Delectable Benefits

Twelve

A few more days, it was the big day and Anya had filled the kitchen with every fanciful faerie for the cupcake decorations. She began to work on the rest of the skeleton and outlines of the tree and the cake was going to come out as a large woodland faerie theme. The assistants that were assigned to her worked on the cupcakes. They couldn't figure out what went into the batter since all they could see were sacks of flour and sugar and other ingredients in bulk.

Nick put his sisters except Lauren to work boxing all the cup cakes the night before the wedding. They were all suddenly envious and awed by the marvelous creations that were coming out of the kitchen. However, Anya gave strict orders not to let anyone especially the family members see the wedding cake. It was a surprise and she was determined to keep it that way.

Three hours before the wedding, Nick was getting furious. He had not seen Anya since she began working in the kitchen. He was almost afraid she was sleeping on the kitchen floor. He entered the kitchen and was surprised to find it empty. He pulled out his phone and called Anya's phone. He stopped the call when he heard Anya's phone ring in her room.

He checked her room and saw her dress laid out on the bed as well as her lacy underwear. He was scowling at her lacy number when she entered her room. "Nick?"

He stopped looking at her panties and looked at her. Where have you been?" He demanded.

"Reception hall, the cake will not bring itself there, you know," She said in amusement. Then she looked at the contents of her bed. When she saw the thong on her bed, she blushed.

"You should get dressed, we're leaving in an hour," he said and left her alone.

"Wait, I thought we agreed I don't need to attend the wedding?" She asked.

Nick sighed, "Sweetheart, it would really mean so much to me if you came. This is a family event."

"But I am not family, I'm not even the bride's friend," she pointed out.

"No, but you certainly are Chadwick's friend and mine. He wouldn't have bullied you into baking that cake for him if you weren't."

She sighed, "All right."

She was ready in thirty minutes. She was wearing a thick coat for him to check out her gown. They headed to the main villa and arrived as pictures were being taken. Anya looked at Lauren and saw her glow like the beautiful bride she was. Chadwick looked debonair in his black and white tux but he was in another room. Anya was told the couple had not seen each other since they arrived in Paris and was now going to see each other for the first time. Right now, They were allowed to see each other's voices and were currently straining to look.

A while later their pictures were taken as they stood back to back, and finally, family pictures were taken. Anya stayed away from the pictures. She was after all, a stray and not family in their eyes. She would always be outside looking in.

"Hey, how are you?" Aunt Gabby asked.

Anya smiled and threw her arms around the woman. "It's good to see you, Aunt Gabby."

"You should have your picture taken with them seeing that you will be family soon." She said and motioned to Nick who was glaring at her.

"Like his sisters said, I am just a stray. It's not likely whatever Nick and I have will lead to marriage. I'm just a woman who can cook."

"Yeah? And I am just a woman who can dance ballet and play the cello," aunt Gabby said. "Come on, you better give yourself a little more credit than that. His sisters can't even figure how to properly use a microwave."

Nick joined them and hooked his arm around Anya's waist. "We're going to the church. The paparazzi are already there."

They used vehicles that were heavily tinted, the church was heavily guarded and only people with invitations were allowed to enter. Anya deliberately turned her back on the paps and looked at Nick. His expression was grim, they took their positions and the bride descended from the vehicle. She glanced at Nick, he was holding her hand a little too tightly.