I had to laugh at that. He was right. His job required him to talk to strangers. So many people go and sit alone in the bar, drinking their problems away into the wee hours of the night, and they only have the bartender behind the counter as company. I knew this from experience, because I was once one of them. And it was easy for me to talk to Ryder about my problems. That was the whole reason he was here with me.

"Are you over him?"

I stared at the beautiful sunset ahead of us.

"I'm mad enough at him to stop crying over him." I replied.

"That's good enough. Because to tell you the truth, sweetheart, he's not worth it. You know what they say? The only guy who is worth your tears is the one who won't make you cry at all."

"Wow! Ryder! You must have snapped right out of a romance novel!"

He laughed. "I have a sister." He said. "She's a hopeless romantic. Gotten her heart broken three times."

"You seem like a protective big brother."

He smiled. "Yeah. Paris is still a baby to me. I try to be there for her as much as I can. Even if it means having to listen to all her guy problems or listen to her quote passages from all the romance novels she loves reading... or writing. She's quite talented."

I can tell that Ryder holds so much love and affection for his little sister. I admire that. It made me wish I could have shared something like that with a sister or a brother. But Geena was the closest thing to a sister that I ever had and... look where we are now?

"Did you punch those guys who broke your sister's heart?"

"Just one. The one who slept with another girl. The two others... went to another country. Geography is a difficult obstacle to overcome in a relationship. I can't really blame the guys. It's better they were honest with her than cheat on her."

"She's lucky to have you." I murmured.

Ryder reached for my hand and brought it to his lips.

"And any man will be lucky to have you, Astrid." He said gently. "That ex of yours... he's not it. He's not the one for you. Every single good thing that he did to you... has been nullified by the things that he did after... which were downright... cheap and distasteful."

I squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

"Yeah. What kind of guy proposes with a fake engagement ring? The one that you get inside a candy bar for free!" I muttered.

"It doesn't show how he valued you. It shows his value as a man." He said. "Please tell me that he at least paid for something in the wedding."

"Oh, he paid for almost everything!" I said. "I threw all the receipts at him and told him it's his job to refund his money from all the suppliers."

"And instead of refunding, he thought of using all your arrangements... albeit, you are no longer the bride." He said shaking his head. "He is one of a kind, isn't he?"

"And I paid for their florist." I said.

"Don't expect him to pay you back." Ryder teased.

I squeezed his hand. "Thank you for being with me, Ryder. I couldn't have made a better choice for a date tonight."

He stood up from his seat and pulled me up on my feet. "Come on. Let's show your ex what he's missing on!" And then he wrapped an arm around me and led me towards the ballroom.

"Breathe, Astrid." He whispered against my ear just as we were about to enter the ballroom. "We're going on a rollercoaster ride."

Chapter Six.

PLACE CARD HOLDER:.

Use a place card holder in line with your motif or theme to ensure that your guests will be seated according to your preference (not theirs!) I fought hard the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes when I saw the whole ballroom. It was exactly as I had imagined it would be. The colors, the hues, the lilies. Everything was perfect.

"Welcome to my dream wedding." I murmured to myself, but Ryder heard me.

"Welcome to the wedding that you're going to besta hundred times over." Ryder whispered against my ear.

I looked up at him and he gave me an encouraging smile. Then he leaned his forehead against mine and he said to me, "Relax, Astrid. You have to remember, it's me you're in love with now."

And then he leaned forward and gave me a butter soft kiss. "And I love you more than your ex ever did." He murmured.

When I opened my eyes, I saw his handsome face, flushed with our kiss, his eyes were sparkling. I found strength inside me. He's really going to help me pull this off.

"We can do this." I breathed.

He smiled. "We are doing this." He leaned forward against my ear. "Forget that we're pretending. Tonight, I really am your boyfriend. And you are mine, Astrid. I only have eyes for you."

If a guy as handsome as Ryder told you that he had eyes only for you, you should feel like you just won the lottery. I felt like I won a once in a lifetime chance to be with the Prince I only see in my dreams. I thought I melted then and there.

It took me a while to realize that I did almost fall on my bum. My knees turned into jelly with the look that Ryder gave me and the words he'd spoken to me. He had his arms wrapped all around me, keeping me steady.

"Easy, love." He said in a low voice that seemed so familiar, so warm, so sincere.

I smiled up at him and then I kept myself steady.

"Let's do this." I said to him.

We walked hand in hand into the ballroom. And we were just in time. Bryan and Geena were just settling in their seats after their dance.

Nicole led us to our seats and I could hear people murmuring from all over. I could feel hundreds of eyes on Ryder and me.

"What an entrance, Ash." Nicole whispered and I smiled nervously.

Ryder pulled a chair out for me, quite the perfect gentleman. I found that Nicole sat me with Adam and herself and some people I haven't seen before in my life.

I smiled at them shyly and then I gave Adam a peck on the cheek.

"Sorry, we're late." I said to him.

"Oh, dear cousin. Don't worry about it. You had perfect timing." Adam said in a slightly higher pitched voice and I had to bite my lips to keep from laughing.

"You remember Ryder?" I asked him.

Adam nodded. "Of course, I do." He extended his hand to him and Ryder shook it.

"Nice to see you again." Ryder said politely.

"Where are my parents?" I asked Adam.

"They're over with Dad. They didn't know you were coming, did they?"

I shook my head. "I only told your Dad I was coming."

"It looks like it." Adam grinned. He leaned forward to whisper in my ears, "Even the bride and groom didn't seem to know." He excused himself from our table.

"Why aren't you making rounds to see your relatives?" Ryder whispered against my ear.

"Because I'm too nervous to stand on my own two feet?" I smiled sweetly at him.

He laughed throatily, then leaned forward and gave my bare shoulder a gentle kiss.

"Come on, love. Maybe it's time you introduce me to your parents." He said.

I took a deep breath as Ryder stood up from his seat and pulled me to my feet.

I nervously made my way across the dance floor, towards the front tables where my parents were seated. Couples who were dancing stared at Ryder and me. Many of them, distant relatives who probably knew the real story and didn't really expect that I would show up tonight.

I found my parents sitting with Uncle Jack and his new wife, as well as some of my other distant aunts and uncles.