forward to see what he was showing her. Her heart tripped and heat flashed into her cheeks. “A pre-nuptial agreement.?”
“Sí. Surely you are not surprised?”
Her skin burned. “No, I can’t say that I am.”
A rich man—or woman—had to protect assets. But since she’d told him what Parker and her father had done to her, how they’d tricked her—well, it somehow hurt that he would present her with a legal document that basically said he didn’t trust her. She had to stop looking at it that way, but she couldn’t quite help it.
“You will want to read and sign this morning. We will marry this afternoon.”
Her head snapped up. “So soon?”
“There is no need to wait. You may of course confer with your attorneys about the agreement.”
Rebecca’s belly twisted. But he was right. Why wait? Getting married was simply a step at this point. It wasn’t about love.
She stood and clutched the papers to her chest. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to do some reading.”
“Of course.”
Rebecca returned to her room to find a full breakfast from Señora Flores waiting for her. She took a seat at the table placed by a sunny window and began to read. The document was straight-forward enough and contained no strange or oddly worded clauses. She didn’t need an attorney to tell her what her rights and duties were according to the contract. At the end of an hour, she picked up a pen and signed it, her eyes smarting for some reason.
She started to take it back to Alejandro but changed her mind. Instead, she rang for Señora Flores and asked her to deliver the documents. The housekeeper wore a disapproving look as she took them, though Rebecca didn’t think the look was for her.
“Sí, I will take them. Rest up, señorita.”
Rebecca didn’t see Alejandro again until his sister and brother-in-law arrived, and she went down to meet them. She’d changed into a cream silk dress with a skirt that floated around her knees. She might not be getting married in a church, but it was still her wedding and she wanted to look a little like a bride.
Valencia exclaimed when Rebecca walked into the gathering room where she and her husband Phillipe were seated with Alejandro. All three of them stood and Valencia hurried over. She was stunningly beautiful, a smaller version of her brother with sparkling eyes and long black hair. If Alejandro smiled more, his face would be as warm and welcoming as Valencia’s.
“Rebecca! It is so nice to finally meet you.” She hugged Rebecca, who was a little taken aback at her warmth but also grateful for it. “You are so lovely! No wonder Alejandro is smitten.”
“I… Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too,” she said, a little flustered but also aware that now was not the time to correct Valencia’s mistake. Alejandro was definitely not smitten.
Alejandro didn’t offer up a correction either as Valencia led Rebecca over to the couch where he’d been sitting before she walked in. He put an arm around her and drew her close, and she tried not to shiver at the heat of his body where it touched hers. They sank down together and he motioned to a servant. A moment later he pressed a glass of something cold into her hand.
“I can’t drink champagne.” Tiny effervescent bubbles rose and broke on the surface, leaving little doubt to the glass’s content.
“We are having champagne, amor. You are having sparkling grape juice.”
“Oh, of course.” She sniffed the bubbly white juice, touched by his thoughtfulness. Or maybe it was Valencia who’d thought of it.
“To Alejandro and Rebecca,” Valencia said, raising her glass. “May today be the beginning of a very happy life together.”
They drank to Valencia’s toast, and then rose to get into the limo that would take them to the Registry Hall. Valencia and Phillipe, who only had been able to get away from his business at the last minute, talked and laughed the whole way.
Even Alejandro laughed from time to time. It was clear he adored his little sister. He was almost a different person with her around. More carefree and easy. The frown lines that Rebecca saw so often were not evident now. It made her wistful for the time before when Alejandro had been carefree and easy with her.
Rebecca could see why he didn’t frown with his sister around. Valencia’s personality was infectious. She was a kind, happy person, and she loved her husband to distraction. Rebecca watched the other couple