Page 33 of Eye of the Hurricane (Weathering Doves Harbor #2)

Ares

My alarm goes off next to me and after last night, it feels especially ridiculous to wake up alone on an air mattress in Katherine’s house. The first thing on my mind when I open my eyes is what we did last night.

Which is exactly why I have to just lie here for a few to let this morning wood go away on it’s own. Which is exactly what I do.

Katherine

Thanks for last night.

Ares

You never have to thank me.

Katherine

Will you be out soon?

Ares

As soon as I get rid of the visual proof that I’m thinking about last night.

Katherine

What?

Ares

Attachment: 1 image.

Katherine

Come home with me after the wedding.

I groan, trying to think of something else. Anything else. When I finally clear my mind enough to go out there it’s just Katherine, her family is nowhere to be seen.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was just us?” I ask.

“Because I didn’t know when they’d be getting back.” She laughs. She’s sitting at the kitchen counter with her hands wrapped around a coffee mug.

There’s an urge to walk over and kiss her. Preferably on the mouth but I’d settle for something as simple as the top of her head or her cheek. I don’t, because it’s obvious what last night was.

She was stressed and feeling like she couldn’t keep control over the stressors in her life. She needed the stress relief and the transfer of control. We’re back to just faking it now. Despite how real and effortless all of it seems to feel.

I pour myself a cup and take the seat next to her. She seems more relaxed today but still not her normal self.

“What’s the plan today?”

“Well, we’ll spend the morning and afternoon getting ready. At five the ceremony starts, so we need to be there around four thirty. Then cocktail hour will be at the reception venue around five thirty. Reception goes until ten. It’ll be a long day and a lot of time with my parents. I’m sorry.”

“I knew what I signed up for when I agreed to this months ago. We’ll put on our best show,” I assure her .

“What if they don’t buy it?” she whispers to me. Which makes me laugh because we’re the only ones in her house.

“They’ll buy it.” I nudge her leg with mine. “Let me make you breakfast.”

“That’s where my parents and brother went, they’re getting breakfast and bringing it back here,” she tells me.

“What can I do to take some of the burden from you today?” I ask.

“Did you remember to match your suit to my dress color?” she asks.

“Of course. It was the only thing you asked of me.” A soft smile appears on her face.

“That’s all I needed you to do.”

“But what else can I do? Let me take some of this on,” I plead with her. She thinks on it for a moment.

“I don’t know. I’m just stressed.” Right as I’m about to tell her that that’s why I’m offering to take some off of her plate, her family walks in the door. Somehow I feel like I’m about to be judged for still being in pajama pants and a T-shirt.

Sure enough, her mom narrows her eyes when she looks me up and down. She doesn’t have to say a word, I know what she’s thinking. And frankly, I’m fine with it.

“Katherine, I got you an acai bowl, I figure you might want to eat light so you can keep your best figure in your dress tonight,” she announces to the whole kitchen, placing the bowl in front of her.

Katherine lets out an exhausted sigh, opening the container to eat it. My blood boils but I bite my tongue.

For the entire first half of the day, Katherine stays tight to my side. Which is probably helping to sell the dating thing but is very unlike her.

A million things need to be done before the wedding and we seemingly do all of them. We passed several hours worth of time and it’s finally time to get ready. We all get ready in our respective rooms.

I keep trying to catch glimpses of Katherine but since we all started getting ready, she’s been shut up in her bedroom the entire day. I’m dying to see her dress.

She dresses up every day. Her idea of casual is some people’s idea of formal. I can only imagine what dressing up looks like on her. She walks out of the bedroom and I don’t have to imagine anymore.

Whatever I thought, any idea I had of how good she might look? Throw it away. Burn it.

She looks unequivocally ethereal. The type of stunning that brings you to your fucking knees. I don’t think I’ve taken a single breath since she walked out of the door.

My eyes are glued to her. She’s the only thing that exists right now. I can’t even form a coherent thought to compliment her the way she deserves. There isn’t a word in the English language that would bring justice to the sight before me.

She approaches me and I feel like I’m being approached by an actual angel.

Her dress is a red, strapless, floor-length gown with a slit up to her upper thigh. She’s got on taller heels than usual, the exact same shade of red. She’s got a golden anklet hanging just above the heel.

