Page 74 of Matched with Her Runaway Groom

“Yes, I’ll marry you.”

I haul him up and wrap my arms around him. His lips graze mine before I reach up and drag him closer, enjoying the sparks flying between us. He pulls me up so my legs wrap around his waist and we get lost in kisses until the honk of a horn driving by tugs us apart.

He shifts back and looks back and forth between my eyes before he says, “This might be a stretch but are you okay with getting married today?”

“Today?” Thoughts buzz and I nod. “Yeah, I think I have a dress I could wear to the courthouse.”

“Um, well, I had a different location in mind.”

CHAPTER33

Landon

I’ve been trying to keep a secret from Rachelle for the past five days and this is killing me. What she thinks is a work trip is actually me preparing everything for the wedding.

Roman and Isabella have been with me every step of the way, and there’s no way I could pull this off without them.

I’ve had to share every one of Rachelle’s social media profiles along with any other information I have about her for Isabella and her wedding planner friend, Sadie, to go to work. Luckily, Rachelle never changed her wedding Pinterest board. Hopefully she’s still into those elements.

“So, we’re on a private jet to some unknown destination. What do you have in store for us?” Rachelle asks, as she tries to pry details out of me for the eleven hundredth time.

I shift in my seat. “I had some help getting things together. I figured that waiting to plan out a whole wedding again wouldn’t be ideal. And so I figured we’d elope.”

Rachelle raises her eyebrows. “Elope?” The way she says it, I’m suddenly panicking that this was all a terrible idea.

“Yeah, that’s usually what happens when you get married without big plans, right?” I try to smile, but I’m sure it looks more like I’m watching a crash in rush hour traffic.

She nods. “I get that. I just needed it to sit for a minute. Let’s get married.”

“Passengers, prepare for landing.”

I lean over Rachelle and push up the window shade, blinding both of us with the brightness.

She glances down and her mouth drops open. “You brought me to an island to get married?” It’s not until she turns and grins that I actually breathe. She wraps her arms around my neck and I’m pretty sure I never want her to let go.

Yes, it was risky planning the wedding without her, but I hope it pays off. And that there’s no worrying on her end about me missing the ceremony this time. Because I’m going to be there.

I nod, hoping everyone will be in place once we arrive. A car takes us on a drive from the airplane hangar and she’s oohing and aahing about things we pass. I’m a bucket of nerves next to her.

“Are you okay that I did this? I know I’ve tried to protect you in the past and that wasn’t my intention–”

Rachelle puts her fingers over my mouth to stop me from talking. “Landon, this is the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for me. Thank you.”

I breathe out a quick breath. If I can get through this without screwing up, I’ll be the happiest man in the world.

“There’s Blackbeard’s Castle,” she says, pointing to the large building we pass. “Did you tell Hillary we were coming?”

There’s hope in her eyes and I’m grateful Rachelle is forgiving and willing to have her sister by her side.

“Just relax and enjoy the journey,” I say with my fingers twisted together. It’s better than pulling at my hair the whole time.

“Did you by chance bring something else for me to wear?” Rachelle asks, looking between my tuxedo and her sweater and jeans.

“Yes,” I say, hoping she’ll like the dress Isabella and Sadie ordered for her.

The car stops at a smaller building and I get out and open the door for her.

“This is your stop for now. I just need to find someone to marry us, and we’ll be all set.” Not the complete truth, but I don’t want her thinking I’m just abandoning her on an island.

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