Learning To Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 4) (18 page)

I hear a key in my
front door and put down my beer. She walks in as I’m standing up.
“Hi.”

“Hi? Really?”

“I’m so sorry
Luke.”

“So am I.” I turn
to walk away and stumble a little. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that
fifth beer with no food.

“Are you okay?” She
moves towards me, but I don’t let her touch me.

“No, I’m not
fucking okay! How would I be okay when the woman I love just treated
me like nothing more than a piece of ass? Tell me, because I really
want to know.”

“I love you, Luke. I
do. I just didn’t know what to say. You know how my parents are.”

“I know you want to
please them, but I thought what we had was strong enough for you to
want this more.”

“It is. I swear it
is. It’s going to take them some time to come around and realize
how wonderful you are. Until then, we just have to lie low.”

“So you just want to
hide me? I’m so fucking embarrassing? I know I’ve been wild in
the past, but I’m a good guy, Olivia, and I deserve better than
some secret sexual fling.”

“You’re the best
guy. And it would never be just sex with you. I want all of you,
Luke.”

“You have a pretty
funny way of showing it.”

“Marry me.”

I must be drunker than
I thought, because I think she just asked me to marry her. “What?”

“Marry. Me. I love
you and I want to be your wife. I can’t tell my parents about it
yet, but I want you to know that I’m one hundred percent committed
to you
and
us.”

“You’re serious.”

“I am.”

“When? How? I
mean…hell.” I want to marry her. I even have the ring, but I
thought it would be like a year from now.

“I would tell you to
pick a chapel now, but I’d like you to be sober when you marry me.
So tomorrow?”

This is crazy. I know
it’s crazy. But it’s also something I want, I realize. I
do
want to marry her now. To know she’s fully committed to me, no
matter what. “Yes. Tomorrow. I want it to be somewhere pretty for
you, though, and not a cheesy chapel. You have to let me buy you a
dress, too.”

“I heard the Wynn has
some gardens. I can get a simple dress myself.”

“Yes to the Wynn, but
no to the simple dress. I want you to wear something to remember.
I’ll take you to the mall and tell them to use my credit card. No
arguing.”

“Thanks Luke. If I
were superstitious, I’d leave now since I know we’re not supposed
to see each other the day of the wedding. But I don’t want to leave
you.”

“Good. I want to wake
up with you in my arms. I love you so much, Ollie.”

We go into the bedroom,
where I’m not too drunk to make love slowly to my fiancé. Well, my
almost fiancé. I know we’re getting married tomorrow, but I
haven’t asked her or given her her ring. It’s kind of hot that
she asked me. No, it’s really hot, and I go to sleep with her in my
arms, excited to marry her tomorrow.

In the morning, I get
up before Olivia and set up the living room. I want to make it
romantic and
us
for
when I give her the ring. After I have everything ready, I go back to
the bedroom and slowly wake her up with little kisses all over her
face.

“Maybe we should wait
until tonight, Luke. You know for the whole wedding night
excitement.”

“I’m excited to be
with you all the time, but I can wait until you’re my wife. I have
something to give you, though, so can you come out to the living
room?”

“Sure. Let me just
throw something on, and I’ll meet you out there.”

I kiss her once more.
“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

I go back out to the
living room and get down on one knee so I’ll be ready when she
walks out. It’s only a couple of minutes before I hear her coming
down the hall. She’s humming her favorite song, and I know I have a
big smile on my face when she reaches me. “Lu—oh my God!”

She covers her mouth
with her hands as she takes in all the candles and little stuffed
animals around the room. Then there’s me, on one knee with a ring
in my hand. “Ollie, I know you asked me last night, but I had this
ring already, and I want to do this right before we get married
today.”

“Oh Luke.” Tears
are streaming down her face now, and I’m really hoping they’re
happy tears. She walks over to me and I take her left hand in mine.

“We’ve known
of
each other for over a year now, but we haven’t really known each
other for long. But you’re the only one who truly knows me, because
you wanted to see the real me. You’ve supported me, and loved me,
and although I know it’s soon, I can’t wait to be your husband
today.”

