Chapter 89

Bella-Rose POV

"No way in hell am I agreeing with this nonsense", I folded my eyes and stubbornly glared at the ensemble surrounding me.

Said ensemble is none other than my family except dad. Dad sat opposite me equally grumble and sour-faced muttering "he is my bloody step-cousin" to whoever concerns themselves to listen. Which is none. As everyone is busy cajoling me.

To understand the drama that is taking place now let me replay what conspired yesterday.

Yesterday

After the bombshell of the proposal, the customers have resumed their conversations as if they have set their minds that if a guy proposed to me then it must be a joke. Come on people, I too can get a proposal if I want to. Well, at least try to.

"That's the most wonderful idea I have heard in a while", Nana said excitedly as she covered the distance between them and looped her arm in Chris's arm.

"You must be my new step-aunt. Wow! You look not a day older than 50. My uncle is one lucky fellow", Chris said, laying a little thick on praise. 50? Seriously? Her son is over 50.

I wrinkled my nose at his poor attempt at flattery. Any moment now Nana will set him straight. Why wouldn't she? She never fell for my lines and I'm a pro. Cough cough.

Nana surprised me instead by playfully swatting his arm and saying, "you don't mean that. Why I'm over 70"

Are you kidding me right now? How can she fall for that crap of a line? I used better than that one on many occasions but always got caught. What's so new about his line? Maybe Nana forgot to take her medicines. Yes, that must be it. She is disoriented and falling for his bullshit. Poor soul. Before I could chastise him, Chris continued his buttering.

"I don't believe it. You don't look like your age. Even Miss Rose here looks so beautiful, your family must be one set of beautiful women"

Nana preened like a peacock gobbling up the praise as she replied, " you have good taste dear. We Murray's are well-known for our beauty"

I scoffed at them. Murrays are beautiful? Since when? She is the one who said I would find a boyfriend only after they lose eyesight and now, she is praising her gene pool? Nana lost her marbles. That's it.

"No wonder Uncle Matt fell for you," Chris said with a huge grin.

"You are making me blush," Nana said with no red hue coating her cheeks. I rolled my eyes at their flattering techniques. Why is she entertaining him anyway?

"Now tell me which one you prefer, spring wedding or Christmas wedding?" Nana asked, holding his hand between her hands and giving him a huge grin that even Mom didn't receive till now. And thus, answering my question.

"Whoa... whoa... whoa. Time up. Hold on a second. There is not going to be any wedding", I circled the counter and stood before them with my hands on my hips glaring at this guy for creating a new problem for me.

They both choose to ignore me as they discussed my wedding with this stranger as if it's perfectly normal.

"I don't think I can wait until spring. I personally prefer the sooner the better. So, I would say Christmas wedding"

"I can totally understand. Wedding during Christmas will be perfect!" Nana clapped her hands in excitement.

"Uh...Nana, sorry to break it to you but he is a stranger. We know nothing about him," I internally smirked as I said Nana who has more experience at pointing out the obvious blatantly ignored my question and said, "pfft. What's there to know? He is Matthew's nephew. If he vouches for him then he is good. After all, I know my Mathew and his thought process very intimately"

I covered my face to make the twinkle in Nana's eyes unseen. Gag. Me. Now. What's with my family and the oversharing nature of their sex life? Nope, it's my fault. I always land in this heap by myself.

It's no use talking to these two-crazy people. Instead, I turned to Mathew and said, "Mathew please help me from them"

Mathew who was listening patiently rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger and said, "I don't know Bella, the idea has merit"

"You are a lost cause. Just admit that you don't have the guts to stand opposite Nana," I smacked my forehead with my hand as I said that.

"Now listen here Bella, that's not true. What can I do when she is always right?" Mathew asked as he looked with googly eyes at Nana who was busy discussing the wedding venue with Chris. If I don't stop them, they will be planning a baby shower too.


"And is Nana always, right?" I asked folding my arms and scoffing at the ridiculous expression on his face

"Always", Mathew said with a puppy grin.

"Coward!" I muttered just as Nana and Chris's discussion came to a close.

