Hannah ...
I could vaguely hear Roman urging people away from , but I couldn’t hear anything that was being said through the sound of my sobs. I hated my father for making Freddy and Edward into what they had beco.
I didn’t want to hate my brothers, but they had chosen my father’s obvious instability over standing up for .
The only shred of my family that I had left was my sister, and if I didn’t protect her, our father would take her too.
A few people tried to console , but I pushed them away. "Please just leave ," I said, not rembering who had even been trying to console .
There was no way that I could walk into that wedding ceremony holding so much hurt inside of myself. I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I never wanted any of this for myself, but my father forced it all on , showing that he never really loved .
He didn’t love Lori either, and I suspected he only cared for Freddy and Edward because he could use them so easily.
My sobs turned into silent tears between heavy chest heaves. I thought I was alone, but I glanced up to see Geoffrey quietly seated at the other end of the bench. He held out a box of tissues to and I took several of them, wiping the tears and makeup from my hands and face.
"Thank you, Geoffrey," I said in a pathetic voice that I barely recognized as my own. "I didn’t know you were there."
"It’s quite alright," Geoffrey said in a gentle voice.
"Take all the ti that you need. I know this is stressful for you, but I’m a good listener," he said, tapping his right ear.
I took a deep shaky breath. "I didn’t think I would ever say this," I said, feeling at ease with Geoffrey, "but I’m beginning to hate my brothers. They’re becoming monsters just like my father."
"A rift in the family can be hard," Geoffrey said, "but rember, you have your sister here with you, and your future husband and his friends and family are out there ready to officially bring you into their family as well."
I sniffed and took a few deep breaths, eting Geoffrey’s warm gaze.
"You’re right. I’m not here for my father and my brothers. I’m here for Roman."
"He’s waiting just on the other side of those doors," Geoffrey said, pointing to the foyer doors that had been closed to give privacy. "He’s very distraught. He’s worried about you."
I rubbed a corner of tissue between my fingers. "I didn’t an to upset anyone, especially not Roman. This isn’t fair to him," I said to Geoffrey.
"Nor is it fair to you," Geoffrey said, "but together you two can support one another through this." I sniffed again and nodded. "Are you ready?" Geoffrey asked , extending his hand and I took it.
"I’m as ready as I can be," I said and stood with Geoffrey. He walked us to the door and opened it just enough for Roman to slip through.
Roman’s blue eyes were bright and nearly frantic with worry when he t my gaze.
"God, Hannah," Roman said, cupping my face in his hands. "I’m so sorry that happened. I’m so sorry, Hannah."
"It’s OK, Roman," I said, feeling fresh tears stinging my eyes. "Stop apologizing before you make cry again."
Roman pulled my forehead to his lips and pressed a firm kiss there. "We’ll walk down the aisle together," he said.
"Sir," Geoffrey interjected and Roman turned to face him. "I may not be Ms. Macalester’s father, but I would be honored to give her away to you."
I covered my mouth with my hand to try and hold back the flood of emotions I felt for Geoffrey to offer such a thing.
Roman t my gaze. "Is that OK with you, Hannah?"
I lowered my hand and smiled at Geoffrey in relief. "Yes, thank you, Geoffrey," I said to him.
Roman thanked Geoffrey and gave him a grateful pat on the shoulder before turning to . He placed his head next to mine and whispered in my ear.
"You are breathtaking, Hannah," he said. "I am so proud to call you my wife, even if you’re just my wife for this short ti." Roman pulled away, leaving with his words. He gave the word for the doors to benopened again before he hurried to reclaim his position at the front of the wedding gathering.
Geoffrey and I stood off to the side of the doorway, just out of sight of the wedding gathering. "Ready?" Geoffrey asked , extending his elbow for to accept.
I smiled at Geffrey and wrapped my arm around his. "Ready as I’ll ever be," I said. He moved to guide us to the entrance but I stopped and glanced up at him. "Why are you doing this for , Geoffrey?" I asked him. "You don’t owe anything. You barely know ."
Geoffrey offered a small smile. "I know a lot more than I’ve been letting on," he admitted to . "Your sudden appearance, the secrecy between the two of you, and the conflict between you, your father, and your brothers." I stiffened as I listened to Geoffrey, but he reached over to pat my hand gently. "You don’t deserve that type of treatnt. No one deserves that," he continued. "I just want to help where I can and see you smile on your wedding day."
I smiled up at Geoffrey, my heart ward by his words. "Thank you," I said to him again, and as we moved to stand in the doorway, the organist began playing the bridal march and everyone in attendance stood to watch .
I gazed up at Geoffrey, who looked very proud to be giving away, and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He led slowly up the aisle and I smiled at everyone that I passed as they congratulated quietly, complinting my dress and how beautiful I was at that mont.
Geoffrey led toward Roman and left with his own words of congratulations, seating himself where my family should have been. I handed my bouquet to Lori, who was radiant in her blush pink dress. She and Lauren smiled at before I turned to Roman.
Roman looked relieved as he smiled at and took my hands. We kept our eyes locked on one another as we listened to the officiant and repeated after him when necessary.
When we reached the portion of the ceremony where Roman was asked if he would take to have and to hold, for rich or for poor, and in sickness and in health, he said, "I do." I imdiately teared up in his confidence and
happiness to take as his wife.
The woman he had seen on occasion at parties and whom he had purchased at an auction.
Things like this only happened in stories. It was my turn to accept Roman, and I did so gladly, thankful to him for caring enough to save .
It was ti to exchange rings. Nick stepped forward from behind Roman and handed him what I assud to be a wedding band. Roman accepted the ring from Nick and gently took my left hand.
He slipped a diamond wedding band onto my finger, followed by a dazzling engagent ring. I gaped at the engagent diamond, flanked by garnet stones. Roman leaned in close to my ear. "I’m sorry the engagent ring is late," he whispered as I marveled at the rings on my finger. "I just picked them both up this morning."
"They’re beautiful, Roman," I gasped, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he had rings made for . "You shouldn’t have done this for ," I said to him. "I would have been fine with sothing simple."
Roman smiled at . "I wanted them to be special," he said.
"You deserve sothing special, Hannah." I looked up to keep the tears from flowing. Roman had gone above and beyond to make feel safe and happy.
The man might have been a billionaire playboy to the outside world, but to he was nothing but caring and considerate, and I didn’t understand why.
"Let the tears go," Roman said. "As long as they’re tears of joy, it’s OK."
I laughed and t his gaze as a few tears of joy ran down my cheeks. "I hope you like your ring," I said to him, turning to indicate that Lauren could bring his ring to . I had left Lauren in charge of finding a ring for Roman since she was his cousin and knew him well.
She chose a heavy platinum ring with a simple matte inlay, which she placed in my hand. I turned back to Roman. "If you don’t like it, we’ll bla Lauren. She picked it out."
Roman laughed, holding his left hand out to so that I could slip the ring onto his finger. "It’s perfect, Hannah," he said with a smile. We took each other’s hands again and I could feel the weight and presence of the two rings on my finger.
They felt so foreign, and they reminded of the reason for this wedding. But I realized that I was content, even if it was just for this short ti.
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