Filthy Beautiful Forever(Filthy Beautiful Lies, #4)

Collins

I’m sitting in Colton’s library, having a drink with my brothers at a time I thought would be filled with anticipation. Instead, I find our conversation is giving me a headache. I swirl the liquor in my glass, wondering if I’m making a mistake. Everything about this has felt right, but their reactions are making me question myself.

“So you’ve planned an entire wedding, and you never even asked her to marry you?” Pace asks, chuckling at me from behind his fist, like this is the goddamn funniest thing he’s ever heard.

Colton stares at me, wide-eyed in a rare display of bewilderment, waiting for me to answer. As if he hasn’t been here with me the last few weeks helping me plan the whole damn thing.

“Basically,” I say. I’d asked her twenty years ago. That counts, right? I orchestrated her outing with the girls, and have caterers’ and designers downstairs readying Colton’s house as we speak.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“You’ve gone all bat-shit crazy on us, haven’t you,” Colton says, snapping out of his stony silence.

“I gave her my word when we were ten years old. I’m just making good on my promise,” I say.

“Is she going to freak out?” Pace asks.

“I don’t know.” I don’t think so. I guess some part of me knew from the day she showed up on my front porch-looking small and scared-that inviting her in would lead to this. Her in a wedding dress. Me in a tux. My brothers at my side. “Text Sophie, ask how it’s going upstairs,” I say to Colton.

Colton looks down at his phone and chuckles.

“What?” I ask, my stomach turning with nerves for the first time since I planned all this.

“Sophie says the hardest part is that the pregnancy has made her so emotional, she keeps crying, but so far Mia doesn’t suspect anything. She says Mia is going to make a beautiful bride.”

I have no response, because when I picture Mia in that custom-made silk dress, my mouth gets dry and a lump forms in my throat. I’d taken the idea from The Gremlin Files. Somehow, I knew she had to get married in that dress. That lavender silk number is exactly what she’s supposed to be wearing today, not some over-done white, poufy thing that I can’t get off of her later.

“So you’re not nervous at all?” Pace asks.

I take stock of how I feel. Nervous doesn’t describe it. I’m excited. And ready. “Nope,” I answer.

Colton’s phone chimes and he looks down at the screen. “Sophie says Mia’s ready.”

The gravity of the moment hits me and I fight off a wave of emotion. I cover a few last minute details with my brothers, discussing the rings with them when a knock at the door surprises us.

Colton answers it, and I see it’s my assistant.

“All the guests are here and seated on the beach, sir,” she says.

“It’s go time,” Pace says and claps me on the back.

“You ready for this, brother?” Colton asks.

“Fuck yeah,” I say, grinning like a lovesick fool.