Ana POV
We rang in the New Year in our brand new house, and what a grand time we had to celebrate. All of our friends and family were there and it was just a magical night. As I drink my coffee this morning, I can't help but be amazed about what has all transpired in the last seven months. And then to think in less than five months, I will be Mrs. Christian Grey. Who would have thought?
Christian is off to Hong Kong for the week and he insisted that I accompany him. As much as I would have love too, I am so far behind at work and still trying to catch up. This is the longest that I've ever been without him, and he's only been gone for less than 48 hours. I miss him terribly. I regret not going with him, but I need to concentrate on work and start working on donors for this year's Coping Together Gala.
My goal for Coping Together is to double what we raised last year without Christian's donation, and I know it will be a daunting task. Not to mention trying to plan a wedding on top of that.
On my way out the door, I catch my reflection in the mirror and my hair is really starting to grow in more evenly now, and less in patches. I reach up and touch my hair. The reason why I delayed our wedding was because I was scared of what I looked like, surprisingly I really like having short hair. It's sassy and to be quite honest it's so much easier to take care of.
The next four days drag by. With the time change and Christian's busy work schedule we've barley had five minutes to talk, and I'm desperate for him to come home. Three more days, that's all that gets me through the day.
When I wake up in the morning, I'm warmer than normal. I open my eyes to find arms encircling me, and instantly I panic. I turn my head and when I see that face I relax.
"Good morning beautiful," he raspy says.
"What are you doing here? I didn't expect you until late Saturday night."
I look over, and he's under the covers wearing nothing.
"I couldn't bear to be without you for another minute so I worked through the night to broker the deal, and here I am. Now you are wearing far too many clothes of my liking."
I push on Christian's chest. I have to say this to him now or I won't have the courage to in a few minutes.
"About the wedding," I say and I see the look of panic flash.
"You're not calling it off are you?"
"Oh no, I was thinking if you were okay with it, I would like to push it up a few weeks even months."
He takes my face into his hands to try to read my face.
"What are you saying?"
"After you being gone, I realized that I don't need to wait any longer to marry you. I love you and want to marry you now. I mean if that's okay with you."
"Okay with me? How about we get married tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"That's if you really love me," he says and as crushes his lips to mine.
"Tomorrow it is," I say.
For the next two hours, Christian makes love to me while loving every inch of my body.
After we shower together, I give Christian the go ahead to plan our very intimate wedding with just our family and very close friends.
I call my dad and tell him about our plans and ask him to give me away. He says he can't wait until tomorrow.
We decide to head over to the Grey's to tell them the good news. I can't get a hold of Mia so I guess I will just have to tell my Maid of Honor later.
When we walk out to the car, I see Mia sneaking down the stairs from Sawyer's apartment.
"Mia Grey," Christian calls out and I know she wasn't expecting to see him home early.
"You weren't supposed to be home until Sunday," she says trying to fix her hair, but she can't fool us, we know what they have been up to.
Ever since their date at the Mile High Club, Mia and Sawyer have been inseparable. They are so cute together, and I think slowly Christian has come to accept that fact.
"Well, it would appear that I'm home early. Can we give you a lift to mom and dad's as I don't see your car anywhere?"
"Thanks. What's up," she asks hopping in and winking at Sawyer who is already in the driver's seat. Christian gave Taylor some time alone with Gail following their trip to Hong Kong.
"Oh no, you will just have to wait to hear our new when we get there," he says as Mia whips her head in my direction.
"Are you pregnant?" She whispers to me and I laugh.
"No Mia, she's not pregnant," Christian says after eavesdropping, and I can't but laugh even harder.
I can barely contain my excitement as we get to Carrick and Grace's.
"Ana, Christian, Mia what are you all doing here?" Grace asks when she opens the door to find us all on the front step.
"We're getting married," I announce as Christian takes my hand and squeezes it before kissing my cheek.
"I know that dear," Grace replies.
"I mean tomorrow, and we would love for you to be there."
"Carrick, will you please come out here?" She yells back into the house. "Where is this wedding going to happen?"
"We haven't quite decided that yet. All we know is that we want to get married tomorrow."
"Vegas. Definitely Vegas," Mia pipes in.
"No way. I will not marry Anastasia in Vegas. I want a proper wedding," Christian says and we all start laughing.
"You know, the offer still stands to get married right here. It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow; so what do you think?"
Christian and I look at each other and we both smile.
"Grace, we were hoping you would offer," I say as I hug her. "Now, we want it small. Just our family, but I'm not inviting my mother. Ray is coming up tonight to stay with us."
"We have so much to do Ana. We need to go get your dress," Mia says pulling my back down to the car.
"Umm, I guess I will see you later," I say as I blow a kiss to Christian, who is being left at his parents' house.
Three hours, and about a half dozen bridal salons later, I finally find my dress.
"Ana, it's perfect. I can't believe it. This dress was meant for you," Mia says as I turn around to see the beautiful lace detail on the back.
"You don't think it's too much?"
"Absolutely not!"
For a small intimate wedding, I thought about a very simple white dress. Instead I find a winter wonderland Maggie Sotterro dress. It is Alencon lace over Romance Satin fit and flare, with a plunging V-neckline. It is complete with illusion short sleeves, a grosgrain ribbon belt with sparkling Swarovski crystals, and finished with alluring open back and signature corset closure.
The moment I put the dress on, I knew it was mine. I guess I just needed Mia's approval that it was the one.
"Christian is going to die when he sees you in this dress," she says as she picks out my shoes. She also picks out her Maid of Honor dress that is a floor length navy silk gown.
