And talk to Geneva and see if she’s available for planning. Saturday’s probably too soon, but what do you think, a week?”
“You can’t make it soon enough for me,” I said. “But we’ll ask her.”
I turned and strode back to my office. I had research to do. My Omega—my wife—was going to get flowers on Saturday, and I needed to find the perfect bouquet to say everything we meant.
9
CORNFLOWER
(BLUEBOTTLE, STAR THISTLE, BLUET)
MEANING: HOPE; HOPE IN LOVE; SINGLE WRETCHEDNESS
OCEAN
________
Ididn’t think about what I’d agreed to. I barely had time to breathe, let alone contemplate the fact that I’d agreed to marry complete strangers.
The girls all cheered when I arrived at the shop to help them prep for the wedding. Honestly, I hadn’t planned on it, but I needed to be away from my aunt and uncle and busy enough to avoid my own thoughts and the strange combination of both panic and relief that swirled through me whenever I thought about signing the papers.
“Ocean,” my aunt snapped at me the next morning as I was about to leave for the Caruso Estate where Ellie’s wedding was taking place.
“I’m already running late,” I said, trying to avoid her.
“I don’t care. Stop.”
I sighed. “What?”
Her eyes narrowed on mine. “Just because you won’t be here much longer doesn’t mean you can speak to me like that.”
My mouth snapped shut, words boiling behind my lips. If I said what I wanted to, this would turn into a blowout fight, and I was already behind as it was. So I plastered on a fake smile. “How can I help you?”
“I have a dress for you to wear tonight.”
I frowned and looked down at the dress I already wore for the wedding. “What’s wrong with this?”
“More than I have time to tell you. But the other dress will let you wear the corset.”
“I—”
“The next words out of your mouth better be ‘yes, Aunt Laura.’ Because I’m not having you fuck this deal up by not showing your best side.”
Just like at the gala, there was no way to avoid someone knowing I was fat. It wasn’t like I put on a corset and suddenly I was a fucking supermodel. But my lower lip found its way between my teeth. What if they didn’t want me after they saw me, and the corset was the one thing that kept them from changing their mind? I needed this.
“Fine,” I finally agreed. “Text me when things are ready.”
Her lips curled in distaste. “Don’t eat too much cake. We need to be able to lace you in.”
I closed my eyes, letting the hurt and embarrassment wash over me before I could breathe fully enough to move again. “I’ll see you later.”
Today wasn’t the day I could wallow in my feelings, no matter what they were. There wasn’t time for me to re-tread the path of wondering what I’d ever done to Laura to make her treat me this way. When mom was alive, she’d been nice. Sweet. As soon as mom died it all changed.
