Tied to the Billionaire(69)

That much was true. Will’s PR team had been working for days to ensure that nobody gatecrashed the triple wedding in an attempt to get a photo of Jade. How they would handle the actual day was giving Jade nightmares. The comparison between Will Vandenmeer, billionaire, and Jade Bleecker, tattooed freak, would be enough for pages of comment.

But she was happy, and Will was happy, and that made up for a multitude of annoyances.

Especially when she was about to play bridesmaid for three different, panic-stricken brides. Looking around her, Jade could see the tension gradually building in each of their faces, the knowledge that in an hour’s time they would all be walking down the aisle.

It was a good job that she was so relaxed, because she could sense meltdowns on the horizon.



* * * *



The ceremony was beautiful.

Despite Leonie’s pleas, there was no Elvis impersonator. Nevertheless, as she floated down the aisle in a cloud of white daubed with colour—bright blue eye makeup, glittering red heels and a huge bouquet of pink roses—Leonie looked happier than Jade had ever seen her. And Jade had seen her very happy.

Shaundra came down the aisle like a runway model, towering heels and short skirt with a cascading train, but the look she gave Andrew as she reached the altar was pure adoration, and Jade smiled to see them.

Piper insisted on walking alongside Jade, a vision of ivory and pearl next to Jade’s teal green. She was the picture of cool control, but as she held Jade’s arm a tremor communicated between them—Jade squeezed her hand in sympathy.

Even with all three together, the nerves were there, but there was no need.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant announced warmly, and Jade inwardly cheered as all three couples kissed. After a few moments she diplomatically turned her head away, looking back at the sole guest at the back of the room.

Will.

He smiled, looked her up and down, then gave an approving nod and a wink. Jade bit back a laugh. Glad he likes this outfit, anyway.

The one thing she had held firm on was that Will should not see her dress before the day. Will had graciously bowed to this request, possibly because Jade had worded it politely and addressed him as ‘sir’, but more likely because she had been on her knees at the time.

The dress was one-shouldered, close-fitting ivory silk, worn with a diamond-threaded mantilla veil and gold heels. If Will liked her bridesmaid’s dress, he was bound to love her wedding gown—but that could wait until the big day.

The thought made her stomach catch. So little time to get used to it. So little time before she would be calling herself Jade Vandenmeer.

And yet she knew, instinctively, that she had made the right choice.



* * * *



Jade closed her eyes for a moment as the elevator doors opened, breathing in the familiar, welcome scent that always greeted her on the top floor of the Bellagio.

They had arrived back yesterday after three weeks in New York City. Despite the glinting jewel on her finger, Jade had found herself floundering in first-date nerves. What had happened in Vegas could have stayed in Vegas, but back in New York things were suddenly very real—and just a little unnerving. She had pulled Will aside immediately after they got off the plane and insisted on dating him properly for the few weeks they had.

I refuse to be carried away by wedding planning and amazing sex. I need to know you outside of that—I need to know I’m right about you.

And Will had agreed.

Their first official date had been at the Sanctuary. Jade had raised an eyebrow at this, but Will had explained his reasoning—security. Having a recognisable face, the last thing he wanted on a date—especially a first date—was to have a camera or microphone shoved into it. The Sanctuary was a safe haven in more ways than one.

It also served very good food. Over a bottle of champagne and a bowl of squid ink pasta, Jade had admired the surroundings and bantered back and forth with Will about anything and everything.

Will was—entertaining. Fun. Intense. He was passionate about his work, yet never took business calls at dinner. His eyes would light up whenever she hit on a topic he was interested in, and their conversation would flash and glow for hours, hopping from one point to another, never getting dull.

He had been fascinated to hear about her own career.

“So what do you do for a living? I don’t think you ever said.”

“I’m an EFL teacher. I spent a year teaching in Japan.”

“Wow. That’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go.”

“Seriously? You’ve never been to Japan?” Somehow Jade had assumed that every rich businessman would have been there.

“Nope. One of many places, actually. We’ll have to go sometime.”

He had even suggested it for their honeymoon, but Jade had managed to strike a compromise. They had booked one week in Tokyo and one on a beach in Thailand.

After three packed weeks of private restaurants, wedding planning and nights spent in Will’s apartment—which Jade had been unsurprised to discover was a penthouse at the top of an extremely expensive skyscraper—they were back in Las Vegas for their wedding. The previous night Will had arranged a helicopter flight out to the Grand Canyon for a candlelit dinner, something Jade had known was possible—Leonie had found it in one of her Vegas wedding brochures—but had never expected to experience.