"What would I do without you Mia?"
"Obviously you wouldn't, and that's why I'm your Maid of Honor."
After we leave the salon, I call Christian. I find out that while we've been out, he and his mother have asked their family priest Father Michael to officiate, and they have my flowers ordered. Grace asked her favorite caterer to prepare us the best wedding meal and they are going to also make our wedding cake.
I can't believe that they have planned an entire wedding in less than three hours. Why didn't I suggest that Christian and I get married weeks ago?
We arrive back at the Grey's with my father in tow; this time for dinner. I'm surprised when I see a woman with Elliott.
"Who is that?" I whisper into Christian's ear and I take him by surprise.
"Her name is Kate Kavanugh and they are officially dating," he says kissing my cheek.
Elliott Grey has a girlfriend. Who would have thought? In the very short time Christian and I have been together and he's never brought a girl to the Grey's for dinner.
"Is it serious?" I ask peeking in the other room and he's holding her hand.
"I'm not sure but I've never seen him like this ever," he says. This time we both look into the room.
All throughout dinner, all of us are fixated watching the soap opera that is playing out right in front of our faces.
Elliott Grey is in love and it's too cute.
"So are you like boyfriend/girlfriend," Mia finally asks the million dollar question that no one else has the balls to ask. Poor Sawyer he looks mortified, but I think he's used to Mia just speaking her mind.
We watch Elliott and Kate both look at each other and smile and then turn to us. We all know the answer before either of them utter a single word.
As the men head out to the patio for Whiskey and cigars to celebrate our upcoming nuptials and with Grace upstairs finalizing details for tomorrow's big day, Mia and I are left alone with Kate. I hope she's ready for the inquisition that is Mia Grey.
"So Kate, how did you meet my brother," she asks starting off with an easy question.
"I actually interviewed him about his company being the most eco-friendly construction company in Seattle, and then he wouldn't leave me along until I agreed to go on one date with him. We've been together ever since," she says with such confidence.
"And that was a few days ago?" Mia asks.
"Try two months."
"Two months!"
I don't know how Elliott has been able to keep this a secret for two months. I can't wait to hear more about Elliott's love life, but I can't stop thinking that in less than 24 hours from now, I will be Mrs. Christian Grey.
Christian POV
"How come you have been hiding the lovely Miss Kavanaugh from us all this time?" I ask my older brother.
"I just didn't want to jinx it. I really like Kate and I think she likes me. In fact she just agreed to move in with me."
Who is this man sitting in front of me? It can't be my brother who has been rumored to have slept with half of the women in Seattle.
My dad and I just look at him in disbelief.
"I love her," he admits, and I can see it in his eyes that he believes it. "Would you mind if I bring her to the wedding tomorrow as my date?"
"Do you even have to ask? You just admitted that you love the woman that is about 100 feet away, of course she can come. My best man does need to have a date for his younger brother's wedding."
"Thanks bro," he says and slaps me on the back.
Ana POV
When the men remerge, Christian pulls me away before Mia and I head to The Fairmont for my bachelorette party.
"I'm going to miss you," he says taking my face into his hands staring deep into my eye.
"There is no way Mia is going to let me out of girls' night, plus its bad luck to see the bride before I walk down the aisle."
"Fine," he pouts. Every time he does that I'm instantly turned on. "I'm going to be thinking about you. So, what does my little sister have planned for your Bachelorette Party?"
"Wouldn't you like to know Christian," Mia says.
"I trust you and, I mean the both of you." He says throwing Mia a warning look that would scare the hell out of me, but Mia just laughs him off.
"Just relax Christian, go out with Elliott and take Sawyer with you."
"No way. Sawyer is Ana's security, and he will be stuck to the both of you for whatever your plan is tonight."
"Fine, only if you promise to not check up on us with Sawyer."
"Deal," he says. Why do I feel that these two have just brokered a business deal concerning my Bachelorette Party?"
Christian finally lets us go and Sawyer takes us to The Fairmont where my party awaits.
We enter the Presidential Suite that Mia and I supposed Christian arranged, and it's fully decorated. On the couch are two pairs of pajamas. One in white with the word bride on the back.
"Mia, what exactly are we doing tonight?"
"It's just going to be you and me, a few bottles of wine and our favorite chick flicks."
And this is why I love Mia. This is exactly what I wanted to do on my last night as Ana Steele.
We quickly change and I have Sawyer take a photo of us with our bridal jammies and send it over to Christian so he knows just what we're up to tonight.
"Now Mia, I don't want to be hung-over so I think I can only have one more glass of wine," I say after my third glass.
Poor Sawyer, he looks so bored as he just watches us.
"Sawyer would you like a drink?
I see from his face that he's desperate for an adult beverage. Of course he will refuse because he's still on the clock, and there's nothing Mia can do or say to change his mind.
"I'm fine, but thank you."
After finishing our third bottle of wine, Mia and I hop into bed and Sawyer takes the guest room.
"Mia, you don't have to stay with me. I saw the look you were giving Luke, go be with him."
"No way, this is your night."
"Mia I insist. Tonight has been great, but I would like to be alone."
"Is everything okay? You're not getting cold feet are you?"
"No, I can't wait to marry Christian. I just can't take you snoring, and I would like to get a few hours of sleep."
"Who me? I don't snore."
"Remember I was your roommate, and you've been drinking so I know what I'm in store for."
Mia skips out of the room turning to stick her tongue out at me before going into her boyfriend's room.
I snuggle into bed and think about my life and where I would be if it weren't for Christian Grey. I love this man and I can't wait to be his wife.