An Agreement (Summer in New York Book 3)

by Lindsay Marie Miller

  “I want that, too.”

  “Good,” he smoldered, his gaze burning right through me. “Then we’re finally on the same page.”

  I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Every time we met, I was just so happy to be in his presence. For the past week, I’d loved waking up beside him every morning. He was the best roommate ever.

  “What are you thinking about?” he wondered.

  “Nothing.” If we kept staring at each other like this, I was going to spontaneously combust.

  “Can I show you around?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’d love that.”

  He took me through the restaurant space, telling me about his plans for the place. I’d never realized it before, but Carter was actually really creative. I saw how passionate he was about this project. It reminded me of the way I felt when I had an idea for a new design. He was just as eager.

  “So what do you think?” He looked bashful all of a sudden. That’s when I realized how much my opinion really mattered to him. Carter saw me as an equal, a business woman. I really appreciated that.

  “I think it sounds great. I can’t wait to see what you do with the place.”

  “We’re getting the floors redone. And the painters will be here next week,” he said.

  I nodded. “I’m just wondering why you waited so long to tell me.”

  “I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted you to be proud of me.”

  “Baby.” I rubbed the nape of his neck as his arms came around me. “I’ve always been proud of you.”

  He kissed the tip of my nose and smiled. I knew he was happy. Because I was happy, too.

  “Would you like a drink?” he asked.

  “Sure. That would be great.”

  He disappeared to the back and returned with a bottle of champagne. “It’s all I found in the back.”

  “I like champagne,” I said, still letting the news of his new investment sink in.

  “Me too.” He poured us each a glass and handed one to me. “To beautiful strangers.”

  As we clinked glasses, I remembered where I’d heard that before. It was the toast Carter made on the night we met. When I’d sat there like a sappy fool thinking he was my blind date.

  I took a sip and grinned. “What did you really think the night we met?”

  His eyes raked across my face in a way that made me blush.

  “When I sat down at your table by accident,” I said.

  “I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the room.”

  “You did not,” I teased, shoving his shoulder. “You thought you’d never see me again.”

  “True, but I wasn’t happy about it.”

  I held my breath and put my hand over his.

  “I thought I could never have you,” he said. “And that made me want you even more.”

  “Why would you think you couldn’t have me?” I asked. “You’re hot.”

  “Oh, really?” He slid his hands around my waist. “Am I now?”

  “You know you are,” I said. “You could have any woman you wanted.”

  “But I want you.” His expression went from joking to serious.

  I put my hands on his chest. “You have me. I’m yours.”

  He shook his head. “Nope.” Then he went behind the counter. “Not until you dance with me.”

  I lost my breath as music began to play. A sweet, slow song. One that screamed love and romance.

  He came towards me and put his hand on my waist. As we swayed to the rhythm, I rested my head in the crook of his neck. Before long, tears were running down my cheeks.

  “If I’d known you then, I would have taken you to the dance.”

  I was so in love with him that it wasn’t funny. He was so good to me.

  “I probably would have gotten arrested for dating an underage girl.”

  I giggled, looking at his face. His eyes were already on me.

  “But I would have gladly taken my punishment.”

  When the music stopped, Carter left to turn the speakers off. I dried my eyes and took a breath. “Have you decided what you’re going to call this place yet?”

  He eyed me across the bar with a nod, so vague and mysterious.

  “Is it a secret?” I asked. “You know I won’t tell.”

  He held up a finger, finding a sheet of paper and a marker. I heard him writing something, but I stayed where I was. I reveled in the suspense, feeling my heart pound against my chest.

  When Carter was finished, he put the cap on the marker and slid the paper across the counter, turning it towards me. My eyes widened when I saw what he’d written.

  BAILEY & CO.

  “Carter, you can’t name your restaurant after me!”

  “Why not?” He stalked towards me, kissing the corner of my mouth.

  “Because you just can’t! This is your restaurant. It has nothing to do with me.”

  “Too late,” he said. “Because it’s already done.”

  I sighed, feeling like it was a title I didn’t deserve.

  “Bailey, you’re the reason why I was brave enough to open my own restaurant. I never could have done this without you. You believe in me, and I want you to be recognized for it.”

  Well... when he said it like that.

  “Sometimes, I think you’re too good to be true.”

  He chuckled. “There’s my girl.” Then he stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my stomach. We looked at the restaurant, while I envisioned the kind of future we would have together.

  “I can’t wait to see it on opening night,” I said.

  “That reminds me. I need help with the menu. Are you hungry?”

  “Starving,” I grinned, happy when he took my hand. I couldn’t wait to eat delicious food.

  He took me to the kitchen where I found a sampler waiting for us on the island. We sat on bar stools and tried various appetizers, discussing the possibilities. Carter was so good at pairing food together. I devoured whatever he put in front of me. By the time he mentioned entreés, I was nearly full.

  “Just a few bites,” I said, but the Chicken Alfredo was so good that I couldn’t resist.

  “Please tell me you saved room for dessert.” He cleared the island and put down a small covered plate.

  I took a sip of champagne. “I don’t know, baby. It will have to be the tiniest dessert in the world.”

