The young woman nodded, and Sadie left the room just as tears broke through the dam she’d set in place so long ago. Just another strike against her. Evan had the perfect family, and hers was practically nonexistent.
She thought about going back in and finding Evan for a dance. Dancing with him had been something she’d looked forward to for longer than she wanted to admit, but now that he’d come back to the reception, she wondered how she could have dreamed a future could happen between them. He looked like he was barely surviving this wedding. This was her business, her livelihood. Would he be able to handle an afterwork chat everyday about weddings?
She thought about the rest of the Pearson family. The oldest brother, Darren, loved his wife, who fit into the family like she’d lived with them since the day she was born. And thinking of Travis and his family, he was basically a shoo-in for a perfect in-law.
Sadie had been grateful on so many occasions that Dolores and Carl had taken her in and helped her deal with her dysfunctional family when she was younger, but would that care transfer when it came to being with their son now?
Heading to freshen up in her suite, she took more time than usual, hoping that most of the people would be gone by the time she got down there to organize the cleanup. She was far from wanting to talk to people and just needed to get through the night.
A call came in, and Sadie recognized the number as being for the bride of the wedding set two days before Christmas. “Hi, Brooke. How are you?”
A sniffle came through the phone. “Our venue was double-booked. Since the other couple reserved it two months before we did, we’re out. What are we going to do?”
The problem-solving wedding planner in Sadie moved into action, putting her worries aside. “I’m just finishing up a wedding tonight. I’ll be on the first flight out tomorrow morning, and we’ll figure it out. Don’t you worry, girl.”
Maybe some time away would be good. She needed the beach, the fresh air and the crash of the waves on the sand. That would hopefully put her life into perspective.
Chapter 28
When Evan woke up, it was nearly noon the next day. He found himself curled up on the couch in his penthouse, still dressed in his wedding attire. It took a moment for his brain to register what had happened the night before. Sadie had come looking for him, had said she was excited to dance with him at the reception, but he’d lost sight of her after the father-daughter dance.
He’d spent the rest of the reception looking for her, checking his phone every so often. She didn’t have the same phobias as he did when it came to weddings, but her sentiments about marriage in general could have been triggered at some point throughout.
He turned on his phone that he’d turned off when he arrived back to his penthouse the night before and went to plug it in, seeing several notifications from texts and voicemails. The elevator dinged, and Evan stood up, wondering who would be coming up.
When the doors opened, his whole family poured out of it, reminding him of clowns in a clown car.
“Look who’s alive. We were worried about you, buddy.” Darren stepped forward and slapped Evan on the back, causing Evan to wince.
“Why? I survived all the events of the wedding and reception. I think I deserve some kind of medal.” Evan grinned, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
His mother smiled and nodded. “We are definitely proud of you for making it through the night.”
Aubrey grinned and walked forward, pulling Evan into a hug. “What? He got to take a nap halfway through, and you’re proud of him?”
Evan chuckled. “It’s not like you did much. I’m sure you were the social butterfly of the family.”
“Please. Someone had to talk to people last night. You looked like you’d rather be anywhere but there, and Aiden, well, we know he’s not the best at keeping a conversation going.” Aubrey leaned in with a grin, even though her voice stayed the same in volume.
“Uh-huh. I’m sure that was your biggest worry.” Evan looked around at his family, some of them sprawled out on the couches and others raiding his kitchen. He looked at Darren and asked, “Where are Emma and the kids?”
“Naptime. All four of them are out, and I didn’t want to wake them, so I’ve been hanging out with everyone else. We’re heading back to the ranch today, so I figured I’d let them sleep a bit.”
Their mother laughed, and the two guys turned to look at her. “Good luck with that. Usually, you want to coordinate naps with when you’re traveling so you can have peace and quiet. Believe me, we had to do that a lot with the triplets, or we would have gone crazy.”
The others all burst out laughing, and Darren looked as though he’d been hit in the jaw.
He finally shrugged and said, “Emma is the chief on that one. She said they were all ready for naps, so we’ll just do what we have to do to finish up here and then head out later.”
Their father came up and patted Darren on the shoulder with one hand and Evan with the other. “Good choice, son. Life is just easier when your wife is happy. Let me tell you.”
“What was that I heard?” Evan’s mother asked from behind them. Evan turned to see a wide grin on her face.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Evan asked her, trying not to laugh.
She nodded. “Oh, yes.”
Evan smiled, but there was no enthusiasm behind it. He watched as his parents bantered back and forth, something they had always done to some degree. A canyon opened in Evan’s chest, and he wasn’t sure what had caused it. Maybe it was the thought that his parents’ marriage was something he wanted, and his loneliness was causing him to want it even more?
Sadie popped into his mind, and a deep regret filled him. He was supposed to dance with her at the reception.
Evan dropped his voice to a near whisper. “Did you see where Sadie went last night? She was supposed to dance with me. I’ve texted and called, but I haven’t heard from her.”
