Page 13 of Forever Fallen

“Now?” she strangled out.

“Why not? Unless you changed your mind?”

Her mouth worked a few times, and she shook her head, suddenly unable to speak as she realized she was indeed actually going to marry a perfect stranger.

He pushed open the door and practically marched forward towards the office purposefully. The man, her temporary savior of her past, was blunt and apparently aggressive. Was this a smart move to marry someone she barely knew – especially when he acted like this?

“Sir,” Ryan began. “Are you an ordained minister?”

“Yes, my son. How may I…”

“Can you marry us?” he interrupted.

“Ryan, let him speak,” Sophie blurted out in a loud whisper. “He might be busy…”

“I’m never too busy for true love,” the minister said happily, getting to his feet. “Yes, I would be honored to marry the two of you.”

Nervously, Sophie took her position beside Ryan and barely heard the minister’s words as he spoke of love everlasting, faith, and hope for their future.

She felt sick to her stomach and guilty because this was a mockery. A small voice in the darkest parts of her mind believed in fairytales – even if she knew they weren’t true – and this was nothing like one.

This was a sham.

Ryan was far from Prince Charming – and she was certainly no princess.

“Do you have the ring, young man?” the minister asked – and both of them started in surprise, before looking at each other in confusion. They hadn’t thought this far ahead.

“Skip the ring,” Ryan said bluntly.

“I beg your pardon?”

The minister’s voice said it all. He was just as horrified and surprised as anyone would expect by Ryan’s callous dismissal.

“We were so excited that we came straight here,” Sophie began, trying to cover up her new husband’s abrupt and crass behavior. “We’re going ring shopping tomorrow and already have an appointment at the jewelers. Right,honey?”

She glared at Ryan… who’s lips were twitching.

“That’s right,sweetheart,” Ryan choked out, trying to keep from laughing. “She’s high-maintenance and I need her to be happy. It’s just so much easier this way.”

Sophie’s mouth dropped open.

“I am not high-maintenance…”

“Please continue with the ceremony, sir,” Ryan instructed.

“Okaaay,” the minister hesitated. “Skipping the exchanging of bands, where was I… ah, yes. By the power vested in me and the State of Texas, you may kiss your bride.”

Ryan and Sophie looked at each other again.

“Surely you aren’t skipping that too?” the minister said pointedly, looking slightly horrified and confused.

“No… no,” Ryan replied, staring at Sophie and there was a strange look to his expression. He’d been wearing sunglasses on the plane for quite a while and never really looked at her… until now.

He had the loveliest eyes.

Unfathomable and deep, dark brown like looking into his very soul… or staring at melted pure chocolate. Not the sweet, milk chocolatey stuff. She had always had a thing for guys with brown eyes and his were about the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

We are talking pure, decadent, rich cocoa… and Sophie was a chocoholic.

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