This wedding was nothing compared to her last. The sham wedding. The one that could be considered her lifesaver. She hated to admit that—giving herself to someone else—but it had all been done for a reason. Whether that reason was a joke or not, Georgina would always maintain that it was worth it. It meant that Patrick Healy stepped back.
“Mrs. Weaver?” A waiter approached Georgina. “Another glass?”
“Oh, yes.” She took a glass of champagne from the tray, silently thanking the waiter as she slowly sipped, watching Paisley over the rim of her glass. “God, she’s a masterpiece.”
“Yes, she is.” A voice startled Georgina. “I can see what all the fuss was about.”
Georgina frowned, recognising the voice immediately. Especially with that strong Scottish accent.
“Are you going to introduce me to your wife?”
“Rhona.” Georgina turned around, her mouth falling open. “I didn’t think you would show.”
“I didn’t think I would either.” Rhona cocked her head, smiling. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?”
“Yes!” Georgina pulled her friend come ex-wife into a hug. She had no idea how Paisley would react to Rhona being here, but they’d spoken briefly six months ago, and Georgina insisted Rhona join them on their wedding day. It had simply slipped Georgina’s mind, leading her to forget about telling Paisley. “I mean, Paisley doesn’t know I invited you…”
Rhona blanched. “Should I go?”
“No. It’s fine. I’m sure everything will be fine.” Paisley hadn’t mentioned Georgina’s previous marriage since last Christmas. “Let me get you a drink.”
“I’m okay. I’ve had three glasses already.”
“How long have you been here?” Georgina asked.
“Since your first dance.” Rhona glanced around the room, clearing her throat. “Paisley is headed this way. If you need to lie about who I am, I understand.”
“I have no secrets.” Georgina held up her hand, climbing to her feet. “Paisley…”
“Hi, babe.” Paisley’s chest heaved. “I’m so friggin’ tired.”
“Me, too.” Georgina slid her arm around Paisley’s waist, lowering her lips to her wife’s ear. “Please don’t be upset, but I invited someone here. I just forgot to mention it.”
Paisley laughed. “Why would I be upset? I’m sure whoever you invited has every right to be here.”
Georgina really hoped Paisley could stand by that when she revealed who the woman was standing in front of them.
“Hi.” Paisley held out her hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Rhona smiled, holding out her hand as she eyed Georgina.
“Baby, this is Rhona.” Georgina’s heart constricted as Paisley’s hand fell away from Rhona’s.
“H-hi.” Paisley wrapped a protective arm around Georgina. “I didn’t see your name on the guestlist.”
Rhona held up both hands. “It’s just a passing visit. Georgina invited me, and I thought it would be rude if I didn’t at least show my face.”
“Well, thank you for coming.” Paisley’s shoulders relaxed, sending a wave of relief through Georgina. “And thank you for helping Gee out when she needed it most.”
“She’s my friend,” Rhona said, nodding. “And she needed people around her.”
Paisley smiled. “It all worked itself out in the end.”
“It certainly did,” Rhona agreed. “I’m really happy you both found your way back to one another.”
Paisley backed away. “C-could you give me a moment? Sorry, I just…”
Georgina watched her wife rush away from the conversation. She closed her eyes momentarily, pinching the bridge of her nose. This wasn’t how this evening was supposed to go. Yes, Georgina was apprehensive about Paisley meeting Rhona, but she didn’t think Paisley would be pissed off about her arrival. After all, Paisley had once mentioned the need to thank Rhona for everything she’d done.
There is thanking her and then there is inviting her to the wedding, you stupid bitch. Georgina scolded herself, annoyed that she’d sent Paisley wandering off.
Georgina’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry, I need to go and find her. But please, stay and enjoy what’s left of the night.”
“I shouldn’t.” Rhona winced.
“You should. I’ll be back.” Georgina glanced around the barn. “Paisley will be fine. Give me a few minutes to find her.”
“Go and enjoy your wedding, Georgina.” Rhona shooed her away. “Your real wedding. The one you dreamt about.”
“Thank you.” Georgina threw her thumb over her shoulder. “I should go.”
Rhona simply nodded, offering Georgina one final smile before she turned and disappeared into the crowd. Georgina caught sight of Pauline and Oisín still dancing. How they still had it in them to be so energetic escaped Georgina, but they were enjoying themselves and that was what mattered.
She rushed out onto the terrace. In the distance, she caught Paisley heading into their bridal suite. Please, don’t fuck this up. Georgina moved as quickly as her heels would allow, her feet throbbing and just about done for the night.
As she slowed her pace towards the door of the suite, she took a moment to catch her breath. If she walked in there to find Paisley all guns blazing, Georgina would surely crumble. She’d worked hard to create the perfect day; how could she now mess the entire thing up by inviting Rhona? Georgina stopped momentarily, peering through the open door at her wife sitting on the bed with her head lowered.
