WORTHY

by Lexie Ray

  “I guess that’s our cue,” Jonathan said, kissing me one more time.

  “I’ll see you out there,” I said, smiling at him. Butterflies were fluttering around in my stomach, but they had nothing to do with marrying the man who was standing in front of me. I was already his, mind, body, and soul. We just had to get through the ceremony and reception now.

  “I can’t believe the balls on you,” Jane said as I rejoined her in the tent, clearly delighted by the scandal.

  “You’re not the first person to admire my balls,” I told her, thinking back on Brock. She must’ve gotten the expression from him.

  “Everyone decent in there?” Collier called. “It’s time.”

  “We’re ready,” Jane said, her grin loose and easy. She really was drunk. How did she pull it off all the time?

  Outside of the tent, Brock took Jane’s hand and placed it in his arm.

  “You’re not going to fall on your face, are you?” he asked, peering at her. “You need to make me look good for the ladies.”

  “Oh, shut up,” Jane said. “Take me to the altar, lover boy.”

  They started walking on the winding carpet that would take them the tent where the ceremony and reception would take place. It was my understanding that guests were already seated at tables and would watch from there.

  “Are you ready, Michelle?” Collier asked, smiling at me. “I realize that Jane doesn’t speak for all of us.”

  “I’m definitely ready,” I said, smiling back and taking the arm he offered me.

  “You look stunning,” he said. “But I’m sure it has more to do with the beauty you always carry in your heart and less with Rowan.”

  “You’re kind to say so.”

  We began the long, winding walk to the tent. As we got closer, I could hear the classical piece the band was playing. Amelia had really gotten her choice of everything. I didn’t know what song I would’ve picked, but it probably wouldn’t have been whatever they were playing.

  “Last chance to run screaming away from all of this insanity,” Collier said, only half joking.

  “I love Jonathan,” I said. “If this is what has to happen, this is what I’ll do.”

  “You should’ve seen my wedding,” Collier said. “It was probably twice this size. Jonathan’s been leaning on his mother to tamp it down. You see how well it’s been working.”

  We entered the tent, where hundreds of people were seated at tables swathed in white gauze. Strings of lights dangled from the ceiling of the tent, simulating glowing raindrops. Collier and I made our way to the dais at the front. I could see Jane and Brock had already taken their places, and Jonathan was waiting for me.

  I was suddenly eager to be by his side, but forced myself to follow Collier’s measured march.

  “I’ve never seen Jonathan so happy with anyone,” Collier told me. “Not even when he had his memories. That’s why I know this is right.”

  “It feels right to me, too,” I said, giving Collier’s arm a squeeze. “And thank you for walking me down the aisle. It—it means a lot.”

  “I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” he said, patting my hand, and then it was me who cried.

  As we passed through the tables, the attendees gasped, snapping photos and taking videos of me on their smart phones. I didn’t even care if they were gasping at my scar or my dress choice or my hair. I only had eyes for Jonathan, and his smile grew broader and broader the closer I got to the dais.

  “This is the point when I’m supposed to give you away,” Collier said, pausing at the bottom of the steps. “But you’re a strong woman, Michelle. I just feel so thankful that you decided to give your heart to my son.”

  “Thank you,” I said, kissing him on his cheek.

  I walked the steps of the dais alone before Jonathan took my arm and guided me to stand in front of him.

  “I heard you guys already got a sneak peek of each other,” Brock hissed, winking. “The scandal!”

  “Can you blame me?” Jonathan asked, beaming at me.

  The reverend called everyone to stand and began the ceremony. It was so hard to focus on the words with all those eyes dissecting me, so I let the intonations just wash over me, staying steady by looking deeply into Jonathan’s eyes. He never looked away, not even when the reverend asked him to read his vows.

  “You are my past, present, and future,” Jonathan said. I was so glad he chose those words. When I’d first heard them, they had solidified our commitment to each other. Now, Jonathan was telling the world how he felt about me. It was such a powerful moment.

