Chapter 70

Vivienne glanced at her phone, reading the text from Rita: "I’m almost there! Just clearing my stuff."

She smiled, knowing her best friend was almost here. "She’s on her way," Vivienne said, showing the text to Magnus, who was standing close by. They were in a busy airport terminal, waiting for Rita to arrive. Tomorrow was the big day—their wedding day—and they were flying to Bora Bora to make it official. Vivienne could hardly believe it. It felt like everything in her life was finally falling into place.

Magnus, who had been standing beside her, slipped his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her a little closer, his warm presence comforting her. "Okay, baby," he said softly, his voice full of affection.

They both stood there, the noise of the airport fading around them. Vivienne was filled with a calm excitement, knowing that in just a few hours, she and Magnus would be heading to a tropical paradise to get married. The thought made her smile even more.

A moment passed before Magnus, ever the charmer, leaned in and whispered, "You’re glowing, you know that?"

Vivienne couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the compliment, but the smile on her face gave her away. "I know, right?" she teased, nudging him playfully with her elbow. "It’s all thanks to you."

Magnus grinned widely. "I know. I’m irresistible," he said with a wink, his tone teasing but full of confidence.

Vivienne shook her head, laughing at his playful arrogance. "You’re lucky I love you," she said, looking up at him with fondness in her eyes. "Can’t wait to see Rita. It’s been forever since we’ve caught up."

"She’s going to be so surprised," Magnus said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He gave her a little squeeze. "You haven’t changed a bit. She’ll be shocked that you’re still this cute."

Vivienne couldn't help but roll her eyes again. "Oh, stop," she said, playfully nudging him. "You’re embarrassing me."

He just chuckled, clearly enjoying the teasing. Then, before she could react, he planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "No need to be embarrassed. You’re adorable," he said with a grin.

"Yeah, I know," Vivienne teased again, her smile widening. "Now, let’s get Rita."

Just as she finished speaking, Vivienne’s phone buzzed once more. She looked down at the screen to see a message from Rita: "Where are you guys? I’m here!"

Vivienne’s heart skipped a beat. Rita was finally here. She looked up from her phone and quickly scanned the area. It didn’t take long to spot her best friend. Rita was easy to pick out, standing near the baggage claim area, her bright smile lighting up the room as soon as she saw Vivienne.

"Rita!" Vivienne called out, waving excitedly. She couldn’t wait to see her.

Rita’s face lit up when she saw Vivienne, and she grinned widely. "Vivienne!" she yelled, waving back as she rushed toward her.

The two women met in the middle of the terminal, and Vivienne couldn’t hold back her excitement. She pulled Rita into a tight hug, her heart full of happiness. "I missed you so much!" Vivienne said, laughing as she squeezed Rita tightly.

"I missed you too, girl!" Rita replied, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "Look at you! You’re glowing! What’s your secret?"

Vivienne grinned. "Only the best man in the world," she joked, glancing at Magnus, who stood nearby, watching them with a proud smile.

Rita raised an eyebrow and looked at Magnus with a smirk. "Well, well," she said, her voice playful. "So this is the famous Magnus, huh?"

Magnus stepped forward and held out his hand, his smile friendly and warm. "Nice to finally meet you, Rita. How was the flight?" he asked, his tone polite and easygoing.

Rita grinned, shaking his hand firmly. "It was good, thanks. But now, I need the lowdown. You better treat Vivienne like the queen she is."

Magnus nodded seriously, his expression softening. "Of course, I promise. She’s my everything."

Rita smiled, satisfied with his answer. "Okay, I’ll let you off the hook. But I’ll be watching."

Vivienne laughed at Rita’s teasing and grabbed her friend’s bags, starting to walk toward the parking lot. "Alright, let’s get you settled. It’s been too long since we’ve had time to catch up."

As they walked through the airport, Vivienne couldn’t help but notice how different Rita seemed. There was something in her friend’s demeanor—something that seemed a little off. Rita had lost some weight, and her usual bright spark wasn’t quite as noticeable as it used to be. Vivienne’s heart tightened with concern, but she didn’t want to bring it up just yet. It had been a while since they’d seen each other, and Vivienne didn’t want to ruin the mood by asking questions too soon.

"So, how’s everything?" Vivienne asked, trying to sound casual, though she couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

Rita gave her a small, slightly forced smile. "It’s fine," she said. "Everything’s fine. I’m good, really."

Vivienne wasn’t entirely convinced, but she didn’t press the issue. She could tell there was something more going on, but she respected Rita’s privacy. "If you need to talk about anything, you know I’m here for you, right?" Vivienne said softly, her voice sincere.

Rita nodded, her smile softening. "I know. Thanks, Viv."

They continued walking in comfortable silence for a moment. Vivienne kept an eye on her friend, but didn’t want to push too hard. She had a feeling Rita would open up when the time was right.

As they reached the car, Magnus opened the door for Vivienne. He stood there with a proud smile, his eyes filled with love as he gazed at her. "You ready for this trip?" he asked, his voice full of warmth. "Tomorrow, we’ll be married."

Vivienne smiled back at him, feeling her heart race at the thought of their wedding day. "I can’t believe it’s finally happening," she said, her voice filled with excitement and disbelief. It seemed surreal that after everything they had been through, they were now so close to starting a new chapter of their lives together.

Magnus stepped aside to let her into the car, but his eyes never left her. "Me neither," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But I’m ready."

Rita, who had been standing nearby, looked between them with a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, you guys gonna wait until Bora Bora, or are we making this official tonight?" she asked with a teasing smile.

Vivienne couldn’t help but laugh at Rita’s bold question. "No, no," she said, shaking her head. "We’re keeping it PG today. But tomorrow…" She trailed off, her smile widening as she glanced at Magnus, whose grin matched her own.

Magnus grinned back at her, the excitement in his eyes palpable. "Tomorrow it is," he said, his voice filled with promise.

Vivienne felt a rush of excitement wash over her. This was it—the start of their new life together. Tomorrow, she and Magnus would finally be married, and everything would change. She couldn’t wait for their adventure to begin.