“I haven’t done
enough, Luke, but I promise to love and support you every day of our
lives from now on.”

I smile up at her as I
slide the ring on her finger. She drops to her knees and kisses me. I
have to pull away in order to keep my promise to wait until tonight.
“If we don’t stop kissing, I won’t be able to wait until
tonight for you. I’m already rock hard.”

“I’d say I’m
sorry, but I’m not. Oh, and I love my ring.” She looks down at
the heart shaped diamond with skinny rectangular diamonds on the
side.

“That’s my girl. I
know you’re ring isn’t big or flashy, but I thought you’d like
it.”

“I do. I don’t need
flashy, I just need my hot man.”

“You’ve got me. For
as long as you want me.” She starts crying harder, and I panic a
little. “Honey? What did I do?”

“You love me.”

“I
do
love you.”

“I’m just so
happy.”

“Me too, Ollie. Me
too.”

I pull her into my arms
and hold her tight for a long time. She eventually pulls away and
insists on making us breakfast. It’s my last breakfast as a single
guy, and I know I should be freaking out, at least a little, but I’m
not. I can’t wait for her to be my wife.

Olivia

Luke and I are in his
Tesla, heading for the Fashion Show Mall. I wish I could buy my own
fancy dress, but I
do
want something special, so I’ll let him buy me one. When we pull
into the parking garage and park, I see Rose and Alex standing near
the mall entrance.

“Damn.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Rose and Alex are
here.”

“I know. I invited
them?”

“What?”

“I thought you could
use help with your dress, and we need people to stand up for us. I
thought they’d be perfect, and they’ll keep it a secret. For
now.”

My husband to be is
perfect. Just perfect. I lean over and kiss him hard. “Thank you.”

“You’re more than
welcome.”

Luke and I walk over to
the girls, who promptly start hugging us. “This is so cool,” Alex
says.

“A secret wedding is
so romantic,” Rose adds.

“Thanks for helping.
You have your Amex that’s linked to my account, right Alex?” he
asks her as we go up the escalator and enter the mall.

“Yep. We’re all
set. Go across the street and set up the romance.”

“I won’t spend
much, Luke.”

“The hell you won’t.
I don’t want you looking at prices.” He turns to the girls. “Make
sure she doesn’t look and just buys whatever dress she loves the
most. Oh, and shoes and whatever. Get dresses for yourselves, too.”

“We will, Uncle
Luke.”

He leans over to kiss
me lightly. “The next time I see you, you’ll be walking down the
aisle to me. I can’t wait.”

“I can’t either.”
I’m the one kissing him now, but it’s not lightly. I don’t want
to let him go, but I want to look beautiful for him at the wedding,
so I pull back. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“I’ll be waiting.”
He smiles at the girls and walks out onto the Strip so he can take
the bridge to the Wynn.

“Let’s go get you a
dress, Liv,” my sister says, grabbing my hand.

I smile at her and
Alex. “Thanks for being here girls.”

We go to Neiman Marcus
first. When we walk into the designer area, I see my dress
immediately. It’s got a high neck with thin straps and is covered
in what looks like rose petals. I go to it and pull it off the rack,
seeing that the back dips low. I’m in love, but I instinctively
grab the tag to look at the price. Alex snatches it out of my hand
and raises her eyebrow at me. We have a battle of wills for a minute,
but I give in. I know this is my dress and Luke said to get what I
want. I don’t like spending his money, but I want us both to be
happy today.

I try on the dress and
the girls agree that it’s the one. We look at shoes, but nothing
catches my eye, so we head back into the mall to look. After a few
stops, I find some perfect silver shoes with leaves on them. The
girls pick out pretty hot pink lace dresses that have a high neck,
mirroring my dress, and some cool pink heels. I also stop by Tiffany
to pick up a wedding band for Luke. I find one that’s platinum and
black titanium and buy it with
my
credit card. I can’t wait to put it on his finger.

We’re grabbing
something to eat when I realize that I’m not done. “I should
probably find some jewelry, I guess,” I tell the girls.

“I brought something
for you. You know, for your something old
and
borrowed,” Alex tells me as she pulls a velvet box from
her purse.

