The Wedding Contract

by H. M. Ward

  My emotions explode and splatter everywhere. I can’t hide them anymore. That’s when I shove Nick’s shoulder. “And you. Why’d you have to cheat? I could have handled everything up until that point, but you frickin’ cheated!”

  He turns to look at me. “Just what did I cheat at? If I did cheat I’m unaware of it. I play angles, crush hopes, and mislead—but I don’t flat out cheat.”

  “Well, isn’t that refreshing?” I stare at the floor.

  Nick grimaces and then inhales deeply, before running his fingers through his hair. “I can’t change who I am. I’m a Ferro through and through. You knew it when you first met me—that’s why you tossed me out without a packet. You saw through me every moment after that. You knew I’d take you down, but you put up a helluva fight.”

  “Not that it matters—I’ve already lost. Without pictures from this wedding, I can’t keep my shop open.” I feel numb. A goofy, sad smile consumes my face and I look up, and blurt out. “That isn’t even the worst part. The worst part is Sophie doesn’t trust me anymore. That’s why we’re locked in here. She didn’t want me at her wedding.” I sniffle and then laugh awkwardly, glancing at Nick who’s intently watching me. “I’ve never had a friendship end this way before.”

  “It’s my fault, not yours.”

  “No, it’s not. I was going to do something to you and I told her.” I straighten and run my fingers through my hair until I reach the place where it’s pinned up at the back of my head. Smiling sadly, I tell him, “I was going to get back at you for the double-sided coin.”

  He looks confused. “What are you talking about?”

  “The coin toss, smart ass. You used a double-sided coin.”

  “I did not—I don’t operate that way. If I were to try something, it would be untraceable. A fake coin is amateur hour. I’d get caught.” Nick is watching me intently. The tight fake smile fades from my face as I think back to the other night.

  I stand abruptly, walk to the bathroom, and come back with the few coins I found by the sink. “These are yours, right?”

  “No, I thought they were yours.”

  I lift the double-sided quarter and show it to him. “This isn’t yours?”

  He laughs, like I’m kidding. “Of course not, and if it was, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave it out. Sky, I used a regular coin. You called it, not me.”

  I think back, staring at his beautiful face as I remember that night. I can’t help it. I smile a little. “You didn’t cheat?”

  He shakes his head. “Someone doesn’t like me very much, huh? Story of my life. People hear Ferro and run the other way. I suppose this time it was my own goddamn fault, but it hasn’t always been this way.”

  I’m leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. Nick is sitting close to me, but not touching, leaning back on his arms. “What do you mean?”

  He slips and lies on his back, tucking his hands behind his head. “I’m the middle child, like, the classic middle child with middle child syndrome and all that shit. My parents pretty much considered my brothers and me clones of each other. After graduating high school, we were each given options of acceptable professions, but my chosen careers didn’t fit. I chose my own path, instead. The thing is, I know the family is ruthless. My aunt enjoys being like that, flaunting her power like a freaking monarch on crack.”

  His voice sounds different, like he’s lost. This isn’t the certain Nick Ferro who’s been promenading around me for months. It’s the man I glimpsed inside that other guy. I hear his voice and I can’t help but turn and look at him. Nick speaks to the ceiling, almost as if he’s afraid to look at me.

  Nick clears his throat and continues, “I thought she was crazy, but my Dad’s the same way. They’re clones, my aunt and my dad. They think the same way and have the same expectations. So when little Nick Ferro discovered he had artistic abilities, they were squashed. No Ferro is permitted to have such a mundane job. But I couldn’t stop learning—that would have been like trying not to breathe. I just can’t. So I learned photography and I learned some other things.”

  “Some?” I prompt. I know damn well that he knows a lot of artistic things. I can see it in the few pictures he took.

  He laughs once, softly, “I’m trying not to exaggerate. Somewhere between high school and graduating with my masters, that artsy guy disappeared. Now I’m all gusto, charisma and charm. I have to be. It’s on 24/7 and I have no idea why I’m telling you all this.” He sighs and looks over at me. “Ah, right, it’s because you already know. You have this gaze that’s unnerving, you know. It’s like you can see through me and tell I have no soul.” He shivers and, although I know he’s making light of it, I can see he believes what he says.

