Chelsea finally noticed the man standing there. Her mouth fell open. If she hadn’t closed it a few seconds later, Emily was sure a trail of drool would’ve followed.
“And who is this…” She trailed off, eyes scanning him like he was one of those limited-editionHermèsBirkin bagsshe loved so much.
Emily resisted the urge to facepalm. Of course. When it came to handsome men, Chelsea was Superman and they were herkryptonite. “Chels, I’d like you to meet Nicolas. Nicolas, this is my older sister, Chelsea.”
The two shook hands, Chelsea’s tightening and holding on longer than they should have.
“Stop.” Emily intervened, eyes flicking between them with mortification. “He’s my…my husband.” The words tumbled out like an awkward confession.
Chelsea looked like she was struck in the chest. “What?”
“Yeah…um…surprise? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier!” she rushed out. “It all just happened so fast and?—”
“You’re married?!” her sister shouted.
“That’s what she said.” Nicolas’s tongue poked the side of his mouth, fighting a smile.
“Hold it there, hot stuff. This is family business.”
“Heisfamily,” Emily blurted.
Silence.
She froze, eyes darting to Chelsea and Nicolas’s stunned faces.Crap.
“Ohhh, you’ve got some major explaining to do! You’d never do something like get married on a whim, Emmy. You only called off the wedding with Jake a few months ago!”
“With all due respect, it’s my life and I don’t need anyone’s permission to get married. And why is everyone treating me like I can’t doanythingoutside of the norm?”
“You’re married?”
The three of them turned to face the man of the hour. Richard Pinault.
Emily withered on the spot. “Grandfather…”
“I asked you a question, child.”
She flinched at the coldness in his tone.
Richard’s eyes turned to assess Nicolas who stood there, noticing the exchange. “Who might you be?”
“Nicolas Re, sir. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He outstretched his hand, a polite smile making way.
She saw her grandfather’s grayed eyebrows fly up insurprise. Of course, he’d heard of Nicolas before. He practically owned the entertainment industry. In her grandfather’s world, those were the kind of people to make note of.
And now, that man was her husband.
She could see the war playing out on her grandfather’s face, pride wrestling with indignation. His jaw tightened, but his eyes flickered with something else.
He shifted his weight, leaning onto his cane, then reached out and clasped Nicolas’s offered hand.
Emily released a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
Then her grandfather turned to her.
“You have some nerve,” he chastised. “Getting married without telling us.”
Her stomach dropped. There it was. The disappointment. “I didn’t think you’d care after kicking me out.”
