A Very Exclusive Engagement(49)
She had to answer him honestly, or he would know. He sensed a problem, but he was barking up the wrong tree. If he wanted the truth of the matter, he should be asking Liam these questions. Without blinking, she spoke sincere words to him. “Yes, I love Liam. Very much.”
“And you want to marry him?”
She did. It was fast, but she had fallen hard for her fiancé. Her trepidation was in knowing that no matter how she felt about him, their marriage would be over this time next year. How could she walk down the aisle knowing their wedding was a pointless exercise? Yes, it would save ANS and make a dying woman happy, but Francesca herself would be crushed in the process.
“Yes, Daddy. I want to marry Liam.”
His gaze moved over her face, looking for a thread to pull at to unravel the truth, but there was nothing to find.
Another knock at the door came and Ariella stepped in holding Francesca’s bouquet.
“It’s beautiful,” Francesca said as she took the flowers and admired them. There were pink and white roses, white hydrangeas and tiny white stephanotis. She’d given Ariella very little direction on this wedding, but with the bouquet, at least, she’d hit the nail on the head. Everything else would likely be just as perfect.
“Did you expect anything less?” she said with a smile. “It’s time.”
Francesca’s father took her by the arm and led them down the hallway to the terrace. When she got the cue, Ariella opened the doors. They stepped onto the balcony to the sound of music from a string quartet. A hundred people stood up from their seats and turned to look Francesca’s way as they kicked through rose petals down the aisle.
She was almost halfway down the aisle when she finally got the nerve to look at Liam.
Francesca had avoided it because she didn’t want to see the truth in his eyes. He would likely look nervous. Maybe even fearful for what he’d gotten himself into. There would be no tears of love and joy. He would not be beaming with pride after seeing the woman he adored looking more beautiful than ever before. She knew she would be disappointed. But she looked anyway.
When her gaze met his, she felt her stomach do a flip. He looked so incredibly handsome. She’d seen him in a tuxedo before, but there was something different about the way he looked tonight. It was the expression on his face. There wasn’t love there, but she did see admiration. Unmasked attraction. Deep respect. He knew how big a sacrifice she was making for him and he appreciated it. He just didn’t love her for it. Not the way she loved him.
Francesca had to remind herself to smile and not get lost in her thoughts as they took the last few steps to the ceremony platform.
The minister began the ceremony, and her father leaned in to kiss her before handing her over to Liam for good. She couldn’t meet his eyes then. If he saw the panic and fear there, he’d drag her down the aisle while everyone watched in horror. Instead, she closed her eyes and leaned in to his kiss.
“I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too.”
At that, he put her hand in Liam’s and they stepped up together to be married.
Francesca thought she would be okay until she had to take that first step and her knees turned soft. It was only Liam’s firm, reassuring grasp that kept her upright. He guided her to the minister, her hand clasped tightly in his.
“I won’t let you fall. We can do this,” he whispered with a smile and a wink.
She nodded and squeezed his hand.
The ceremony began, but it was a blur to her. The minister spoke, she repeated her vows, they exchanged rings and the next thing she knew, she was kissing her husband in front of a hundred people.
The roar of applause and the cheers were like a slap in the face, snapping her back into reality. The minister presented them as Mr. and Mrs. Liam Crowe as they turned to the audience. She clung to Liam’s arm as they walked back down the aisle together as husband and wife.
When they rounded the corner to exit the terrace, Ariella was waiting for them. She escorted them back to the bridal room to wait for pictures while the guests made their way to the ballroom for cocktails.
Francesca rested her bouquet on the dressing table beside the broken mirror and slumped into her chair.
It was done. They were married.
They still had to sign the official paperwork for the license, but that would arrive any second now.
She almost couldn’t believe it. She felt numb, like she was walking through a dream wedding instead of one in real life. It had been a beautiful ceremony, but it wasn’t how she imagined her wedding day would be. No matter how many different ways she had pictured her big day, there was always a common element.