Faith knew what the woman thought.
“Thank you, Miss Snelling,” he replied. “We’re running short of time.
Is everything ready?”
“Yes, of course.” Miss Snelling ushered them into a waiting room.
“The minister will be in shortly to fill out the forms and then we can get started.”
They waited in awkward silence for the minister. Faith threaded her fingers together, her gaze traveling to her left hand.
No rings.
“Ryan, we don’t have wedding rings.”
“It’s all taken care of,” he replied. “Don’t worry.”
She should have known he’d see to every detail. A gentleman arrived carrying a brown leather case. Faith recognized him as Bradley Peters, the manager of Lucy’s Diamonds, an upscale jewelry store at the hotel.
Ryan instructed him to put the case on the minister’s desk and beckoned Faith to come over.
“Mr. McKay would like you to select rings,” Bradley said as he opened the case to reveal dozens of diamond wedding rings.
Faith looked at Ryan.
“Go ahead, pick something out that you like. But be quick about it,” he said.
She peered into the case and examined the men’s rings. It didn’t take her long to find one she liked, a simple yellow and white gold band with love knots woven throughout and two small diamonds nestled inside the loops of an infinity circle.
“I like this one,” she said as she held it up for Ryan’s inspection. “Do you?”
He shrugged. “Whichever one you like is fine with me.”
“Please, at least look at it. Try it on to make sure it fits.” His approval of her selection meant something, even if the exchange of rings to signify a forever bond was as fake as his feelings for her.
Ryan sighed and took the ring from her fingers. It fit him perfectly and looked just like Faith imagined it would. Masculine, yet not too frail or garish.
“It’s very nice,” he said as he took the ring off and handed it back to the jeweler. “Now, pick one for yourself.”
“For me? I couldn’t possibly. You do it.”
He glared at her, but she resisted. She absolutely wasn’t going to be able to choose her own ring. Finally, he bent over the jewelry case. Faith was surprised he didn’t choose the first ring his hand grasped, considering they had about a half hour left before the deadline, coupled with his complete lack of interest. But he examined all of them, then took her hand in his to examine her fingers. After perusing several, he selected one.
“Do you like this one?”
What wasn’t there to like? She was astounded that he had picked the same one that had caught her eye. The gold band matched the ring she’d selected for him, except the love knots encircled a huge marquise-shaped diamond that had to be over two carats. Faith would have never selected a ring like that for herself, even if it was the most beautiful one in the case.
“It’s breathtaking. Of course, I like it. But isn’t it a bit expensive?”
Mr. Peters stifled a cough and Ryan just smiled. “We’ll take these two, Bradley.”
“Yes, sir.” The jeweler produced two black boxes, slipped their rings inside and handed them to Ryan. Then he quickly made his exit as the minister entered.
“Hello, Ryan,” Reverend Dodd said in a friendly voice as he turned to Faith. “And you must be…oh. Miss Lewis.”
Obviously, the minister expected Erica, and was quite surprised to find Faith standing there.
“Reverend, there’s been a slight change in brides.” Ryan’s tone brooked no further conversation.
“Well. I can see that,” he said with a smile.
Right, Faith thought. Erica, the big star, couldn’t make the performance so Faith, the understudy, had stepped in.
They finished the paperwork in minutes, Faith barely able to give her full name to Reverend Dodd, let alone remember her date of birth. She only heard bits and pieces of the minister’s spiel on how the ceremony would proceed, her thoughts focusing primarily on this decision and what she’d just gotten herself into.
After Reverend Dodd left with Ryan, Miriam appeared.
“Well, dear,” Miriam said upon her return. “May I say you are absolutely stunning this evening. You make a gorgeous bride and I’m sure you and Mr. McKay will be very happy together.”
Faith tried a smile, but her lips quivered as reality hit her. She was getting married. Not to the man she’d desired for so long, but to the man who was her boss.
Miriam handed her a bouquet of white roses. With shaky hands Faith lifted them to her nose. Their sweet fragrance brought tears to her eyes for so many different reasons. She wished this was a marriage based on love and lifetime commitment instead of the contract she had signed.
Someday, maybe her fairy tale dreams would come true.
The chapel was decorated in soft white and pastel blue. White lilies attached to trailing blue satin ribbons adorned each row. Faith couldn’t have picked a more beautiful place for her wedding.
She hoped she wouldn’t collapse in a dead faint, throw up or turn tail and run screaming from the room. Instead, she held a death grip on the quivering rose bouquet, managed a tremulous smile and headed down the aisle toward her intended husband.
The minister smiled indulgently, Ryan looked impatient and Faith was trying to remember how to breathe. Flashbulbs blinded her progress as the photographer followed her every move, snapping shots by the second. She hated being photographed, but she knew from having made the arrangements that this entire shebang, from the dress and Ryan’s tux to the chapel and photographs, was all about PR. It would be good for the company, and that’s what mattered. She tried to smile and not look sick.
It was the longest walk of her life. When she finally reached the altar, Ryan took her shaking hand and placed it in the crook of his left arm.
This was it.
The minister spoke about love, honor, commitment and everlasting fidelity. She tried to focus on the words and their meaning, but she was distracted by Ryan’s warm hand covering hers, his thumb tracing lazy circles over the top of her hand. His nearness unnerved her and all he was doing was standing next to her. How was she going to handle living with him? Sleeping with him?
She forced her mind back to the here and now. Reverend Dodd said a few words about the sanctity of their marriage, and then…