Behind Her Smile (10 page)

Stop being ungrateful
, I tell myself furiously. David wants me so badly that he’ll marry me right away. The whole thing is terribly romantic.

I’m supposed to be downstairs in two minutes, but I want to do something first. Swiftly, I dial the number I know by heart on the smartphone David bought me a couple of weeks ago. The phone rings twice and then a voice raspy from years of cigarette smoke answers.

“Yeah?”

“Mom.”

“What do you want, Lucie?” she snaps, mistaking my voice for my older sister.

“No, Mom. It’s me. Karolina.”

Silence. “If you want money, I don’t have any. Told you that fashion shit would never work out.” She sounds smug, as if the idea of my failure pleases her. I’m used to this sort of disdain and let it roll off my shoulders.

“Actually, that’s not why I’m calling. I have some good news, and I wanted to share it with you.”

“Make it quick. I have to be at work in twenty minutes,” she snaps. Rolling my eyes heavenward, I hold back a sigh. She cleans houses, and Sunday is the one day of the week she doesn’t work. She’s always said that Sunday was
her
day. But I refrain from calling her out on the lie.

“I’m getting married today, Mom.” There’s no way to hide my pleasure.

She cackles—a hoarse sound that is interrupted my several coughs. “Haven’t you learned that men ain’t worth the trouble? Your father, the father of Lucie’s boy, they’re all fuck ups. You think you’re happy? Good luck.” Then she slams the phone down without saying good-bye.

The tiny part of me that continues to hold out hope for my mother’s acceptance stumbles on that note. Angrily, I shove away the burst of pain at her indifference. What was I thinking to call her today of all days? Mom didn’t show up for my high school graduation. She mocked my dreams to work in fashion design. There’s no way she would be excited for me today. Gloomily, I stare back at my reflection.

Accept that she is no longer a part of your life.
As much as I know I have to, I don’t want to be without a mom.

“I’ve come to collect the bride.”

The sound of a gravelly voice makes me jump and gasp in surprise. With a hand pressed on my chest to steady my racing heart, I glance over my shoulder.

The devil.
The thought pops into my mind immediately. The man’s name is actually Alec Christos. I saw him in passing at the funeral, but we didn’t speak other than a quick exchange of his condolences with David. At the funeral, I overheard some people talking about Alec, and I listened in because, frankly, I was curious about the mysterious Alec. I only learned he has his hands in “lots of businesses” in Miami. Whatever that means.

Alec is still just as handsome as he was that day at the Hotel Monroe. He wears slate pants and a crisp white shirt. Unruly midnight locks are pushed off his forehead. Dark eyes dancing with mirth, he assesses my appearance. Stubble covers the lower part of his face.

“And, my, what a stunning bride you make, Karolina Adamchik.” The low timbre of his voice sends a shiver down the length of my spine. I sit up straight, brows furrowing together in confusion.

“What are you doing here, Mr. Christos?”

“Alec,” he corrects and steps into the bathroom. The room seems to shrink with his presence. Alec Christos is a few inches taller and broader than my fiancé. Even though he doesn’t have the physique of a body builder, it’s clear Alec wields a considerable amount of power. He makes me nervous. Not in the sense that he would harm me, but his masculine prowess practically screams dominance.

“Alec,” I repeat. “Will you answer my question now?” The nervousness he ignites in me loosens my tongue.

“Snarky and sweet. You continue to impress, Karolina.” I don’t know why, but my heart seizes in my chest when Alec says that. He’s looking at me as if I’m a fascinating woman, and I can’t begin to imagine why. “All weddings need a witness, and apparently, I’m the only person David knows who can keep a secret.” Alec smirks.

“I get the feeling you’re making fun of me, but I’m not in on the joke,” I blurt.

If Alec’s deep black irises could grow any darker, they do at that moment. “No, Karolina, I would never mock you.” The words ring with sincerity, and even though I don’t understand why, I believe him. “It is your wedding day, after all. Love is patient, love is kind, and all that.”

“‘The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose,’” I say without thinking.
The devil.
I almost wince at the reminder of the instantaneous judgment I passed over this dark man when I saw him at Hotel Monroe. Surely, my husband-to-be wouldn’t associate with a nefarious man.

