Over the years, his loneliness had built, though he hid it well, for the most part. The pain in Natalie’s light blue eyes was not something he was used to seeing, but he saw the loneliness in his eyes often.
Lana probably saved her sister from turning into a hermit, in all honesty. No matter how it happened, Natalie landed in his life, and for the first time since his father’s death, he sensed he’d found a kindred spirit, someone he could rely on.
They would get to know each other as time passed. After all, wasn’t that what real marriage was? And if he thought for a second she would bomb his political career, he would file for a divorce without hesitation.
“I need you to find a way to fix the name on our marriage license,” Vincent finally told Billy.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, man. You realize the judge called her Lana today? You don’t think it’s going to look odd if there’s suddenly a typographical error that has to be corrected?”
Vincent set his beer bottle on the counter by the sink and grabbed a second one. “Say he’s an older man and Natalie didn’t want to embarrass the judge by correcting him. He was confused. Maybe he thought she was her sister and she was too caught up in the moment to say anything.”
“No one is going to buy that.”
“Well, I need you to make sure they do. I’m not letting this woman go easily, Billy.”
“I think I should talk to her,” he muttered.
“You are not interrogating my wife.”
“How did you even find out? Did she slip up or something?” Billy asked, still glaring out of the kitchen at the staircase.
Vincent shook his head. “She told me. We were…talking and she said she felt too guilty lying to a nice guy like me. She told me everything.”
“Everything?”
“Well, the important details,” Vincent amended. “Can you change the license or not?”
Billy groaned and rested his head on the counter. “Why do you do this shit to me? There I was, thinking all these messes of yours were behind us.”
“My messes have not been that catastrophic.” He peeled the label on his beer bottle. “And one more thing?”
“Now what? You want my liver? My kidney? Want me to spy on your mother and her sex life?”
“God, no,” he snapped. “The website only ran a background check on Lana. Can you run one on Natalie—discreetly? Use your contacts at the police department?”
Billy picked up the folder he had carried in with him. “I’ll make sure it gets done. You want me to stay the night and make sure she doesn’t try to rob you or…I don’t know, tie you up in the middle of the night?”
“I’m twice her size. I think I can handle myself.”
“Fine, fine, just remember I offered.” Billy slid the unopened beer back towards Vincent. “I’ll call you when it’s taken care of, and do you still want to have the reception a week from today?”
“Shit, I forgot about that.”
“I can cancel if you want. No invitations have been sent yet.”
Vincent considered it, but though her name had changed, he knew Natalie as well as he would have known Lana. “Nah, keep it. We’ll be fine.”
“Good. See you Monday at the office. Call me if you change your mind.”
Vincent walked him out and locked the door behind him. His eyes landed on the single suitcase dropped off that morning. Natalie’s things. There was no reason he couldn’t continue to be the nice guy she told him he was, so he picked up the suitcase and carried it upstairs with him. She stood outside the doorway to one of the three guest rooms upstairs.
“I figured I would sleep in one of these rooms,” she said quietly. “I could have grabbed that.”
“No need,” he said and set the suitcase down beside her. “Listen, a week from today is our official reception for friends and family. A few reporters will probably be there, too. You still up for doing this with me?”
“It’s what I signed up for,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “Vincent, I just want to say…uh, thank you for not throwing me out on my ass.”
He smiled softly. “Like I said, I’m still pissed and this might not be the easiest beginning to a marriage, but I’m pretty sure my dad would roll over in his grave if I simply threw my new wife out onto the street without giving us both a chance to make this work.”
She picked up her bag, and with one final nervous look, she walked into the bedroom. He considered following her in but decided she might need her space.
“There’s food in the kitchen whenever you’re hungry,” he told her. “I’ll be around, too, if you want to talk some more.” He backed away and went to change out of his tux, closing his bedroom door. He stared at the knob for a few long seconds before he locked it too.
What happened to trusting her?he scolded himself as he shrugged out of his shirt and kicked out of his shoes.
“Time,” he told his reflection. “All we need is some time.”
When he closed his eyes, he felt her lips against his again, his hands wrapped around her body and her blatant want for him as he wanted her. He’d been with plenty of women before, but none of them made him ache for their touch. Hoping a cold shower would help, he turned the faucet on and stepped in, wondering what the next few weeks would bring.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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