Andrew laughed and pulled me into him. My head fell heavily onto his chest, but he didn’t care. He stroked my hair like always. This was our little routine, the position we always took after making love. With my head on his chest, Andrew placed kisses on my hair and ran his fingers gently over my naked skin. We did this every time, and still, I never tired of it.
Being close to Andrew was all I wanted. It wasn’t until I began to think about our wedding that my body tensed and my mind flipped into overdrive.
“Do you think Nina’s okay?” Andrew asked, pulling me back to reality. “With Liam?”
“Liam is great with her,” I said. “She’s just fine.”
“You don’t think we should go get her?” Andrew asked nervously.
“We can,” I said. “But no, I don’t think we need to. Liam will come get us if something is wrong.”
“I know.” Andrew sighed. “I just worry.”
“You’re an amazing dad,” I said. “That’s one reason why I can’t wait to marry you.”
“You can’t?” he asked playfully.
“No,” I said. “I can’t.”
I fell silent while Andrew continued to stroke my skin. I felt sweaty, and our sex had pooled between my legs, but I barely noticed. Now that my body was calming down, my mind couldn’t help but take over. I laid against Andrew and thought about all the things that could go wrong with our wedding.
“There’s so much to plan,” I said softly.
“For the wedding?” Andrew asked.
I nodded. “There’s a million things to do,” I said. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“At the beginning,” Andrew said simply. “We’ll find a place and set a date.”
“Do you have a place in mind?” I asked, hoping he would.
“No.” Andrew shook his head. “Wherever you want to have it is fine. Sophie, this is your day. I want it to be exactly what you want. What you’ve always wanted.”
I nodded again, but didn’t say anything. The truth was, I didn’t know what kind of wedding I wanted anymore. I hadn’t give myself the chance to think about it. My entire life revolved around Nina and Andrew. They were everything to me. Because of that, the wedding was pushed to the back of my mind.
“I’m nervous,” I said softly.
“Getting cold feet?” Andrew asked. His voice was weak with exhaustion. I knew it wouldn’t be long before he fell asleep.
“Not about marrying you,” I said. “Just about the wedding. I’m nervous about planning the perfect wedding. What if something goes wrong? What if I can’t—”
“Everything will be fine,” Andrew said. “The wedding will be perfect because it’s our wedding. Nothing will go wrong. I promise.”
Andrew’s voice was so soft that by the time he finished talking, I could barely hear him. All I could do was lay with him as he drifted off to sleep, his chest rising and falling beneath my head, and hope he was right.
38
Andrew
My eyes were glued to my computer as I scrolled through our online catalogue. It was updated just a few days ago, and I hadn’t yet worked out all the kinks. I narrowed my eyes and kept scrolling, so focused that I didn’t hear my office door open until Sophie’s footsteps thudded toward me.
I looked up quickly to see my fiancée bouncing our daughter on her hip. She was looking around the room, patiently waiting for me to notice her. With just one glance, I could tell something was wrong. Sophie’s eyes were wide and slightly frantic, her cheeks were bright pink, and her lips were squeezed so tightly together that they’d formed a single line.
“Hey, Soph,” I said. “What’s up?”
Sophie jumped at the sound of my voice. When her eyes met mine, I stood up quickly and moved around the desk. My hands were on her shoulders in a second. Her eyes fluttered closed as she shook her head slowly from side to side.
“I’m losing my mind, Andrew,” she said simply.
She handed me a folder that was tucked under her free arm. I recognized it as the wedding folder. We agreed to start planning just a week ago, and already, Sophie had become overwhelmed with preparations.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I took the folder from her and tossed it on my desk.
“The date is still up in the air,” Sophie said. “Our top two venues are being completely ridiculous. Neither will agree to a date without a full deposit down, which is insane. I’ve offered to pay half up front and the rest on the day of, but apparently, that’s against their policy.”
“For both venues?” I asked.
Sophie nodded. “I think it’s because they know who we are,” she said. “They’re well aware of the fact that we have money, so they’re taking advantage. They say they won’t reserve the date unless we pay in full now.”
“But the wedding wouldn’t be for six more months,” I said. “Why on Earth would they need the full payment now?”
“Exactly,” Sophie said.
“Well, that’s just ridiculous,” I said, shaking my head. “Which place did you like best? I’ll call them and sort everything out.”
“I don’t know what else you can do,” Sophie said. “I’ve been talking to them for a week. Neither will budge.”
“Let me give it a try,” I said. “Just tell me which one.”
“The gardens,” Sophie said with a sigh. “They’re beautiful.”
“The gardens it is,” I said. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
Sophie nodded and shifted Nina on her lap. Nina’s hands flew up to Sophie’s hair and pulled. Sophie winced and gently unglued Nina’s hands.
“Careful, Nina baby,” Sophie said. “Mommy’s head is attached to that.”
Nina giggled and tried to grab the strand of hair again. Sophie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep hold of her patience. It wasn’t often that Sophie became stressed, but planning this wedding had pushed her to her breaking point on more than one occasion.