  He uncovered the plate and I looked down. But there was no dessert. Just a small velvet box.

  “Well,” he grinned. “Are you going to open it?”

  I felt a thrill of fear and excitement all at once. With shaky hands, I opened the box. There was the most gorgeous white diamond ring inside. When I looked at Carter, he was getting down on one knee.

  I burst into tears, because being with Carter never felt real. He was my greatest fantasy come to life.

  “Bailey,” he said. “I know we’ve only known each other for a few months. And if this feels too fast, you can tell me. But I’ve wanted to marry you for a really long time. Before I met you, I was so miserable. I was afraid to let someone in. But you turned my whole world upside down. And it didn’t take me too long to realize that I want to spend every night with you. For the rest of my life.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Beth had told me he’d planned to propose last weekend. But after everything that had happened, I hadn’t expected him to ask me so soon. I hadn’t seen this one coming.

  “So...” He gazed into my eyes. “Will you marry me?”

  I couldn’t stop crying, which made it hard to answer him.

  “Sweetheart? You’re kind of killing me here.”

  “Yes,” I breathed, shaking with excitement. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  He stood up and slipped the ring on my finger. I stared at the diamond, still in disbelief that all of my wildest dreams were coming true. He kissed me until I was weak in the knees, hopelessly in love.

  “Are you okay?” he asked when I hadn’t spoken in a while.

  �
�Yeah,” I nodded, leaning in to kiss him again.

  “So... when’s the wedding?”

  THREE MONTHS LATER, I stood in front of the mirror wearing a white dress. Mom and Penny had already fussed over me enough, arranging my train and veil. My heart refused to be still, but I had never felt more at peace. I was about to marry the man of my dreams. All of it felt like a fairytale.

  “You look beautiful,” Savannah said.

  “So do you.” I loved her flower girl dress. It was a soft, dusty rose. She looked so cute.

  Daddy came in the room and froze. At first, I didn’t know what to think. But then he took a few slow steps towards me. I read his eyes, knowing how bittersweet it must have been to give me away.

  “Look at you.” He took my hand, admiring my gown. “My little girl is all grown up now.”

  “Aww, Daddy.” I felt my voice shuddering. “Don’t cry.”

  He wiped a few tears away. “I remember when you were a baby. The first time I held you in my arms.”

  Tears ran down from my eyes as I sailed into his arms. “I love you, Daddy. I’ll always be your little girl.”

  He straightened up and handed me a tissue. Mom fixed my makeup as my brothers walked in.

  “Wow, sis!” Josh grinned. “You look like a knock out.”

  “Thanks, Josh.”

  Parker lingered by the entrance. He had a very serious look on his face.

  “Well, Parker,” Penny said. “How does our big sister look?”

  “Like an angel.” Parker came over and gave me a hug. “If he ever treats you bad...”

  “I know who to call,” I said, fighting back more tears. “But I don’t think we have to worry about that with this one.” I touched his arm. “He’s so good to me. I love him so much.”

  Parker lowered the veil over my face. “He loves you, too.”

  “Where is she?” Grandma Sharon barged in at the eleventh hour. “Let me see my granddaughter.”

  I spotted Uncle Austin on the other side of the room. I’d spoken with him and Aunt Amy earlier. They were such an integral part of my life. I loved that, thanks to the restaurant, Austin and Carter would always be close. It was just another reminder that marrying Carter didn’t mean I had to abandon my old life. My family would always be there. But sadly, I couldn’t say the same for every member of his.

  “I’m over here, Grandma,” I chimed, happy that she had made it.

  “Oh, you look just beautiful, Bailey! And you decided to wear your mother’s dress?”

  “Yes.” I looked at Mom. “I’ve always wanted to. Penny, you’re welcome to it next.”

  My sister smiled, but everyone was pretty tear struck. So the room was suddenly quiet.

  “Didn’t I tell you he was a catch?” Grandma said, gently squeezing my hand.

  When she winked at me, I couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed.

  “We have to go,” Josh said. “See you out there, sis!”

  Parker gave me a sad smile and walked out the door.

  “We should go take our seats,” Aunt Amy said. “The ceremony is about to start.”

  “You look beautiful,” Mom said, giving me a final goodbye. “Good luck.”

  Once she left with Penny and Grandma Sharon, reality started to sink in. I heard the wedding march and felt like I was going to be sick to my stomach. But I looped my arm through Daddy’s and kept going.

  “Don’t overthink it,” Daddy said. “Just breathe.”

  When the doors opened, I looked straight ahead. Carter stood at the end of the aisle with my brothers, waiting for me. His big blue eyes were fixed on me, and I couldn’t help not looking anywhere else.

  I floated down the aisle on cloud nine. The greatest fantasy I’d ever had was marrying him.

  Once we reached the end, Daddy gave me away. I handed my bouquet to Penny and noticed that Mom was crying. Then I turned back to Carter and put my hands in his. He had a firm, gentle grip. But his skin felt soft and warm to the touch. It made me daydream about tonight.