“I think she’s on a flight back to California. She said something about helping out another bride with a venue problem.” Aubrey’s eyes softened, and she gave him a small smile. “She didn’t text you?”
While the words sounded right, something felt off about them. “Why did she leave already? I waited for her all night but didn’t see her.”
Evan pulled out his phone and didn’t see the fist coming as Aubrey punched him right on the collar bone. The pain reverberated through his shoulders and neck. “Ow! What was that for?”
All the eyes in the room turned to look at the two of them, and their mother finally spoke. “What’s going on between you two? You still need to fight even after all these years?”
“I was just asking where Sadie is, and she pulled out the fist, Mom.” Evan tried to do the puppy dog eyes he’d done for years to sway her opinion, but it appeared to have worn off, because his mother didn’t crack. He scrolled through his texts, seeing one with Sadie’s name a few messages down. He swiped and saw, Corn Dogs.
What could be wrong? Was she hurt?
“Well, the girl loves you, and you should have put in more effort to find her. She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, but I assume you have some part in it. Did you say something to make her mad? You must have pushed her away somehow.” His mother’s words caused him to wince both physically and on the inside.
Throwing his hands up into the air, he said, “I was there. She told me she had to check on some things but she would be there for a few dances.”
“How are you going to fix it, though?” Aiden’s eyes were boring into Evan’s.
“I’m not discussing my love life with my entire family sitting here. That’s weird, you know.” Not one of them cracked a smile, and the air in the room made him gulp a few times, trying to get enough in to fill his lungs.
“Why not? We’ve all been here since long before Stacey. We’re the best sounding board you’re going to get.” Aiden raised an eyebrow as he smirked, and Evan knew there was no way he was getting out of this sit
uation without some of his raw feelings coming to the surface.
Raising both hands, Evan chuckled. “I hope you don’t think this is an intervention. Because I can handle this on my own. I’ve been able to correct a lot of things in my life, and most things I’ve done right the first time. I need to find out how she feels about me.” He stood, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Well, do you like her or not?” Aubrey asked, her voice impatient.
“Yeah, I like her. She’s funny, smart, and puts me in my place, even if I’m not always happy about that.” Evan stared at the design on the carpet under his feet, knowing he’d fallen for a girl he’d known since grade school. Was it possible to love someone after such a short time? As he thought about Sadie and the idea of her two states away, a hole opened up and panic set in. “I’m pretty sure I love her.”
Darren walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of Evan. “You’ve been able to correct almost everything in your life. But your wedding is what you keep to motivate you. Let it go. Start fresh with Sadie. Maybe that will turn into the correction you need to trump your past failure.”
“Geez, thanks, Darren.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to help you be happy. There’s a lot to be said about the love of a good woman.”
Swallowing a mound that had formed in his throat, Evan’s stomach sank. “That would be hard since she never wants to get married.”
Aubrey grinned. “Never say never. She was already coming around to the idea. I could tell that this wedding did more to help change her mindset than anything I’ve ever seen.”
He studied his sister’s eyes, waiting for the deception to shine through. But her eyes told him the truth. A surge of adrenaline rushed through him, the kind he’d felt before every big game he’d ever played. Just like those times, he didn’t know how it would all play out, but he was ready to go all in.
Grabbing his wallet and his phone, he dialed George. “Hey, George. I’m going to need a ride to the airport ASAP.”
Hanging up the phone, he pushed the button to the elevator.
“Good luck, Ev.” Aiden grinned at him, leaning against the wall.
“Thanks, A. If this works, we’ll have to work on finding you a girl.”
“Ha. I may look like you, but the similarities don’t extend much further.”
“Wait, we need to go down too,” Aubrey said, sticking her arm through the opening right before the door closed all the way. The family got off on their own floor, wishing him well.
Evan was grateful for the moments of silence as the elevator continued down to the garage. Walking into the semi-darkness of the underground parking area, he found George waiting for him with the limo.
“Paul is getting the plane ready, sir. You should be ready for takeoff when we arrive.”
“That’s great, George.” He slipped into the back and sat back.
As they arrived at his hangar and before George could get out, Evan jumped out and said, “No worries, George. Take the rest of the day off and hang out with your family. I hope this trip will make me just as happy as you are.”
The man grinned, and Evan jumped out, knowing he was going to have to hurry. He didn’t want to lose Sadie, and every minute seemed precious now that he knew he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life.
Chapter 29
Sadie had been able to curb her emotions until the minute she stepped through the door of her apartment. With the silence that seemed like a fog inside, she couldn’t keep the tears from falling again, knowing she should be focusing on the next aspect of her wedding planning business and not the man she’d left in Vegas.
She’d spent most of her dating life comparing men to Evan, and of course, they never seemed to measure up. Now she needed to get over him, to realize he wouldn’t want to marry her—or have anything to do with marriage—because her flaws and family life seemed so far off of what he’d grown up with. She didn’t know anything about having a strong marriage and family.
