Page 13 of Clear Shot

I grip her hand. “Am I doing the right thing, Sloane? Tell me the truth, from the outside looking in.”

“I think you are. It’s win-win because you’ve always had a thing for him. You get to stay in the US and spend time with the guy you’ve always wanted to spend time with.”

“But the reasons we never wanted to get involved are still valid. We’re both focused on our careers. He’s divorced and never wanted to get married again. I always date the wrong guys—usually bad boys who break my heart. And Aiden fits the bill with both of those things.”

“This was his idea,” she says slowly. “So it boils down to how much you want to risk to stay in the US. Is a new life and maybe even citizenship here worth the risk of a broken heart?”

“The short answer is yes.”

“And the long answer?”

“Terrifies me.”

“It’s going to be okay. Johan and I will be here for you no matter what. And though your brother is pretty laid back, I know for a fact he would intervene if he truly thought this was a bad idea.”

I know that too.

“It’s not the wedding I dreamed of as a little girl,” I admit softly.

“No, but tonight will be fun—we’ve invited our inner circle. And Johan is going to talk to Felix and Jordan today at practice to make sure they keep their mouths shut about the visa thing. I mean, people will know you had to elope so quicklybecauseof the visa but we’re sticking to the story that you’ve been involved for almost a year.”

I nod absently.

We’ve planned out answers to any questions we think people might ask.

The only issue for me will be my father and grandmother.

They won’t be happy about this at all. The idea of me getting married without them in attendance will upset them but Johan has promised to help me navigate that by telling them we’ll have a wedding next summer.

I can’t think that far ahead, though.

Right now, I have to get through today.

Like making a decision about what to wear.

It’s not a real wedding, but it’s a legal one, and we’re going to take pictures, so I want to look nice.

The only white dress I own is an off-the-shoulder summer dress with a silky sheath covered by a white lace overlay. It’s October, so if we were anywhere else, it might look ridiculous, but this is South Florida where it’s summer about ten months of the year.

I don’t own white heels, and I don’t want to wear sandals, so I opt for a pair of pale pink peep-toe stilettos. I put pink dangling earrings in my ears, switch to a small silver evening bag, and make sure to put my passport in it.

That’s it.

There’s nothing else to do but go downstairs and greet my fiancé.

The man who’s about to become my husband.

Everything is happening too fast, but there’s no slowing down or backing out.

By the end of the day, I’m going to be Mrs. Aiden Barbeau.

Getting married is easy.

The logistics of it, anyway.

Fill out some papers.

Sign some stuff.