  Carter broke down as we were saying our vows. I cried with him, because we had been through so much together. Before we met, I had scars that ran deep. But Carter had wounds to last a lifetime.

  It was a miracle we’d found each other. Because a love like ours didn’t come along every day.

  I slid a platinum band on his finger, and he placed a matching one on mine. I’m surprised I didn’t mess up the words. Because I was so lost in his eyes that I could barely breathe.

  “By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  They were the words I’d been fantasizing about since I was a little girl.

  “You may kiss the bride.”

  Carter lifted my veil and crushed his lips to mine. I held on to his arm to keep from losing my balance as we kissed again, getting lost in each other. Our kiss may have lasted a little longer than most wedding ceremonies. But no one seemed to mind. The guests stood in applause as he walked me back down the aisle.

  I felt airy and light. So I was surprised when Carter grabbed my hand and ran down the hall. He turned left and opened the first door on the right. We were in the bathroom and thankfully it was vacant.

  “Carter, what are you—”

  He backed me up against the wall and kissed me passionately. My head was spinning when he let me breathe. His eyes raced across my face as he lifted my chin and left a soft kiss on my lips.

  I stared up at him in a daze, wondering what that was about.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that all day,” he confessed. “Last night was torture.”

  “I know.” I put my hand on his lapels. “But you won’t have to be alone tonight.”

  He put his hand on the wall beside me and stole another kiss. Then he buried his face in my neck and inhaled. I touched his back, pulling him closer to me. I wanted no space between us.

  “We have to go to the reception,” I said.

  “How long does that have to last?” He gave me a wicked grin.

  I bit my lip and felt a shudder ripple through my body. “We can leave early.”

  THE NEXT HOUR FLEW by. During our first dance, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. It was nothing too scandalous. Just kisses and touches. They were delicate flourishes, foreshadowing the night to come. I could hardly wait. With the way Carter kept looking at me, I knew he was feeling the same.

  Dinner was delicious. We cut the cake immediately after, and Carter smeared icing all over my face. I was so mad at him that I took his piece and shoved it in his mouth, making sure to get crumbs in his neatly trimmed beard. He kissed me until I was crying with laughter, licking the cake off my face.

  I cleaned up a bit and then sat down in a cushy chair. Carter knelt down and sealed his lips over mine. His hand slithered up my dress where he located my garter, gently sliding it down my leg.

  Parker caught it. But he didn’t look too happy about it.

  Nicole had broken his heart. But I had hope that one day he’d give love another try.

  I stood up and tossed the bouquet to a crowd of single ladies. When I turned around, Beth and Penny lunged for it. Carter put his arm around me, because it looked like they might crash into each other.

  But Beth emerged from the swarm victorious, jumping up and down. Penny looked disappointed, but I hoped she wouldn’t let it get to her. One day, all too soon, her time would come too.

  “Bailey.” Sally pulled me into a warm hug. “You were such a beautiful bride.”

  “Thank you.” I leaned against Carter. “I’m a very lucky woman.”

  “My son is the lucky one,” Robert said, appearing beside his wife.

  Carter stiffened beside me. I felt the tension in his body. He hadn’t spoken to his father since we left Louisiana. That had been over three months ago. When I sent the invitations out, I really didn’t know if Robert would come. Now that he was here, I had no idea how Carter was going to react.

  “Even if she is a Yankee.�
�

  That stung. So I pasted on a smile. “I’m surprised to find you this far north of the Mason-Dixon line.”

  “Well,” he shrugged. “You won the war.”

  I guess that was the closest thing to approval I would ever get from this man. But he was my father-in-law now, so I would take it.

  “I’m happy for you, son.” He clapped Carter on the shoulder. “But I still miss you at home.”

  “This is my home now,” Carter said. “In New York. With Bailey.”

  Sally cupped my cheek in her hand. “We love you, Bailey. Welcome to the family.”

  As they walked away, Carter drained his glass of champagne. “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” He squeezed my waist, gazing down at me. “When can we get out of here?”

  Chapter 25

  Carter

  As Bailey glided towards the honeymoon suite, I grabbed her hand to pull her back. She gazed into my eyes, startled and confused. I leaned over and slipped my arm beneath her legs, lifting her in the air.

  “You didn’t have to carry me,” she said breathlessly.

  “I wanted to.” And I knew she’d wanted me to. It was written all over her adorable face.

  I kissed her as we entered the suite, letting the door swing shut behind us. She stepped down and looked around the room in awe. That’s when I took the liberty of hanging the Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

  “Wow. This room is amazing.” She spun around in her wedding dress.

  I stood there staring at her, because it didn’t feel real. The girl from the restaurant was my wife. The gorgeous, sweet, perfect darling I’d met when I was feeling like the worst version of myself. Not only was she amazing, she truly loved me for who I was—scars and all. That meant everything to me.

  “Can you believe this is the same hotel where my parents got married?” she said.

  She was so precious to me. That’s why I could hardly speak. The reality of today had finally hit me.

  Bailey ran around the bed and jumped on the mattress. As she lay on the flat of her back looking up at the ceiling, I leaned against one of the posts. She laughed and closed her eyes with a smile on her face.