Page 12 of Matrimonial Merger (Lakeshore Empire #2)

Daphne

“Cal?” I murmured to myself, standing in the hallway. I was just leaving the conference room with Chloe and our CMO when I spied him talking to my assistant.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Chloe laughed.

Cal heard Chloe first, but his eyes met mine and he was on a mission. He raced over, looking like the world was ending. My heart sank.

“Cal, do not say our party is cancelled,” I said, sensing it had to do with tomorrow’s evening plans. “I took the day off?—”

“No, no,” Cal shook his head. “I need to speak with you in private.”

“Oh… okay,” I said.

“Hello to you, too,” Chloe said.

“Sorry, Chlo. Later. I just… I am in a rush,” Cal said. “It has to do with tomorrow plans.”

“Oh,” she said, as if in on a secret.

“Can you all go ahead without me?” I asked. “And tag me in later?”

“Gotcha,” Chloe agreed. “Come on.”

She and the CMO left.

“Do you like your current CMO more than your past one?” Cal chuckled.

“My past one was an impossibly good-at-everything asshole,” I said, marching over to my office. “But damn he was handsome.”

Cal, flattered, closed the door. “Daph, I need you to just… not kill me.”

“Cal, I don’t… what did you do?”

“I planned a surprise wedding. I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I just met with Judge Mahony and he reminded me that we needed to get a marriage license today if we were getting married tomorrow.”

“What? Tomorrow?” I slumped on the couch. “Cal, what the fuck?”

“Sorry, baby. I… I love you?” He winced.

“That’s not a question,” I said. “Why?”

“We had the venue. We had the date. And you didn’t want to be that bride, remember?”

I beamed. “You did all this for me?”

“I did. Because I wanted to make you happy.”

I normally avoided any physical affection in the office, but not today. I pulled Cal towards me by the lapel of his suit jacket. It was the strangest grand gesture. It came out of nowhere. I usually hated surprises, but this was next-level.

He pulled back. “I want to do a million things to you, Daph, but we need to get to the County Building, now.”

“Okay,” I agreed. “Let’s go.”

We raced out, me leaving instructions for my assistant. The car made its way towards the county building. It wasn’t a long trip, but I realized I didn’t have any of my documents.

“Cal, I need my passport or birth certificate. And you do, too?—”

“Shit! Change of plans!” He called ahead to his driver. “Detour. We need to go to the house first.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver called back, heading slightly north.

As I dug our passports out of the safe, Cal, fumbled in the room next door with something.

“Cal, what are you doing?” I called, annoyed.

Cal returned. “I wanted to show you something.”

I turned to see him holding a white garment bag. My mouth dropped.

“Do not tell me that is a wedding dress.”

“Well what else were you going to wear, baby?”

“I hadn’t thought that through.”

“Well, I did. Chloe called me from London demanding that I fix things so you could wear this dress. And… here we are.”

“The dress? The one I fell in love with?”

Cal nodded.

I jumped up, kissed him, and then panicked slightly. “I love it, but… what if it doesn’t fit?”

“Chloe had them send the next size up,” Cal said. “We thought about that. And your mother has a seamstress on call after you try it on tonight.”

“That is… insane. Wait, you included my entire family in this?”

“I did,” Cal said. “And Mom? She’s been boxed out. She’ll be happy on the day, but… I didn’t want her contributions. Your sisters, Chloe, and your mum have been so helpful. I love you, Daphne. I wanted so much to make you happy.”

Happy tears welled. “This is so unlike you, Cal, but I am over the moon. Thank you for this. I am… blown away.”

“Then just say you will, okay?”

“Anywhere, anytime,” I promised. “Let’s get the damn wedding license so we can go through with it.”

Cal

I woke, sleeping in too late, but after a night of pre-wedding celebration, I couldn’t help myself.

Daphne looked like an angel sleeping. So, I got up to make us some warm beverages in the kitchen.

My heart was full. Today, I would marry the woman who’d always been right for me.

It wasn’t the way either of us expected it, but when the timing was right, we made it work.

And even if it wasn’t—even when the baby showed up—it still was.

By the fall, we’d be a family of three with a perfect little girl.

A year ago, I didn’t even expect to fall back into anything with anyone.

I was mourning the loss of my best friend.

It hit me. The one person I most wished was here—the one who would have given a hell of a speech—wasn’t here.

David was gone. It would be a bittersweet day.

I thought of Daphne’s worries of walking the aisle and shot her brothers a text.

After all, they were in on the surprise by now. They thought I was nuts.

ME

Hey, so Daphne knows now. We had to get a marriage license.

DAVEY

Did she kill you?

ME

No. She’s happy.

DERRICK

You got lucky. She must love you, dude.

ME

I hope so.

I neglected one detail. Your Dad is gone. She’s worried about walking down the aisle without him.

DAVEY

I’ll take her. I assumed I would.

ME

I am not sure what her preference is. But… if she needs someone?

DAVEY

Of course. It would be an honor. She’s my sister. And I’m not about to desert her on her wedding day. You didn’t even have to ask.

DERRICK

We aren’t mad anymore. I promise no one is going to punch you.

DAVEY

Other than your mother.

I snickered, he wasn’t wrong.

ME

Touché, Davey. Pray for peace. She’ll text you when she gets up.

DAVEY

Sounds good. Don’t get cold feet.

ME

I never would.

I continued making breakfast and loading the dishwasher with plates from our impromptu fourth meal of pizza at midnight when Daphne emerged.

“I was going to do that,” Daphne protested.

“No, princess, you’re getting the day to rest before we party later,” I insisted.

She gave me a quick kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I need to work on my vows. Did you?—”

“Oh, mine have been written for weeks,” I snickered. “I’ll leave you to it and go to the gym, if that’s okay?”

I knew she’d want some space. She longed for a quiet moment this morning.

“Yeah. That would help me focus.”

“Uh… actually, I have one more question.”

“What?”

“You know how you worried about coming down the aisle. Davey is ready to escort you. He’s expecting it.”

She frowned. “I…. I love that he wants to do it, but… I decided I have another plan.”

“I am sure he will be okay with whatever,” I clarified. “As long as you are happy. He just knows this is hard for you. And he and Derrick promised not to punch me.”

“I am glad we’ve made it past that,” Daphne giggled.

“So what will it be?” I asked.

“Do you want to go down the aisle together?” Daphne asked.

“Because… I’m feeling like that’s what I want.

I want to spend the day with you—not alone.

We entered this together as adults—fully-formed adults who lived a life before falling back into bed together, right?

And you’re my partner in everything, Cal. It feels right.”

I gave her a long kiss. “Whatever Miss Delphine wants, she gets.”