Six Years For Another Man’s Bride Novel – At a singles’ mixer in Napa Valley, the game was simple: whoever held the gardenia could kiss the person of their choice. I quietly swapped flowers with the girl next to me. Now, the gardenia was mine. My choice was Carl. Six years into our secret relationship, we could finally share a public kiss. He strode toward me, and I closed my eyes, a warm blush creeping up my throat. Instead, he gently plucked the gardenia from my hand and offered it to the girl beside me. “You got it wrong. She’s the one who caught it. Did you think I wasn’t looking?” A soft smile played on his lips. He turned, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to the girl’s cheek. The girl blushed but didn’t pull away. “Whoa! Carl, how does it feel to kiss your first love?” “Don’t tell me you’re still single, six years after graduation!” Carl glanced at me. He smiled but said nothing. “What about Rosie? You can’t be…” All eyes turned to me. I met his warning gaze.
I chuckled lightly. “I’m single, too.” Only then did a flicker of satisfaction cross Carl’s face. And just like that, I was single again. For real. Now that we were broken up, it was time to go home and accept the marriage my family had arranged. ———————— 1 “You’re both still single? I really thought… you two would end up together.” Liam tsked and shook his head. “Yeah, everyone knew Rosie had a massive crush on Carl.” “And before graduation, it was obvious Carl was into Rosie, too.” The expression on Scarlett, our undisputed college queen, tightened almost imperceptibly. I managed a faint smile. “That was a long time ago.” “So in the six years since graduation, you two have never been together?” Carl’s gaze swept over me, cold and sharp. It was the warning look a boss gives a subordinate who has just stepped out of line. I shook my head. A collective sigh rippled through the room.
My phone vibrated. A text from Carl: [Good acting. Keep it up.] I let my face go blank and darkened the screen. Everyone’s attention shifted back to Carl. “So what’s the deal with you being single, Carl? Don’t tell me… you’re waiting for someone?” Eyes darted between Scarlett and Carl. “Seriously, with your looks, talent, and family, it makes no sense for you to be single for six years. Are you honestly waiting for someone?” “We all know Rosie likes you, so you can’t be waiting for her. Does that mean…?” Scarlett’s cheeks flushed a deep red. I looked at Carl. He leaned back against the sofa, a lazy smile on his face. “If I said no, would any of you believe me?” I lowered my gaze. It’s sickeningly obvious, the difference between being loved and not. A year ago at the office, he’d called me by a nickname while handing me a document: “Thanks, Rosie-boo.” A colleague overheard. Less than ten minutes later, he posted a clarification in the company’s Slack channel. He claimed he’d only said “Rosie,” just as he would to any other colleague, and that the person who overheard was mistaken.
He finished by saying he hoped everyone would stop harassing a female employee. Six years. From the day he founded his company, “maintaining a professional image” was his excuse for us to keep our distance in the office. He wouldn’t even sit at the same table with me at private gatherings with friends. But… I watched as Scarlett was playfully pushed toward him. She stumbled, falling right into his arms. He stiffened for only a second. He didn’t pull away. A bitter smile twisted my lips. Maintaining his image? Bullshit.
He just didn’t want anyone to know I was his. “This party is perfect! Carl is still waiting for his sweetheart, and Scarlett just became single again!” “This has to be fate!” Carl froze for a moment. But he didn’t object. Scarlett, nudged by her friends, was tucked tight against his side, her face flushed and radiant. … Then she turned her gaze to me. “So… what about you, Rosie? Are you waiting for someone?” I looked up. All eyes focused on me. Carl looked at me, too. He frowned, giving me a tiny, almost imperceptible shake of his head. I glanced at the electronic wedding invitation my mom had sent. I shook my head.