Page 53 of Prince of Her Heart
Stacy’s excitement bloomed across her face as she stood and crossed the room.“I’m telling you,” she said, voice trailing off as she lifted the wedding dress off of the hanger, “that man is hopelessly in love with you, my emotionally constipated friend.”
Her cousin stepped in to help with the delicate line of pearl buttons as Stacy touched up her hair in the mirror.“And if you don’t figure out how to get him tosayit, then you’re not as smart as I always thought you were.”
With a final twirl of her voluminous skirts, she turned and looked Tabitha square in the eye.
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
Tabitha stared at her, stunned.
Stacy just laughed.“Come on.I’ve got a wedding to attend.And you’ve got some thinking to do.”
Chapter 25
Ramzi stood beside Tabitha, watching her like a man trying to decode a language he used to speak fluently.She’d been distracted all morning.And now, standing in the backyard of the church during what should’ve been a joyful celebration, she looked ready to bolt.
What the hell had happened between waking up wrapped around him this morning and now?
The wedding had been beautiful—Stacy and John were practically glowing.Tables were spread across the church lawn, piled high with catered dishes and homemade offerings from nearly every guest.A four-tier cake waited in the shade, untouched and perfect.The weather couldn’t have been better.
So why did it feel like something had fractured?
“Can we talk?”he asked, resisting the urge to slide his arm around her waist and pull her in close.
Tabitha jumped, startled, and looked up at him as if she’d forgotten he was there.His jaw tightened.Had she really not noticed him beside her, playing the role of love-struck fool all day?
Because that’s what he was.He adored her.And he was done pretending otherwise.
He’d originally planned to keep up the fake engagement through tomorrow’s brunch, but that had been when Tabitha was still onboard.Now?She looked like she couldn’t get away fast enough.
And he wasn’t going to let her run.Whatever had spooked her, he’d fix it.
“What do we need to talk about?”she asked, her eyes sliding away again.
Before he could respond, Tilda bustled up, flushed and grinning.“Goodness, I can’t wait until it’s the two of you doing all this!”she said, beaming.“We need to set a date.I spoke to Pastor William after the service and he’s more than willing to officiate—soon.”
She turned slightly stern.“Evenheheard about you leaving Gladys’s place this morning.I suspect the whole town knows by now.Though thankfully, today’s wedding is keeping the gossip mill distracted.”
Tabitha downed the rest of her cheap champagne, barely concealing a grimace.“Mom, we haven’t even talked about setting a date.”
Ramzi’s gaze cut to her, reading the guilt in her eyes.Her mother saw it too.So he stepped in, sliding an arm around Tabitha’s waist and tucking her against his side.
He smoothed a thumb over her back, hoping she’d feel the message:I’m here.I’ve got this.
Looking at Tilda, he said, “Right now, we’re just enjoying being engaged.Planning the wedding will be a whole project.One we’ll tackle together—when the time’s right.”
“Is that so?”Tilda replied, eyeing them both.Her gaze lingered on Tabitha, clearly sensing something was off.But after a beat, she smiled brightly.“We’ll talk more tonight.I made lasagna for dinner.”
And just like that, she swept away, off to chat with her friends.
“She knows,” Tabitha murmured, shifting uneasily in his hold.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Ramzi replied calmly.
She turned to face him, and sunlight caught the diamond on her finger.She was still wearing the ring.That had to mean something, didn’t it?
“Why did you leave like that this morning?”he asked quietly.“You just disappeared.”
“No mystery,” she said, turning slightly so he had to let her go.“Stacy needed help getting ready.”
