Happily Ever After: 6 Marriage Romances In 1 (BWWM Romance)

by BWWM Club

  It turned out they needn't have worried at all.

  “Shayna,” Jordan began. “There’s something we need to talk to you about.”

  “About you and Mr. V getting married?” Shay asked looking up from her cereal.

  “How did you know about that?” Jordan asked surprised.

  “Last night when you both came home. Mr. V helped you to the room. You weren’t feeling good. You left the certificate on the table,” she explained nonchalantly.

  “And…you’re not upset?” Jordan inquired.

  “No I think it’s brilliant,” she said beaming.

  “Shay there’s one thing you don’t quite understand. This is not a real marriage,” Jordan explained.

  Shay looked confused.

  “What your mother means is that we had to get married so that you two could stay here in Russia,” Dimitri offered.

  “I don’t understand,” Shay said truthfully.

  “I received a letter that said we had to return to DC. The only way for us to stay was for Dimitri and I to get married. We will get a divorce when we leave in September.”

  Shay’s face fell, slightly disappointed but she recovered quickly and was happy that they didn't have to return to DC.

  “I don't want to finish the school year in DC. I want to stay here until September. There’s only a few months left and I don’t want to graduate not knowing anyone.”

  “What do you mean not knowing anyone? You went to school with most of them since you were in kindergarten,” Jordan said exasperated.

  “I know but well my party. We already started planning it. Plus, we have the class trip to Moscow coming up. I'm glad we're not leaving. And I'm glad that you married Mr. V.”

  “There’s one more thing Shayna,” Dimitri stated. “You have to promise not to tell anyone that it's not a real marriage. We have to convince everyone that it’s real so that we don’t get in trouble. Can you do that?”

  “I'm not going to tell anyone,” she said, “but if I were you Mr. V I would get my mom a ring. I mean after all who gets married without a wedding ring? That's like the most important part. “

  Shay left for school shortly after.

  “You know she's right,” Dimitri said.

  They were getting ready to leave and head to the office.

  “Who was right?” Jordan said a bemused expression upon her face.

  “Shay. I have to get you a wedding ring.”

  “It’s not important,” Jordan said waving him off.

  “If we want to convince everyone that this marriage is real for the next five months then we need to convince them.”

  “Okay, we’ll stop in a shop somewhere and get a cheap ring,” Jordan agreed.

  “As a matter of fact I have the perfect thing! Will you follow me to my office?” he said excitedly.

  Jordan followed him dutifully to his office where he opened his safe. Inside were documents, and other things and a tiny black velvet box. It was this he grabbed before closing the safe and turning to Jordan. Dimitri opened it revealing a tiny delicate ring with a simple gold band with a small ruby. It was on a delicate gold chain.

  “When my mother died,” he explained, “she had this necklace around her neck. When they sent me to the orphanage it was in my personal effects, which they gave to me when I turned eighteen. Sister Marta told me this is the only thing that she had with her.”

  He slipped the ring off of the delicate gold necklace and held it out.

  “Dimitri no. There’s no way that I can wear that. It’s too important. We can get another ring.”

  “I always said I would give this to my wife when I get married.”

  “Yes but …” she trailed off.

  “Please I want you to,” he said softly.

  “Okay,” she said holding out her left hand.

  Dimitri slipped the ring on her finger.

  “See it fits perfectly. I know it's not a huge diamond but I hope it will do until you leave in September.”

  “It’s perfect. It's absolutely beautiful,” Jordan said. “If I was choosing for real I would pick something just like this.”

  Dimitri looked at her warmly.

  “I promise that I will take absolutely good care of it. I won’t let it leave my finger,” she promised.

  The fact that he would trust her with his mother's only heirloom meant the world to her and she meant what she said, she would guard the ring. It would never leave her sight.

  When they arrived at work that morning, Jordan was surprised at how many of her coworkers wished them congratulations on their wedding. Apparently Gita had spread the good news when she notarized their letter of intent the day before. A few of them even said that they figured it was bound to happen sooner or later and wished the couple good luck.