  I turn toward him and pull one foot up onto the bed. Looking down at him, I say, “You have a soul—it’s not a thoughtless compliment, it’s the truth. If you didn’t, you couldn’t take photographs the way you do.”

  Nick watches me a moment too long, then lowers his gaze. Those dark lashes obscure his blue gaze. He opens his mouth with a fake smile and then shuts it again. “I can’t bullshit you. In all this time, you’re the only person I can’t fool. It’s like you’re bullshit-proof.”

  The comment makes me laugh. “A wonderful quality to possess, indeed.”

  “It is, but there’s more. Tenacity and genuine concern and care for the people around you—even when life doesn’t treat you fairly, even when I didn’t treat you fairly.”

  I mash my lips together and ask him again, “Why me? And don’t say because I’m the best. That’s bullshit.”

  Nick’s smile fades. “I had to prove myself. You were the job.”

  “What?” I straighten and look at him because that sounded totally wrong.

  Nick shakes his head, “I love your dirty mind, gutter girl, but that’s not what I meant. I was given a target based on my current set of skills. The goal was to destroy your business in ninety days and complete every contract I received. I had to make sure you closed your doors and never opened again.”

  He mashes his lips together and hands me his phone. “You were chosen for a reason, by my father, so I could work at the family company. My objective was to prove to him that I am ruthless enough to handle business matters, no matter what. He pinpointed someone I admired and told me to destroy her.”

  Taking his phone, I look at the picture he has pulled up. It’s an article about me printed in Babylon’s newspaper, a paper so small I thought no one ever saw it. My picture is there along with a shot from one of my bridal sessions. They did a story on me because “the portrait was sublime for a photographer so young.” They felt my level was unusual for my age. I continue to stare at the article, unable to wrap my head around what he’s telling me. “But this was almost four years ago.”

  “I know.” He reaches for his phone, but I accidentally flip it to the next picture and stare. Shock fills me from head to toe and I drop the phone on the floor.

  Nick sits up quickly, worry flashing through his eyes. “I’m not a stalker, Sky. I just saw your work when I was getting my degree and fell in love with it. I guess when I met the legend and got shunned it hurt a little, so it lessened the sting when you were assigned as my target.” He lowers his eyes like he can’t stand what he’s done.

  A Ferro was infatuated with my work? I lift his phone from the floor. “May I?’

  Nick swallows hard and nods before getting off the bed and heading toward the window. He slips his hands into his pockets and looks outside at the blue sky and setting sun. Sophie is probably walking down the aisle right now. I push the thought away and take a deep breath. I flip to the next picture, it’s another piece of my work. I flip from image to image, finding a spattering of work from other artists—most of whom are long dead.

  My throat is tight, but I manage to say it, “I didn’t give you a folder because I liked you too much. I didn’t know who you were, but I knew I couldn’t be in the same room with you and not…” I stop suddenly, unable to
finish. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to him that day. People fall in love with the art, and hope the artist isn’t a jackass. I seemed cruel to him, dismissive. The corner of my mouth pulls up into a half smile as Nick turns around.

  His eyes widen and lock on mine. I can’t breathe. Someone stole all the air from the room and I’m going to die. “Finish your story.”

  “You finish yours.” My voice shakes as I speak, but the tremor is spreading.

  Nick holds my gaze and steps toward me. With each step, he tells me a little bit more. “I idolized you. I watched your Facebook page and Twitter accounts. You appeared funny and smart, kind and talented. When you tossed me out without a second look,” he works his jaw and finally says, “I took it as a challenge. I copied everything you did because it obviously annoyed you and, well, because it was brilliant. Every client I stole gave me satisfaction, because I thought you were the fake. I was all too happy to rip your business to shreds, idol or not. My father applauded me. He didn’t think I had it in me, but I did—and he knows this wedding is your final straw.”

