Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Her eyes soften and her lips curl up into a smile.
“I can’t wait.”
“Fucking hell,” I mutter to myself once she’s out of earshot. What the hell did I do to deserve this second chance?
Chapter Seven
Gabriella
I race to the back bedrooms as fast as my legs will carry me, more than ready to get this show on the road. I was fully prepared to see this mail-order bride thing through, no matter who was at the airport waiting for me yesterday. I’d made a decision and I was sticking to my guns and trusting Holly. But finding Spencer, it only makes me even more certain that I did the right thing that night.
I wanted to escape a life I hated and return to one I loved so much, but I never could have expected this.
The first room I enter has no cupboard, so I try the other. The moment I spot the door, I run over and pull it open.
Inside, I find a dress bag and an ivory box. I gather both up and take them to the guest room I was supposed to spend last night in. I lay the bag out on the mattress and pull the zipper down.
“Oh my god,” I gasp, my hands covering my gaping mouth.
It’s incredible. It’s perfect, and as I pull it from the bag, I realize something. It’s exactly the same style as the one I used to draw as a kid.
Tears spill from my eyes as I stare down at the ivory white lace before me, and I shake my head in shock.
I make quick work of showering, blow drying, and curling my hair before spending an inordinate amount of time on my makeup in an attempt to look my very best.
I pull on the lingerie that’s inside the box along with a pair of shoes and purse.
I briefly wonder how he got all the sizes right but then I remember Holly requesting all of my measurements at one point in the application process.
Once I’m ready, in all but my dress, I stand at the end of the bed staring down at it.
There are so many things that people could say is wrong about this. My parents aren’t here, hell, they don’t even know about it. Spencer and I no longer know each other, along with a million other reasons why this could be described as crazy and reckless, but to me, it couldn’t be more perfect.
It was always the two of us, and that’s how we’re going to go into this new chapter of our lives.
“Twenty minutes, Ella,” Spencer calls through the door, causing butterflies to take flight in my belly.
I’m about to marry my best friend. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited.
“Okay, I’ll be down in a second.”
I somehow manage to get myself into my dress and do up the zipper without any help. I check myself over in the mirror before tucking my wallet and cell into the purse and pulling the door open.
I descend the stairs on weak knees to find Spencer waiting for me in a tan pair of pants and white button-down, although he’s got his back to me.
“Spence?” I whisper before sucking in a deep breath and steeling myself for him seeing me.
He turns so slowly that I think he’s never going to get all the way around but the second he sees me his eyes widen and his chin drops.
“Gabby,” he gasps. “Shit, sorry.”
“It’s okay. Do I look ok—”
“You’re breathtaking.”
“The dress, it’s…”
“Like the one you always wanted.”
“How? How did you remember?”
He shrugs. “It just felt right. Here, I’ve got something else for you.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box. I recognize the Tiffany blue immediately and my heart somersaults.
“I hope you like it,” he says nervously. As he passes it over, his hand trembles. It’s the most endearing thing I think I’ve ever seen. I look up and into his eyes. I can read everything he wants, see all his true feelings about my return that he tried to hide yesterday behind his anger. He wants this. He wants this as much as I do.
I take the box from him and pull the top off.
Inside, I find a beautiful locket with a floral design engraved in it and a cluster of diamonds in the center.
“Open it.”
“Okay.” I pull it from its setting and pass the box back to him, seeing as there’s nowhere to put it.
I tuck my nail under the clasp and pop it open.
“Holy shit,” I gasp. “How’d you…”
“Can I?” he asks, stepping forward and taking it from me. I lift my hair as he walks around my back to put it on.
I allow him, while the image inside of us as kids stays in my mind.
“Spencer, how’d you get this so fast?”
“I didn’t. I was going to give it to you at homecoming, but you—”