Her blonde hair is perfectly curled and cascading down her shoulders and back. A golden necklace with a ruby pendant sits on her chest. Long, sparkling earrings hang from her ears.

“Kat, you look…” I trail off, searching for a word, any word that comes close. None do, so I se ttle. “Breathtaking, stunning, I don’t know what to call it.” I pause for another moment. “Perfect. You look perfect.”

Her cheeks blaze under my gaze. The gaze I’m yet to be able to drag from her. Her blue eyes pop in contrast with the red. Her lips are painted red, a couple of shades darker than her dress.

“Thank you,” she says, reaching a perfectly manicured hand up and straightening out my tie. “Now you look perfect too,” her eyes catch mine and it feels like we’re locked into that moment. It also feels like no one else is at the house, that is until her brother clears his throat.

“We’re getting ready to leave. Are you guys riding with us or driving yourselves?” Noah asks.

“I’ll drive us, you guys can go ahead, we’ll be right behind you,” I assure him. I’m sure he can read between the lines which tells him I need a minute alone with your sister and this dress.

They walk out of the door and a small grin tips up at the edge of her mouth.

“What if I wanted to drive?” she asks, raising a brow at me.

“Kat, in this dress you can do whatever you want. I’ll hand you my keys, my wallet, anything you want.” She laughs. She grabs my chin, pulls me down, and kisses me. Thank fucking God. It’s all I’ve thought about all day but I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

“I needed that.”

“A kiss? ”

“You.”

This is by far the fanciest wedding I’ve ever been to. My parents have money and most of their friends have money but I’m beginning to understand that it doesn’t compare to Katherine’s family.

The bride’s dress is almost as wide as it is tall. The archway in which they’re reciting their vows is made to look like it’s twisted branches of a tree. There’s pink wisteria hanging from it. It looks straight out of a fairy tale.

What really throws me off is the bride and groom themselves. The bride looks like she can’t be any older than eighteen.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with people marrying young if they’re sure. That’s the problem, they seem completely void of any real love or passion. If you told me they were two strangers standing up there, I’d believe you.

It’s unlike any wedding I’ve been to. Usually, there are people overcome with emotion, crying. Everyone is watching with a stoic look on their faces. It’s just… odd.

When the ceremony is over I follow Katherine out of the building, her hand wrapped in mine.

“Where are we going for the reception?” I ask.

“It’s about twenty minutes away. You drive, I’ll give directions,” she says, reaching for the passenger door. I run around the side of the car and brush her hand out of my way to open it for her.

“Deal.” I get in and once the traffic of everyone has cleared some, I get us on the road .

“Did you think the ceremony was a little… odd?” I finally get the balls to ask.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… They just didn’t exactly seem like they were in love… or even particularly happy.” She nods like she knows exactly what I’m talking about.

“My family is firm in the belief that women are to be wives and mothers. They entirely surpass your normal southern, conservative views like needing to go to an Ivy League school and have a good career. They’re so old-fashioned that they don’t think women should have careers.

They also don’t necessarily prioritize love when it comes to marriage. ” She sounds exhausted with them.

“What else is there to prioritize for marriage? Isn’t love the whole point?” She laughs like it’s the silliest thing I’ve ever said.

“Money, status, security, you know… all the ingredients to being deeply in love,” she says sarcastically, huffing a dry laugh.

“This is why you don’t date? Because they’ll try to marry you off?” I ask.

“In part, I guess. It’s more to do with how much power it gives them to be able to hold money over my head.

I couldn’t afford any distractions because the sooner I reach my goals, the sooner I’m out from under them.

My mom never fails to remind me that I can’t have a relationship and my career. ” She takes a deep breath.

“You know that isn’t true, right?”

“It’s the next building on your right,” she says, pointing it out on the road. I follow her instruction and pull into the parking lot of what looks to be some kind of resort .

“Kat, you do know that, right?” I ask, parking the car and turning my attention to her.

“We should get inside,” she says, avoiding eye contact.

I follow her out of the car. I scan the parking lot and there’s no one near us. I grab her wrist, pulling her to me and closing her in between me and the car. Her eyes still avoid mine.

“Tell me that’s not what the space has been about,” I plead. She bites her lip, thinking for a moment before she speaks.