"That's it then. I will call you after I sort out the details," Nana said, still on the flow.

It's like I'm invisible to them. I waved my hands before their faces and said, "I'm standing right here. I got news for both of you. The trend of arranged marriages has gone ages ago. What you are suggesting is downright barbaric and I won't hear another single word about it!"

"That's why we didn't involve you, dear. We know you are too shy to discuss it," Nana patted my cheek in affection.

"Shy? Who... me?" I pointed a finger at myself and asked in surprise. Nana is blowing my mind with each statement she is uttering.

"Of course," Chris replied to my question with the same puppy dog look that Mathew was staring at Nana. Though no one has looked at me like that before, I couldn't help but notice it.
A sudden discomfort gripped me. What is going on here? How did I become a pariah to boy magnet? First HIM and now Chris.

"I don't think so. For that matter, who are you to decide my marriage without me?" I glared at Chris practically shoving my confusion to the back of my mind

"Your would-be husband?" Chris queried with a 'duh'

I sighed in frustration. "Come on, Nana. You know me better. You know what happened before. Is this necessary?"

"Absolutely," Nana said stubbornly, raising her chin.

Chris who listened interestingly to our conversation snapped his fingers and said,

"Oh, you mean that night where-"

I cut Chris's words off before he could blurt out how he met me that day. No one knows how completely broken I was that night except for him. And I want to stay it that way. No need to make them more worried than they already are.

"You haven't answered my question. Why are you here?" I asked loudly, drawing his attention to my words

"Wait a minute. Have you met her before?" Nana asked in a no-nonsense voice that said I smelled a fish from miles away.

"Umm," it's my turn to play dumb.

"What are you talking about?" I asked with a confused face

Nana undeterred tapped her foot, waiting for an explanation. "Well?"

I gulped looking at Chris to say something. Nana can easily catch my lie. I'm that poor at pretending. However, Chris here seems to be a pro with his blatant lies about my beauty.

I signaled him with my eyes to handle the situation. He in return gave a mischievous wink. Oh no, you didn't just wink at me. What does it mean? Is he going to reveal? I shook my head
"I would tell you on one condition," Chris said with an evil glint in his eye.

That rat. My mouth set in a hard line as I glared at him.

"What is it?" Nana asked intrigued. She would be. Why would she not? This is the life we are talking about.

"Only if I get the chance to take Rose on a date," Chris said pointing towards me with his chin while talking to Nana.

I snorted. I couldn't help it. This man is more delusional than I thought.

"Deal," Nana extended her hand to Chris.

"Now... wait a minute. Selling your granddaughter is against the law Nana," I said in a panic, looking at their cold faces.

Chris shook her hand as if closing an important business deal. Ugh... they are behaving as if they are doing a scene in a mafia movie where two enemies meet to set the deal.

You know... wearing long black trench coats and matching sunglasses... serious faces no smiles... pointy shoes or heels as they came closer and stood a foot apart on a rainy night. That type of scene.

I could clearly imagine them assessing each other with a narrowed gaze, showing off their tucked guns in the process before lifting their chins to acknowledge each other, and sauntering back to their back car with tinted car windows.

Before I could picture the full-blown movie, Nana brings me back to the present by asking, "so, how do you know her?"

Uh-uh. Mayday. Mayday.

"Nana, aren't you tired? Maybe you should rest. Mathew, could you please take Nana home?" I asked Mathew, who is busy enjoying our drama.

"There is no need. I'm fit as a horse. Now, young man, you are saying?" Nana asked with piercing eyes

"Well," Chris smirked at me as he continued, "We met at a condom aisle. Her mother was asking her which flavor she wanted"

I gave a sigh in relief. Thank God, he didn't say anything about that night. I would be the only girl in the world who must be relieved to hear she met a guy at a condom aisle.

"That's Olivia for you. She has no tact. I would have straight out bought all the flavors. She has yet to learn from me", Nana shook her head.

I groaned while Chris laughed as if Nana had shared a joke. Great! Another lunatic who wants to join our family.