Okay. Yeah. She’d let her relationship with Jared slip, and after that, she’d blurted out most of the story—minus the mind-blowing sex part. Some things were just too private and much too intimate to share, even if she was a little tipsy.
Picking up another satin bag, she started stuffing in the adorable wedding favors that Sarah had picked out: miniature bottles of cognac, gourmet coffee, tea diffusers, and a crystal from Beatrice’s store, Natural Elements. She picked up the tiny card, an inclusion that Sarah had insisted on so that everyone knew about her fiancé’s generous nature. It explained that one of the party favors was a donation to a charity for abused women in the guest’s name. It was a unique idea, and Sarah had related the information to all of them earlier that Dante had donated an enormous sum of money to give a donation from every wedding guest attending. It was a charity being managed by Jason Sutherland, Hope’s husband. Apparently, it was a major joint project for the Harrisons, the Hudsons, Max and Mia Hamilton, and the Colters of Colorado, all billionaires and obviously compassionate families. How many of the ultrawealthy actually gave up that much time to charity? Sarah had told her that Hope’s husband, Jason, personally managed the funds for the charity, and the other billionaires donated a lot of time to fund-raising. Didn’t people that wealthy usually just write a check and forget about it? It sounded like a wonderful cause, and Mara was glad that money had been donated for her by Dante.
Obviously not all of them just wrote a check and forgot about the cause.
Sarah had explained that even Evan was heavily involved with the project, and Grady had happily jumped on board quite some time ago. When Dante learned about it, he came up with the idea for a wedding favor of donating for every guest. It was thoughtful and sweet. As a physician who had seen her share of abused women, Sarah adored Dante even more for donating and coming up with the unique idea . . . if it was even possible for Sarah to dote on her fiancé more than she already did.
Closing the ties on the black bag, which was personalized with gold lettering, Mara added it to the growing pile of finished favor bags and reached for the next.
“He’s the one, isn’t he,” Kristin said reverently from her seat beside Mara on the couch.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
The single word echoed in Mara’s heart as she replied, “How do you know? How does any woman know?” Mara knew because she’d never felt this way before, and gut instinct had been gnawing at her insides since she’d met Jared. Something had been different about him, the connection she’d felt for him almost . . . magical. There was no doubt in her mind that she was in love with him. Deeply. Insanely. Passionately.
Sarah stopped stuffing her bag to look at Mara. “You just know, Mara. I think sometimes we fight it because we’re afraid to really feel that strongly. But we sense it. If he’s the man you’re meant to be with, nothing is too embarrassing to talk about. He loves you exactly as you are and doesn’t see your imperfections. He’ll be willing to risk everything for you, and you’ll feel the same way.”
Mara knew about how Dante had saved Sarah’s life. It was a small town, and the incident had been huge news. Although Jared hadn’t done something like that, he had risked baring himself to her. He trusted her, and that knowledge made her heart melt into a puddle at her feet. “It’s scary when you feel this way,” she muttered. It was also exhilarating, thrilling, and breathtaking.
“It really is,” Emily agreed readily from her seat in one of the recliners. “But the scary part eventually goes away and all that’s left is the happiness. It’s not like everything is always perfect. Grady and I disagree. We’re both stubborn. But even when we do, we still love each other.” She paused before asking, “Are you in love with Jared?”
Mara caught Emily’s gaze and finally nodded. “I am. I don’t know how it happened or why the two of us seem to fit together. We’re so different.”
“Different because he’s so rich?” Kristin questioned.
“No. It’s more than that. I don’t care about the money. I care about . . . Jared.” She wouldn’t reveal any of Jared’s secrets, even if she was a little intoxicated. “Jared is urbane, sophisticated. He’s brilliant at business, and one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. I’m a small-town woman who isn’t the least bit elegant. I had to drop out of college because my mother was sick, and I’ve only traveled out of the state a few times. I’m not worldly, and my life is fairly ordinary. I’m ordinary.”
“That’s just superficial differences. They don’t matter. I think beneath all of Jared’s bluster, he’s a good man,” Sarah mused. “I think Dante knew he was interested in somebody in town. I even think he knew it was you.”
Mara’s head snapped up. “He did? How? Even I didn’t know.”