My heart was still pounding, but everyone else acted like what had just happened wasn’t that big of a deal as my eyes bounced between them all.
A few moments later, the music started, the doors opened and I my eyes were pierced by the bluest of blue. “Malcolm,” I whispered as I let my gaze move across his body. He was dressed in a black suit and a white tie.
“He looks amazing,” I said with a wide smile.
Elizabeth replied, “He certainly does.”
I tried to pull my eyes from him to smile at our guests, but I couldn’t. I was in a trance and I never wanted him to stop looking at me like he was that very moment.
When we finally made it to him I heard nothing but the sound of his breathing and mine. “Is everything okay?” he asked in a hushed voice.
“Everything is perfect,” I responded.
After Elizabeth placed my hand in Malcolm’s, we turned and made our way to the altar. The next forty minutes was a total blur. The moment Father Tim announced us as Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Wallace, I couldn’t contain my tears. Pressing his lips to mine, I lost myself in Malcolm’s kiss as the entire church erupted in cheers.
When we started down the aisle, I smiled and waved to friends and family, as well as complete strangers who knew Malcolm either from racing or were distant relatives. The thought of meeting all those people at the reception seemed daunting.
Walking out the door of the church, I sucked in a breath when I saw the Rolls Royce Phantom car parked out front. After quickly searching for my father, I breathed a sigh of relief when we finally slipped into the car and drove off.
My head was spinning from the two different emotions swimming in my head. Happiness and shear fear that my father would be waiting outside the church for us.
Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing down.
“Are you going to tell me what happened back there at the church so I don’t wonder for the rest of my life if you had second thoughts about marrying me?”
I snapped my head up and looked into Malcolm’s eyes. “I’ve never once had second thoughts. It wasn’t anything like that.”
He let out the breath he had been holding as I took his hand in mine.
Knowing he was going to be angry, I braced myself for his response.
“My father was at the church. He tried to bribe me into giving him money, but it didn’t work and he was removed from the church.”
I’d never seen Malcolm look so angry.
Pulling out his phone, he hit a number. “You have some explaining to do. He showed up at the church.”
My mouth fell open as I sucked in a breath.
What in the hell was going on, and who in the hell was Malcolm talking to?
I COULD SEE PAISLIE STARING at me from the corner of my eye as I lit into Kathleen.
“I want you to find out how he slipped by and make sure it doesn’t happen at the reception. Yes, there will be security. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure they know.”
Hitting End, I pushed my phone into my pants and took in a deep breath. I could feel her eyes burning into my body.
“You had my father followed? Why?”
Trying to calm myself down, I took a few more breaths and turned to her. “For this very reason. I didn’t want him showing up asking you for money. I figured as soon as he found out you were marrying me, he’d start trying to contact you. I never dreamed he would actually show up at the church.”
She frowned and I braced for her to lay into me. “Well he did, so whoever you were paying did a shitty job tracking him. Did I mention Elizabeth punched him?”
“Wait, you’re not mad at me?”
Paislie let out a snicker. “Why in the world would I be mad at you? I think it’s sweet you were looking out for me like that. You’ll never know what it felt like to hear his voice when I was moments away from walking down the aisle.”
“I swear to you, Paislie, I’ll never let him near you again.”
Her smile was soft and sweet. “I appreciate you wanting to protect me, but I’ve handled my father my whole life. There was one moment I was caught off guard and that moment was today. It will never happen again.”
I shook my head. “What if he keeps trying to get money from you? I mean, if he tried to bribe you today, who’s to say he won’t try again.”
“Oh he will; I’m sure of it. I’m guessing he is already trying to sell the story of how you married a poor girl from Dallas whose father was a drug addict and dumped her off at an orphanage.”
Anger built up in my veins as I balled my fists together thinking about how her father would do something like that to her. Paislie placed her hand on my arm and gave me a gentle squeeze. “Malcolm, I’m not ashamed of where I come from. It made me who I am today. I have nothing to hide so I don’t care what he tries to do. As long as I know you’ll be by my side, there isn’t anything I can’t handle.”
Her soft expression left me breathless. Paislie was the strongest, most forgiving woman I’d ever met. “Do you know how amazing you are?” I asked as I put my hand around her neck and pulled her closer to me.