“What else is wrong?” I asked softly. I gently lifted Nina out of Sophie’s arm and positioned her on my hip. She cooed at me and kicked out her tiny feet. I smiled and kissed her head before looking back at Sophie.
“The flowers are a nightmare,” Sophie said. “I’ve picked out the perfect bouquet, but they say the flowers won’t be in season. So, I chose a second option just in case. The only problem is that, without knowing the venue for certain, I’m not sure the flowers will match.”
“Well,” I said slowly. “After I get the venue squared away, you can move forward with the flowers. Until then, try not to worry about that part.”
“Plus, there’s the cake,” Sophie said with a groan. “We need to find a time for the tasting, but our schedules are so crazy that there’s just no way. Whenever I have a free day, you don’t. And when you do, I don’t.”
“Schedule two tastings,” I said. “You go and pick out your favorites. Then I’ll go back and taste those.”
Sophie was already shaking her head before I’d finished talking. She fell onto a chair behind her and exhaled sharply.
“That won’t work, either,” she said. “There’s no time. The wedding is in six months and the bakery needs at least five months to prepare. Yet another policy we have to contend with.”
“Five months?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “For a damn cake?”
“Andrew,” Sophie said warningly. She glanced at Nina.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “She doesn’t understand me, though.”
“Not yet,” Sophie said. “But if we don’t watch our mouths now, we’ll slip up when she’s bigger.”
“You’re right,” I said. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Sophie said, waving her hand. “With everything going on, cursing is the least of my concerns.”
I nodded and took a deep breath. It wasn’t often that I saw Sophie this worked up. She was always in control, always poised and full of grace. It was one of the things I loved about her. Nothing could faze her, nothi
ng could shake her. Nothing except our wedding plans.
“I just don’t know,” Sophie said. “There’s so much to plan, and we don’t have much time. I mean, I thought about pushing the wedding back a full year, but we’ve already waited a year.”
“We can do it whenever you want,” I said.
“Honestly, the idea of dealing with the preparations for an entire year makes me want to pull out my hair,” Sophie said. “That’s just too long. I can’t even imagine.”
“Then, we won’t change anything,” I said. “I’ll call the venue today, okay? Everything will be booked before dinner tonight. I promise.”
Sophie nodded, but her face stayed frozen with worry. She stared out the window and sank back into herself. I could practically see the thoughts running through her brain.
“Hey,” I said softly. She turned to face me with a weak smile.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean to freak out.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “Everyone says weddings are stressful.”
“But I never thought of myself as a bridezilla,” Sophie said.
I laughed. “You are far from a bridezilla.”
“I just feel so overwhelmed,” she said. “I have to take Nina with me to all these appointments, and it’s too much. It’s impossible to focus on her while interviewing the caterers and trying on dresses.”
“What about Rick?” I asked. “Couldn’t he watch her for you?”
“Sure,” Sophie said. “But he’s not young, Andrew. He gets tired easily. I can’t ask him to watch her all day long.”
“No,” I said with a frown. “I guess you can’t.”
Sophie shook her head and turned away again. I didn’t know what to say, so I took Nina to my chair and sat down behind the desk. Nina grabbed at the papers in front of us, and I gently pushed them away. She banged her tiny hands against the wood and giggled to herself while I watched Sophie, worry creeping up inside my chest.
“Are you sure you want this?” I asked hesitantly. I was scared to hear her answer.
“Want what?” she asked. “To get married?”
I nodded. “It’s just if you don’t want to, I completely understand.”
“Andrew,” Sophie said. She laughed and shook her head. “Of course, I want to marry you. God, there’s nothing I want more.”
I smiled and sighed, relief flooding through my veins. That was all I needed to hear.
“Then, here’s what we’ll do,” I said. “You go. Call Kaddy and spend the day away from the house. Don’t even think about the wedding, okay? Just try to relax for a little bit.”
“I can’t do that,” Sophie said. “There’s way too much to handle.”
“I’ll keep Nina,” I said simply. “And I’ll call the venue. I will take care of it, Soph. I promise.”
“Do you have time for that?” Sophie frowned. “Don’t you have meetings this afternoon?”
“Nothing that can’t be canceled.”
Sophie’s eyes narrowed slightly. She didn’t want to agree. It made her nervous to spend an entire day relaxing, but I knew that was exactly what she needed.
“It’s been weeks since you last saw Kaddy,” I said. “A girl’s day out would do you wonders.”
“Maybe it will.”
Sophie looked out the window again and then back at me. Her eyes flickered down to the wedding folder sitting on my desk.
“One day won’t kill you,” I said. “It’s just one day, Sophie.”
She nodded and stood up. She looked at Nina who was happily playing in my lap. The sigh that escaped Sophie’s chest was long and deep. She was exhausted to her core.
“Go,” I said. “Before you have a chance to change your own mind.”
“Okay.” She hurried around the desk and kissed Nina’s head. “Thank you.”
“I love you,” I said. Sophie grinned and kissed my lips.
“I love you more,” she said.
“Get out of here.” I jerked my head toward the door and laughed as she ran through it.
Shaking my head, I hugged Nina to my chest and chuckled softly.
