Page 30 of Bridesmaid By Chance
Foolproof.
“You’re thinking about it,” she says, coming up to me and taking my hand. “Please say yes, Hudson.”
In that moment, I do something really stupid, something that cracks me, breaks me, tears down the miniscule wall I had erected to keep her as far away as possible. I look at her, in her eyes, and it’s my undoing.
Because how can I say no when she’s practically begging, when I know that this could help her?
“Shit,” I mumble.
“Is that a good shit or a bad shit?” she asks, tugging on my arm.
“Doesn’t matter; it’s a shit.” I head to the couch and sit down, bringing my fingers to my brow. “You owe me an apology.”
I see hope in her eyes as she joins me. “An apology for the other day? Not a problem. I’m sorry for the way I treated you. It was very immature,and I learned my lesson about inappropriate behavior in the workplace. That being said, I stand by my words about the green drink and the brown suit. The green drink is filled with sugar your machine of a body doesn’t need, and the brown suit does nothing to highlight the contours of your well-carved frame.” She clasps her hands in front of her. “Does that mean you’re going to be my husband?”
Does it?
I look into her stunning eyes. I swear she doesn’t know the power she could have over me if I truly gave in to her. She’s too fucking beautiful.Even when she’s begging me to do something incredibly stupid.
Something that will most likely come back to bite me in the ass, but I can see it.
In this moment, I can see it—I’m staring back at my future wife.
Chapter Five
SLOANE
“Are you nervous?” Stacey asks as I stick folds of toilet paper under my armpits in the private bathroom of Hudson’s office, attempting to soak up the sweat that seems to be pouring out of me.
“I don’t know,” I hiss-whisper at Stacey. “I have toilet paper in my armpits, what do you think?”
“You know, you don’t have to go through with this,” she says as she pulls some toilet paper from the roll and starts dabbing my forehead and upper lip.
“Yes, I do. He’s waiting out there with a reverend and his lawyer. And there’s a check in an envelope in my purse made out to me for forty thousand dollars. I just need to…I just need to get it together.”
And I thought convincing Hudson to say yes was going to be the hardest part. Little did I know actually going through the wedding ceremony was going to be the biggest hurdle.
Because this is…this is a real, genuine marriage.
Like, I belong to him, he belongs to me. I’m technically going to be Mrs. Hudson Hopper.
There is no make-believe.
There is no trial run.
This is the real deal. He’s going to slip a ring on my finger, and we’re going to…
“Oh God.” All the blood drains from my face.
“What?” Stacey asks.
I turn to my sister and grip her shoulders, the toilet paper sticking to my sweaty armpits, and say, “Is he going to kiss me?”
Her nose turns up in disgust. “Why would he kiss you?”
“Uh, because that’s what people do at weddings. They say ‘you may kiss the bride’ or each other or your partner or whatever! You may kiss thee! The couples kiss. There’s kissing!”
“Oh…right.” Stacey thinks about it. “You know, great question. That’s not something you talked about?”
