Chapter 9. Not All Pets Are Created Equal
Not All Pets Are Created Equal
The minute I arrived at the wedding on Saturday, regrets began marching through my brain.
I’d done a pretty good job of squashing the free-flowing doubts during the drive, but the stunning sight in front of me only amplified the voice in my head that said, How is this any different from all the bad dates I’ve suffered through in the past?
What made me think that Rob could accomplish what a dating app, with all their sophisticated algorithms, couldn’t?
What if this was a massive waste of time, when I should have been coming up with ways to tackle the Goodwin issue instead?
Then my grandparents’ faces innocently waltzed into my mind, reminding me and slapping me back to the reality of why I was doing this.
I’m here for them. So we can keep the yarn store.
Think of the food. And the music. And the wine.
This will be fun. Fun, fun, fun.
Maybe if I kept chanting those words in my head like a mantra, they would manifest themselves into reality. Wasn’t that what the power of positive thinking was all about?
Feeling a tiny bit self-conscious as I didn’t know anyone else, I cast my eyes around, looking for Rob.
I took out my phone from my clutch and sent him a short message, letting him know I was here.
Tucking the clutch back under my arm, I repeated my mantra and ran a hand down my dress to smooth it, even though it was perfectly fine.
I didn’t know why I was nervous, because I’d gone to lots of weddings on my own, and it was never a problem.
Maybe because there was a lot of pressure riding on this wedding.
Because I needed this, so very badly, to work.
Alamanda Farm was a beautiful ranch that had been transformed into a romantic, magical wonderland for the wedding.
At the entrance, hand-painted wooden signs directed the guests toward the different places of interest: the chapel, the mobile bar, the barn—where the reception would be held later—and the bonfire.
Colorful buntings with the couple’s initials and strings of lights decorated the venue, making the place look otherworldly and enchanting.
The ceremony was starting in thirty minutes, so I willed my legs to get moving, following other guests who were walking past. Lush green archways entwined with colorful flowers lined the path to the timber chapel, which looked like it had been airlifted straight out of a fairy tale.
A large antique door stood open, and gorgeous flower arrangements overflowed from the two large pots flanking the chapel entrance.
Rows of white steel chairs were lined up inside, where some guests were already seated.
“Hey, Kim.”
Rob was walking toward me, dressed in a dark suit and a crisp white shirt, turning several pairs of heads as he walked past.
“You look stunning.” He gave me a once-over. “Ben won’t know what hit him.”
My stomach did an involuntary backflip. Not that I was keeping track, but so far he’d called me smart, beautiful, and stunning. Is he flirting with me?
I cocked my head at the people watching him instead, hoping to deflect the attention from myself. “Those people over there seem to think the same about you.”
“Never mind them.” His eyes were focused on mine. “What do you think?”
“Eh.” I wasn’t going to tell him that I agreed with those strangers. “You clean up well, I guess. At least you’re not an eyesore.”
His chuckle was a low rumble, giving me shivers in places I didn’t know were even possible to feel shivers.
“Anyway, you’ve made a great choice. Ben’s a good guy. When I introduce you two later, I want you to bring your A game and impress him like the world is ending tomorrow. Like your life and your future depend on it.”
If only he knew how close to home that was. “I’ll do my best.”
“You better. By the way, a guy I was talking to saw you walking up and was wondering who you were. Should’ve seen his face when I said you’re my hot date for the day.”
“Hot date reporting for duty.” I flipped my hair and offered him a coy smile. “At your service, for as long as you need me. For anything.” I gave him an exaggerated wink on purpose. “Anything at all.”
“Kim.” He groaned. “What the hell was that?”
“It’s a preview of how I’m planning to impress Ben.” I popped my eyes wide, trying to look innocent. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Everything. Are you being serious? Listen, you might want to dial it back a little, because Ben is going to run a mile in the other direction if that’s how you—” He sighed when I burst into laughter. “Hilarious. Maybe you should consider a career as a stand-up comedian.”
“I was just messing with you. Trust me, I know how to do this.”
“Says the woman who gets duped into paying five hundred dollars for her date.”
I smacked him lightly with my clutch. “Keep this up and your hot date is leaving.”
“She can’t leave.” He placed his right palm on his chest in mock outrage. “I’ve got a hot date lined up for my hot date. They’re supposed to hit it off, fall head over heels madly in love, and make beautiful babies together.”