She opens the box and I
see a beautiful bracelet inside. It’s platinum with pearls and
small diamonds all around it. “It’s beautiful, Alex.”

“My mom wore it on
her wedding day. So did my grandma.”

“Oh my God. I can’t
wear it.”

“Yes you can. I want
you to. They’d want you to wear it, too.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I know they
can’t all be here with you, but it will make it more like the
family is at the wedding.”

“Thank you so much.
I’ll be really careful with it.”

She smiles as Rose
hands me another, smaller box. I open it to find my mother’s prized
pearl and diamond earrings. “You took Mom’s earrings?”

“I feel the same as
Alex. Family should be there with you, even if they wouldn’t
approve.”

I’m overwhelmed by
these two girls. They may only be eighteen, but they’re both such
wonderful women. Before I can cry too much, they remind me that I
need something “blue” as well as some sexy lingerie. Now I’m
just blushing as I wipe the last teardrops away. I suggest going back
to the Forum Shops for something fancy, but the girls tell me that
Luke won’t care how much I spend, he’ll just appreciate the sexy.
I find something I’m pretty sure he’ll like, as well as a blue
garter, and then we head across the street.

Luke texted Alex that
there will be a room for me to use in the bridal area of the Wynn, so
that’s where we go. Alex does my hair while Rose does my make-up.
Then they help me get dressed. There’s a knock at the door and Rose
lets the wedding planner from the hotel in.

“Hi. I just wanted to
drop off the bouquets and make sure you have everything you need.”

She hands me a gorgeous
bouquet of roses, all in shades of pink. Luke knows it’s my
favorite color, and I love that he did this for me. The girls have
smaller bouquets of light pink mixed flowers. They’re perfect.

“Thank you. We’re
good. Is the ceremony soon?”

“As soon as you’re
ready.”

“Oh. I’m ready
now.” I’m more than ready. I can’t wait to marry Luke.

“Great. Let me just
go to tell Luke and get everything ready. I’ll be back for you in a
few minutes.”

These are the longest
five minutes of my life. I’m a ball of nerves. I want this so much.
I know it’s really fast, but I feel in my heart that it’s right.
Luke is it for me. I know it and I want, no
need
,
to be out there marrying him. Even if we won’t tell anyone yet,
I’ll know he’s my husband.

She comes back and
tells me everything’s ready. I hug Alex and Rose before they take
their places in front of me. The music starts, and instead of the
Wedding March, I hear “All of Me” by John Legend. Oh my God. It’s
perfect. I start to tear up as the doors open and then I lose all
thought. Luke is there, in a beautiful garden, standing under a half
arch covered on vines. It’s beautiful. He’s beautiful. He did
this for me and now, there he is, in a black suit with no tie,
looking good enough to eat.

When he sees me, his
eyes go wide and his smile is as big as the one I’m sure I have on
my face now. We look into each other’s eyes the whole time I’m
walking up the aisle. When I get to the front, he reaches out and
takes my hand.

“Hi.”

“Hi. You look
beautiful, Ollie.”

“So do you. I mean
handsome. You look handsome.”

“I’ll take
beautiful from you,” he says with a laugh.

The minister asks if
we’re ready to begin. We have the standard ceremony since neither
of us had time to write vows. When it’s time for the rings, Luke
pulls out a beautiful band covered in little diamonds. I love it, and
I give him a reassuring smile when he cocks an eyebrow at me. Then
it’s my turn. His smile gets even bigger as I put the ring I got
him on his finger. He’s told that he can kiss his bride and he
does. I let my bouquet fall as I’m wrapped up in his arms. He
kisses me sweetly at first, but it soon becomes passionate and hot as
we pour all of ourselves into this first kiss as husband and wife.

“Okay you two. Save
it for later,” Rose tells us.

We break apart and
laugh along with her and Alex. Luke kisses my hand and then reaches
down to pick up my discarded flowers. “Did you like these?”

“They’re perfect.”

“Are you ready for
dessert?”

“You got dessert?”
He nods. “Such a good husband.”

“I’m planning on
being an awesome husband.”

“You will be.” I
know it in my heart. Luke is going to make me so happy.