Page 124 of The Marriage Narrative
“What thefuckis wrong with you?” he snapped at Bea. “Why are you doing this? Do you have any idea how important today is to me? I am marryingmy wife.”
Zinnia’s worst fear was that she’d never stop feeling insecure about her place in Jordan’s life. That moments like these would keep happening in her business marriage. A frenzied murmur began filling the room and her ears. She didn’t mean to take a stumbling step back—Grace and Fiona were standing on either side of her now, their hands supporting her.
“We used to mean everything to each other,” Bea continued on like a runaway train. “Love like that doesn’t go away. It only gets stronger with age, and we’re all grown up now. Alfie, you belong with me.”
The entire hall became deathly quiet, the air completely still. It felt like everyone was holding their breath and waiting for Jordan’s answer just like Zinnia.
He hadn’t moved while listening to the rest of her little speech. His arms hung limp at his sides, shoulders slightly slumped, and his gaze was fixed straight ahead. She watched the rise and fall of his chest as he took the deep, steadying breaths she couldn’t.
Zinnia had always been a proud open book but had secrets just like everyone else. When she’d made her marriage-merger proposal, she wasn’t really ready to trust another person wholly and completely, because doing so meant they’d have full access to her. They’d know exactly what to do and say to hurt her beyond repair.
She gave her secrets, those hidden pieces of herself, to Jordan anyway.
Loving people was her family’s superpower. She’d been livingin her parents’ shadow instead of their image because of fear. She wanted her life to be defined by love ofallkinds. That meant opening her heart and mind a little bit wider than it had been.
Bea’s gaze never wavered, focused solely on Jordan.
The cameras were rolling. Their families were watching.
Zinnia stepped away from her friends and her husband to face the waiting crowd alone. She tossed her bouquet—Bea caught it with one hand.
“You can have that. You can be next,” Zinnia said and returned to her spot next to Jordan. “But you can’t have him because he doesn’t want you. Ask anyone who knows me.” She gestured to her friends and both sides of her family. “All he would’ve had to do was tell me the truth and I would’ve let him go. His happiness matters to me in a way that you clearly will never understand. Jordan?”
“Yes?”
This next part would be painful, like pressing on a deep bruise to make sure it hadn’t healed yet, but she had to do it. “Would you like to leave with Beatrix? I’ll understand if you want to keep yours, but my door isn’t open for anyone else, for anything, anymore. Because I love you.”
Jordan simultaneously gasped and smiled, hand clutching to his chest. He turned to the officiant and said, “Please finish. I’d really like to kiss my wife now.”
All hell broke loose—the crowd erupted in chaotic cheers and screams. Phones were out and recording from every angle. The camera pods were in shambles trying to figure out what to film.
“SECURITY!” Lulie ran straight for Bea, yanking her by the arm and back down the aisle. Amber was demanding answers. Damon was reassuring her parents.
Grace, Fiona, and Wylie continued standing protectively by their side.
The officiant looked directly at Zinnia. “You sure you want to remarry him after all that? I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to ask some questions first.”
There’d be time for answers later. She trusted her husband to have good ones. She smiled and said, “No, I’m good.”
“All right, well, with the unconditional love and support of your friends and family in attendance today, I now pronounce you remarried. You may kiss each other.”
She didn’t think she’d ever get used to kissing her husband like this. The way his hands always cupped her jaw first before sliding down to her lower back and between her shoulders to hold her to him. The feel of his body pressed against hers, fitting together like puzzle pieces. The soft magnetism of his mouth that only made her crave more of him.
“I love you,”Jordan said, words running together. “I’minlove with you. It’s not against the rules because you never said I couldn’t and I was never going to tell you, but after that I—”
Zinnia kissed him again before he could say anymore. Their vows were supposed to beprivate.
Chapter 30
Zinnia
The schedule allottedone hour for wedding party photos while guests trekked across the estate to the reception ballroom. No one knew how Beatrix had even gotten past security inside the venue—until Sadie called from her delivery room.
Wedding Segment Producer Neal was fired on the spot for being a traitor.
“A beautiful ceremony just doesn’t make headlines the way it used to,” Mabel explained to Zinnia. “For storyline purposes, Alfie and Bea belonged together. The network wanted to see it through.”
Zinnia watched Jordan for a moment, currently taking solo pictures with her parents. He made her dad laugh mid–camera flash.
