I nod. “The president wants us to?—”
“At this point, I don’tcarewhat the president wants.”
I’m not that used to girls. I have a lot of brothers. My only sister is quiet. Mom’s not loud, either. So when Scout’s voice comes out as sharp as a knife? I decide to keep my mouth shut.
Instead, I put an arm around the back of her chair. I hover to let her know, whatever she wants to say or feel, it’s okay. I’m here. And not touching her.
But we do need to obey the order.
Silence stretches between us as the servers lay pieces of cake in front of us. There’s no festive music or speeches. No dancing. Nothing to declare this as anormalwedding. Other than the president standing with a microphone in the middle of the room to remind everyone that we’re theflagshipcoupleof thisnew era.
I can’t help the pride that surges through me when she looks at me and says it.
Scout’s dad hugs her tight as we reach the limo. I briefly wonder if he’s just going to take her back. As she wraps her arms around him, his eyes never leave my face.
He’s terrifying even without saying a word.
Landon, Bo, and George Turner shuffle Scout into the car and then surround me.
“I don’t think it needs to be said—” Lan starts, but his dad cuts him off.
“Treat her right. Or you won’t last the night,” he says.
I give him a solid nod. “Understood, sir.”
As I slip onto the leather seat with a squeak, I glance at my bride. She couldn’t be further away from me. Staring out the window without any hint that she’s about to make this easy.
It kills me that I want to comfort her and can’t. That’s not the way a marriage should start. I’m the last person she probably wants to hear from. So, I sit there like a dolt, not knowing what to say or do.
It’s a silent ride downtown. My knee bounces the entire way. I can’t even enjoy my first limo ride.
She never looks at me.
“Holy shit!” I blurt out as we approach the tall buildingfilled with lights and a fancy carpet rolled out underneath the awning where the car pulls up.
She whips her head toward me, her jaw unhinged. “What?”
“This place is fancy! Wow.” I’m pressed against the window, trying to see up higher. It looks like there’s a restaurant on the top floor.
“This place? Okay…”
“I’ve never been in a limo before. Never beenherebefore.”
She shrugs as I help her from the car, and she actually takes my hand. The driver hands our overnight bags to the bellhops. “I’ve attended a few conferences in the ballrooms. Some weddings, too.”
“I wonder if we need to check in.” I refuse to let go of her hand, even when she not so casually tries to lower it.
“Mr. and Mrs. Griffin?” A woman in a suit emerges from a door behind the front desk.
I take a peek behind me before realizing she’s talking to me. “Oh, that’s—that’s us.”
She smiles as if she knows why I was confused. “That will take some getting used to, huh? Right this way, newlyweds! I’ll show you to the penthouse suite!”
Thepenthouse. It hits me then as the doors are opened. Gold and marble and white and some fancy smell like jasmine and lavender.
Obeying the order was the exact right thing. I’vemoved upin society. And have a feeling the more I do for them, the more they’ll do for me.
Maybe even pitch in to buy Karina for me.