Hello! Hope everyone is having a great summer so far! Mine just started to get busy so I'll be uploading when I can, hopefully still two times a week.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter! I've attached an image of Ronan.

Enjoy! And feel free to comment or hit that star button...

-VIVKELLER23

                                                                                       ---

One week later...

There were perks to knowing someone with money, she supposed. Even if that someone happened to be the very last person on earth you wanted to depend on. Kaliah hadn't been allowed to stay at her parents' house in the week since she'd buried Jesse due to some small improvements Dimitri was overseeing and the fact that she wasn't legally married to him yet. But Kaliah wasn't left on the streets. Dimitri booked two rooms at Reignville's Hyatt for them to stay while they saw to Jesse's stipulation in the will. She had all the comfort she could have asked for; a queen sized bed, room service, and even live music to listen to when she went down to the dining room for dinner.

She'd never have been able to afford all of this on the money she made baking cakes at Marnie's Cakes and Shakes, cleaning homes, and occasionally performing for local churches or parties. And, of course, she'd have to pay it all back at some point, because she wasn't going to owe Dimitri a dime before the two years were up, but she'd be lying if she claimed she didn't enjoy the luxury while she could.

Everyone knew she wasn't a very good liar anyway.

She really hadn't wanted to make such a fuss about the whole getting married thing. Part of the reason she hadn't wanted anyone to know was because there was no one of her family left to share the special day with her. So anyone else who heard about her surprise nuptials wouldn't really care about her or how her life would change after she said "I do". For all she knew, people would only care about the man she was marrying, not her. She could almost hear the pitiful murmurs of the peers she'd had in high school shaking their heads and placing bets on how long the marriage would last.

Two years. This marriage was only going to last two years. She'd make sure of it. Shoot, she'd place a bet on it if she could do so without raising suspicions.

But Dimitri had insisted he wanted to do this right. Whatever that meant. As if getting married because of a will was the right way to get married at all! So she found herself inside a little boutique shop trying on ridiculously priced bridal gowns for a wedding she was already hoping to get over with. She didn't feel like a blushing bride. She felt like an imposter, really. A bad actress trying to fool everyone, even herself.

She hadn't always thought she'd be so disillusioned on her wedding day. Kaliah had once dreamed of marrying Dimitri with her brother and Dimitri's friends in the audience. That was how they'd pictured it back then. A small ceremony among the closest people they had to family. And Kaliah would have sung a love song to him, because she'd have still believed in love.

"How's it going in there?" Dimitri called from the other side of the fitting room door.

She groaned. "I thought I told you to go away!" she retorted, hating the way she looked in the puffy cream confection the shop owner had pulled from one of the racks.

"You did, but I don't think you meant it, sweet pea."

"Oh, I meant it!" Kaliah growled. "And stop calling me those little pet names! I'm not your sweet anything!" She yanked angrily at the side zipper of the gown and watched the tulle and lace pool at her feet. None of the half dozen dresses she'd tried on before had made her feel like wearing them to the courthouse. She was getting awfully tired of the whole process. "Can't we just go get married in the clothes I wore before we came in here?"

He didn't answer her, insufferable man. But she heard him a little ways away, talking to the owner perhaps. "My darling says she doesn't feel like the last few dresses were her style," he drawled, disguising his voice. He'd worn sunglasses and a baseball cap with his signature all black ensemble today, even though it was cloudy without a single chance for sunshine. "Isn't there anything else she could try?"

Kaliah shut her eyes in mortification. She was pretty sure that the groom wasn't supposed to see the wedding dress before the actual wedding. At least that was the tradition she'd heard while growing up. And though her marriage to Dimitri wasn't exactly traditional, she didn't like the idea of Dimitri being out there, choosing a gown for her. It seemed too intimate. "This is so stupid. Just let me wear jeans. I'll be fine!"

There was a knock on her door, and then a dress was lifted over the top. "Try that one."

She would have snapped something back at him, but then she saw the dress. It was a dream of white silk, soft to the touch. As she hung the hanger on the single rack inside the fitting room, Kaliah caught her breath. The skirt fell straight down without all the extra flourish the other dresses had almost drowned her in. The top was a simple square neckline, with lace overlay to add just enough delicacy to make the gown perfect. She loved it. And hated that the only time she'd get to wear it would be to her wedding to a man she knew would break her heart if she let him again.

Quickly, feeling tears prick her eyes, Kaliah scrambled into the dress. It fit her like a glove. Even with her hair tied back into a messy ponytail, she looked pretty. It was the kind of dress her Mama would have loved. Simple, elegant, beautiful without being overdramatic. And Kaliah felt that feeling of rightness, that bride's feeling that was supposed to happen when you found the dress for you. Only she would have preferred not to feel like a bride when she wasn't going to be one for very long.

"How's that one, Kallie?" Dimitri asked, quietly, almost as if he already suspected that she'd found her dress.

"I hate you!" Kaliah cried, throwing the door to the fitting room open so he could see. She was a mess, all tears and wild emotions. "But this is the dress, you idiot!"

Dimitri gave her a smile that made her heart race. "Yeah," he agreed, removing his sunglasses so she could see his eyes. "That's the dress. You look gorgeous, Kaliah." And his eyes told her that he meant it.

"You really like it?"

He nodded, reaching for his wallet. "It was made for you." With that, he turned towards the front of the store to ask the store owner for the bill.

Kaliah turned to look at herself in the mirror one last time. She should have protested. It wasn't right to have Dimitri buy her a dress, even if they were going to be married. She'd have to tell him to add it to the list of things she'd have to pay him back for. So far, she'd have to pay him back for the hospital bills he'd covered and the dress. She'd need a job soon.

