Page 73 of Serving the CEO

This whole thing could end up crushing her.

Fuck Drew for putting doubt in my mind.On this day of all days. I was doing this for our company for fuck sake, and since day one he’d been against it. I had no doubt it would be my biggest book ever.Ourbiggest book.

Besides, I had plenty of time to make up for any wrongdoings. Things had gone fast in our three months relationship, but now I’d have a full year to repair any damage, and I’d make sure Jessica knew that I’d do whatever I could to make her comfortable.

Satisfied by my plan, I smiled at Amelia as she came over and hugged me.

“You look so handsome,” she said, grinning at me. “I can’t believeyou’re getting married, brother. And to a woman like Jessica…Derrick, she’s amazing. If I could have picked out a sister personally, I couldn’t have imagined someone better than her.”

Suddenly uneasy, I somehow managed to keep my smile. Amelia still believed that people could make marriage work. Sooner or later, she’d wise up to that. Besides, she and Jessica could still be friends when this was all over, right? It wouldn't be a hate-filled breakup. It might be awkward for a short while, but Jessica and I would still be around each other. She would still work for me, after all.

Right?

“It’s about time to go,” I said, changing the subject, realizing I didn’t like to think about the idea of not having Jessica around.

“You’re excited!” She rose onto her toes and kissed my cheek, then pulled away and went to the mirror. “I’m going to check on Jessica.”

She was out the door in a flash of skirts before I could ask her anything about my soon-to-be-wife.

Wife.

For some reason, the thought sent a thrill through me rather than the horror I’d thought I’d feel when I’d come up with this idea.

For the next year, Jessica would be mine.

And, to my surprise, I was fucking ready for it.

* * *

The Plaza Hotel’s Edwardian Room where Anamaria had booked the wedding, and reception, was elegant. It was perfect for a small gathering, with a few rows of seats for family and guests that could quickly be rearranged and set with tables for the reception. It’d been the perfect compromise of, not too small, but still not too extravagant for something that wasn’t going to last more than a year.

I had to hold back a frown when I saw that the only people from Jessica’s family were her parents—none of the cousins or friends from the cookout. Her mother only briefly glanced at me. At the same time, her father gave me a long, considering study before he turned back to speak quietly with Charlotte. All the other people on that side were from the publishing house.

Anamaria approached, and I asked, “Why doesn’t Jessica have more of her family here?”

“She didn’t invite anybody else,” she said, voice neutral.

“Nobody?”

She lifted a brow. “No. I requested several head editors from the company attend to sit as her guests, and they’re here. What’s the problem?”

Annoyed for reasons I couldn’t articulate, I took her arm and led her away from the guests. “Why wouldn’t she invite more people? I know it was short notice, but she still could have invited them and let them decide if they could make it.”

The danger of isolating friends and family when deciding who to invite had a section in my book since, depending on the connections, that sort of negativity could bleed into business.

“Maybe because the marriage isn’t real. It will end in a year, and it will be awkward enough to explain that to her parents. The more people she has to lie to, the harder it will be for her. But that’s just my guess.” Anamaria checked her phone. “Is there anything else? I’d like to check on the caterers.”

“It’s a real marriage,” I said, ignoring the last part of her statement. “We dated. I proposed. We’re getting married. What’s not real?”

She studied me before shaking her head. “And here I thought you seemed like such a smart man, Derrick. I really do need to check on the catering staff.”

She left without answering, leaving me frustrated. If anybody else talked to me like that they would be fired. She knew that I needed her.

Music started to play, and I saw Drew looking for me, an unreadable expression on his face. I wondered if he half-hoped I wouldn’t show up.

Fuck that.

I joined him by the altar, and he looked me over from head to toe. I gave him a direct stare and his lips quirked up.

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