CHAPTER 290: EMOTIONS LIKE FIREWORKS (2)

Georgia’s POV

"Nick..." I whispered, hastily brushing away my tears before they could fall again.

He crossed the room in a few long strides, his eyes soft but steady, the kind that made the whole world fade. "Hey," he murmured, his voice low and tender. "Why are you crying? Come here..."

The warmth of his hand found mine, and before I could even blink, I was pulled against him—safe, weightless, home.

"I heard what you said," he continued, brushing a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "But let’s be honest—everyone here knows it’s me who doesn’t deserve you."

A faint smile tugged at my lips, but he wasn’t done.

"This..." he gestured around—the flowers, the dresses, the cakes, the people who were pretending not to stare, "and everything I’ve been doing... it’s still not enough. Because no amount of effort could ever measure up to how grateful I am that you chose me. Out of everyone—you chose me. That’s the kind of miracle a man doesn’t take for granted."

My throat tightened again, the kind of ache that only love could cause.

"So don’t ever think you don’t deserve this," he said, his voice trembling just a little. "You deserve more. And no matter how busy I am, no matter how full my days get—I’ll always make time for you. Always."

His hands framed my face, his thumbs tracing slow, reassuring circles on my skin. His gaze was steady, filled with all the quiet promises he didn’t need to say out loud.

I nodded, smiling through the tears I couldn’t stop. "You’re impossible," I whispered, laughing softly.

He grinned, boyish, heart-melting, and leaned in. "Only for you."

Then his lips met mine, gentle at first, then deeper, his arms wrapping around me like I was the only thing keeping him grounded. The room erupted with soft giggles and teasing aww’s, but neither of us cared.

He pulled back just enough to press his forehead against mine, his breath warm on my skin.

"See?" he whispered, smiling. "Even the universe is jealous of us."

And right then, surrounded by friends and laughter, my heart felt like it could burst—because somehow, in the middle of his chaos, he always made me feel like I was his calm.

"So," Nick asked, his tone warm and teasing, "tell me—what have you seen so far? Anything catch your eye yet?"

Before I could even open my mouth, Vicky groaned dramatically. "Seriously, Nick? How is she supposed to pick when she literally just got here and you’re already hovering? You shouldn’t even be here! You’ll ruin the surprise when she walks down the aisle!"

Nick laughed, hands raised in surrender, that boyish grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "Alright, alright. I’ll go back before I get scolded again. But just so you know, I’m on a fifteen-minute break. Then I’m back in the meeting dungeon."

He turned to me then, his voice softening. "Tell me, love—do you like this setup? If you’d rather go to the suppliers’ shops, I can make that happen. I’ll send everyone back, and we’ll do it the old-fashioned way. Just say the word."

I couldn’t help but smile as I wrapped my arms around his waist. The familiar scent of his cologne and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat instantly made my body relax. "No need," I whispered.

"This is perfect, Nick. Honestly, I’ve been so exhausted lately with everything going on. I didn’t even know something like this was possible. Don’t change a thing. It’s already more than I could ever ask for. But..." I tilted my head up at him, smiling softly. "I might only be able to come here after work. Is that okay?"

Before he could respond, Melanie stepped in, grinning like she’d been waiting for that moment. "Actually, Georgia, Mr. Knight already arranged that. He’s sending some of his people to help out at the office because of their sudden demand, and he knows we lack the workforce to accommodate that request. It’ll also help integrate our teams more smoothly."

My brows furrowed. "Wait—so... does that mean I can work half-days?"

Melanie chuckled. "You can actually take a full leave if you want. Focus on the wedding, the house, and Wendy. You promoted me as operations manager, remember? And it’s my job to run everything in the office as smoothly as possible. I’ll send you updates every day and drop by whenever there are documents that need your signature."

I blinked, utterly stunned. "You’re serious? You don’t need me there?"

Melanie, Bella, and Jenny all exchanged amused looks before laughing. "We’ve got this, Georgia," Melanie said, smiling fondly. "Go be the bride. Let us handle the rest."

I turned to Nick, who was already looking down at me with that soft, proud smile that never failed to make my heart skip. His thumb brushed my cheek, eyes twinkling.

"See?" he murmured. "Now you have no excuse not to rest—or to spend a little more time with me."

He said it so casually, yet the warmth in his voice wrapped around me like a blanket. My heart fluttered, and I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face.

How could a man be this thoughtful, this selfless, and still manage to look at me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him?

"So, it’s settled then," Nick said, teasing me, as his hand slid to the small of my back. "That means you’ll be near me every day."

Before I could even respond, he leaned in closer—so close I could feel the warmth of his breath against my ear. "You have no idea," he whispered, "how many times I’ve imagined you in my office. You and me... behind closed doors, doing things only we will ever know."

My entire body went rigid, heat rushing straight to my cheeks. My eyes widened in panic as I darted a quick glance around the room, praying no one heard that sinful whisper. When I met his amused gaze, I pinched his side hard enough to make him flinch.

"Mr. Knight," I hissed in a low voice, though my lips curved despite myself, "I think it’s time for you to go back to your meeting and let us, ladies, handle these wedding matters, don’t you think?"

Nick laughed, rich and unbothered. "Alright, alright, I’ll behave," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. Then he turned toward one of the people near the dresses. "Vera, please make sure my bride gets exactly what she wants, whatever it is."

I blinked, confused, and squinted to get a better look at the woman he spoke to—old but graceful, elegant, and undeniably familiar. "Wait... Vera as in Vera Wang?"

The woman smiled warmly. "Yes, honey, it’s me."

My jaw practically hit the floor. "Oh. My. God!" I blurted, covering my mouth as I stared at her, then at Nick—my overachieving, impossible, utterly romantic fiancé—who was watching me with that maddeningly smug grin.

He chuckled, stepped closer, and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead that lingered just long enough to melt every bone in my body. "Enjoy, babe," he murmured, his lips brushing my skin, "I’ll meet you when you’re done."

And just like that, he walked away—leaving me standing there, completely frozen, heart fluttering like it had just been set on fire.

*******

Thanks for the gift!

BOO_TZ

Thank you for the Golden Ticket!

KATHLEEN_COLL