"Kallie, sweetheart, let's go!" Dimitri called to her.

Ugh! She hated the names he gave her, even if they were just for show. "Coming!" she answered, and quickly grabbed the clothing she'd brought with her before finding her dress.

As she hurried out of the shop, waving her thanks to the shop owner for all her help, Kaliah felt self-conscious. She really didn't know what she was doing with her life. She hadn't stopped to think much since agreeing to marry Dimitri. If she had, she would have gone crazy. But what was she doing, thinking she could play along? Was she setting herself up for heartache again? Probably, though she hated to admit it. Yet she didn't have much choice, did she?

So Kaliah lifted her head and straightened her shoulders. She wasn't going to cower and hide. She smiled at the folks she passed on the sidewalk on her way to Dimitri's rented Audi. She probably still looked a fright in a bridal gown, a loose ponytail, and sneakers. "Where to now, Popstar?"

Dimitri pushed his shades down on his nose and glared at her. "I'd appreciate it if you stopped calling me that."

"Just like I asked you to stop giving me pet names back there?" she countered, indicating the boutique shop. "You can't have everything your way."

"Well, at least, you look like a bride now. That's one thing off my list."

"What list?" Honestly, Dimitri made no sense sometimes.

"It's nothing. And to answer you're original question, we're off to the hair salon."

Kaliah wrinkled her nose at him as he opened the sleek red door to the car's passenger side. "What for?" she asked as she slid into the seat.

Dimitri slammed the door in her face before hurrying around the front of the car and getting in. "Flowers," was all the answer he gave as he hit the button on the ignition to start the car.

And sure enough there were flowers. In her hair! Dimitri paid the hairdresser at the charming salon to clear her schedule and give Kaliah a small makeover. Kaliah's ponytail was transformed into a beautiful cascade of curls that fell in waves about her shoulders. The hairdresser, a nice young woman named Greta, then proceeded to use her magical skills to add just enough makeup to enhance the nicer aspects of Kaliah's face. Her lashes were coated in a bit of mascara, her cheeks given enough blush to give her the appearance of a blushing bride, and her lips painted in a lovely shade of pink. To finish the whole look, Greta pinned flowers into the top of Kaliah's head, making a form of flower crown out of sunflowers.

When she was finally allowed to get up and leave, Dimitri was speechless. And that made her feel pretty good.

The third and final stop they made was the courthouse. Reignville's courthouse was a tiny, old brick building that looked like it should have fallen to ash years ago. It's only redeeming quality was probably that it had been the place where many lasting, legendary marriages had officially tied the knot, for lack of a better phrase. That and the beautiful fountain it boasted right outside it's ancient wooden doors. Dimitri laughed as he helped her from the car, and they approached the front doors. They'd always joked that if the courthouse was still standing when they were old enough to marry, they'd have to get married in the pathetic building.

They were doing so now. That was one promise Dimitri was apparently going to keep.

As they entered the building, Dimitri asked the elderly woman at the front desk the requirements necessary for a marriage license. Kaliah glanced around the white walled, empty room and felt an impending sense of doom. It was like a wave crashing over her, reminding her that she was close to drowning. She felt panic, sharp and fast.

"If you'd like a civil ceremony, you'll need a witness," the woman finished explaining.

Bingo! Just like that Kaliah got the reprieve she didn't know she'd been praying for. "Oh, my, and we forgot to get a witness!" she gasped, hoping the exaggeration was lost to Dimitri and the woman's ears. "I suppose we'll have to come another day."

"Not so fast, my runaway bride," Dimitri replied, stopping her before she'd finished turning back towards the doors they'd entered. "I've got a witness I think you'll appreciate very much."

The woman smiled, missing the dark look Kaliah threw at Dimitri as he turned back around to continue with the marriage process. Kaliah couldn't imagine who Dimitri could have brought along as a witness, especially since they had pretty much agreed to keep the marriage a secret. That was part of the reason Dimitri had worn a makeshift disguise and why they were getting married in Reignville, California rather than going to Beverly Hills, where Dimitri had been residing the past eight years. Had he bribed someone? He had enough money to throw away and be fine for a few years, that was certain.

"Sunshine, baby, how have you been?"

Kaliah's eyes searched and found a familiar set of warm, brown eyes. "Ronan!" She couldn't be sure if she broke into a run or if he simply covered the short distance between them, but she was soon enveloped in a bear hug and lifted about a foot off the ground. "Ronan, where were you hiding all these years?" she asked, placing a kiss on his chin.

"Trying to get over you, sugar plum."

Kaliah laughed as he placed her down on her feet again. He hadn't changed much from what she remembered. He was still as bald as the day she'd been introduced to him, his olive complexion unmarred except for a few new lines on his face. He still had the most breathtaking smile, genuine and entirely his. He looked tougher now, his lean physique replaced by muscle that had been hard earned she guessed. "You look amazing."

"I could say the same to you," Ronan answered, winking. "You've still got time to say no and run away with me."

And he was still very much a flirt. Mr. Steal Your Girl...

Dimitri cleared his throat. "You're to be a witness to our wedding, not my competition."

"My apologies," Ronan offered with a mocking bow in Dimitri's direction.

Kaliah smiled, her panic replaced by overwhelming joy. She'd forgotten how good it felt to have friends who laughed with you. "Oh, lighten up, Hale. It is my wedding day, after all, and I don't want your bad sense of humor to ruin it for me."

"Whatever you want, my dear." Dimitri offered her his hand and led the way to the room in which the ceremony would take place.