Our lives would have to change. For the first time in my life, I had to devote myself to the business of making money. It wouldn’t be enough to playact the role of CEO of Stone Worldwide as I had for the last five years. Now, I’d actually have to be that man.
Nina’s finger traced a line across my stomach, telling me she had something on her mind. It was one of the cute things she did when she wanted to talk about something but didn’t know how to bring it up.
“Tristan, we need to discuss what we want to do about the wedding.”
Lifting her head to face me, she looked at me intently and I knew she’d already thought about it. I pushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled up at her. “We’ll do whatever you want.”
She sat up and grinned mischievously. “Whatever I want? Like if I want us to take our vows at the top of the Empire State Building you’d be okay with that?”
I knew she was teasing me, but I really hoped her plans didn’t involve anything in the city. Something small at one of my hotels, maybe in Italy or Greece, was more along the lines of what I had in mind. “Whatever you want. Your wish is my command.”
Her smile changed to that special kind she gave me when she was genuinely happy. “I think something small right here at the house would be great. Just a few close friends and us. We could do it sooner that way.”
I thought about her idea for a moment. “How does a honeymoon in Europe sound then?”
Nina nodded her head. “I was thinking we could go back to Venice. I’d love it if we could get that same room we had last time. Do you think we can?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I know the owner, so I think so.”
She rolled her eyes and jabbed me sharply in the side. “I’ll never get used to that. Maybe it only seems normal if you’re born into it.”
Pulling her down on top of me, I kissed her full on the mouth. “Then that’s something I need to work on. Once you’re Mrs. Tristan Stone, you’ll officially have everything I have.”
“I still don’t think I’ll get used to having whatever I want, whenever I want.”
“You’d be surprised how easy it is to get used to it.”
“Do you have any idea about who you want to invite? I thought maybe just a few close friends.”
I thought about who I’d invite and realized there wasn’t a soul I’d remained close to after the plane crash. Everyone I’d surrounded myself with before had been people who wouldn’t fit into the life I’d created with Nina. Maybe Michelle and her husband. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I’m thinking Jordan and Varo, at least. Maybe he can be your best man?”
“Maybe I’ll let him keep his job and we’ll leave it at that, Nina.”
She rolled off me and sat up. “Then who will be your best man?”
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, there was only one person who I even considered a friend. “Daryl.”
Laughter exploded from her, and she covered her face as she continued to giggle. “Oh, Jordan’s going to love that. I think I’ll make her walk down the aisle with mountain man.”
“She likes Varo. Set her up with him. He can be her date for the wedding. That should make up for having to hang out with Daryl for a few minutes.”
“Then it’s set. Jordan will be my maid of honor, and Daryl will be your best man. When should we do it?”
“We both have birthdays coming up. Which one works better, yours or mine?”
Nina sat silently, and I realized she didn’t know when my birthday was. To be honest, I only knew her birthday because I’d had her checked out even before meeting her.
“Well, mine’s on a Thursday this year, so that wouldn’t work. I think we should get married on a weekend. Your birthday is on the weekend, isn’t it?”
“You tell me,” I said with a smile.
Tilting her head, she arched one eyebrow. “You think I don’t know when your birthday is, don’t you?”
“When is it?”
“Well, I’m going to guess May or early June since I met you last May after Memorial Day and starting living with you in mid-June and we’ve never celebrated it. I don’t really know when it is, though. Does that make me a bad girlfriend?”
“No. You’re still a great fiancée. It’s June 2. And since yours is May 15, we’re not able to do it on either day if you want to keep it on a weekend.”
Nina twisted her face into a scowl and bit her lower lip. “Then what about next weekend. We’re not planning to do anything big, so as long as everyone we want can be here, we’re good.”
Lifting her left hand to my lips, I kissed her engagement ring. “Next weekend it is. You ready to be Mrs. Stone, Ms. Edwards?”
“I am. And are you ready to tell me everything that happened with Karl today?”
“I guess I’m not going to escape explaining that to you, so yes, I’ll tell you everything.”
Nina crossed her legs and settled in next to me. “Good. See how nice it feels to not keep secrets?”
“We’ll see how you feel after you hear everything. Things are going to change for me at work.”
“I’m all ears, Tristan, and don’t worry. As long as you don’t change what’s inside you, we’ll be A-OK.”
Chapter Seventeen
Nina
I listened as Tristan explained how he would have to devote more time to Stone Worldwide business from now on, knowing that he feared I wouldn’t want to be with a man like that. He was wrong, though. It didn’t matter if he was a CEO or a doorman. All that mattered to me was that he was the Tristan I loved.
By the time he was finished, he looked like a weight had been lifted from him. Even though he’d decided to be more hands on with the company, the fact that he could shape Stone Worldwide into a business he could be proud of was important.
“So it looks like I’m going to become what I never thought I’d want to be—a real CEO. How do you feel about that? This wasn’t who I was when you said yes to marrying me.”
Lifting his chin with my fingertip, I looked him straight in the eyes. “Tristan, you have to do what’s right for you. If that means taking on more responsibility, how could I have a problem with that? You’re still the same man I fell in love with. It’s not like you’ve decided to give up everything you’ve ever been and live in the wilderness without running water. That I’d have a problem with.”