  Nick is standing in front of me, a step away like there’s an invisible barrier between us. He takes a deep breath and asks, “Why’d you throw me out? You couldn’t be in the same room with me and not…what?” Fear drips down my spine like ice. I stare at him, wide-eyed, wanting to run, but Sophie glued us in this room. I look everywhere but at Nick, until he kneels in front of me and touches my cheek lightly, repositioning my gaze until I look him in the eyes. “Tell me. Please.”

  My jaw hangs open, flapping and gasping. I want to crawl both away from him and toward him at the same time. I’m an emotional mess, overstressed, and this is too much. He’s been trying to destroy my business all this time because he thought I hated him. My God. My voice is a whisper, “I knew I couldn’t be in the same room with you without touching you. I was attracted to you. A lot. So, I threw you out. I couldn’t shoot the wedding of the only guy I’ve ever met whose mere presence made my pulse race like that. It was a bad idea. In the first three seconds you were in my shop I was enamored with you, and the more you spoke, the more I liked you. I had to throw you out. I had to."

  “You liked me?” Nick’s voice is soft, surprised. He blinks those dark lashes and watches me like this can’t be happening.

  But it is. I nod once and the gentle caress of his hand on the side of my face nearly undoes me. I’ve liked him so much, for so long, that this kills me. “If you don’t destroy me, what happens?”

  “I have no job and get cut off from the family.”

  “So, being stuck here with me now means that you’re…” Oh my God. I can’t say it.

  So Nick does. “I’m ruined. Disowned. Pick one. My family doesn’t accept me the way I am, but you did—even though I wore ratty clothes and was covered in dirt. Skylar.” When he says my name, my skin prickles and my head feels light. He’s so close he could kiss me, but he doesn’t. Instead, Nick kneels at my feet like I’m some sort of goddess and touches my cheek.

  “We have to get you down there.” I start to move, but his other hand comes up.

  Nick cups my face. “I’m not leaving this room.”

  CHAPTER 28

  “But, you can’t. You already beat me, Nick—just call the front desk and go downstairs. I haven’t got enough gas money to get home, I didn’t pay my insurance and my best camera broke. There’s no way I won the bet, and the bet was the only thing that could save me.” Nick doesn’t speak. His eyes rove over my face again and again learning every inch as I speak. I plead with him, but he doesn’t listen. He stays there at my feet, holding my face and making my heart pound harder and faster. “Go! You have to. My business is already over. There’s no point in both of us losing everything we wanted.”

  His hands slip off my face and I think he’s going to leave, but he doesn’t. Instead Nick turns and says, “I never wanted this. I only did it because of the way you treated me.”

  “I’m not the kind of girl that would crush on a guy if he belongs to someone else. Nick, I was young and handled it wrong. I’m so sorry, but sorry doesn’t change what’s going on now.”

  “It does.” He rubs his face and shakes his head. “I’m not that guy. I found my shadow, my anchor, and she’s sitting right here beside me. She gave me her kiss and I gave it back. I hurt her over and over again, and still she’s here, listening, even though I don’t have a chance with her. Not after all this.”

  Sophie’s words make sense now. She saw it and I didn’t—we were both turning into the same person—someone jaded and heartless. Neither of us chose it, it just happened, and Sophie stopped it. I don’t know what to do. I feel like it’s my move, but I’m frozen. Whatever I say next changes everything. I could destroy him. When he speaks, there’s a tremble in his voice.

  My eyes search the room and land on the thimble next to me on the nightstand. I take it in my hand and fiddle with it. Nick turns and looks at me. I stand and walk over to him, but this time instead of a snide comment, I hold out the object.

  “I’ve worn this every day since I was twelve, until I gave it to you.” It’s an innocent statement. I reach for his arm and lift his hand, placing the symbolic kiss in the center of his palm and closing his fingers around it. Nick watches me intently as I lift his other hand and bring it to my lips. My body is tense and I can’t breathe, but I also can’t stop. Pressing my lips to the center of his palm, I close my eyes for a moment while I savor kissing his hand, and then pull away.