“Paisley…”
Brown eyes lifted, Paisley offering Georgina a small smile. “Hey.”
“I’m sorry.”
Paisley frowned. “Why?”
“I shouldn’t have invited Rhona. I just…I don’t know what I was thinking when I did.”
“She’s your friend, right?”
“Well, yes.” Georgina nodded, slipping into the suite and closing the door.
“Then she has every right to be here.” Paisley smiled weakly. “I’m sorry. I think I’m emotionally drained.”
“Understandable.”
“This year has been amazing, Gee,” Paisley explained. “And today? God, it’s been more than I ever could have dreamed.”
Georgina crouched down in front of Paisley. “But?”
“But I haven’t thought about the time we spent apart for a while now. Seeing her…it just brought back some of that hurt, you know?”
“I’m sorry.” Georgina took Paisley’s hands, kissing her skin delicately. “So sorry.”
“No, I don’t want you to be sorry.” Paisley blew out a deep breath. “It’s forgotten. Rhona’s here and we’re completely fine. I promise you.”
Georgina got to her feet. “Come with me?”
Paisley nodded.
Georgina guided her out of the suite and towards the lake. The air crisp, Georgina squeezed her wife’s hand tighter, pulling Paisley in front of her and wrapping her arms around her waist from behind. “You were out here earlier.”
“Yeah.” Paisley sighed, resting her head back against Georgina’s shoulder. “But it feels better being out here alone with you.”
“I have to agree.” Georgina pressed a kiss to the spot below Paisley’s ear. “I love you.”
“Mm. I love you, too.” Paisley’s hands rested over Georgina’s as they sat securely against her stomach. “I just want five minutes out here with you before someone takes you away from me again.”
“Nobody could ever take me away from you, baby.”
“I’m not mad at you for inviting her here, so please don’t think that I am.” Paisley tilted her head up, eyeing Georgina. “You just caught me off-guard.”
“I did have a moment of panic,” Georgina confessed. “The last thing I want is to ruin this day for you.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible…”
“Hey.” Georgina drew Paisley into a kiss. “I don’t ever want to risk anything that could jeopardise us. I simply forgot to tell you.”
“Rhona was there for you,” Paisley whispered. “When I couldn’t be, she did what you needed. I completely understand that, Gee.”
“All I ever wanted was you.” Georgina’s voice quivered. “You and me. Just like this.”
“We have everything we need now.”
Georgina sighed, turning her head into the side of Paisley’s neck. Would her wife always smell so good? “I know.”
“You see those stars.” Paisley spoke quietly, giving Georgina the impression she was about to be let in on a secret. “Tonight, they’re ours. Every last one of them.”
“Yeah?” Georgina’s heart fluttered, the sky sparkling as she followed Paisley’s line of sight. Her arms remained securely around her wife’s waist, Georgina’s front pressing against Paisley’s back.
“But not a single one of them is shining as bright as you are.”
Georgina turned Paisley in her arms, lifting her hand and brushing a lock of hair from Paisley’s face. “I’ll never know how I ended up here with you. After all the hurt I caused, I never expected to hold a conversation with you again, let alone all of this.” Georgina angled her head ever so slightly, smiling. “But Paisley, I count my blessings every morning when I wake up with you in my arms.”
“Me, too.”
“You make me the happiest I’ve ever felt.” Georgina no longer considered the past to be relevant. She had her entire future in her arms. That was were Paisley would always belong.
“You’re amazing.” Paisley leaned in, her lips caressing Georgina’s. “You are more than I ever imagined I would be lucky enough to have in my life.”
Georgina was rendered speechless. Instead, she chose to stare directly into Paisley’s eyes, their foreheads pressed together.
“And this…you.” Paisley smiled. “I’m the one who gets to experience it for the rest of my life. You’re my wife, Gee. My wife. It actually happened.”
Tears rolled down Georgina’s cheeks, the beaming smile from Paisley too much to take in this moment. “It did, baby. It happened.”
“I just…I can’t believe it.” Paisley’s bottom lip trembled. “I always knew I wanted to spend my life with you, but to call you my wife…” Paisley shook her head. “I never thought it would happen.”
Georgina breathed deeply, willing her tears to subside. “Forever, right?”
“Forever.”
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Coming Soon…
The sequel to ‘The Arrangement’ will be coming soon.
The Call will be released at the end of January 2020
Melissa Tereze is a best-selling author living in Liverpool, UK, with her fiancée and Golden Retriever. She holds a degree in Sports Development, and when she’s not writing, she can be found at a local bar singing one of her favourite tracks.
You can contact Melissa through her social media and her website.
Also By Melissa Tereze
The Heat of Summer
The Arrangement
Forget Me Not
More Than A Feeling
Where We Belong
Naked
Forever Yours Page 18