Always the Bride

28. A slight hitch

Hi guys, apologies again for the delay. I really  hate working fulltime. Anywya, here is a new chapter for your enjoyment (hopefully). Remember to vote and comment. Thanks for your support. :)

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Pulling to a stop out the front of the registry office, I take a deep breath and release it slowly. This is it. Staring out the window, I see Jamie pacing back and forth impatiently at the main entrance, totally unaware of my arrival. I can only presume he’s feeling as uptight as I am. The sooner he and Russell have their money, the better.

Sighing, my mind wanders to how the last few weeks have panned out. It hasn’t gone how I expected. Helping Russell has turned into a bigger mess than it should have. I was happy to help him but it shouldn’t have turned out like it did. Then getting dragged into marrying Jamie was not on my agenda. I didn’t really have a choice though, I did owe him a favour after everything he had done.

Now I’m regretting everything and wishing I could start over. Last night I was determined to do just that. My plan was to find a new suspect after today. I even got my new identity from Jamie. I’ve spent so long looking forward to feeding this addiction like I should have. In my mind it was all going to go how I planned it in the beginning. I’d find a new suspect, we’d marry, I’d get the gifts then do a runner. No one would ever know it was me. Exactly how it should have been from the beginning.

Unfortunately the enthusiasm has gone after running into Julian this morning. I don’t know if I want to do this anymore. He’s got me questioning everything. Of course the decision should be easy. I should just say ‘stuff it’ and run after Julian but it’s not that easy. I’m still craving gifts like there’s no tomorrow and as a result I need to go through with today. I need the gifts as much as a smoker needs a cigarette after hours without one. For me it’s been weeks!

Resting my head on the steering wheel, I groan and pull at my hair…correct that, my wig. All I’ve been doing over the last few hours is thinking about Julian and what I should do. The real me wants to get out of this mess and see what Julian and I can have. The other identities within me want me to keep this up. God what am I supposed to do?

Lifting up my head, I look out the window again and see Jamie has stopped pacing. Instead he seems to have spotted me and is staring at me with a look of thunder on his face. Oh god, what’s stuck up his nose? When he starts to walk over, I unbuckle the seatbelt and open the door. A feeling of dread forms in my stomach as I have a sudden fear of today turning into a disaster.

I just step out of the car and lock the door when Jamie reaches me. Without saying a word he grabs my arm and pulls me away from the registry office.

“What the hell Jamie?” I demand as I struggle to keep up with his long strides in these too high heels. “What are you doing?”

He doesn’t say a word, just continues walking and pulling me along like a puppy. Something has really got into him.

His grip is so tight around my wrist, it’s actually hurting. “Let me go,” I complain as I try to loosen his grip, “you’re hurting me.”

We turn a corner and suddenly Jamie pushes me against the wall, his hand gripping both of my wrists above my head. His face is black with anger and his eyes are stormy. Something has really got him riled up but I have no idea what it could be.

For a few seconds he stares at me, breathing heavily. The strangest thing is I feel quite giddy right now. Kissing Jamie twice has put a very inappropriate image in my mind. Despite seeing Julian today and my feelings toward him, I can’t help but desire Jamie at this precise moment. Oh god I’m a bad person. This is not like me at all. I blame Jamie entirely. It’s his bad boy persona that does it. He’s hot and rebellious, isn’t that something all girls like? Even if he’s not the person I want to spend eternity with, I still can’t help but desire him.