  “I look forward to making even more memories at your side,” he continued, squeezing my hands. “And wherever life may take us, I know we will face it together.”

  At a quiet prompting from the reverend, I cleared my throat to recite my own vows.

  “When I found you, I found myself,” I said. “And ever since we’ve been together, I’ve known that I’ll never be lost again. I can’t wait to take on the adventures life has in store for us.”

  Jonathan’s eyes were bright with unshed tears, and I don’t think either of us listened to the rest of what the reverend had to say. In the tent with hundreds of other people, there was only us.

  And when we kissed, sailing through the last hoop we had to jump, everyone applauded. I lost myself on Jonathan’s lips, hardly believing how far we’d come. We were husband and wife—finally—after almost a year since he’d first asked me in the field by the cottage. I remembered the bouquet of wildflowers he’d presented me with when he asked the question. I never would’ve imagined this was how everything would happen.

  But I tried not to question it when good things happened. Good things deserved to be enjoyed, not overanalyzed.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Wharton,” the reverend announced, and everyone applauded again.

  “You know, I like the way that sounds, Mrs. Wharton,” Jonathan said, smiling at me.

  “I have to agree with you, Mr. Wharton,” I said, kissing him again.

  I looked out into the crowd for the first time. Collier was there, dabbing at his eyes. He was a crier after all! I’d have to tell Rowan. Amelia was beside him, clapping primly while eyeing the servers standing along the sides of the tent. I was sure she’d hardly taken in the ceremony, being so wrapped up with the entire production of the event. It was all the same to me. I had to admit that the decorations were gorgeous. If we’d had the wedding by the cottage, as I’d initially wanted, it would’ve been a whole different look. Maybe we’d have the sky above us instead of thousands of twinkling lights. They were both good, in their own ways.

  I looked at the person sitting next to Amelia and froze.

  Violet. Violet was at our wedding, sitting front and center. She wasn’t clapping. She was staring at me, daggers in her eyes.

  I looked back at Amelia, and she was looking at me now, smirking.

  Maybe a few months ago this would’ve reduced me to tears. Today, maybe it should’ve worried me a little more. It was a wad of phlegm, right in my face, a blatant sign of disrespect for my marriage.

  Still, I only smiled coolly back, waving right at Violet. She seemed taken aback, glancing over at Amelia.

  They could spit all they wanted to at my marriage. I was married to Jonathan, not her, despite Violet and Amelia’s best efforts. Our vows hadn’t been idle. We’d face whatever life threw at us head on. We were together.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  The reception passed by in a blur, Jane making sure everyone at our little table kept a full glass of champagne. Champagne was clearly her drink of choice, though I was pretty sure I saw her and Brock taking shots over by the bar.

  Jonathan and I had our first dance, then I danced with Collier. Brock even mostly behaved himself when it was our turn to dance with each other.

  “I had my doubts about you,” he said. “But I think you’ve proven yourself.”

  “Now, wait a minute,” I lau
ghed, feeling tipsy. “I thought you said you’d put your money on me. Something about my arms.”

  “I wouldn’t count Violet out just yet,” he said, looking past me.

  I took the lead momentarily and spun us around just in time to see Violet approaching Jane and Jonathan, who were dancing at the same time as Brock and me.

  “Oh, hell no,” I snarled, trying to extricate myself from Brock to march over there myself.

  “I don’t think you want to make a scene at your own wedding,” he told me, restraining me lightly but letting me watch from my vantage point. “Let us see how young Jonathan will handle himself.”

  I knew that Brock was just trying to save me some grief. I was honestly ready to punch Violet in the jaw and be done with it. I couldn’t believe she’d been so brazen as to show up here.

  When she tried to cut in to dance with Jonathan, Jane threw her head back, laughing uproariously. Nice to see how amused she was by all of this. Jonathan scowled and took her by her wrist before swiveling his head around and waving someone over. I took control of the dance again and started fox-trotting Brock and myself over there.