  “Well I guess they didn't need that much convincing,” Dimitri joked.

  “Why would they think that we were a couple?” Jordan said shaking her head.

  “Well we do spend a large amount of time with one another,” he said. “Maybe they figured we fell in love over an embassy document,” he said jokingly, although the look in his eye was not humorous at all.

  Jordan decided to change the subject. They went over some emails that Dimitri had to send out. Although it was a delicate ring, throughout the day Jordan was fully aware of that ring on her finger. She found herself admiring it, wondering what it would feel like if she was really Dimitri’s wife. She tried not to get carried away with that line of thinking. Although several times when she was doing simple things like just typing, the ring caught her eye. She would stretch her hand out and smile although very quickly, she didn’t want to be caught by Dimitri.

  From that moment on anytime Dimitri introduced her, he said this is Jordan, my wife. She didn't know if he was trying to convince everyone that it was valid marriage or not but she did know that she liked hearing it.

  Chapter 7

  The next few months seemed to fly by much to Jordan’s dismay. September seemed to loom in the distance, the more she thought about the day that she would have to leave Dimitri behind, the sadder she got. Dimitri too seemed to sense their days were numbered and decided to make the most of it. Every weekend, he planned someplace new to take Jordan and Shay. They explored the city, they went to go see the famous Isaac's Cathedral and the bridge partings. St. Petersburg, Jordan realized, was full of history and magical places. They took a tour of all of museums, there were about eleven, and the various monuments around the city. Shay was particularly impressed by the statue of The Bronze Horseman.

  Summers in St. Petersburg were very mild and it had started warming up around the end of April. Shay’s class took a weekend trip to Moscow. They took the train and the trip only took about four hours each way. So Jordan had agreed to let her go. When she got back, she had brought them each souvenirs and regaled them with facts and tales of the capital. Jordan wondered if she realized that she was speaking to Russians, with amusement. However, they all listened with rampant enthusiasm as if they were hearing everything for the first time. Dimitri told Shay about some of the times he had been to Moscow and he promised that he would take her back one day.

  Dimitri, although very busy, made it a point to clear his weekends to spend with them. He told Jordan that nothing was more important than Shay’s childhood experience. It warmed Jordan’s heart to hear that. Once he planned a special outing to Pavlovsk Park where they took in a musical concert. They were a bit late because Shay insisted on visiting all the Egyptian statues at the entrance and various monuments scattered throughout the gorgeous sprawling park. Jordan was impressed by all the landscaping. It really was beautiful there, nothing at all like she had imagined Russia to be. Katya had packed them an elaborate picnic and they laid out on blankets and enjoyed the warm weather finally.

  Another weekend they had planned to take a boat and canal tour of the Moika River. Oksana had invited Shay to a show and Jordan had agreed to let her go. Dimitri asked Jordan if she still wante
d to go, he had already purchased the tickets, and she had agreed. The tour was very romantic. They passed many beautiful buildings along the canal’s embankments and went under several archways. They ambled along the canal, sharing a light blanket and sipping French wine. Jordan felt like she was in Venice.

  The tour guide pointed out many sights and they were able to see the padlocks on the bridge of Moika Canal, symbolizing the undying love of couples. Jordan felt the sentiment was very idealistic. Afterwards they stopped for lunch at a little outdoors café and talked for hours. They had not realized how long they sat there until the sun began to set. Jordan guiltily was glad that Shay had made other plans. It was by far her most favorite day since she had moved there. For anyone looking in it would seem like the perfect spot for newlyweds and Jordan did indeed feel like one.

  Besides excursions with Shay, the warmer weather meant multiple embassy functions. Jordan and Dimitri were required to make appearances at several embassy-hosted events, parties and charity functions. She was always introduced at these functions not as Dimitris assistant, but as his wife and part of her wondered how he would explain to his colleagues that he was now divorced once she left in September. After all they put on a good charade. People would wonder how two people who seemed so much in love could just divorce. The thought of him explaining how it was all a farce made her gloomy. Although pretending as if she were in love with Dimitri was the truth, it wasn't just acting. And that was the saddest part of all.

