“Is something wrong?” Adrian asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.
“No, nothing’s wrong,” she lied. “The earrings are very pretty.”
“I’m glad you like them,” he said. “And I have some news that might put a smile on your face. A real smile.”
“Okay...” Peyton waited, a bit nervously.
Adrian ran his hands over his pants. “Over the past few weeks—since your eighteenth birthday—I’ve been reconsidering my decision regarding Jackson.”
Peyton’s heart leaped. “What about him?”
“With your plan to take a gap year, you’ll need a guard around at all times who’s able to go undercover as a fellow student,” Adrian began. “And while I do still worry about Jackson’s feelings for you affecting how he does his job, he’s one of the best. It wouldn’t be a stretch for him to pull off nineteen or twenty in a gap-year setting.”
“No way.” Peyton’s head spun so much that everything blurred around her. “You don’t mean...”
Adrian held a hand up so he could continue. “I discussed the idea with Jackson, along with my concerns, and he promised that protecting you would be his top priority. I had my people talk with the owners of the programs you’re considering, and everything is settled. Jackson will be undercover as a gap-year student, serving as your guard to make sure you’re protected at all times.”
“Are you serious?” Peyton asked, her eyes wide.
“Of course I’m serious,” he said. “Consider it my birthday present to you. I trust that you’re okay with this?”
Peyton clutched the jewelry box to her chest. “Yes!” she exclaimed, sounding as giddy as Savannah on a shopping spree. “Of course I’m okay with this. It’s the most perfect present ever.”
She jumped up from the couch and wrapped her arms around her father in a hug. She wasn’t normally a hugger, but she didn’t know how else to express how much this meant to her. He hugged her back tightly, and she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting any tears to escape.
“What changed your mind?” she asked, letting go and stepping back.
“Rebecca calls it ‘wedding fever.’” He laughed. “This is one of the happiest days of my life, and I want you and your sisters to be happy, too. Plus, the practicality behind the arrangement was impossible to ignore.”
“Of course,” Peyton said, unable to stop smiling. She put on her earrings, amazed that she would be spending all of next year with Jackson. It made her want to explode with happiness.
“I have more good news for you, too,” Adrian said. “I wanted it to be a surprise, but we have so much more to do today with the photo shoots and the press interviews, so I thought you should know now.”
“What?” Peyton asked, watching him expectantly. How could anything make her happier than what she’d just learned?
“Jackson will be attending the wedding, and the party planner was able to arrange it so he’ll be at your table for the reception, as your date.”
“You mean he’s here? Now?” Her stomach jumped into her throat, and she glanced at her phone, lying on the table. “How long has he known about this? Why hasn’t he told me?”
“His coming to the wedding was very last-minute,” Adrian said. “After Rebecca and I saw how happy Courtney and Brett were at our acceptance of their relationship, and now that you’re eighteen and a relationship with Jackson is no longer a potential legal issue, we wanted to see you just as happy. So we had Jackson catch a flight this morning. He’s not here yet, but he’ll arrive in time for the ceremony. We specifically asked him to let it be a surprise, so hopefully you don’t hold it against him that he hasn’t personally contacted you to share the news.
“But,” he continued, glancing at his watch, “we have a long day today, and I need you girls to have your head in the game. We should be heading to the lobby now to begin taking the photos. And I must say, the four of you look beautiful.” He held his arm out, offering it to Peyton. “Are you ready?”
Peyton took his arm, and Savannah was quick to take the other. With Madison and Courtney close by their sides, the five of them left the bridesmaid suite together.
* * *
The majority of the day was a boring string of photo shoots, hair and makeup touch-ups and interviews. Peyton’s stomach tumbled the entire time with the anticipation of seeing Jackson.
Once all the photos and interviews were finished, she and her sisters were escorted back to the bridesmaid suite so the stylists could freshen them up. Savannah and Madison chattered away a few chairs over, but Peyton’s mind was such a jumbled mess that she needed a break. She closed her eyes as her hair was sprayed into place, her legs bouncing in her seat, and sipped the espresso that had been brought to her.
Courtney came over and sat down in the seat next to her. “Are you nervous about seeing Jackson?” she asked.
“Yes,” Peyton said, tapping her nails on the armrests. “What if when we see each other again, the spark between us is gone? What if Jackson was right, and I only thought there was something between us because we weren’t allowed to be together?”
“I don’t think that will happen,” Courtney said. “But if it does, at least you’ll have closure. It’s better than wondering forever.”
“You’re right.” She took a deep breath and popped a piece of gum into her mouth. “These past months when I thought I would never know what could have happened between us have been driving me crazy.”
“I’ve never seen you get this worked up over a guy.” Courtney smiled. “I can tell how much you care about him.”
“Yeah,” Peyton said. “I really do.”
Once they were freshened up and ready to go, the wedding planner came into the dressing room to escort them to their places. The guests were already seated, although it was difficult to see anything with the doors closed. Peyton tried to peek, and while she could just barely spot Mom and Grandma in the back, she couldn’t see Jackson.