  “Slowly,” he cautioned. “Don’t draw attention. Pretend you don’t even see it.”

  “This isn’t something that’s going to be ignored,” I told him, moving even closer. “Bitch is going to pay.”

  Two security guards arrived on the dance floor, and the people at the tables nearest to the action craned their necks to see what was going on.

  “I want this woman removed from the premises,” I heard Jonathan say. “She is uninvited.”

  “Right away, sir,” one of the guards said quickly, seizing Violet’s arm.

  “Now, wait a second!”

  I gritted my teeth as Amelia entered the scene.

  “I invited this woman,” Jonathan’s mother said. “She has a right to be here.”

  “No, she doesn’t,” Jonathan said. “I have no idea why you would think this was even remotely close to a good idea. I don’t want this woman at my wedding.”

  “It was supposed to be our wedding,” Violet said, and I could see those waterworks churning.

  “Fuck,” I muttered, making Brock laugh. “Would you just let me go?”

  “You’ll thank me for this later,” he said. “Really, you don’t want to add to the circus. I’ll spin you around so you don’t have to watch, if you’d like.”

  “Don’t you dare,” I hissed.

  “Suit yourself,” he said, shrugging and watching a big-busted woman carry a drink across the dance floor.

  “I invited her because you all are friends now,” Amelia was saying. “I thought we owed her that courtesy, at least, after everything that’s happened to her.”

  “Violet proved to me that she couldn’t just be a friend,” Jonathan said. “That’s why she can’t be here. She tried to ruin my relationship with Michelle, and I won’t tolerate her presence here. She has to go.”

  “Jonathan, you are making a scene,” Amelia said, saying the words through gritted teeth.

  “And I will make a bigger one by leaving if Violet doesn’t do so immediately,” Jonathan said, his voice calm. Amelia cut her eyes at him, seeming to weigh her options. Jonathan and I had left his welcome home dinner. Would he really leave his own wedding? Amelia had to consider that as a strong possibility. I was having a fun time dancing, but Violet really had soured everything. It would almost be a relief to go back to the house together and lose ourselves in each other.

  “Violet, I’m sorry, dear, but I’ll have to ask you to leave,” Amelia said finally. “I’ll speak with you later.”

  Violet hung her head, tears glistening on her cheek. Crocodile tears. They made me want to sneer.

  “I understand,” she said sadly. “I just wanted to be with you guys today. You’ve become family to me.”

  “We’ll always be family,” Amelia soothed. “But go on, now. Look for my call.”

  When Violet left, there was a smattering of applause from among the guests who’d seen the whole thing. Amelia swept off, and Jonathan closed his eyes while running his hand through his hair.

  “Let go of me,” I said, shoving Brock out of my way. I had to go to my husband.

  “Michelle,” Jonathan said, surprised. “Did you see...”

  “I saw all of it,” I said, putting my hands in his as we began to dance. “Brock wouldn’t let me go over there, though.”

  “It was for the best,” he said. “I’m really sorry about this, baby.”

  “I don’t care about any of it,” I said. “I really don’t. What can they do now? We’re together for good. Legal muscle and everything.”

  “God, I love you,” Jonathan said, kissing me. “Everything always makes sense when I’m with you. What would I do without you, Michelle?”

  “Nothing of note,” I teased him, kissing him again.

  “Want to sneak off to one of the other tents?” Jonathan whispered in my ear, making me shudder with delight.

  “Do you think we could manage it without being noticed?” I asked, giggling at what he was proposing. Trust my husband to not even make it through the reception before wanting to consummate the marriage.

  But even as we started to edge off of the dance floor, Collier approached us.

  “What’s wrong?” Jonathan asked, cocking his head at his father.

  “Maybe this would be better said in private,” Collier said, glancing at me. “It’s about the company.”

  “You can say it in front of Michelle, whatever it is,” Jonathan said. “There aren’t secrets between us.”

