Page 316 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1

"Mom?" I turned around to look at her. She was the only one that hadn't said anything.

She had grabbed a tissue out of her purse and was blotting her eyes. "You look so grown up, sweetie. You're absolutely stunning."

I could feel my own tears welling in my eyes. "Do you think it's the one?"

They all said yes at the same time.

I ran my fingers under my eye where a tear had rolled down. "You don't think it's too sexy?" I looked down at the rather revealing front.

"It's sexy, but it seems more elegant than anything else," Melissa said.

"And it's so fancy, but you look so much more comfortable in this one," Bee said.

"And happier," Jen added.

"That's because I'm not wearing that corset thing anymore." I laughed and turned back to the mirror. I thought I'd be here all afternoon. But they were right. And I knew it before they had said anything. This was the dress that I wanted James to see me in when I said I do. There wasn't a doubt in my mind.

Eruption - Chapter 5

Sunday

"So, what do you think?" James asked. He was staring at me intently.

"It seems so...cold." It didn't feel like a home. And I didn't mean that the air conditioner seemed to be at full force.

He laughed. "That's because none of our stuff is here yet. Use your imagination." He stepped past the foyer into the main room. "Our couch can go here. And the picture of the beach we have can go on the wall there." He pointed to the one spot of wall along the far side that wasn't a window. He looked so excited. As if he could picture our life here together. "And you have to come see the view. It looks right out onto Central Park. It won't even feel like we're in the city."

I walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "I love it."

"You didn't even see the view, though."

"I like my view right now."

He laughed and pulled me into his arms. "You really like it?"

"I'm happy wherever we are, as long as we're together. Aren't you?"

He raised his eyebrow as he looked down at me. "Is that why you're upset? Baby, I didn't buy this place because I wasn't happy in our old apartment. You know that. I just want a fresh start."

"From what exactly?"

"We moved to New York to get away from all the rumors. But it was hard to put it all to rest while you were still in school."

My stomach churned. I was a burden.

"Now you're not. Your graduating puts it all in the past. I want to start our life together."

"James, we already have."

"You know what I mean. As husband and wife."

"We could have just rearranged the furniture or something."

He laughed and pulled me toward the wall of windows. "But then we wouldn't have this view."

I could feel my jaw drop. Dusk was just settling over the city. A few lights had already turned on in Central Park. We were so close that it almost seemed like the building was in the middle of the park. I could see the Tavern on the Green in the distance. That was where we were getting married. Every day, I was going to be able to look outside and remember our wedding.

I knew that James didn't care about having this view. He had picked out this apartment because he knew it would make me happy. I felt him wrap his arms around me and kiss the side of my neck. I leaned my head back against his chest. Maybe we did need a fresh start. It was time to brush off the chip on my shoulder whenever people snickered about how we met. I was ready to let it all go. "When did you want to move our stuff in?"