The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

Announcing our engagement is a little rushed and anticlimactic, given that Arrick books us flights back to Paris for the same day we arrive back home in the Hamptons. It barely gives anyone time to let it sink in or react. I think he planned it that way, so I won’t get cold feet at the over emotional response and run for the hills, knowing fine well that is totally something I would do.

Knows me a little too well.

A rushed trip out here on the family jet, a flying round of homes as we show them the ring and drop the bombshell that we are having a rushed wedding, and then straight out to fly back to JFK airport in Queens to meet our next flight and head back to Europe. It’s exhausting, and I feel like my feet barely hit the ground the entire time. No one gets a chance to gush too much, no one pressuring me or questioning me with endless wedding queries, and I got to throw my hastily written list at my sister and inform her as chief bridesmaid she has a wedding to plan.

Arrick doesn’t argue, knowing fine well that I have other things on my mind right now and well, Leila is very good at planning things like this nowadays. Her little women’s club has morphed in recent years into a planner’s group of bored housewives who organize killer functions and parties in their spare time.

So yeah, score.

The family is stunned, elated, excited and disappointed that I don’t want some sort of public announcement or grand engagement party. It’s not that I don’t want any of those things, it’s that my life is only the safe haven it is because I avoid all forms of public announcements and pictures in the social pages at every opportunity. Somewhere out there, I have two biological parents who know nothing of my whereabouts, new name or family and I would like to keep it that way. The video of my Paris show is a good diversion of false information if they ever happen upon it and recognize me, they will assume I got adopted out to Europe. Not that I think they would assume it was me, Sophie Huntsberger, rich fashion designer, is a far cry from runaway homeless reject.

They have no clue where I am and even though my father is inside a prison cell for the time being, I have no desire to give anything away. Arry understands this, in fact he was the one who reminded our families there was to be no public announcements at all. It’s one of the reasons he has a clause with most of the papers in this state that says they can never print images of him without his pre-approval. He has never approved any that I am in.

The plan is a cozy family and friends only wedding with no outside intruders or paparazzi. Given that Arrick is both a known Carrero and the current MME champion, it may prove a little harder to keep it concealed once plans are in full swing. We are hopeful that if we keep it small and fast, then we can pull it off and be on our honeymoon before the media catch wind of it.

***

I wake up mid-flight, a few hours in, disorientated and groggy and turn myself towards him in the comfy first-class seat. Arrick is on his laptop typing away and I can see even from here the emblazoned Carrero Corp logo on the top right of his document. That pentagon shaped gold C that I see every day.

He still hasn’t agreed to reconsider his decision with the company yet; his father barely spoke to him on the trip home and Jake made some comments about reconsidering when we were leaving. He has his stubborn head on, and I know him too well. Arry needs to let things work out inside his head by himself. You can’t sway him or influence him until he comes to the best conclusion alone, after picking the wrong one first of course. Right now, he is set on distancing himself from the company and focusing on us, and that’s fine for now. I know in time when we are more settled, he will realize it’s not needed, and I hope he goes back to how it was. That company is as much part of him as the fight scene is and he’ll only live to regret it.

As much as I love seeing him as my house husband when he has free time, his fights are now so sporadic that his entire year would be a long row of down time and I cannot see him ever feeling fulfilled that way. Arrick needs focus and a goal, something to always work too. Something to feel accomplished or have ambition in, or he gets bored and listless and starts to disengage.

He is so much like me in that respect and I know that it will eat at him once he finds himself with nothing to do but run after me, cook and spend his time looking for things to occupy himself.

“What are you doing?” I nudge his arm and distract him from the screen; that adorable look of serious concentration on his face as he chews on his lip absentmindedly. Arry turns to me with a smile and runs his hand over mine softly, igniting that same set of tingles.

I started under Carrero Corp and informing them of a change of contact within the company when I cut loose.” He lets go and turns back to what he’s typing, and I frown at him, curbing the urge to say anything. I bite on my lip and try so

think you are an idiot.” I say it with love, but how can you really make that statement

me and goes back

it’s not right for you. It’s a stupid impulsive decision that will only make you unhappy.” I nudge him again and this time try to appeal

made my mind up, Sophs. It’s not impulsive or stupid. It’s about focusing on what’s important to me from here on in. No more flying off and leaving you.” He has that stubborn

won’t matter after this trip… A couple of weeks and we are going back to New York on a permanent basis. There will be no more commutes after this.”

school, failed to see you hadn’t made any

smirk, sighing when I see him softening too and smiling back with that half smile of his that brings out his dimples. He

bad choice? … Didn’t know

familiar thing. Do you need a shortlist of decisions that you have made, that overruled happiness in the name of doing the right thing?” I nudge him again, this time comically, and he

came good in the end.” He catches my hand in his and swoops down to kiss me on

way… I’m pointing this out now so you can save a lot of grief and regret and get it right the first time in this instance.” I’m trying to keep this light, but my tone is serious. I only want for him to

to be happy

Arrick sighs this time.

and I promise I will think more on this. For the next three weeks though, let’s forget Carrero Corp and everything else, and focus on us, you finishing school, and all the things we need to plan…

scary to be doing the M

He closes his laptop and slides it into his bag between his feet. Looking at me with that gorgeous set of soft eyes that still

tiny bit.” Complete honesty and a little flutter

a hell of a lot of excitement… Sophie Carrero… Sounds like it

kind of

meeting you in your mamma’s kitchen that day would lead to this? Back then I wasn’t even sure I would be staying with the

a child and that made it all kinds of wrong. I fell for you, hard. Crazily fast, even though I had no clue what was happening to me, and never once let up for air. Fate made sure that I was going to be the one who married you, baby, I’m sure of that.” Arrick’s serious now too, my romantic boy and his fast words.

him