“Yes, I guess it was small.” She sighed. “But I’d actually expected something even smaller – like at the justice of the peace’s office at the courthouse.”
Disgust ran through him and he cringed. “Eww. Why would I want my first marriage like that? And why,” he gently stroked the pad of his thumb along the knuckle of her thumb, “would you want your first marriage like that?”
“Because, Calvin...”she paused and studied his face, “we were marrying in name only. Weren’t we?”
“Yes, but we were mainly marrying to get our inheritances.”
“True.”
“But,” he quickly continued, “we were still getting married. I didn’t want my designer wife to have to look at plain walls in a courthouse.”
“Thanks for thinking of me, and remembering this was my wedding, too.”
“Did you like the yacht and the decorations? What about the roses? Did you like the yellow ones?”
Her gaze narrowed on him. “Of course, I liked them. But... who was the one who ordered the other roses?”
“I did, of course.”
Distrust crossed her expression, and he panicked.
“I’m assuming,” she said slowly, “you know what the red rose represents.”
“Passion.”
“And yet, you wanted them atourwedding?”
He now realized why she was so hesitant about everything. Then again, she was a smart woman. He should have known she’d figure it out.
Calvin shrugged. “I’m sorry that you didn’t like them. I was just trying... well, you know... to help things out.”
Frowning, she yanked her hand away from his. “Calvin, I don’t want to talk about that. You know my feelings, and they’re not going to change. You can be as charming as you want, but I’m still planning on marrying Eddie once our divorce is final.”
She jumped off the stool and marched to the archway leading toward the bedrooms. “Which one is mine?”
He groaned and rubbed the pounding beginning in his temples. “Your room is the second door on the left.”
“Good night, Calvin.” She marched down the hallway and into her room, slamming the door behind her.
“Good night, my bride,” he whispered sadly, realizing that although it was Valentine’s Day, Cupid’s arrow had missed Calvin and Rayne completely.
