Chapter 2 #2
I trained my gaze on the bride and groom, trying to read their expressions, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught Graham smirking when I said “special day.” Was he a marriage skeptic?
I hoped not, because they ruined the buzz.
I encountered one in the close circle of the couple every now and then.
When said person happened to be the best man, it could become very unpleasant.
I'd witnessed one too many awkward speeches.
Maybe Graham's smirk was simply a knee-jerk reaction to the overload of glitter on my screen. Over-the-top wedding arrangements brought out the cynic in everyone, occasionally even in brides. But I wanted to show them the possibilities.
I flipped the image on the screen to a wedding with a vintage theme, then to one with no theme at all, just classic, timeless elegance.
I had a hunch Amber would go for that one.
When she pointed at the screen, and exclaimed, "This.
I want something like this!" I couldn't help the pride surging inside me.
"What do you think?" she asked her fiancé.
"This looks about right."
"I thought you might go for classic elegance! Now, for catering, photographers, florists, and everything in between, I work with a network of professionals. It'll be fastest if you trust me to pick the right team to work for your wedding."
"It means less hassle for us, so I say go for it," Matt said. "We should also talk about your fee."
I'd hoped the question would come later, but I couldn't skirt around it. When I uttered my fee, Amber nodded.
“How much do you think the menus would be?” she asked.
Graham talked before I could answer. "Amber, leave that to me. I told you it’s my wedding gift to you."
I was surprised at that. So not only was he putting his property at their service, he was also paying for the wedding menus? That went above and beyond best man duty. He slid a business card over the table, and said, "Ms. Connor, send all invoices regarding the menus to me."
"I will. Call me Lori, please."
"Cost is not an issue, Lori."
Amber nudged him with her elbow. "Hey! Just because you're paying doesn't mean I can't watch the menu costs."
"That's exactly what it means," Graham said.
"Amber, I promise I'll get you the best deals. Your wedding will be perfect. You'll cherish those memories for the rest of your life."
A hint of a sarcastic smile played on Graham's lips. I caught his eye and cocked a brow. He kept my gaze until I looked away squirming. So my instincts had been right. He wasn’t big on marriage… yet he was footing the bill for the wedding menus. Intriguing combination.
"I have some layouts for the save-the-date e-mail that I think you'll like.
I have to see the location as soon as possible so I know what type of tent will fit best, where to locate it, things like that.
Next, we'll be talking about the menu. Once you choose a few options, I'll arrange for a tasting.
At the tasting, I'll also have my florist make a few arrangements you can choose from. "
"Wow!" Amber blinked. "I feel like half the wedding is in the bag. I'm starting to feel like I'm de-stressing."
"Leave the stress to me, Amber. That's what I'm here for. I’ll show you save-the-date templates right now. I also have pictures of invitations."
"Sounds great. But can we get some drinks first?" Amber suggested.
Graham rose to his feet. "I'll go buy some. What do you want?"
Everyone agreed on coffee, and I ended up walking to the counter with Graham. He couldn't carry four cups by himself.
"Thanks for taking on the wedding on such short notice," he said as we waited for the barista to prepare the drinks.
"My pleasure. I'll be sending you the menu budget as soon as I put it together. Do you need a list of best man duties?"
"Amber already took care of that."
"All set to be best man, then?"
"I'd say I am." His tone was challenging, as if he was daring me to disagree.
He smiled, and the left corner of his lips caught my attention.
Was that a… a dimple? Moving on. I debated bringing up the best man speech, but I wanted to have a plan first, what with him being Jace's boss and all.
He fixed those baby blue eyes on me. They looked hypnotic.
His light brown hair was messy in a sexy way.
I wondered if that was how he looked when he woke up in the morning.
I wasn't just squirming now; I felt my body temperature go up.
We spent the next two hours combing through the materials on my laptop, deciding on the save-the-date text, the type of printed invitations, as well as crosschecking our calendars for the next appointments.
"Want to have dinner with us?" Amber asked after I closed my laptop.
"Thank you, but I already have plans. I'll keep in touch."
We chitchatted for a while longer, but then I had to excuse myself. I didn't want to be late to pick up Milo from school.
As soon as I was alone with Amber, I was going to pepper her with questions.
I liked to get the scoop: When did he propose?
How had he proposed? Had he dropped on one knee?
Did they have an audience? I'd barely refrained from asking all those things today.
I lived vicariously through my brides. I'd been twenty-three when I discovered I was unexpectedly pregnant.
My announcement was certainly not met with a marriage proposal, or hell, even a hug.
I arrived at Milo’s school in time for pick-up, and once we were both inside the car, I asked “How was your day, baby boy?”
"Mom! I told you, I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a grown-up boy."
"Okay, okay. How was your day, grown-up boy?"
"We have a new soccer coach. He's cool. I'm starving."
"We'll be at Aunt Val's house in no time."
My siblings and I got together every Friday to have dinner at my sister Valentina's house.
It was hands down the best way to kick off the weekend and catch up.
There were six of us, so there was never a shortage of news.
Everyone was already there and gathered around the table when Milo and I arrived.
My oldest brother, Landon, was fussing over Maddie—his pregnant wife. Next to him, Jace was trying to convince our brother Will to be his wingman when they went out later tonight.
"Afraid you can't get a date without my help?" Will was sporting a shit-eating grin.
"I'm wounded!" Jace exclaimed.
"Detective William Connor. My, oh my. Being a wingman is a bit like cheating on a test. Isn't coloring outside the lines a little beneath you?" Val teased.
"Hey, once the badge comes off, I'm officially not on duty. I break the rules in my free time, for a change of pace."
My other sister, Hailey, pulled Milo into a hug then kissed my cheek.
"Do you think we should remind Will that Jace is a sports celebrity?
If anything, Jace is probably getting him dates.
I mean, Will knows how to work the hot cop angle, but hanging out with a professional athlete sure doesn't hurt the prospects," Hailey fake-whispered, chuckling. Will gave us the evil eye.
"Nah, let's wait until after he eats to be mean to him," I said.
My mouth watered as I took in the goodies: sweet potatoes with chili sauce and a mix of garbanzo beans, diced avocado, and chicken. Next to it was a small bowl with lime and coriander dressing. Val was the best cook I knew.
Our parents passed away in an accident when Jace, Hailey, Will, and I were still kids. Valentina and Landon were the only legal adults, and they practically raised us. Mama's cooking had been delicious, but Val's was even better.
As soon as I sat between my sisters, Hailey showed me pictures of a fiery red mane; she was considering changing her hair color.
Hailey's hair was a beautiful hue of brown, a rich chocolate. I was the only blonde in the family. My siblings’ hair ranged from dark brown—Landon and Valentina—to light brown—Jace and Will.
Milo wedged himself between Will and Jace. My boy worshipped my brothers. His dad took off before he was born, so my brothers were the closest things he'd ever had to father figures.
"Lori, how did it go with Amber?" Jace asked.
"It went well. The wedding is in four weeks, which will mean a lot of hassle, but Amber seems easy to work with."
My agency was fully booked for the next two months, so my assistants already had their hands full. I was going to work on this wedding solo.
"She is. Best head of marketing and PR we've had."
As I savored the sweet potatoes and bean mix, I questioned my brother about Amber. The more I knew, the easier it would be to work with her. Then I couldn't help myself, and also got the scoop on the best man.