  Tension lines Nick’s body, like he can’t believe I just did that. It was innocent and sexy at the same time, and if the man keeps looking at me like I’m a goddess I’m going to cry. Watching him, I shrug my shoulders like it doesn’t matter when Nick doesn’t respond. He stands very still, staring at me.

  Worry that it was too weird or wrong fills my chest. Just when I’m about to turn away, he takes the thimble and presses it to his lips. “You see through me. I’m a sheet of glass to you.” I’m breathing too hard. We’re standing nose-to-nose when he slips the necklace into his pocket. “Don’t break me, Sky.”

  “Ferros are unbreakable,” I say. “As soon as that door opens, everything will change.” I feel his eyes moving up and down my body and I want more. I want him, but I’m afraid. I can’t tell what’s real and what isn’t because this feels like a dream.

  “It will. You’ll go back to being my idol and I’ll keep my distance the way I did before.”

  My stomach twists as tingles spread over my skin from head-to-toe. The way he looks at me says everything. “What if I don’t want that?”

  “Then show me,” he whispers. “Show me want you want, Skylar.”

  CHAPTER 29

  I’m nervous and have trouble finding the words. “I’m not a one-night-stand kind of girl.”

  “Neither am I.” He reaches for me and tangles his hands in my hair on either side of my head, watching me, waiting.

  “Deegan was a fluke.”

  “You don’t have to explain.”

  “I’ve only ever been with one guy before, and I—” I’m breathing so hard that my chest is rising and falling. Every time I inhale, my chest brushes against his and I die a little. It shoots feelings through my body that I haven’t felt in a long time, but they’re magnified. It’s different, better.

  He strokes my hair, pulling out the pins and letting it fall loose down my back. “And you what?”

  If this doesn’t make him run, nothing will. I drop the bomb and wait for him to jerk back. “I was in love.”

  I can’t read him. Nick stays perfectly still, looking into my eyes. “And now?”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Life’s not fair. Tell me. Say it, Sky.”

  I’m about to swoon. I finally know what that word means. I feel desire consuming me and if I don’t kiss him soon, I’m going to die. He’s a breath away from me. I could just lean in and close the gap. I don’t have to say it. “You say it.”

  He blinks a
t me, as if deciding something, and then everything changes. The tension between us heightens and he leans in, whispering in my ear, “Am I so transparent to you?”

  A shiver runs down my spine. When he presses his lips to my neck, I gasp aloud. Nick moans in response and my knees go out. He catches me in his strong arms and sits me on the side of the bed, assuming nothing. When he looks up at me, the pull is so strong that the space between us closes without thought. Suddenly his lips are on mine, soft and perfect. Nick brushes his mouth against mine again and again, slowly, waiting for me to let him in.

  His hand lifts to my cheek and he angles my head back. I feel woozy, like I’ll fall back and I want to pull him down with me. I fight it, remaining upright until the kiss deepens. My tongue flicks against his lips and he’s there, ready to taste me. I shiver and Nick wraps his arms around me, holding me tight, kissing me fiercely. I gasp and tear at his shirt, trying to get it off. Nick stops and yanks it over his head. When he glances at me, I reach up, slowly pulling my blouse over my head and revealing the lacy black and pink bra beneath. I’m so glad I didn’t wear granny panties today.

  Nick’s gaze lingers on my body, dipping down first to my waist and then back up to my eyes. “Are you sure?” I nod, unable to speak. Nick smiles slightly and lowers those sexy dark lashes. The look he has on his face is so beautiful, so shy, and so unlike him. “I need to tell you something, but you have to promise to keep it a secret.”

  “What?” He has my attention and the butterflies stirring in my stomach calm down for a second.

  Nick glides his hand over my cheek and traces a finger down my neck, following the curve of my body, softly, lightly. As he trails his hand over my breast and down to my waist, he leans in close and makes sure I can see his eyes. He stutters, trying to find the right words, and it’s so cute that I can’t stand it. I kiss his cheek and pull at his belt. “Just tell me. Say it, Nicholas.”

  He shivers. “Oh God.”