Everyone had been milling about with late morning cocktails and appetizers being passed about by the additional catering staff. Every security guard was on duty, watching for any suspicious activity. All food had been prepared offsite since Rashid wouldn’t allow un-vetted vendors into the palace walls and his personal stores of liquor were used so that there was no risk of poisoning.
All too soon, the wedding music sounded and the guests were invited to find a seat. Isla took her place in front of Sidra, giving her future sister-in-law a wink for encouragement. The bride was radiant in a glowing white gown that had been brought in from Paris and fitted overnight. She looked a bit nervous and kept glancing towards the front of the wall of people and Isla instantly knew what was going through her head.
She turned around and smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, Sidra. He wouldn’t miss this for the world. He’s completely smitten with you.” Isla was glad she’d said something when Sidra’s shoulders relaxed slightly and the worried look diminished. She was probably still terrified of going in front of all of these people, but she looked dazzling. Even Sidra’s brother Ryan who had flown in late last night looked magnificent in his formal clothes.
As the music sounded, Isla walked carefully down the aisle, then stood at the front of the room while Zarah came next. When Sidra finally walked down the aisle on her handsome brother’s arm, Isla was embarrassed to find tears coming to her eyes. She quickly blinked them away and concentrated only on getting through the ceremony. Cameras were not allowed inside the room, but she knew that the ceremony was being recorded for the press. She didn’t want her makeup spoiled by tears, she thought to herself.
She looked away from Sidra and scanned the other guests. There was one large man sitting in the front row who immediately caught her eye. He was deliciously handsome in a scary, dark and dangerous way. His hawk-like nose and dark eyes captured her attention and she wondered who he was. She thought he looked vaguely familiar, but she knew she’d remember that chiseled jaw and broad shoulders if she’d seen him before. The man was exquisitely made up physically with broad shoulders and long legs that he had extended slightly so that he didn’t look ridiculous on the dainty chair. He wore his dark suit and snowy tailored shirt perfectly and she even liked the simplicity of his light blue, silk tie. It somehow gave her the impression that he was at least trying not to be scary looking at a wedding, even if it didn’t work because of those eyes and his sharp nose.
If he was in the front row, he had to be a very important person so it was increasingly embarrassing that she didn’t remember who he was. Rashid’s assistant had done the seating chart and placed everyone by importance, but Isla hadn’t had a chance to look at the chart.
She glanced at his eyes and was startled to find him looking straight back at her. He glanced down at something but she ignored him, wondering what he could be noticing. When he glanced up again, then down, she knew he was giving her some sort of signal.
Isla looked up, looked around and knew that everyone’s eyes were focused on Sidra as she and her brother walked down the aisle. So Isla took a moment and looked down, praying that nothing had spilled on her light blue dress. That would be horrible if she’d been greeting all of these people with a stain. But the only thing she’d eaten so far today was the coffee she’d grabbed for breakfast.
As she looked down, there wasn’t anything on her dress. She looked back up and the man was still looking directly at her, then back down.
What had she missed? Had she dropped something? Goodness, had she forgotten to put on stockings or a slip? She moved her legs slightly and she felt the silk, thigh high stocking she’d put on, so that wasn’t it. She couldn’t remember putting on a slip, but her dress wasn’t see-through so the man couldn’t possible know if she’d forgotten something so intimate.
She clutched the flowers to her waist, trying desperately hard to figure out what the attractive man was trying to signal to her.
Isla looked lower and gasped in horror. As she looked back up, suddenly realizing what he had been trying to tell her, she blushed painfully, but still couldn’t keep the amusement off of her face. She pressed her lips together and looked away, willing herself to not laugh, not to chuckle, don’t do anything at all.
She was wearing two different shoes! Both were beautiful and both matched her dress. One had glass beads decorating the toe while the other was covered in soft, blue flowers. She’d been shown both the previous day but because of all the issues she’d been trying to deal with, she had told her maid to simply leave both and she’d wear the one that was the most comfortable for the ceremony.
If they’d felt different enough on her feet, she would have noticed, but they actually were both very comfortable shoes. So here she stood, in front of world leaders and honored guests at her only brother’s wedding in two completely different shoes.
She wondered if anyone else had noticed or if it was just this one man. She glanced back at him and, sure enough, he was still watching her, that slight amusement still on those sexy lips and in his dangerous eyes. She pressed her own lips together again, trying very hard not to look back at the man. She was able to do that for the whole service, but after the first kiss, the announcement of bride and groom, all the fanfare of the crowning ceremony that took place immediately after the wedding to crown Sidra queen….she just happened to glance back at the man who was now standing and applauding as the two newlyweds walked back down the aisle. He wasn’t looking at Isla’s brother and new sister-in-law though. He was looking right back at her and she couldn’t help the laughter that broke free when he winked at her.
Incorrigible man! She made her way down the aisle after the newlyweds and out the door. The guests would be directed to the reception area while official photos of the wedding party were taken in another room. Everything had to happen quickly and on a tight schedule, she knew, so she waved her body guard over to her. Whispering in his ear, she explained the situation. Judar quickly looked down at her feet, then nodded his head. He bustled over to one of the servants who immediately acknowledged the instructions and raced off.
Five minutes later, the servant returned with both shoes in her hands and Isla smiled her thanks that the official wedding pictures would not include her in two different shoes. She pulled on the jeweled shoe and handed the flowered one back to the servant, then quickly took her place in the picture.