My Big Fat Fake Wedding - Lauren Landish Page 0,118

Not because I don’t mean them but because I can’t shake the feeling that we’re lying to everyone.

But I don’t want to lie.

I want him.

I want to be his wife.

And maybe that’s the biggest lie of all . . . the one I’m telling Ross by not telling him the truth. That I love him. That I mean every word I’m saying, every vow I’m making.

Suddenly, it’s time.

“You may kiss the bride.”

Ross leans in, and for a moment, I feel my fear rise up. I want to pull back, to plead forgiveness and go running down the aisle, away from all of this madness.

And then I want to walk back down for real and marry Ross. But that’s even crazier.

But then his lips touch mine, and magic blooms. In his kiss, I can feel him, his heart, and I respond with my whole heart, kissing him back until Father O’Flannigan has to clear his throat. “Save some for the honeymoon, folks?”

We pull back, both of us chuckling. “Sorry, not sorry,” Ross whispers to Father O’Flannigan, who smiles knowingly.

We did it.

As we walk down the aisle and the entire church breaks into applause, each clap is a fresh wave of relief.

But the reason this whole crazy idea even started is wiping fresh tears from his own eyes. Papa, standing with Nana, gives me a nod, pride and happiness in his teary smile.

It’s going to be okay. Nobody knows our secret. Nobody called us out. Nobody is going to wreck this.

It’s time to celebrate successfully giving the sweetest, most loving man I’ve ever known his dying wish. “Thank you,” I whisper . . . to Ross, to Papa, to the universe for giving me enough time with him for this dream to come true.

Chapter 23

Ross

“Ross, I can’t believe you actually went through with shackling that ball and chain on,” Vincent Van Johnson, one of the executives from the company says as I wait for Violet to be ready for our entrance. Really, he shouldn’t even be out here, but I haven’t found a semi-polite way to tell him to head on into the reception. “Though she makes my ex-wife look like dog food, so there’s that. Am I right?” he says, laughing and holding up a palm for a high-five, which I merely raise a brow at.

“Calling her dog food might be why you’re divorced, VJ,” Kaede says, steering Van Johnson away from me and directing him toward the main room of the reception. When he comes back, he’s shaking his head. “Don’t mean to talk ill of your family—”

“Go ahead, I don’t mind.”

“But your dad’s idea to invite the whole company blows chunks,” Kaede finishes. “Devious, but sucky.”

He’s dead right, but right now, I don’t care. I mean, I just had a hell of a wedding, and seeing Violet’s smile is all I really need.

The door to her ‘refreshing’ room opens, and she comes out. I know I just saw her a little bit ago for the ceremony, but now, something’s different.

Now, she’s my wife. And damned if that doesn’t mean something real, I think as my heart swells to bursting just from the sight of her.

“Hi,” I say softly, the smile breaking across my face instantly.

“Hi,” she says back.

Okay, so maybe we’re both in a little bit of shock. But she’s smiling too, so maybe it’s a good kind of shock.

Kaede pats me on the back, grinning. “You two are too cute. I’ll be waiting inside.”

Kaede leaves, and I lean back, marveling at everything’s that’s happened today. From the moment Violet walked into the church, looking like a total vision of beauty, to the moment our lips touched and we were officially married, I was nothing but a mass of nerves.

But she was so steady and sure, my rock in the eye of the storm. The craziness continues. The main room of the hotel ballroom we’ve booked for the reception sounds like Comic Con is going on, but with her by my side, I don’t mind. I don’t even notice.

I only see her. I only hear her. I only feel her. I just want Violet to be happy.

Because she’s mine.

Okay, I’m being a bit of a caveman, and maybe it’s all fake . . . but the paper in my coat pocket isn’t. Yeah, we still have to go down to the county clerk’s office to file it to make it legal, but in my heart, I know it’s the truth.

“You take my breath away,” I murmur, pulling her close