Chapter 24 Us against the world
Cassie held Grayson's hand tighter and they both locked eyes. She spoke with vulnerability evident in her voice.
"Every time they see me they ask me about my ex because we were together, we did everything together and never in a million years did I think that he would cheat on me. When I found out that he did cheat on me and it was with someone that everybody knew, I knew who to trust, I knew who not to trust. If you didn't notice, I wasn't telling everybody the entire truth."
Grayson lifted their joined hands to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. "Hey," he whispered tenderly, "you don't have to explain yourself to me. I can see how much this is weighing on you, and I hate that you're carrying this burden alone.
"I have my insecurities and I should have known better than to go out with one of my sister's friends, but here I am again married to one of my sister's friends and it's not everyone that knows who you are inside but it's important people that know who you are and seeing you walk around with me create a bit of suspicion. I mean if you want to call it quits we can. I don't mind, I won't hold anything against you."
Grayson immediately shook his head, his grip on her hand becoming more protective. "Don't even say that, Cassie. Don't you dare think for a second that I want to call it quits." His voice was warm but intense, filled with conviction. "You came in place of your sister, out of the people that were around expecting your sister to be around here and they expected her to walk around with me or hang out with me, but instead you are hanging out with me and the groom that's getting married at one stage had feelings for your sister."
"I know that he had feelings for my sister but you're telling me something that is a fact. I didn't get why she decided to send me here instead of coming herself."
Grayson's expression grew more tender as he leaned closer to her across the table. "She knew that you were dealing with a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if Jake decides to take your youngest just to prove a point that you're not his father and then confuse your eldest who is still mad at you for something that you haven't told me about, what happened on the night that you were involved in an accident. I remember the night that Jake came back home and he was distraught, and the next day we heard that his best friend, who we've now found out was his high school sweetheart that he cheated on me with, was involved in an accident. He wasn't himself that's when things changed and that's when he started behaving weirdly. He was being pushy and he started pushing me to speed up the wedding preparations but now there is no wedding because I'm married to you, and it feels as if you don't want to be married to me."
Grayson's heart broke at the pain in her voice. He immediately stood up and moved to sit beside her in the booth, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her close to his chest. "Cassie, look at me," he said softly, tilting her chin up with his finger. "How could you possibly think I don't want to be married to you? You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I'm terrified that you're going to realize you deserve so much better than me."
"You didn't tell me about your dual citizenship. Now I've got to wait 3 months before we can decide to call it quits. The fact is that you are married to me and not Jake. When people see you they see him and when people see him they see you. You understand that I want to be boastful and I don't think that they are that big but I want them to see me, not your ex when they see you. I want them to see us as a unit. I want to shout it from the rooftops that we are married and we do belong together. You make me feel, you're the only one that makes it real for me. You don't get it."
His voice cracked slightly with emotion as he continued, "I've never felt this way about anyone before. What we have is real, and I'm not talking about waiting three months to call it quits. I'm talking about fighting for this, for us."
Cassie wanted to cry but she swallowed the big lump in her throat and spoke, "I take this marriage seriously. I'm not the type to cheat on you or be disloyal to you in any way. I am loyal to you and you alone because we are a unit, we are a team and I don't know how many times I have to make it clear to you that if we don't do stuff as a team, if you don't speak out when something is bothering you, this is not going to work. I know it's 3 months and my suggestion is that we take the three months to figure out if we want to be married to each other and if we don't want to be married to each other that's fine, we can file for divorce. I can speed up the process if I need to but I'm not the type to give up without at least trying so do you want to try this or not and if you don't want to I will understand."
Grayson cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears that had started to fall despite her efforts to hold them back. "Cassie, my beautiful, stubborn wife," he said with a soft smile, "I don't need three months to figure out if I want to be married to you. I already know. I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life. I want to hold you when you're sad, celebrate with you when you're happy, and face whatever comes our way together."
"I still have to tell your father that we are married. He was in the process of acquiring my company and now that you're married to me and funny enough we are married in community of property, you own half of my company, and I own half of whatever you own from your father's company unless he has a clause of some sort that says that it's only you and the heir child that you give birth to, that child will have shares in the company and not any of your spouse's or boyfriends or people who claim to love you."
"I haven't asked him about that and I didn't marry you just to own half of your company. We will cross that bridge once we get there but for now can we just enjoy being in each other's company and getting ready for the rehearsal dinner? There are going to be guests arriving tonight and Jake will be here too."
Grayson nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You're right. I'm sorry for bringing up all this heavy stuff. I just want to protect what we have, and sometimes that makes me overthink everything." He pulled her closer, his arms tightening around her. "We'll face whatever comes together, okay? Your father, Jake, Jenna, all of it. But right now, let's just focus on us."
"Have you told your friends about us being married and have you told them about your break up with your ex because it seems as if you haven't told them anything?"
"I don't have my ring on and I still can't find it. I've looked everywhere and I can't find my engagement ring. If I found it, it would have been a sign for me to at least give my relationship with Jake another chance but the ring was never found and then you happened."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Cassie looked into his eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you believe me when I tell you I've fallen for you and I'm in love with you? It's not a rebound thing."
Grayson's expression softened completely, and he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. "I do believe you, and I need you to know that I'm completely, utterly, head-over-heels in love with you too. From the moment we got stuck in that elevator, I knew you were special. I knew you were going to change my life."
He took a deep breath, his hands still cradling her face. "There is something you should know about your engagement ring. I found it when we were stuck in the elevator and I took it and placed it in my secret drawer. I selfishly want you all to myself and I'm still in a relationship and that's not fair to you, so give me a chance to break off the relationship that I have with Jenna."
"You are Jenna's lover and boyfriend. The only reason I was crying this morning was because I broke a cardinal rule. I don't know how things are going to turn out when we arrive back in South Africa, but I have a feeling your sister is going to end our friendship."
"Over me marrying you? That's ridiculous."
Cassie looked at Grayson and shook her head and started crying again. Without hesitation, he moved from where he was sitting to give her a hug and a shoulder to cry on. His arms wrapped around her protectively, one hand stroking her hair while the other rubbed soothing circles on her back.
"Shh, it's okay," he whispered into her hair, his voice infinitely gentle. "Whatever happens with Jenna, whatever happens with your sister, we'll figure it out together. I promise you, Cassie, I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to end things with Jenna as soon as we get back, and I'm going to make sure everyone knows that you're the only woman I want to be with."
He pulled back slightly to look at her, his eyes filled with tenderness and determination. "You have every reason to be anxious, but you don't have to carry this alone anymore. We're married, remember? That means we're a team. Your problems are my problems, and my problems are yours. And right now, my biggest problem is making sure you know just how much you mean to me."
Grayson wiped away her tears with his thumbs, his touch feather-light and reverent. "I love you, Cassie. Not because you're a rebound, not because of some Vegas wedding craziness, but because you're you. You're kind and strong and beautiful, and you make me want to be a better man. So please, don't doubt what we have. Don't doubt how I feel about you."
He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her lips, pouring all of his love and reassurance into the gesture. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers again.
"Now, let's finish our lunch, and then we'll go get ready for tonight. If anyone asks about Jake, or if anyone tries to make you feel uncomfortable, just remember that you're wearing my ring now, even if it's invisible. You're mine, and I'm yours, and that's all that matters."
His voice was filled with such conviction and love that Cassie felt her anxiety begin to ease. In Grayson's arms, surrounded by his warmth and his unwavering devotion, she finally began to believe that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.