Chapter 25 - Randy #3
“Well, I did put my foot down on extra labor,” Simon said. “I saw where this was headed, and we’ll do it, but we’ll charge.”
“At least there’s that,” Ollie said. “Randy. Figure out the pricing on your end while I go over some last-minute things with Simon. Then we should be ready for the call.”
“Ok.”
I grabbed one of the conveniently placed resort-branded notepads on the table and scribbled some notes. Materials costs, volume discounts from my utensil kit supplier, time… Then I looked at what I would normally charge, and took Ollie’s advice to double it.
And if the planner didn’t haggle as much as I’d been warned? Well… it was easier to make the couple happy with a surprise discount later than to fight now to make the job worth my time and materials.
“You ready?” Ollie asked. “It’s time.”
I looked up at him and nodded. “Yep.”
“Ok.” He took a deep breath, held it for several seconds, then blew it out slowly.
The phone on the conference room table rang, and he plastered on the fakest smile I’d ever seen. He reached out and hit the button. “Hello, Susan,” he said, saccharine dripping from his tone. “You’re on speaker.”
“Well, it sounds like your attitude has finally improved,” she said in a needlessly shrill voice.
I turned to Simon. What the fuck? I mouthed.
He rolled his eyes and slid the pad of paper from in front of me. He scribbled on it, then pushed it back.
‘She called to complain to Dad about Ollie not sounding grateful enough. Dad told Ollie to just fake it until this is over with’ read his note.
I raised an eyebrow.
Simon grabbed the pad to scribble again. He paused in the middle as he seemed to want to add on to his thought, then slid it back.
‘Dad says it’s easier to play nice than deal with a lawsuit for a broken contract.’ A line break seemed to be where he’d decided to explain. ‘We’ll be talking with our attorneys about revising the contracts after this.’
I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering if the job was even worth it. The money would be nice, along with the work during my slow months, but I had the option of walking away before anything was signed…
I glanced at my notes and tacked on a ten percent ‘pain-in-the-ass’ fee.
Simon saw and had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing. He used his free hand to give me a thumbs-up.
The sound of a throat clearing, and I looked up to see Ollie glaring at both of us. He motioned at Simon to speak.
“I’m sorry, Susan,” Simon said. “I was checking my notes and missed your question. Would you mind repeating it?”
She let out the kind of sigh that would have kids and pets scrambling for cover, and leave retail workers concerned about a write-up for something out of their control. “I said…”
I did my best to tune her out as she and Simon seemed to go over an almost absurd list of requests.
Fireworks at the end of the reception? Yes, if she paid for the permits, technician, and there weren’t any bans.
Silencing motorboats during the ceremony? The resort’s private dock didn’t mean they controlled the whole lake. There was nothing they could do about boats.
No, signs to be quiet would probably make people drive their boats even closer just out of spite.
Fairy lights in the trees around the lawn, yes. Up to the heart-shaped spring, no, there was no infrastructure for it.
I was again questioning my life choices, even as I tried to roughly estimate my inventory of dried wood that had come from the resort.
Then it was my turn.
I felt bad for Simon and Ollie. I made it clear that I wasn’t a member of resort staff, but I had the feeling they’d catch flak for me not being accommodating enough.
No, I wasn’t going to shell out ten grand on a lathe just to make bigger bowls for the wedding, and I didn’t have wood that size anyway. No, the wood I had already dried was all they were going to get—unless they wanted to postpone the wedding for several years while we waited for more to dry.
I didn’t want to even give her the option of kilning wood—out of fear that she’d demand everything to come from trees grown on the resort and start trying to pick and choose which ones.
I did manage to find some things to make her happy, though.
I had a burl the resort had cut off several years prior that was dry, which I could probably make two bowls from as a set for the sweetheart table.
And I had a lovely piece of wood from near the heart-shaped spring that would make a nice vase for the welcome table—if they were ok with a few vases instead of wide bowls.
And she loved the idea of cheese knives instead of turned honey dippers—then got right into haggling about price.
I slumped in my chair when Ollie finally disconnected the call. I’d been sitting on my ass for two hours, but my body felt as if I’d spent the day turning ironwood.
“That was…” I started, then trailed off.
“Yeah,” Simon agreed. He turned to Ollie. “Do yourself a favor and put in for some time off right after that wedding. We’ll figure out whatever we need for the others, even if I have to coordinate them myself. I don’t want you running on fumes all summer because you didn’t get a break to recharge.”
“You sure?” Ollie asked.
Simon nodded. “I’m acting on my own authority as the owner’s son to give you three paid days as a bonus for handling this, and I’m not going to argue if you want to combine them with accrued time for something longer.
I don’t give a shit that it’s the time of year when you’re busiest. Just have Devon ask me if I forget to tell him. ”
Ollie was quiet for several seconds, then nodded. “Honestly… it’s not a bad idea.”
Simon snorted. “It’s a damn good idea, is what it is.