His hazel eyes were glinting with amusement, and for a brief second, they threw me for a loop.
The colors reminded me of my favorite sweater that Oma had knitted for me when I was younger, and it was the coziest, warmest, and most comfortable item of clothing I had ever owned.
I knew there was a shade of yarn in the store with that exact same color, and even though I should know all of them by heart, the name seemed to escape me right now.
Simply Sage? Burnt Olive? No. Golden Thyme?
I mentally shook myself. Focus. I was here for a specific purpose: to find a single man and fulfill my grandmother’s last wishes. Not to stare at Rob Carmichael’s twinkly hazel eyes, trying to figure out their yarn shade equivalent.
“Where’s your ex?” I asked. “Is she here, too?”
“Haven’t seen her. She’s probably not here yet.”
We found ourselves seats at the back of the chapel.
An acoustic song began playing, and the groom walked into the chapel, smiling at the guests, nerves evident in his eyes.
Then the pianist played the wedding march, and all the guests stood and turned their heads to watch as the radiant bride walked down the aisle, looking like a real-life princess in her stunning white dress, while her husband-to-be beamed at her.
The ceremony was simple and sweet, with heartfelt vows written by the couple themselves.
By the time the priest announced them as husband and wife, there were very few dry eyes inside the chapel.
Rob gave me a gentle nudge. “That was beautiful, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” I wiped my eyes with the pads of my thumbs. “They almost make me want to believe in happy endings. Almost.”
He chuckled. “This is only the first wedding. You’ll change your tune by the fifth one.”
Once the ceremony was over, guests were directed to the open bar for cocktail hour.
Rob grabbed a couple of champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handed one to me as I took in the gorgeous setup.
There were several mouthwatering options for the guests to nibble on: a charcuterie station brimming with piles of ham, salami, different types of cheese, fruits, olives, dips and crackers, all artfully laid out on wooden serving trays.
There was also a raw bar, with oysters, cooked shrimp, and lobster claws.
A pretzel cart, a cupcake table, a macaron tower, and a vintage mobile bar completed the lineup.
“Ben’s over there.” Rob tilted his head at a group of men chatting by the bar. “Ready to meet the love of your life and dazzle him with your charm and beauty?”
I didn’t reply, as my anxiety irrationally snowballed into Herculean proportions.
I knew this shouldn’t be any different than all those online dates, but somehow it was different—because doing this with Rob meant that I had to put my trust in him.
And I wasn’t sure I could, no matter how nice he was, because the years and the heartbreak I’d gone through with Leo taught me that it was best to be cautious and keep relationships—all kinds of commitments, honestly—at arm’s length.
It was the safest thing to do, and it would save me from a lot of heartache.
I was in uncharted waters here, and I wasn’t ready to plunge into the deep end. Not even to dip my toes in.
“Hey. I know your brain is racing a hundred miles a minute.” Rob took my hands and squeezed them gently. “I promise, if Ben turns out to be an ass, we’ll walk away immediately. No judgment, no questions asked. I’ve got your back, okay?”
I looked up and met his sincere hazel eyes, and a sense of calm slowly washed over me.
Opa was right. He does have kind eyes. And Alec wouldn’t be friends with Rob if he was untrustworthy.
Plus, I didn’t have the luxury of time, so I had to trust him and go ahead with the plan, because I was already here, and I didn’t really have much of a choice, did I?
I took a deep breath. “I’ve got this,” I said. “Let’s do it.”
“Good.” Rob offered me his arm. “Humans can smell fear. Just relax.”
“That’s ridiculous.” He felt warm, and solid, and dependable, and a funny sensation slid into my stomach at the feel of his arm underneath my fingers. “What does fear even smell like?”
He leaned closer and sniffed, his nose a whisper of a brush on my neck, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the almost-contact. “Like berries, with a hint of orange?” When I rolled my eyes, he chuckled. “Listen, and I’m not saying this to be nice, but if Ben isn’t interested, he’s an idiot.”
“You know I’m not paying you to make these flattering comments, right?”
“You’re not?” He widened his eyes in mock surprise. “Then the least you can do is compliment me back.”
I gave him a brief once-over. “Fine. I think the suit makes you look smart.”
“Hot.” His grin was teasing. “You know you want to say that I look smoking hot.”
“I know what I wanted to say, and it’s not that.”