“She’s the type of person who takes pleasure in being mean to Silvie,” he says. “Her dad, though, isn’t a bad guy.”
Mean to Silvie? What? I don’t like that. At all. If her mom is making trouble, that’s not going to go over well with me.
“He’s just,” Wilby continues, searching for the word, “hella intimidating.”
Denise finishes measuring and steps back. “All set.”
I nod, barely hearing her.
New York. Her parents. Events. Galas. A life that isn’t mine. Away from Coconut Beach, my safe space. The place I came back to and thought I’d never leave. I didn’t think this through.
I thought I was agreeing to be her husband on paper.
I didn’t realize I was agreeing to step into her world.
Wilby claps me on the shoulder. “You’ll be great.”
I force a smile.
Because backing out was never really an option.
Somehow, terrifying as it is, the idea of standing beside her through all of it doesn’t feel wrong. It feels necessary. For her sake. To protect her.
Wilby glances at his list on his computer. “We need to get temporary rings. We can’t have anyone seeing either of you buying them.”
“I already have the rings covered,” I tell him.
Wilby’s eyebrow hikes up in surprise. “Really?”
I nod. “They’re coming today. Nothing to get excited about. Just temporary fake ones I ordered.”
“Okay,” he says, letting loose a long breath of air. “Did not have that on my bingo card. You are on it, Cal.”
I shrug. “I just figured that was my job.”
As husband. I’m going to be her husband. My mind is beginning to latch onto everything that entails. It’s a lot. I suppose that’s one of the downsides of marrying a billionaire.
“Another thing,” Wilby says, cutting his eyes my way. “I saw in our report that your father is from New York and was here in Coconut Beach on business when he met your mom.”
My stomach twists uncomfortably. “Yeah, so?”
“Do you know who he is?” he asks.
“I don’t think that’s relevant. It’s not a big deal,” I say firmly.
He stares at me for a second, then nods. “Okay, sorry.”
I stare for a moment. “Do you know?”
He shakes his head. “I could probably find out, though.”
I shake my head. “That’s okay. I’m good.”
He’s watching me now, curious instead of investigative. “Okay.”
The room goes quiet.Too quiet.
There’s a knock at the door, and Wilby opens it to Silvie standing there in a yellow sundress, looking like pure sunshine. The relief I feel at seeing her nearly has me sagging. I inhale her sweet scent, the smell of her a soothing balm to my soul.
