The Billionaire's Wedding Planner ✔

CHAPTER ONE

A I D E N

Caroline was furious.

I knew because I could hear it in her voice right before she slammed the phone down when I called her.

The sun was scorching me as I stood outside the Cartier store and the three-piece suit that I had chosen to wear did me no favours.

When I saw Caroline's town car come around the bend, I threw my hands up in relief.

The car slowed near me and I stepped forward, opening the door for her.

She got out and moved her sunglasses from the bridge of her nose to the top of her head so that I could see her signature glare of death to prove that she was unhappy.

"You're late," she snapped.

I scoffed, almost amused. "I'm the one who was waiting on this sidewalk for you in the scorching hot sun."

Her frown deepened.

"I had to make John circle the block thrice before you called me telling me that you got here. I can't possibly be the one waiting for you, Aiden! How pathetic would that look?" Caroline tossed her strawberry-blonde hair over her shoulders.

I don't dare call it just blonde anymore. She almost popped a vein the last time I did.

"This is completely unacceptable, Aiden. You just cannot keep me waiting."

I sighed, resigning to let her win so that I didn't have to stand in the sun arguing with her.

And I was late.

Just ten minutes, but still late.

"I'm sorry, Caroline," I said, trying to sound as sincere as I could, "Shall we go in now? You have been waiting to do this ever since we decided on the engagement."

I gestured to the door.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Well, it's not like I'd let you pick my engagement ring," she told me, walking towards the door, "God knows what monstrosity you would pick."

She just wanted to make sure her gemstone was the biggest, but I didn't say that out loud. I just opened the door for her, without a word. I've gifted her jewelry before and she generally gets quite happy, almost agreeable after it.

As we walked in, I could see Caroline's shoulders relax and a rare smile appeared on her face.

"Miss Baxter," an older gentleman greeted Caroline in a mellow, but chirpy customer-service voice, approaching us, "We're so happy to have you with us. And you, too, Mr. Carlisle."

I smiled and nodded to him, knowing Caroline would prefer to do all the talking herself.

He gestured for another worker to come and take Caroline's bag from her hand. I slipped my hands into my pockets and looked around.

Once her hands were free, Caroline gazed around the glittering room, looking like a kid in a candy shop.

"Winston, show me what you have for me," she cooed to him, taking his arm.

I followed them both to a display at the back of the store where the gems were bigger and the customers were fewer.

Winston gestured for us to sit down at one of the displays. "Now, Ms. Baxter, Mr. Carlisle, what sort of stone, cut and size were we thinking?" he asked, clasping his hands together.

"An emerald, or a ruby, maybe a brilliant sapphire like Kate Middleton's," Caroline mused, looking around, "Something one of a kind. The bigger the better."

Caroline's expensive tastes might actually dent my wallet as our marriage progresses and I shuddered at the thought, making a mental note to remind my lawyer about an iron-clad prenup.

I leaned back in my chair, knowing that I was only here to keep up appearances, and not for any input on the choice of a ring that I was supposed to be giving her. I knew Caroline would only remember my existence when she needed to pay the bill.

"A Princess cut, emerald, cushion, round, oval or radiant cut is fine, I'm not very picky," she told Winston and I inadvertently rolled my eyes, "But definitely not a heart shape. Too cliched."

"Of course," Winston nodded, knowingly.

He brought of trays and trays of engagement rings with some of the biggest stones I've seen and Caroline seemed to be in heaven. She tried on ring after ring of varying colours and sized.

Finally, she picked the biggest one she could find on the trays and it was a huge emerald, set in fourteen karat white gold and framed with small diamonds.

"This one, Aiden," she told me, slipping it on to her ring finger and admiring it in the light of the display. She looked at the ring more fondly than she ever looked at me. "This one is perfect. I love it."

The enthusiasm in her voice made me smile, like I had actually done a wonderful thing for mankind. It was the voice that made men want to fall over themselves to keep her happy.

I leaned forward. "If that's what you love, that's what you get," I said, making Winston smile at us, happily, "Ring us up, Winston."

"Sir, if you don't mind following me to the desk over there, we can work it all out," he said.

I sat down at his desk, Caroline still at the display, admiring her new toy.

"Of course, we will fit the ring to Ms. Baxter's finger and polish it. Sir, would you like to add an engraving to the ring?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "No, just the ring is fine."

Winston was almost disappointed, but I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted to tell her. "Maybe for the wedding ring," I told him, not wanting to make him unhappy.

Winston smiled and nodded, proceeding with the billing. Once it was complete, I made my way back to Caroline.

"Shall we?" I asked, gesturing to the door.

The attendee appeared as if out of nowhere and handed Caroline her bag. She took it and walked with me towards the exit.

"You can give me the ring at dinner on tomorrow night," Caroline told me, planning our moments, "Both our families will be there. It'll be the perfect moment."

I nodded, obligingly. If she wanted me to give her a ring, she also expected me to make a spectacle of it and maybe even give a speech. I had just two days to write a speech about how much a woman I didn't love and barely knew meant to me.

"And tomorrow, we meet the wedding planner," she said, "Do not be late."

"Do you really need me for that?" I asked her, as we stepped outside and her car pulled up at the entrance, "Can't you do it yourself? You know more about the planning than I do and you love doing it."

Caroline looked outraged. "How would that look, Aiden? I can't go for a wedding planning appointment alone! It's the first one. We need to make a statement. For the love of Christ, Aiden. I would assume as a businessman, you would know these things."

"I'm sorry, Caroline, I will be there," I promised, opening the door for her.

"Good. One PM," she commanded, "Sharp."

And then, she was gone, leaving me to wonder what I had gotten myself into.

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