  At one event they ran into Katarina, Dimitri’s old friend from the French restaurant. Dimitri asked her if she remembered Jordan, 'Oh yes your assistant'. 'No my wife,' Dimitri corrected. Jordan took secret pleasure in seeing the shock plastered across Katarina’s face. They excused themselves, there was someone Dimitri needed to speak with, and Jordan beamed as they walked away, arm in arm leaving a speechless Katarina in their wake.

  When school was finally out in June Dimitri surprised Shay and her friends with tickets to the Mariinsky II theater where they were able to see the Russian ballet troupe. It was the most amazing thing Jordan had ever seen. Besides the theater itself being impressive with its glass facades and two thousand seat auditorium, the dancers themselves were beyond remarkable. She had always wanted to see a ballet and laughed at the irony that she had to travel across the globe to finally see one. Afterwards they took the girls to get hamburgers. Jordan and Dimitri sat at another table as the girls were so boisterous.

  “Do you want a hamburger as well or maybe something else?” he asked.

  “Are you kidding me? There’s nothing better than a good old fashioned hamburger.”

  “Well I’ve had burgers in America. You haven’t had the best until you’ve tried a kotleti burger.”

  When their food arrived it was two hamburger patties with a side of sliced zucchini, carrots and potatoes sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

  “Where’s the bun?” Jordan asked.

  “You don’t need a bun. Eat a piece of rye from the bread basket,” Dimitri joked.

  She had to admit it was pretty tasty. It couldn’t replace the American cheeseburger but it was delicious nonetheless. From the table next to them the girls munched on their food and talked incessantly about the ballerinas.

  “You have to stop filling Shay’s head with things or next thing you know she’ll want ballerinas at her party,” Jordan joked.

  “Now that’s an idea. Maybe they can serve the appetizers,” Dimitri teased.

  Jordan swatted his shoulder playfully.

  The following week he had a huge surprise for them. Dimitri had taken the week off and he took Jordan and Shay on an eight-day trip to Lake Baikal in the mountains of Siberia. The lake he announced was the longest and deepest lake in the world. They went on hikes and a nature expedition. Shay was over the moon and took pictures of everything. They went boating and to the thermal spa. It was the best vacation Jordan and Shay had ever been on before. They were both sad to leave.

  Shay was officially on her summer vacation and thankfully she had friends like Oksana and Yana to keep her occupied, so Jordan didn't feel guilty about working all the time. She was shocked that Shay hadn’t asked about going to DC for the summer.

  Dimitri had rented a suite for the summer in the Majestic Hotel so that Shay and her friends could go swimming whenever they wanted, despite protests from Jordan. They had to be guests to use the pool he explained. It was too much to rent what was essentially an apartment for a thirteen-year-old. Thankfully Katya agreed to be her chaperone whenever they went and brought her grandchildren along which made Jordan feel better about the arrangement.

  One weekend, Dimitri had taken them to see the Faberge eggs and once again Shay became obsessed. When she came home she regaled them with tales of the Faberge eggs and the brief history of them. Katya had come up with the insane idea that Shay should have a Faberge egg cake. Shay was thrilled with the idea. However, when Jordan priced it and found out it would be several thousand dollars she said absolutely not. Katya decided that it was no problem, she would undertake the task herself so for the next few days Shay and Katya were online trying to figure out how to make a perfect cake. After researching, they made a trial dome cake that came out pretty nicely. Katya had ordered a special baking pan to get the shape right. Shay wanted a blue and gold birthday cake to match the decorations.

  The birthday ball was another issue. It had escalated into a grand affair. What started out as a simple children's party with about fifty guests had grown into a gala with a guest list of over a hundred. Dimitri insisted on paying for the majority of the expenses, including the caterer and decorations against Jordan’s wishes. He explained that his guests had pushed the budget over the limit.

