Exposed

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Are you sure you're good to do this? We've been out a few hours already," Veronica says to me as we enter our third dress boutique. I lean my head onto Hugh's shoulder, linked to his arm.

"I'm fine. I'm okay," I reassure her as a woman strides up to us with a welcoming grin.

"Good evening, I'm Rosa. Can I help you with anything?"

Veronica smirks, pointing to me. "Well, this one is getting married. She needs the prettiest dress you have in this place. Like seriously, pull out the big guns."

Rosa smiles as I roll my eyes. "Come with me."

***

"You know, I could order something," I say, setting my hands down onto the island. He's got his computer in front of him, with papers covering the rest of the countertop. "You don't have to do everything, Matteo."

"I told you, baby. I got this. Everything is pretty much set. I don't want you to lift a finger."

"I'm not an invalid," I reply, with annoyance.

He looks up from his papers, breathing in. "I know you're not. But we're leaving tomorrow and I want you to be well-rested."

"Matteo, these past two weeks, you're up every morning with Charles. You have set up our entire wedding solely on your own. All while still having shows every three days. I am well-rested. You are not. I can see you're tired."

He looks down, smirking. "I like being busy."

"I know you do. But you don't have to take everything on by yourself. I don't start work again for another two weeks."

"Which is why you need the rest."

"Matteo."

"Emma, you had a miscarriage," he states, firmly, setting down his papers. "I'm not going to push that fact aside."

"And I am?"

He sighs, shaking his head. "I'm not saying that... but I need you to get better. I need you healthy. I'm not going to let what happened happen, ever again. You know, I wasn't there, Emma and it was my fault that you had been so upset, so sick... and that probably caused you to lose the baby. I so easily could have lost you that night, do you understand that?"

I stare at him, focusing on only one aspect of his words. "My miscarriage wasn't your fault."

"Our miscarriage, Emma." He gazes pours into mine. "It was ours. And if I had just- taken on some fraction of responsibility in this house instead of parties and extra rehearsals, you would have been okay. Veronica told me before I got on the flight, that the doctors were worried about how much pain you were enduring. She was hysterical, thinking you were going to die. And I still had hours to get you."

I walk to him, caressing his face. I had no idea he was even effected by this, especially not this much. "Matteo... I was fine. I am fine."

He turns on the bench, grabbing my waist. "Losing you, Emma, would be the end of me."

"I'm not going anywhere," I whisper, awed as he rests his head against my chest, pulling me closer.

***

I take Matteo's outstretched hand as we hurry through the terminal with my parents and Hugh and his date, who is also our photographer. Veronica and Cesar are already waiting by the plane. I tried to get Matteo to invite Doug or at least someone he knows, but he was completely against it.