Nobody deserves to deal with that, then be expected to just pivot to the next wedding or whatever we’ve got scheduled right after.
” He paused. “Hell… we’ll probably need to schedule an appreciation party or bonuses for the whole staff.
I can’t imagine it being any better once they’re actually on property, and it’ll probably be a high-stress weekend for everybody. ”
Ollie shuddered. “I already feel bad for the summer temps at the front desk.”
“Yeeeesh,” Simon started with a cringe. “We’ll probably need an extra day of training reinforcement and heavy reminders that we have their backs. I’d rather be the bad guy than some kid just trying to make money between semesters.”
I pushed back from the table. “Do you two need anything else from me? I think I’d better go write up that contract.” I looked out the window. “And make sure I’m ready for that storm coming in.”
“We’re good,” Simon said as he also stood. “But I’ll walk you out so you can tell me about that ring.”
I sighed. “Your dad already asked. Come on.”
I glanced over at Ollie. “You too, I guess.”
Ollie chuckled. “I’ll get the gossip later, but thanks. Like you… I need to get everything on paper before details start changing.”
I nodded, then Simon and I headed into the hall.
“Mind if I do something that will piss Susan all the way off, while making both me and the resort look good to the couple?”
“Talk to me,” Simon replied.
“I couldn’t help but notice all the talk of boards everywhere… including on the cake table.”
He chuckled. “I think I know where you’re going.”
“Mind if I use a bit of stock to make a personalized board? I trust Ollie or you to figure out a way to present it as a gift from us, rather than something Susan negotiated for.”
Simon laughed. “They’re staying the weekend and doing a brunch the next day. I’m sure we could figure out a way to gift it directly either then, or during the rehearsal.”
I echoed his laugh. “Think it’ll get under her skin?”
“Oh, fuck yeah. It’s perfect, so she can’t complain publicly, but it’s one of those tiny details she’s overlooking while thinking about all the huge ones.”
I grinned. “I’ll just have to keep it hidden until after I take the final payment. Cause God knows she’ll try to start haggling again if an extra piece appears before I get my money.”
“Good call. But I’ve got you. And I agree, that’s definitely the type of move that’s a middle finger to her directly that she has to take with a smile.”
“What’s a middle finger that somebody will have to smile about?” Dale asked as we walked into his office.
“Randy was just telling me his idea to piss off Susan by giving the couple a gift jointly from him and the resort. He wants to make a customized charcuterie board for the cake table.”
Dale laughed from behind the desk. “Do it. If that woman wants to dictate the tone of my employees’ speech—with her, not even with the couple—but misses a customized board as an option… The couple won’t have a clue, but she’ll know exactly what it means.”
“It’s even better,” I added, “because I nixed the idea of customizing all the boards for favors… cause who wants decorative items with somebody else’s wedding date on them. Put that shit on the honey jar labels. But the couple? They’re a different story.”
Dale cackled. “That’s dirty, and I love it.”
I grinned.
Dale motioned to the chairs on our side of his desk. “Your dog is happily napping over here, so tell me about that ring.”
I sat, and Simon took the other chair.
“It’s… a promise ring.”
“That’s a term I haven’t heard in a while,” Dale said. “Is there a reason your man didn’t go for a full engagement ring?”
I gave a small smile. “He did it for me.”
“Oh?”
I nodded. “He proposed, then immediately told me he wanted me to wait on an answer. He didn’t want me to feel pressured or rushed, but wanted me to know that he’d already made his decision.”
“That’s sweet,” Simon said.
“Agreed,” Dale said with a nod.
“He said this ring is his promise to me, not a sign that I’d accepted the proposal.”
Dale leaned forward, elbows on the desk. “How’s it feel to wear it?”
I glanced down at it. “The fingers on either side aren’t used to it yet…”
He burst into laughter. “That’s not what I mean… and I think you know it. How does it feel?”
Heat crawled up my cheeks. “It feels good… right.”
He leaned back in his chair with a smirk. “I think you’ve got your answer then.”
“Huh?”
He let out a long sigh, and his face softened in that way it did when he thought about Gerry. “You’re what… two years older than Simon?”
“Yeah?”
“Means you’re closer to forty than thirty. How much time will you get with your alpha? Thirty years? Forty? Maybe medical science will get better, and you’ll both go over a hundred.”
He sighed. “Take it from someone on the other side. Cherish every day you can get now, because eventually… one of you will be alone again. Maybe you’ll go first, maybe he will.
But time comes for all of us. Do you want to look back and wish that you’d accepted sooner—that you’d had more days in the beginning because every one counted? ”
I glanced down at the band on my finger—thought about how I’d run my thumb over the mountain motif when Craig wasn’t around.
He was my alpha.
Dale was right, I did have my answer.
It wasn’t right to make my alpha wait when I knew what I wanted.
I smiled.
Dale chuckled. “That’s the look of a man who’s made a decision.”
I looked up at him and nodded. “I think… you’re right.”
“Good,” he stated. “It’s time for you to get your happy ending.”