The Rented Husband (Southern Nights Series)

Chapter 37

“The Rented Husband”


2012 Copyright All Rights Reserved


Chapter 37


    “You’re are going to make a beautiful bride tomorrow.”  Olivia told her sister while sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her try on her wedding dress.  Chewing on her lip, she aid for the umpteenth time,  "Caley, I'm sorry for ruining your special day." She had been feeling a little more than guilty about the delay and the whole incident with Patton.  Most of the family had to go back to the states and was unable to take an additional week off of work to stay for the wedding. The once glamorous affair had been trimmed down to just a handful of friends and the immediate family.

    Caley looked at her sister and gave her a genuine smile, "It's okay, as long as I have my family here with me, and Devin says 'I do', then it will still be the best day of my life." Olivia eyes smarted and she fought to hold back the tears, hoping that her sister really meant that. She really did want this to be the best day of Caley's life.  Tilting her head to the side,  she lifted the full skirt of the dress and twirled around.  “Do you really think so, I mean, that I'll be the most beautiful bride?”

    Standing up, Olivia went to her baby sister and placed her hands on her shoulders,  “I know so," she told her.  “You are going to have Devin drooling all over himself before you ever get to the end of the aisle.”

    Caley covered her sisters’ hand with her own and watched her through the mirror.  She worried for her.  The deep sadness that filled her eyes was more potent than ever, and no matter how much she tried to hide it, her true feelings were etched in the lines of her face.

    After she was released from the hospital, she kept herself holed up in her room for three days straight. During that time, she sat around, feeling sorry for herself.  It took the collective efforts of their mother, Ashley and herself to pull her out of that room.  Since then, Olivia has shown up to all of the pre-wedding day events in body, but it didn‘t take a genius to see that her mind was elsewhere.  It was easy enough to notice because the doctors had been careful to mention that the family should keep a close eye on her. Having been injected with that strong of a drug she could possibly suffer some withdrawals. “What about you Liv,” She whispered, “How are you holding up?”

    Olivia’s lips curled up at the corners, it was more of a forced movement of the muscles than the real thing.  “I’m fine,” she said, trying to assure her sister, when in reality she was feeling anything but fine. 

    The painful truth hit her just several hours after she told Brody to leave her room.  All the memories came flooding back with such a heart shattering intensity that her whole body ached from the sting of it.  She remembered the deal that she proposed, the same one that he had first blown off.  Then the next day, he came waltzing into her office with a deal of his own.  She remembered the dinner with his mother, although it was more than a bit awkward, it had been nice, even if everything about it had been a lie.  Then there was the week they shared together at her place, the food fight, the ball games, the bickering, the laughs and she would never forget the infamous Sponge Bob boxers. But there was also his kisses, and wow, that man sure knew how to lay it on a woman.  He even put up with her father.  Any normal guy would have run for the hills after the first punch, but not Brody O’Connor.  And through it all, he stuck by her, even after the second punch.  They shared so many memories in such a short amount of time that Olivia didn't know how she would ever get over losing him; especially since he was never hers to lose to begin with.

    The sole reason that she chose Brody was because she had counted on the fact that there would be no chances of falling for him.  She knew who and what he was up front so there was no expectations.  Brody was a ladies man, a genuine playboy that truly enjoyed the single life.  It should’ve all been easy, right?  A little bit of fun, a beautiful vacation, fool the parents and when it was all said and done, they would walk away, using their own separate paths.