Page 11 of Married Into Love

ChapterFive

Alessia

“What’re you still doing here?”I asked my reflection in the foggy mirror. I had a million things I should be doing besides taking the most amazing shower ever, but that hadn’t stopped me from enjoying the heck out of the incredible water pressure and top-of-the-line hair and skin care products. Or the delicious breakfast and coffee Alec had provided. And the soft, fluffy robe I’d found hanging on the back ofthedoor.

I lifted a hand to run my fingers through my hair, and the glint from the rings caught my eye. It was hard to believe that I’d really gotten married last night. To a stranger with only my sister there as a witness. Speakingofwhom...

Flipping on the fan for sound to cover our conversation, I pulled my cell out of my purse and called mysister.

“Hey, you’re finally up! How was the weddingnight?”

“Ariana,” I hissed. “You’re my sister. You’re supposed to watch out for me! Not encourage me to do something crazy like marry the first random guy who flirtswithme.”

“Alec wasn’t the first guy who flirted with you. No way in hell would I have let you talk to, let alone marry, the guy who tried hitting on you when we first got there,” sheretorted.

“Seriously? That’s your take on this situation? That I should be grateful that I didn’t marry the drunk asshole who hit on me first?” Iscoffed.

“Umm, yeah. Have you seen your new hubby? It’s not like I let you marry a troll who lives under a bridge somewhere. In fact, Alec’s so far the opposite that you should be thanking merightnow.”

I banged my head on the wall, but only once because it just reminded me that I had a headache from drinking too much the night before. “If he’s such a catch, why didn’t youmarryhim?”

“Because he only had eyes for you from the second he clocked you walking in the door oftheclub.”

“What?” Ibreathed.

“Working as a cocktail waitress, you learn to pay attention to your surroundings. Figure out who the high rollers might be so you can give them extra attention and rake in better tips,” she explained. “I noticed him right off the bat, and those baby blues of his were glued on you. But even if he hadn’t been crazy interested in you, I would never go there with a guy you looked at the way youdidhim.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear her answer, but I asked the question anyway. “How did I lookathim?”

“Like he was Christmas morning, back when we were little kids and Mom and Dad were still together. The year they got us those matching pinkbikes.”

Whoa.Tears filled my eyes at the happy reminder of how things had been for us before our father had left. Of memories my sister and I never talked about because it was hard to remember the bad without hating our father even more for walking away from us since our lives turned to crapafterwards.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” She sniffled, making me wonder if she was struggling not tocrytoo.

“Holycrap.”

“So do me a favor, will ya? I know it’s totally out of character for you to just go with the flow, but give Alec a chance. Spend some time getting to know him before you decide to divorce his ass just because you think it’s what you’re supposedtodo.”

“I don’t think we’ll need a divorce. We can probably just go the annulmentroute.”

Ariana chuckled softly at my admission. “I guess that answers my original question about the weddingnight.”

“I woke up in my dress and panties and didn’t remember how I ended up in his hotel room, so I’m going to have to say it wasn’t anything too memorable.” And oddly enough, I was slightly disappointedbyit.

“Which just goes to show that your new hubby is a gentleman. Yet another reason you should keep himaround.”

My sister could be incredibly stubborn when she wanted to, and I was the dummy who kept giving her ammunition to use to convince me that marrying Alec last night wasn’t a horrible decision. It was almost like I wanted her to be successful but didn’t want to admit it to myself. “He wants me to stay for the wedding today. Said the hotel was sending up some dresses so I’d have somethingtowear.”

“Clothing, food, and shelter. Alec’s taking on the role of your new hubby with flyingcolors.”

“How’d you know he fed me? I didn’t tell you about the room service he arranged while I was stillsleeping.”

“I didn’t,” she laughed. “But I figured they’d serve something at the weddingreception.”

“Oh.”

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