Read Online The Convenient Wedding: a contemporary romance (The Rosa Legacy Book 3) by Susie Warren - Free Book Online Page A

you.” Lucia poured herself a cup of hot coffee and added some cream. Taking a sip, she said “Your coffee is delicious.”
    Lucia watched Adeline prepare a fruit salad and asked the older women, “Is it hard having so many guests?”
    “It’s a joy having activity back in this house. For a long time it has been quiet, too quiet.”
    Back in her room, she took a shower. The rest of the morning was spent with a hair stylist and make-up artist that came to the house. Lucia felt uncomfortable with all of the warm wishes and tried not to dwell on the fact that the marriage was a masterful deception. 
    At two o’clock, everyone gathered on the terrace for photographs. Lucia had her hair put up in a sophisticated style with small white roses enhancing the look. She had chosen both of her cousins, Isabel and Emilia, to act as her matron-of-honors. Isabel had announced that she was a few months pregnant but was not showing yet. Lucia thought it was amazing that all three of them had married within a year of each other but then she reminded herself that she wasn’t marrying for love. 
    Lucia glanced at her parents who were standing off to the side, holding hands and looking extraordinarily happy.
    After a ton of photographs, the guests started arriving and she went to the library with her cousins while everyone else went outside to where the ceremony was to take place.
    When the three of them went into the library, they found an open a bottle of champagne on ice and three glasses. Isabel poured two glasses of champagne and then just a tiny swallow for herself in the third glass.
    They lifted their glasses in salute to Lucia, “I can’t toast with water. It would be unlucky. To my dear cousin, may you find joy and happiness.”
    As they each took a sip of champagne, a feeling of despair settled over her. Lucia knew she was deceiving everyone closest to her in the hope that they would be spared the worry and humiliation of a scandal. Even though she smiled brightly and thanked them, she knew her cousins were worried. It was only ten weeks since they all assembled for a much different wedding in California that never took place.
    When Lucia was waiting with her father, she caught a glimpse of Anderson. He was dressed in a traditional black tuxedo and was calmly talking to his best man. He looked relaxed and happy which was the exact opposite of what she was feeling.
    Her father kissed her cheek before they slowly began the walk down the aisle. The wedding march was playing and all the guests turned happy faces to look at the bride. Lucia tried to smile but everything was happening in slow motion. She was plagued by an insane desire to turn and run as fast as she could away from the entire scene playing out in front of her.
    But she stayed. The entire ceremony seemed like a blur until Anderson bent down and lightly pressed a kiss on her lips. His head blocked out the sun light for a moment and Lucia looked deeply into his eyes for reassurance but instead she saw triumph.
    When they turned towards the applause and made their way down the aisle together, Lucia felt hurt. She needed him to understand how she was feeling.
    They were kept busy with all the expected photographs and ceremonial activities until finally it was time to say goodbye and head off in a limousine.
    Lucia was thinking of her families’ happiness and wondered if she should have placed so much trust in Anderson. She hugged her parents tightly and said goodbye to her cousins. She knew the entire façade of their marriage could come crumbling down as soon as one of them weakened.
    The driver opened the door to the limousine and she was conscious of a photographer taking pictures. Anderson climbed in and shut the door. The car immediately glided forward and out of the front gate.
    “Would you like another glass of Champagne?” Anderson asked.
    “No, thank you.” 
    Anderson settled back and opened his briefcase without another word to her. Lucia thought so much