If there was one good thing that had come from planning Taryn’s wedding, it was the fact that Sadie wasn’t completely opposed to the idea of marriage. Maybe not in the traditional sense with the huge wedding and celebration, but something simple, as a promise of a future. With the relationship Dolores and Carl Pearson had, she knew it was possible to stay together and not have it be a yelling match every other minute. Not that the Pearson’s parents didn’t argue, but at least they respected one another’s opinions enough to keep their marriage and family strong.
She hoped she’d someday be able to make a relationship work. After Evan’s reaction to the ceremony and getting a speeding ticket after the rehearsal dinner while running away, he might not ever be ready to marry. And she needed someone who wasn’t scared of commitment, someone who would never run from her. Especially when she knew now, more than ever, that she needed someone by her side, a best friend she could consult with and divulge all her feelings to. What would her parents’ marriage have been like with if they had just confided in one another instead of fighting?
After several hours of being holed up inside her room, her stomach made sure she knew how hungry it was, and because she hadn’t been home in a while, there was nothing quick she could eat, which meant she’d have to go out and get something.
There were a few people out and about, but it wasn’t so busy that she couldn’t get where she needed to go. Making it to the burger place around the corner, she ate her cheeseburger and fries alone. It felt like a symbol of her life. That she was destined to be alone, even though she now wanted to take back everything she’d ever said against marriage.
After picking up a few groceries at the market next to the diner, she made her way back to her apartment, doing her best to keep her mind from wandering back to the loneliness she felt. It reached so deep and felt so heavy that it was as though a large boulder was sitting on top of her chest, only leaving a small airway for her to breathe.
The elevator was broken again, so she trudged the three floors to her apartment, ready to turn on a movie and sleep the night away, knowing she’d need to finish the last few details on the next wedding in a few weeks.
Rounding the staircase, she found the key to her door and looked up, jumping as she saw Evan leaning against the wall next to her door, wearing his now-rumpled wedding attire from the night before.
Trying to regain her composure, she moved forward, focusing the key into the lock and opening the door.
She opened her mouth to say something but found none of the words formed a coherent sentence. Sticking her key into the lock, she turned it and entered the apartment. She dropped the bags on the table and turned to face him.
Evan stood a foot away, and he reached out one hand and rubbed it up and down her arm. “We missed our dance.”
“I’m sorry. But I saw your sister and dad dancing together, and something inside me broke, like a tidal wave of my past drowning me. As scary as it is, I want to get married, and I figured with all the emotions you’d gone through during the preparation and execution of the wedding, that asking that of you, if you had feelings for me, would be a stretch.”
With his other hand, he lifted a bouquet of daffodils from behind his back. “I came here to tell you I’m sorry for the last two weeks. I know I’ve been all over the place, physically, mentally, you name it. But I want to say that the past six weeks have opened my eyes to the fact that I love you, Sadie. I love how passionate you are about your work and that you can call me out on my faults. But what I love the most is that you know me. You’ve seen me fail and didn’t treat me any different. You were there for every moment that I needed strength or comfort, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Sadie reached her hand up to her chest, trying to catch her breath. “Did you just say you love me?”
Evan chuckled. “Yeah, I do. I know it’s sudden, and if you don’t love me—”
“I love you too.” Tingles flowed through her body as if in confirmation of
her words.
The look on Evan’s face was of pure happiness, and in two steps, he’d gathered her up in his arms, pressing his lips to hers with a softness that made her legs go weak. His pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
After kissing for several seconds, Sadie pulled back, gulping in the air around her. She leaned her forehead against his, relishing the fact that she was actually kissing Evan Pearson, her high school crush, and that he loved her.
“What happens now?” she managed to say, her breathing becoming more even.
Evan took her hand, interlacing her fingers with his. “I’m not sure. But for once, that’s okay. I’d like to marry you some day, but only when you’re ready. As long as I have you, I’ll be the happiest man alive.”
Epilogue
After spending most of December working to finish up the last wedding Sadie had for the year, she and Evan took a trip to the ranch for Christmas, where he proposed to her. It might have been quick for many other couples, but with their history, it seemed fitting that it happened around family.
As they drove back to Vegas two days after New Year’s, Sadie sat in the passenger seat, admiring the simple solitaire diamond.
“What if we eloped?” She looked over at him, admiring the scruff on his face as he hadn’t shaved since they’d arrived at the ranch.
He looked at her, a mischievous grin on his face. “Elope? Are you sure you’d want to do that?”
Sadie shrugged. “I plan weddings for a living. You are deathly afraid of all of the decisions that go into a wedding. It sounds like a great plan to me.” She grinned as he scrunched his nose.
“That was the old Evan. As long as you don’t leave me at the altar, I’m up for whatever you want to do,” he said, glancing at her before turning back to watch the road.
“I’m just saying it might be better for the two of us. We’ve both had these fears about getting married. What if we just rip off the Band-Aid and do it?”
The Vegas Billionaire: An International Billionaire Club Series Page 15
