Page 94 of Beautiful Life
“I’ll just hang out here tomorrow.”
“Maybe you should come to the office with me,” I more than strongly suggest.
She frowns. “I’ll be good here. You have an alarm.”
“We have an alarm,” I correct her. “It’ll make me feel better if you’re at the office. We can talk about it again tomorrow. You can hang out with Paige and I want you to be around the practice. It’ll be part ours someday. Please.”
I see her give in. “Okay.”
“Good.” I smile and move to her. “Now, I want dessert.”
She smirks back at me. “We’ve had dessert. You had cheesecake and half of my crème brûlée.”
“You know that’s not the dessert I’m talking about,” I say against her lips as I scoot us down in the sofa and grin. “Please?”
“You’re not going to get everything you want just by saying ‘please.’ Don’t get used to that.” She runs her hands up my back.
“I don’t know,” I start. “I’m two for two. I’m hoping to bat a thousand on my wedding day.”
This makes her giggle as I strip her clothes off to make love to my wife on the sofa. With nothing between us.
*****
Leigh
“You go first,” Tony bites to Paige.
“Don’t be a grumpopotamus. You’re obviously irritable, you go first,” she throws back at him.
I stand at Tony’s side with our rings burning a hole in my pocket. And they’re burning a hole because we’re standing amidst his entire family and our secret marriage is about to be revealed. My heart is beating a mile a minute because I’m afraid of how they’ll react, especially Lizzy Carpino, who loves her son and I’m pretty sure would have appreciated seeing him get married.
What in the hell was I thinking saying yes to his shotgun wedding proposal?
Today has been a long day. Tony was behind at work because he took two days off he wasn’t prepared for. He had a shitload to handle on his embezzlement case and some other acquisitions, as well. He had to get to his office early-early, which meant I was dragged with him.
My day wasn’t boring like I thought it would be because Paige is fun and I don’t think anything could be boring with Paige around. We filed case files, we gabbed, we answered the phones, and we drank lots of coffee. She showed me the ropes of her job—which she tells me she hates—and then we filed our nails before applying a cuticle treatment. She also informed me it’s good I already have a career otherwise I might get roped into working there, too. Tony took me to lunch, made out with me in the elevator, and then promised me a real honeymoon as soon as he can swing it with his case load and I can get the time off from the hospital.
After work, Tony and I went straight home for him to change and let Finny out. Then we zoomed over to pick up Rosa for the family dinner and big reveal.
Now, I’m standing in Gabby and Jude’s great room, again in the middle of a Paige versus Tony squabble. Only this time, we’re also surrounded by the rest of his family, too. Gabby doesn’t mess around when she says she’s going to have a family dinner. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is here which only makes the rings in my pocket smolder hotter, reminding me of what’s to come. I won’t be surprised if they combust into a burst of flames necessitating me to stop, drop, and roll so I don’t go down in a blaze of glory with our new beautiful rings symbolizing our soon-to-be not-so-secret wedding.
Again, what in the hell was I thinking?
“Paige. For the love of all things holy, just say what you’re gonna say so we can all get on with it,” Tony says, frustratingly so.
“What is your problem—” Paige starts but Gabby interrupts everyone.
“I know,” Gabby sort of yells. “Ladies first. Paige, tell us your news then Tony’s up next.”
“Would somebody just say something,” Gino pleads. “I’m hungry.”
“Fine,” Paige huffs before bringing herself up to full stature. She smiles big and proud announcing, “I’m starting a business.”
“What?” Tony’s dad belts.
“What kind of business?” Lizzie asks, frowning.
“Catering.”