  Collier took a deep breath. “There’s been a vote of no confidence against you among the board members of Wharton Group.”

  It was Jonathan’s turn to suck in his own breath. “What?”

  “They think you’re a changed man,” Collier said. “They’re right, but they don’t think it’s for the better. They’re concerned, son.”

  “That’s ludicrous,” I said. “Jonathan’s been devoting himself to the business ever since he got here. He even goes in on Saturdays—it’s really changed the culture at the office.”

  Collier shook his head. “They think it’s because he doesn’t know what he’s doing, that he’s lost confidence in himself. They want a new CEO.”

  Jonathan ran his hand through his hair again, mussing it. I tried to put some of the strands back in place as my husband planned his next move.

  “They would be right, if I were being perfectly honest,” Jonathan said. “I’ve had to relearn all the different departments, had to memorize the very faces and names of my board members. I’ve had to study my old textbooks from my business degree right alongside names of major suppliers and clients and partners.”

  “Do you still want to helm this company?” Collier asked. “Are you going to concede to the vote and let them elect a new CEO?”

  “Fuck, no,” Jonathan said, his blue eyes blazing. “Why the fuck do they think I’ve been putting all this work into it? I want to be the best I can be for this company. I want to be better than the man I was. I have ideas, Dad, and I want to see them implemented. I came back to Wharton Group a changed man, but I came back with a clear mind and good goddamn ideas. I’m the best CEO for our company. I’m not conceding shit.”

  Collier grabbed Jonathan and hugged him hard, pounding his back.

  “That’s my son,” he murmured, just audible over the music from the band. “That’s my son. We’re going to fight these bastards.”

  “So what do you have to do?” I asked. “Call a meeting? Give a speech?”

  “That’s where it gets difficult,” Collier said. “The other board members are scattered across the globe. We did that on purpose so that we could have trusted people overseeing operations no matter where they were taking place. With a vote of no confidence, Jonathan needs to sort of campaign, convince the board members that he’s the best man for the job.”

  “How many are there?” I asked, beginning to understand w
hy it was a problem.

  “Fourteen,” Jonathan answered grimly. “Fourteen board members in fourteen different countries.”

  “I’m guessing this is going to void our honeymoon,” I said, my heart sinking. At this rate, I’d never see the cottage again—where we’d agreed to go.

  “Not void,” Jonathan said, shaking his head. “Defer. We’re still going to go, baby. But I have to move fast on this vote. If I can’t get to a majority to convince them that I’m capable of leading this company within a month, I’ll be out of a job.”

  “You only have a month?” I asked. “But that’s—that’s a country every two days.”

  “You’ll take the company jet, of course,” Collier said. “And you’ll have to leave tonight. I can call Winston, get him to send your briefcase and laptop to the airport. Don’t worry about clothes. You can buy them at your first stop.”

  “What’s the first stop?” I asked, feeling a little faint.

  “Paris,” Collier said, smiling sadly. “I’ve heard it’s beautiful this time of year.”

  “Do you think I could go with you?” I asked, hating myself for even asking. “I wouldn’t be a distraction. You wouldn’t even notice me. I just want to be there for you, Jon.”

  And I didn’t want to be left alone, not right after our wedding. Not after what had just happened with Amelia and Violet.

  “It would be better if he went alone,” Collier said, his face full of sympathy. “He would look even more dedicated, unfortunately, leaving his new bride to go convince the board that he’s fit to lead.”

  “Can I at least ride with you to the airport?” I asked, my lips trembling even as I tried to put on a brave face.

  “Of course, baby,” Jonathan said, hugging me tightly to him.

  “You all have to go now,” Collier said. “I’ll make all the necessary calls. It’s just going to take a while to get to the airport around this time of day.”

  Collier spirited us away through a back entrance of the tent. Very few people saw us. It would’ve been the perfect route to take to sneak off and fool around in the bridal or groom tent, but that was impossible now. We’d lost that chance forever.