Still, his smoldering looks make me uneasy. When he turns his dark gaze on me, it’s as if he’s channeled all of his attention on me. Alec’s focus unnerves me because . . . no one looks at me with so much interest. Not even the man I’m about to marry.

Alec smiles and I nearly gasp again. The man is gorgeous without a smile, but when his lips curl up, his bright white teeth show, and his eyes light, the effect is spellbinding. “You’ve read
The Merchant of Venice.
Snarky, sweet
and
smart.”

“Not so smart. That phrase stuck out in my mind.”

“You can’t fake intelligence,” he says certainly. The compliments make my stomach flip.

I turn away from him, eyes falling to my lap. This encounter doesn’t feel right. I know my cheeks are hot with a pleasurable blush. Today, I am marrying David; I’m not meant to be flirting with the mysterious Alec Christos.

“Let me ask you something, Karolina. Why’s a woman like you getting married in secret?”

My shoulders tense at the judgment I hear underneath his casual words. “What does that mean, ‘a woman like me?’” Whirling around to face him completely, I force my fidgeting hands to sit still against my skirt. “Furthermore, what’s a man like you doing questioning my decisions?”

This time, Alec’s eyes flash with pleasure as if he enjoys the challenge of conversing with me. “You’re a talented fashion designer putting off school to take over as the head of the Morgan household. I’m guessing you made the dress you’re wearing, Karolina, and it’s exquisite. It’s a damn shame that someone with so much potential is giving it up to be with David.”

My pulse roars in my ears and my hands clench into fists at my sides. “First of all, how do you know
anything
about me? Second of all, who do you think you are, coming in here and talking to me like we’re friends? I don’t know you from any other man on the street, Alec Christos.” I attempt to sound haughty, and from the look of Alec’s raised brows, I succeeded in at least sounding pissed off. Truthfully, I am angry because Alec has a point—one I don’t want to consider too carefully when there’s a man downstairs who wants to love and cherish me.

“I don’t like to see beautiful things destroyed,” he murmurs.

A shock of fear jolts me. “Don’t be obtuse,” I whisper.

Alec shakes his head as if he thinks better of this entire exchange. “I’m talking out of my ass,” he says finally. I want to grab his shoulders and yell at him; I want to beg to know what he means.
This is my life!
I want to shout.

But I don’t.

I’m scared of losing the only constant I’ve ever had. No; scared isn’t a strong enough word. Terrified is more like it. Someone finally,
finally
wants me. And if I don’t have David, I’m back to being alone. That fills me with such desolation I want to kick Alec Christos right out of this home for suggesting David may ‘destroy’ me.

“Karolina! What’s taking you so long?” David’s voice breaks the tense moment and Alec turns around, stalking toward the bathroom door.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” my fiancé barks from inside the bedroom connected to the bathroom.

“You know it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” Alec drawls, confidence oozing from each syllable.

“You know it’s bad luck to cross a groom on his wedding day,” my soon-to-be husband snaps.

“Please don’t come in. I want you to be surprised when you see me for the first time,” I call, unable to hide the nervous tremors in my voice.

David mutters something unintelligible. “You’re late, Karolina,” he grumbles. “Let’s go.”

I hear the sound of two footfalls departing the bedroom. With one more fortifying breath, I exit the bedroom and make my way down the staircase. At the ground floor, I hang a right and move into the great room. The stark space looks exactly the same. Unless you count the tall, angular man in the boxy navy suit standing next to David, nothing about today says a wedding. The first thing I should be looking at is my fiancé, but Alec’s magnetic pull sidetracks my gaze. He stands at the perimeter of the conversation, pinning me with a searing gaze.

I don’t like to see beautiful things destroyed.
What did he mean by that? It sounded like a threat or maybe a premonition. But I have nothing to be worried about because I’m marrying David. Even so, my mouth is dry when I attempt to swallow.

It’s now or never.

Thick, dense clouds block the sun today. Dim light illuminates the room from lamps and the recessed lighting. Standing in the center of the room, David’s ever the image of the regal, golden man. His aristocratic hands gesture smoothly as he speaks. The custom fitted Prada suit glides down the lean planes of his body without an unseeing gap and bulge. He is classically beautiful, an exquisite specimen. And he wants me.

