Lawrence glanced at Charlotte and smiled. “She knows how I feel.”
Indeed, she did. He’d told her last night. It started out with them snuggled on the couch watching The Witcher. Him growling because she pretended to swoon at the shirtless scenes. It turned into a tickle fight that resulted in her gasping for breath.
“I surrender,” she’d finally said.
He’d stilled above her, a heavy weight that teased rather than crushed. His expression was intent and soft at the same time. It burst out of him. “I love you.” He blinked as if surprised he’d said it.
She bit her lip.
He said it again, as if it were a revelation. “Holy fuck, I love you.”
What he did after still made her blush. His foot nudged hers under the table.
“And you just proved my point. It is time,” Lacey declared.
“That’s not up to you.” Lawrence shook his head.
Since Charlotte actually liked Lacey, she came to her rescue. “Why do we need a wedding? I thought Lawrence and I were already mated.” And as of last night, Charlotte was finally starting to believe it might actually be forever.
Lacey’s gaze narrowed. “I have been waiting over thirty years for my boy to settle down. I will have my wedding.”
“Your wedding?” Lawrence arched a brow. “I’d say if we have one or not, that’s up to me and Charlotte, no one else.”
Lacey’s lower lip jutted. “Just trying to help.”
“Do we really need to get married?” Charlotte wrinkled her nose. “Seems like an awful lot of trouble and expense.”
Lawrence started to nod, readying to agree, and then he glanced at his aunt, and his expression softened. Just for a second before it hardened. In that moment, Charlotte knew he would choose her over his aunt. He would side with her and break Lacey’s heart. She didn’t want to be the reason it happened.
Reaching out, Charlotte flipped open the binder and jabbed at the first thing she saw. A wedding dress. “Too much lace.” She pointed at another one. “Too poufy.” She cocked her head at a third with a square-cut bodice. “I like the top but not the bottom.”
Lacey leaned close. “Hmm. Let me show you page ninety-three.” As the woman flipped, Charlotte caught Lawrence’s gaze over the top of her head.
He mouthed, Thank you.
She winked and replied, You owe me. Then added, I love you.
It was the first time she’d said it, and his eyes widened. His smile exploded, and she thought he might sweep her out of the chair and carry her off. Instead, he dipped close and whispered, “I’ll expect to hear those words again tonight.”
“Where are you going?” she asked as Lacey pulled out a notepad and took some notes.
“To ask my best friend if he’ll stand by my side and book a honeymoon. How do you feel about cruises?”
She would need the vacation apparently because the next two weeks were all about the wedding planning. The venue was booked. It would happen a few hours before the next full moon, a supposedly lucky time of the month.
Only a few things marred the fantasy. First, no sign yet of Peter or the woman who’d kidnapped them twice. Lada had also gone to ground. Second, she stumbled onto the Wedding Pool, which some had rudely nicknamed, the Runaway Groom.
The day she found out, after visiting A Lions’ Pride restaurant to get a preview of the menu, she slammed into the house and waved a sheaf of papers. “Do you know what this is!” She stalked in to find Lawrence in his liger shape, jogging on the treadmill set up in the living room so he could exercise while listening to the news.
The graceful feline leaped off the machine and took a moment to shift, distracting her with his naked body before he replied. “What is what?”
“This.” She waved the sheets she’d printed out. “There’s a betting pool on when you’ll try and ditch me before the wedding.”
“You don’t say.”
“People think you’re going to get cold feet.”
The words no sooner left her lips than he was bracketing her and her back was pressed against the wall.
“And what do you think, Peanut?”
A few weeks ago, she might have doubted and let her anxiety take her for a ride. But she’d gotten to know the man.
She smiled. “I think I’m gonna win a lot of money because I bet on us making at least twenty-five years.”
“Only twenty-five?” He leaned in even closer. “I chose fifty.”
“You did?” She couldn’t contain her surprise.
“I never thought I’d be the kind of man who’d settle for one woman. And then I found you.”
“I love you,” she whispered, cupping his cheeks.
“Love you more,” was his reply as he kissed her.
“Gag me with a spoon. Save it for later, people. You have ballroom dancing lessons in less than half an hour,” Lacey announced, walking in and clapping her hands.
“I’m beginning to like your idea of a bell,” was his grumbled complaint.
“Three more days,” she whispered.
Just three until they married and were on their honeymoon. Without his aunts.
She couldn’t wait.
Chapter Nineteen
The waiting killed him. Lawrence paced the nave. Nervous, but not for the reason anyone teased him.
“You still have a few minutes to run,” cajoled Lena.
He cast a dark glare at his aunt. “I know about your wager. Really, you think I’d take off five minutes before the wedding and leave her at the altar?”
Lena wore an unrepentant grin. “Guess you’re determined to prove me wrong.”
“I’m not doing this for anyone but myself. She’s the one for me.” The one who made him complete, who curbed his urge to roam.
“I’m glad for you, son.” Lena kissed him on the cheek.
Then it was Lenore’s turn and finally Lacey, who’d gotten her dream wedding minus the horse-drawn carriage. Mostly because the blizzard outside made it unfeasible.
He hugged all three of them, throat tight as he managed a gruff, “Thank you.” For raising him. Loving him. And always being by his side.
His tough aunts pretended it was dust making them teary eyed.
“Damn it all, when was the last time anyone cleaned this place?” Lena wiped the moisture and glared.
How he loved them and could never thank them enough for being there when he needed them most.
Then it was Dean who came to see him, slapping him on the back and saying, “You ready to leave your bachelor days behind?”
He nodded.
“Shall we take our places?”
“I just need a minute.”
Dean entered the main part of the chapel and left him alone. Lawrence glanced at his watch then the door.
There was still time.
He couldn’t disappoint Charlotte.
The door opened, and his surprise finally arrived.
Lawrence smiled. “About time you showed up.”
Chapter Twenty
The aunts arrived only minutes before the ceremony to find Charlotte pacing in her gown, anxious, but not because of the wedding itself. It was going to be beautiful. Lacey had thought of everything, from the blue garter to something old—the key woven into the bodice of her dress—and the new earrings dangling from her ears. The church would be filled with lilies. White ones. Because they were her favorite.