Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Sounds like you want to moonlight as a wedding planner,” Sasha told him with a sassy smile.
Jack flashed a wide smile as a laugh escaped. “No can do, sweetheart. That part is up to you two and try to make it splashy if you can.” His gaze settled on Sasha, appraising her or maybe just her appearance. “Don’t forget to dress up for the cameras. Play up those curves.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Watch it,” Sasha aimed a finger at him. “If you die another agent will step in to take your place.”
Her words startled a laugh out of me and Henrietta.
“Noted,” Jack said and pushed away from the table. “Keep me posted. Later, Henrietta.”
I turned to Sasha with a resigned smile though I was secretly happy that we had a reason to spend the whole day together. “How long do you need to get ready?”
“I have a job,” she shot back.
“I’ll take care of the little one,” Henrietta offered. “It’s better than cleaning anyway. She smells better than your dirty socks,” she said with a playful smile aimed at me.
She arched a brow at me, a sassy expression on her face. “An hour will suffice.”
“Perfect. Wear something pretty for me.”
Sasha glared at me as she pushed away from the table, flipping me the bird as she left the kitchen.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Henrietta said behind me.
“So do I.” The truth was that now that I’ve had Sasha, I wanted her even more than ever. In my bed, but also in my life.
“Just try not to screw it up.”
I sighed and turned to my housekeeper. “I’ll try my best.”
She smiled down at me. “Then it’s as good as done.”
Henrietta’s faith in me was what gave me the confidence to move forward. She knew about my screwups in the early days of my career and she’d stuck around, giving me tough love and motherly affection. She knew what I could do and the fact that she thought I could do this and not screw it up, hell it meant that I could.
That I would.
Chapter 22
Sasha
My shoulders sagged as we checked out the fifth venue in four hours. They were all gorgeous venues, with curling staircases, vibrant gardens, bell towers, archways, gazebos and anything else that a little girl might dream up for her wedding day. They were stunning and they were overpriced, which wasn’t a problem for Alex. But there was another problem with each and every single venue. “It’s too much for a small wedding.”
Alex kept his hand closed around mine, nodding his agreement. “They are all great, Diana, but my lovely bride is right, it’s too much for an intimate ceremony.”
The woman gave a tight-lipped smile, disappointed that she wouldn’t be responsible for throwing a wedding for one of the biggest athletes in the country. “I’m sorry to hear that, but we have a sister site that might suit you.” She handed me a business card and offered a smile for Alex. “Good luck. And congratulations.”
Jack was a bit of an overbearing ass, but I was grateful to him for suggesting we move the wedding forward. It was exhausting and we were only a few hours into planning a fake wedding. “How about we just stop at the courthouse on our way back to the penthouse?”
He sighed and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand. “We’d still have to wait seventy-two hours.” He led me out of the venue and into the waiting car, stopping just long enough to smile for the cameras. “Besides it’ll look like I’m ashamed of you or like you said, that we have something to hide.”
Fair enough. “Then how about we find a place that can accommodate about fifty or so guests and that can do a wedding and reception in one place? Less planning for us.” We had exactly one month to put together a wedding fit for a hockey star.
His eyes lit up. “I know just the place. I used to stay at the Andromeda when I came to visit Dante so the photographers wouldn’t camp out at his place and frighten Lena.” Excitement lit his eyes and highlighted his stunning good looks, so fine I had to look away. “Damn near every time I stayed, there was a wedding happening.”
“Okay. Let’s go there.” I was hopeful that this place would be everything we needed because I was tired and bored, and most of all I didn’t want to waste a wedding venue I might want to use one day for a real wedding.
A real marriage.
Two hours later we didn’t just have a wedding venue and a reception hall—all in one place, thank you very much—but it was booked and the deposit was paid. It was done. Alex and I were getting married. “It’s not too late to back out,” I teased.