  Around July, the party planning kicked into full gear. Special order decorations started arriving from blue carpeting to silver tapestries that Dimitri had gotten to hang on all the walls. Cases of champagne and non-alcoholic beverages were purchased and stacked in the pantry. The invitation RSVPs began arriving in the mail, so far they had zero declines. The menu had been finalized and the caterers even threw in Fabergé shaped cupcakes for the event.

  Ivanna meanwhile supervised Andrei and Olaf as they painted the ceiling silver, adding a coat of clear glitter paint and hanging the hundreds of illuminated lighted icicles. It looked magical and Shay was banned from entering the living room until the big day. Dimitri declared ‘Shay watch’ where everyone joked about taking shifts to make sure she didn't she peek.

  Besides everything Dimitri did for them, it was the little moments that Jordan came to appreciate the most. She loved how Shay and Dimitri interacted with one another. It warmed her heart. She would walk in to find Dimitri teaching Shay how to play chess, talking about books and history or pouring and eating cereal in the morning together. They were like peas in a pod. Jordan hoped his absence wouldn’t affect Shay too badly once they were gone. He had become like a father to her in many ways. Something she never had before.

  One evening a week before the party Jordan went to find Dimitri, she had a quick question about the caterer. She finally found him in his office. She was about to knock when she heard Dimitri speaking to Viktor on the phone. She tried not to eavesdrop but when she heard her name it was really hard not to.

  He spoke in Russian though she understood it.

  "Viktor I'm so excited for you to finally meet Jordan and my stepdaughter Shayna," he said.

  Wait did he just call Shay his step-daughter Jordan asked herself or did she misunderstand? But he was talking to Viktor, his best friend who was like his brother. Surely he would let him know about their ruse.

  “Yes, you'll absolutely love them. It will be good for you to meet her after everything I’ve told you. Jordan is great. She's funny and kind and beautiful. She's the most intriguing woman I have ever met and Shayna is equally as precious. She's bright, a great student, and inquisitive. It means so much to me to introduce my new family to my other family.”

  Okay there was no mis
understanding that one. He had called her his family. The thought both warmed her heart, scared her tremendously and confused her all at the same time.

  “Of course she’ll like you…”

  Jordan felt awkward intruding on Dimitri's private conversation so she made her way to the library to digest all that she heard. She was confused. She thought Dimitri was acting when they made their appearances. All the calling her his wife thing was for public perception only. But they didn't pretend for Katya, Ivanna, Olaf or Andrei. She wondered why he would pretend for Viktor.

  Suddenly she remembered the wistful way he had talked about Viktor getting married and starting a family. In fact, Viktor's wife Mila had a baby boy on the way. Dimitri would be godfather. Was he using her and Shay as a way to compete with his brother? The whole thing was confusing. She couldn't come right out and ask him without admitting to him that she had overheard the conversation. What would he say when Jordan and Shay left in two weeks? How would Dimitri explain that to his brother?

  She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear Dimitri arrive.

  "I made us tea," he said setting the tray down on the coffee table.

  "Thank you," Jordan said automatically.

  "Shay is so excited about the party," he noted.

  "Yes. Everyone has been so amazing in making this happen for her. I will forever be grateful."

  "It was worth it. I can't wait to see her face when she sees the ballroom," he smiled.

  "Yes there will be so many people there to witness her grand entrance. She'll be thrilled."

  "Of course she is the princess of the ball she needs a grand entrance."

  "So is your brother coming?" Jordan asked hoping she appeared casual.

  "As a matter of fact I just spoke with him," Dimitri replied.

  "Oh," Jordan mustered.

  "Yes. He and Mila are coming. I'm so eager for them to meet you," he stated.

  "Yes, you've told me so much about him I feel like I already know him," she mused. "How does he feel about our fake marriage," Jordan asked her heart racing.