I snatch my tie from his hands and wrap it around my neck, lifting up my collar.
"Fine, but I swear to God, if she thinks she's turning my apartment into some pink wonderland like she has with this wedding, she's got another thing coming."
"Okay, well, I'm sure that's a rule you can put in place once she's there. Until then, be nice to the woman, will ya? She's uprooting her whole life and moving here by herself, and I can guarantee she also isn't thrilled about this marriage."
Be nice to her?
I scoff.
If he'd met her, he'd understand why that's unlikely to happen.
"You can get out now," I tell him, shaking my head. "Send my pops in here, please. I need some help with this pink piece of shit."
Ripping the tie back off my neck after failing to tie it myself, I watch him leave and sigh in relief at the moment of silence that descendsupon the room before my father walks back in with an amused look on his face.
"Still struggle to put on a tie after all these years, huh?"
I groan, handing him the offending piece of material, and allow him to wrap it around my neck.
"Mum's usually here to help me."
"Well, unfortunately, you're stuck with my help today because your mother is being the compassionate woman she always is and is with your wife, considering she doesn't have her mother around, and her sister hasn't come to attend as well."
I frown as he loops the material around and tucks one piece under another.
Fuck. I'm an arsehole.
I've been so caught up in my own thoughts and feelings about this disastrous wedding that I hadn't even thought about how Alicia must feel having to go through all of this with minimal support.
"They do realise we wouldn't have had any issues with her sister coming to the wedding, right?"
He nods, tightening the tie and moving it around slightly.
"Yeah. Your mother told them Eliana was welcome when we were leaving the dinner last week, but Brody said she'd feel uncomfortable being here," he states, folding down my collar and patting me on the chest. "She is in London, though. Charlie saw her arrive at their hotel with them, so I'm sure that's given Alicia a small amount of comfort."
"I don't even know why I feel bad for her," I say, buttoning up my suit jacket.
"Because you're not as cold-hearted as you like to make out."
Chapter Ten
Alicia
After the hair-stylist my sister had arranged for me leaves the bridal suite, I walk over to the full-length mirror and stare at myself, bewildered by the person I see staring back at me.
A light dusting of make-up has been applied to my face, enhancing my features. My hair has been curled and sprayed so that it holds in the half-up, half-down style it's been made into.
I run my fingers across the small heart locket that's secured around my neck as my eyes drop away from the mirror, continuing to examine myself.
The ivory dress that's plastered to my skin is uncomfortable, but beautiful nonetheless. The top half is a satin corset with a sweetheart neckline, which is practically squashing my breasts, and it's cinched so tight that my waist looks smaller than it should.
From the tapered waist, the skirt widens slightly, flowing out around me. The folds in the satin from top to bottom add some shape to the dress, and the split down the left side of the skirt, which exposes far too much skin, has my stomach clenching.
As much as I dislike the dress, I have to admit it's beautiful, and it compliments my body well.
"You look stunning," Louise says, walking over to me with my bouquet in hand.
I turn to her, a small smile playing on my lips.