Could he have backed out last-minute and decided not to come?
“It’s impossible to see everyone from this angle,” Courtney said to her quietly. “But Jackson’s there.”
“You see him?” She stood on her tiptoes to get a better view.
“No,” Courtney said. “But Adrian said he’ll be here. He wouldn’t have told you that if he wasn’t sure.”
Peyton lowered her heels, took a deep breath and tried to relax. But even though she was about to walk down an aisle in front of celebrities, famous entrepreneurs and royalty, she was more nervous to see Jackson—the young bodyguard from Omaha, Nebraska.
If he was even there.
“Do just what we did in the rehearsal,” the wedding planner reminded them, handing them each a huge bouquet. “Smile, take your time walking down the aisle and hold your bouquets at belly-button level. Make sure your arms don’t droop. And Peyton, untuck your hair from behind your ear. It’s supposed to fall softly around your face.”
“Sorry.” Peyton moved her hair back into place.
The wedding planner nodded, and the first notes from the string quartet rang through the air. The officiant was the first to walk down the aisle, followed by Adrian, his best man—a famous Hollywood actor who had been friends with Adrian for years—and then Brett.
Next up were the bridesmaids. Since she was the oldest, Peyton had to go first, and she stepped through the doors to the outside terrace.
The designers had turned the patio into a flowered wonderland. Pink and purple bouquets in wrought-iron stands lined the pews, and purple flower arrangements that must have been seven feet tall stood against the hedges. The altar was taller than some of the surrounding trees, consisting mainly of woven vines that came together in a dome at the top, with sheer white drapery flowing from the center down the edges. A golden chandelier hung from the middle. Above it all, the gleami
ng gold tower of the Diamond Residences rose overhead, as if keeping watch over the ceremony.
Peyton felt the eyes on her when she entered, and her vision blurred, but she steadied herself and walked down the rose-petal-covered aisle. She tried to smile and not rush, despite wanting to hurry to the front so everyone would stop watching her.
Finally she made it, and she took her designated spot. She faced the audience, and that was when she saw him.
Jackson sat in the third row, his hazel eyes lighting up when they met hers. He wore a pressed tux as sleek as the ones worn by the attending celebrities, and his hair had grown out from the shorn buzz cut he’d kept while working as her guard. It was long enough now that she would be able to run her fingers through it, and it made him look younger. It was perfect for going undercover as a college student.
He beamed at her, and her breath quickened—she wanted to run to him and wrap her arms around him and tell him how happy she was that Adrian accepted them being together, and that he was here. But while she normally didn’t mind making a commotion, this was her father’s wedding, and a proper greeting would have to wait until later. So she smiled at Jackson with the promise of speaking to him soon, and watched her sisters walk down the aisle.
The song changed to “Here Comes the Bride,” the guests stood and Rebecca made her way down the aisle on the arm of her father. In her floor-length, white lace wedding gown, her hair curled in a half-down, half-up bundle on her head, and a dainty headpiece of woven diamonds, she fit the press-given title of the “Duchess of Las Vegas” perfectly.
Adrian watched Rebecca with so much love and adoration, and her gaze was on him the entire time. She joined him at the altar, and when he took her hands, it was clear that she was the only person in the world he was seeing. During their vows, Adrian talked about how Rebecca was his first love in high school, and that while their lives had diverted for a time, it had allowed them to grow as people. He said he believed that it was meant to be between the two of them, that she was his one true love, and that he couldn’t wait to start the rest of his life with her. Peyton’s eyes watered, and she blinked away the tears, hoping no one had noticed.
Rebecca shared a similar story, about how Adrian had always held her heart. She promised to love him always, and to love his family, as well. She glanced at Peyton and her sisters at that part, and Peyton smiled back at Rebecca, promising herself to stop being so hard on her new stepmother and to give her a chance.
Adrian and Rebecca exchanged rings, were pronounced man and wife, and they kissed. They floated back down the aisle, and Peyton and the rest of the wedding party followed them out, just as they’d practiced last night. The doors closed behind them, and Adrian and Rebecca shared a longer kiss. Once they broke off, the members of the wedding party walked up to them, hugging them and offering their congratulations.
“I’m really happy that you’re a part of our family now,” Peyton said to Rebecca, picking at a stem of her bouquet.
“Thank you, Peyton.” Rebecca beamed, and pulled her into a hug. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”
Brett was the next to offer his congratulations, and Peyton stepped back to join her sisters.
“So, you finally decided to give Rebecca a chance?” Savannah asked.
“She’s part of our family now, so I figured it couldn’t hurt.” Peyton shrugged, not wanting to bring too much attention to her change of heart, and Savannah smiled.
“If you’re in the wedding party, please follow me to the bridal suite,” the wedding planner announced. “There’s champagne and hors d’oeuvres waiting for you.” She held up her hand to lead the way, but Peyton glanced behind her, her heart pulling her back to where the guests were filtering out of the ceremony.
“Would you mind if I meet you there in ten minutes?” Peyton asked Adrian. “There’s someone I need to see.”