“Your mommy is silly,” I said. Nina babbled her response. “What do you think? Should we get started on these wedding plans?”
Nina looked up at me and flopped her tiny palm against my lips. I smiled and kissed her fingers while she squealed and wiggled. I couldn’t remember the last time I spent an entire day with my daughter.
“I love you, you know that?” I said, making Nina giggle even more. “I love you so much.”
After I got my fill of Nina’s smile, I pulled Sophie’s wedding folder closer and flipped it open. The numbers for both venues were right on top. I grabbed my phone and dialed the number for the gardens, mentally preparing myself for a fight.
“Yes,” I said when someone answered. “My name is Andrew Hopper. I believe my fiancée has been speaking with you about our upcoming wedding?”
“Oh!” the woman said. “Yes, Mr. Hopper. Wonderful to hear from you. How can I help?”
I explained the situation, slipping into my professional, no-nonsense manner. The woman argued with me at first, claiming their policy only allowed them to book a date if the payment was made in full. It was obvious from her tone that she was lying.
“Listen,” I said. “I know you’re full of shit, okay? I’m not an idiot. I’ve been in the business world for a long time now.”
“Mr. Hopper—”
“No,” I said firmly. “I’m not finished. I know you’re jerking me around because I have money, and you know what? That’s perfectly fine. Right now, I don’t care. My fiancée has her heart set on your venue. She wants to get married there, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
“That’s wonderful,” the woman said. “But we’ll still need—”
“Us to pay in full,” I said. “Yes, I know. However, I refuse to agree to that unless the money is fully refundable.”
“I’m sorry?” the woman asked, clearly surprised by my request.
“Refundable,” I said. “If you want me to put down twelve thousand dollars right now, then I want it in writing that that money will be returned to me if we have to cancel.”
“Why would you cancel?” the woman asked.
“That’s the deal,” I said. “Take it or leave it.”
She was silent for quite a while, and when she finally answered, I could hear the hesitation in her voice. She didn’t want to agree, but in the end, she didn’t have a choice.
I got off the phone and flipped through the folder some more. Sophie was already stressed enough. If I could take something else off her plate, then I would.
“Look,” I said to Nina. “Place settings. What do you think? Do you like the silver? Or the gold?”
Nina babbled and slapped her hand down over the silver. I laughed and kissed her cheek, making a mental note to order the silver place settings in the morning.
39
Sophie
Instead of driving straight to Kaddy’s, I took the long way through town. My windows were rolled down and the radio was blaring through the speakers. I pounded on my steering wheel, venting all my frustration. I couldn’t remember the last time I drove around in my car with nowhere to go. Or even the last time I drove without Nina in the backseat.
I glanced behind me and saw Nina’s empty car seat. A pang of guilt shot through my chest. It wasn’t fair of me to leave Nina for the day just because I was stressed. I looked back at the road, but my eyes kept returning to that empty car seat.
As I drove, I fought the urge to turn around and drive home. Nina was safe with Andrew, but I already missed her. I wondered if she was crying, or if she missed me yet, too. It wasn’t like I’d never left her before. Andrew was an amazing father. He took great care of her, but I hated being away from her. I hated feeling like I wasn’t a good mother.
It was a few minutes before I managed to calm myself down. Andrew was right. I needed this time away from the house.
I’d been so focused on the wedding that the past week had flown by in a haze of drama and stress. No matter how much I accomplished, it was like my to-do list never got any shorter.
Remembering Andrew’s advice, I pulled out my phone and dialed Kaddy’s number. I knew it was her day off from the coffee shop, so she would definitely be home.
“Hey, stranger,” Kaddy said when she answered. “Haven’t heard from you in a while.”
“Just a couple weeks,” I said with a sigh.
“Feels longer,” Kaddy said. “I miss you.”
“Oh, I miss you, too.” I pressed the phone against my ear. “I’m in some serious need of girl time. Are you free?”
“Of course,” Kaddy said. “Want me to come over?”
“No,” I said. “I’m already on my way to your place.”
“With Nina?” Kaddy asked. “You didn’t need to get her out, Sophie. I would have come to you.”
“She’s with Andrew for the day,” I said. “He insisted I take a break.”
Kaddy paused. I knew she was worried. It wasn’t often that I willingly left my daughter behind. In fact, Kaddy and I hadn’t had a single moment alone since Nina was born.
“I’ll see you soon,” Kaddy said, trying to keep her voice bright.
“See you soon.”
We hung up, and I blared the radio again. I sang every song that came on, trying to force myself into a relaxed state. Kaddy was already worried about me. If I showed up tense and uncomfortable, she would press me to talk, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Today was about letting go of stress, not dwelling on it.
My plan didn’t work. When I pulled into the parking lot at Kaddy’s apartment, I was still tied up in knots. No amount of singing or driving could help relax me. I was beginning to think nothing could.
“You’re here,” Kaddy said. She opened the door with a wide grin and ushered me inside. “I can’t believe it. I almost feel like I’m dreaming.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” I rolled my eyes. “You saw me like three weeks ago.”
“Longer,” Kaddy said. “Closer to a month.”
Fair Trade For Love: A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance Page 24
