Page 40 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2
She nodded. "I packed up all your things and James' too for tomorrow. Your suitcases are by the bedroom door. I left his tux and your dress in the closet though. I didn't want them to get wrinkled."
"Thanks, Ellen. You're the best." I gave her a hug.
"Just keep making him happy. I already know I'm going to cry my eyes out during the ceremony tomorrow. James asked me to look over his vows and..." she put her hand over her heart. "He loves you so dearly."
It felt like I had written my vows a thousand times and they still weren't perfect. "Were his funny at all? Or were they completely serious?"
Ellen laughed. "You know I'd never say a word. I need to go make sure they know where the extra glasses are. Then I promise to join the fun."
"Okay."
"Speak from your heart, though, Penny. That's the most important thing." She quickly walked back into the kitchen. There was no way she was actually going to relax tonight.
Speak from your heart.That was better advice than she probably realized. I was pretty sure that meant James' vows were sweet. I'd be the one crying my eyes out, not Ellen. Maybe I needed to take out a few jokes from mine. What had I been thinking?
"I still can't believe this is actually happening," Melissa said from beside me.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. It's just crazy to think my best friend, who never took any risks, slept with her billionaire professor and now they're getting married. It's insane."
"Yeah."I guess?
"Don't you ever feel like you're going to wake up and all this will be a dream?"
Yes.I glanced at James again. Someone else had stopped him and was hugging him. Maybe one of his friends. "Yeah, sometimes."
"You have to enjoy moments like this. Because they can be taken away like that." She snapped her fingers when she said the word 'that.'
I frowned. Was this seriously her idea of a good conversation for a rehearsal dinner? "What do you mean by that?" I folded my arms in front of my chest. I had almost lost James. We had only just made up this morning. I had already thought about whatwe had disappearing enough for one day. Especially today of all days.
"I just mean I'm happy that you finally learned how to live in the moment. Now, I'm not quite as sure that you have. What's going on?"
I sighed. "I don't know. I just feel kind of on edge tonight. James is worried Isabella's just going to show up and...I don't know exactly."Hurt us?
"I'm sure that's not going to happen."
"I hope not."
"All I meant was that your life is kind of like a fairytale." She squeezed my arm. "Handsome prince. A castle of an apartment." She smiled. "A happily ever after."
Melissa still didn't know about James' problems. At least, I had never told her. It wasn't something I had shared with anyone. It wasn't my secret to share. Yes, James was the light of my life. But there was darkness there too. Worry. Fear. Especially now that he thought he was addicted to me. I had a pit in my stomach that seemed to be growing by the second. What if James decided at the last minute that he couldn't be with me? That I wasn't good for him because of something he had built up in his head that wasn't true at all?
"Are you okay?" Melissa asked. "You look a little pale."
"Yeah, I'm just not feeling very well."
"Maid of honor, at your service. What do you need?"
"A hug."
She laughed. "I think I can arrange that." She put her arms around me and ran her hand up and down my back. "I didn't mean to upset you. If anything, I was just saying how envious I am of you."
"Melissa, I'm so sorry about..."
"No. We're not talking about that until after your honeymoon. Not another word."
I laughed.