“And I think that young man is looking forward to seeing you, too.” He nodded. “But please make it brief—we want you there for the champagne toast. You’ll have plenty of time to spend with Jackson at the reception tonight.”
“I’ll be quick, I promise.” Peyton handed her bouquet to Courtney and held up her dress slightly to make sure she didn’t trip on it. “I’ll see you all soon.”
She waited behind a column, twisting her hands and trying to blend in, despite the gold bridesmaid dress. Since Jackson was in the third row, it took a while for him to make it out, but he finally did. His eyes scanned the area—he was clearly looking for someone.
“Jackson,” Peyton called in a loud whisper. His gaze met hers, and she smiled, motioning for him to join her.
“Is there a reason why you’re hiding behind this column?” he asked, his hazel eyes dancing with amusement.
“I only have a few minutes, but I had to see you before going back to the bridal suite for the toast.” Peyton studied Jackson, unable to believe that he was here, and her thoughts came out in a jumbled rush. “I’m so sorry about everything,” she said. “I never wanted to get you fired, or for you to risk your career for me. You’re one of the few people I’ve ever opened up to, but I was only thinking about myself, and I messed up. I hope you can forgive me, but it won’t feel real until I hear it from you.”
“Of course I forgive you.” He laughed and took her hands in his, as if the idea of not forgiving her was ridiculous. “I was upset at first, and I wasn’t sure what to do, which is why I needed time to think everything over. But I wasn’t angry at you—I was angry at myself. Our relationship was supposed to be professional, and I let myself fall for you. I told myself that the move to New York was for the best, but as hard as I tried to get over you, I couldn’t. You’ve been on my mind every day since the last time we saw each other. You proved to be more distracting to me when I was away than you ever could have been if I were here, because I didn’t want your protection left in anyone else’s hands but my own.”
Her heart raced at his words. Could it really be true? It had to be. He wouldn’t have said that if he didn’t mean it.
“I’ve thought about you every day, too.” Peyton blinked away a tear and gripped at the fabric of her dress. “But I had no idea you felt the same. If I did, I would have fought to be together no matter what.”
“Which is exactly why I didn’t tell you,” he said. “Besides the fact that nothing could happen between us until you turned eighteen, you were just getting to know your father. He would never have supported us being together until you were of legal age, and I couldn’t let myself be responsible for ruining your relationship with him.”
She released her grip on her dress, letting it fall over her shoes, and straightened her shoulders. “You wouldn’t have ruined my relationship with Adrian,” she said.
“I would have driven a wedge between you two,” he insisted. “But a few weeks ago, Rebecca called me. She told me that you were looking into doing a gap-year program—I’m glad you liked my suggestion, by the way—and that you would need an undercover guard. She couldn’t promise anything at the time, but she said that if you decided to do that program, and if I was still interested in working for your family, she would talk with Adrian about hiring me for the job.”
“And you told her you were interested?” She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from him.
“Without hesitation.”
“Wow.” Peyton’s skin tingled, and she smiled. This was actually happening. But despite her happiness, guilt twinged in her chest.
“What’s wrong?” Jackson asked.
“I had no idea Rebecca was doing all of that,” she said. “I wish I’d known earlier.”
“She didn’t want to get your hopes up, in case she couldn’t get Adrian on board with the plan,” he said. “It was only last night that he gave the official go-ahead. From there, he arranged for me to fly out here and tell you the news myself.
” He watched her, his eyes serious. “What are you thinking right now? You are glad I’m here, right?”
“I’m just wondering how long it’s going to take for you to kiss me.” Peyton smiled. “Everyone’s waiting for me in the bridal suite, so I don’t have all day—”
He pressed his lips to hers, and she melted into him, everything else fading into the background. But what if someone saw? Her breath caught, and she almost pulled away...then she remembered that they didn’t have to hide anymore. They were allowed to be together.
And he would be by her side for the next year as they traveled the world.
chapter 32:
The moment that Madison walked into the ballroom for Adrian and Rebecca’s wedding reception, she knew it would be a blowout that made Savannah’s Sweet Sixteen party look tame.
Red-and-gold embroidered cloths covered the many tables surrounded by golden chairs, dozens of giant spherical bouquets hung from the ceiling, trees with dangling diamond lights lined the walls and a gigantic stage fit for a concert had been assembled at the front. Country superstar Luke Bryan opened the show, followed by Tony Award–winning Broadway stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. They both sang separately, and then performed their much-anticipated duets from Wicked.
The six-course meal, planned by renowned Chef Bart Messing from the Diamond, was absolutely delicious. Each course came paired with fine champagne or wine, so by midway through dinner, every guest was sufficiently tipsy.
Finally, out rolled the eight-tiered wedding cake, all-white frosting with delicate flower designs on each level. Madison had inhaled every bite of the meal, and she was so full that her bridesmaid gown felt considerably tighter than it had that morning. But it was fine, because this was one of her two “cheat meals” this week. Of course, she shouldn’t eat this much food all the time, but she was learning not to beat herself up over a slice of cake.
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