I planted my raised hand in his chest, shoved(ineffectually, I’ll note), and hissed, “Now you’regonnamake me cry.”
“Yes, I am,” he declared.“But the makeup girl is outside.Istopped her from leaving so she can fix it if she needs to.”
“I don’t have time to cry and have a makeup fix,” Ireturned.“We’regettin’ married in ten minutes.”
“Daisy, honey, I hired out the entire restaurant.The onlyguests they have are you, me, Doug, and Michelle.They’re good to wait.”
Well then.
“I don’t want a red face and puffy eyes in my weddingphotos,” I tried.
“You won’t care.”
“Yes, I will.”
“No you won’t.”
“Yes I will!”
“Baby, every time you see it, you’ll remember the day youmarried me was also the day I returned these.”
And with that, he lifted his hand between us and from itdropped a necklace with a dainty gold chain and thirteen perfect pearls at thebottom.The biggest one in the middle, they got smaller but no less beautifulup the sides.
I’d know that necklace anywhere, if I’d seen it the dayafter I’d hocked it or if I saw it when I was old, addled, and ahundred-and-three.
My entire body seized.
Marcus moved behind me.
I felt the coolness of pearls and the tickle of a daintygold chain at my neck.
Then I felt his lips at my ear.
“You thought Miss Annamae wanted you to get married wearingthese pearls.And Miss Annamae helped make you the you for me.So you’regetting married in these pearls.”
He killed me, every time so softly, the fall felt likehitting a cloud.
“How—?”I started.
He kissed my neck and then wrapped his arms around me frombehind.
“Your life starts now,” he said all gentle and still in myear.“The one you’re meant to be leading.The one you’ve always deserved.Ithought it best to mark that occasion in a way you’d never forget.”
I twisted my neck to look at his handsome face.
“I would never have forgotten, sugar.”
“It’s my job to be sure.”
God.
Marcus Sloan.
“I love you so much, I don’t even know what to do with allof it,” I whispered.
“I’m thrilled someone else understands that feeling.”
God.