I force the lingering doubts back. What does Alec Christos know anyway? The man has hardly spoken to me, and David never mentions him. All that matters is David treats me like a queen.

As if hearing my thoughts, David glances toward the mouth of the room where I watch him hesitantly. His lips curl into a predatory smile.
Stunning,
he mouths. I can’t hide the smile and the rosy blush that hijack my features.

All my attention zeroes in on David. Crossing the marble floor, I smile at him tentatively. With my eyes on David, I still feel the darker man watching me. I don’t want anything to detract from this moment. Even though this event is a formality, I want to remember every
pleasant
detail. The nonsense from Alec becomes a distant memory when David’s blue-green gaze captures me.

Warmth trickles from where he grasps my hand all the way up my shoulder when I reach his side. “Karolina, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Judge Beck. He is a close friend of the family.” David’s voice reassures me as it coats over me.

Everything is right in my world. Soon, David and I will have the big wedding with the band, towering ivory cake, impassioned vows, and massive guest list. For a girl who never thought a wedding was in store for her, all those extravagances are just sprinkles. I’m getting what I want in a husband like David.

“Judge, thank you for being here.”

The man nods solemnly. “I wish the circumstances were different, Karolina. Please accept my condolences for your loss. It’s unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to remind us to cherish life.”

Although I am terribly sad that William, Georgia, and Chandler are gone, deep down it doesn’t feel like
my
loss. Yes, my heart hurts, but it’s more for David and my dream for a family than the loss of a deep connection with the other Morgans. No one except Dora knows that the Morgan family wasn’t fond of me. And even she thought it was a small blip on the way to their acceptance. David insisted that his mother would rather chew on nails than reveal any sort of familial discord. Thus, she would have never mentioned anything of her displeasure with me. For that, I’m glad. If only we had the chance to get to know each other better, I’m certain the Morgans would have come to like me.

Judge Beck interprets my silence as distress. “Not to worry, I understand the importance of being discreet in this delicate situation.”

“Yes,” I murmur in agreement.

“And Judge Beck has just agreed to officiate at our larger ceremony. I was thinking next spring sometime. Would you like to be a spring bride, Karolina?” David speaks to me tenderly, words wrapped in the language of an adoring fiancé. I try to ignore the underlying condescension.

“Spring is the best season in Miami,” I respond without actually responding. I don’t want to make any commitments with the judge and Alec in earshot. David quirks an eyebrow at me though the gentleness in his features doesn’t falter.

“Shall we get started?” Judge Beck asks.

“Please,” I answer quickly making the officiant and David laugh.

“I’m eager too, my jewel,” David says. It’s the first time he’s used the private nickname in front of anyone else. If I’m not mistaken, Alec smirks, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes at his rudeness.

“Face one another and grasp hands,” the judge directs.

Despite the setting and strange witness, this is the most romantic moment of my life. With our fingers linked together, David and I become one. As the judge rambles on with official judiciary language, I lose myself in the ocean of David. Visions of our life together flash in my mind. College graduation transitions into a career, and each night, I’ll come home to my loving husband. Maybe one day down the line, we’ll have our own brood of Morgan children; little cherubs that have their father’s golden coloring. I imagine turning the Morgan compound into
our
home. And when we face challenges and hardships, we’ll overcome them together as husband and wife. A simply beautiful life.

“We come together to unite David Morgan and Karolina Adamchik. You both understand the importance of valuing love above all else. Today, you stand as one and declare your commitment and devotion to the other. I am grateful that you have included me in this union because I have been close to the Morgan family for many years. I believe William, Georgia, and Chandler are looking over this marriage with some semblance of peace, knowing that you will take care of each other.”

One quick glance at the judge shows complete sincerity in his poeticism. It’s as if he had a vein into my deepest cravings—someone for me to take care of and someone to take care of me.
A family of my own
, I think reverently.

“Karolina, do you choose David to be your partner, to whom you give your deepest love and devotion? Do you pledge to communicate and listen, to give and receive, and to be considerate of his wishes and desires?”