Chapter 6
SIX
Jackson
Fern drops my hand when we get back to the hotel.
“I need to check in with Valerie,” she says, sounding like she’s going to her death.
“Yeah, I should check in with the other security guys,” I say as we make our way up the path to the front doors.
“I’ll, uh, see you later?” she asks.
I nod. “Count on it.”
She gives me a sweet smile, then walks to the elevator.
I watch her go, sighing as I turn and head to one of the conference rooms being used for wedding storage and the security team. I let myself in and nod at the two other guys, Charlie and Winston.
“How’s it going?”
“It’s going,” Charlie sighs.
Both guys look bored as hell, and I can’t blame them. They’re both ex-special forces who are used to danger and action. All we’ve had on this job is family drama and a lot of standing around twiddling our thumbs.
“Do we have the plan for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding day?” I ask as I take a seat at the table with them.
“Yeah, the wedding planner sent it over this morning. The game plan is to have the rehearsal outside at six. Then we come into Ballroom C for the dinner. That should last an hour and a half to two hours. From there, we should be done for the night,” Winston says, passing me some papers.
I flip through the itinerary. “And for the big day?”
“Up bright and early. Bride and bridesmaids are getting ready in the suite upstairs, groom and groomsmen in a room on the third floor. We’ll be split between the pre-wedding luncheon for guests and securing the venue outside.
The wedding starts at five thirty to align with sunset.
Then we’re in Ballroom C again for the reception,” Charlie says.
“Anyone we need to be on the lookout for?” I ask.
“I wish. All guests have been checked, no red flags,” Winston says, leaning back in his chair.
Charlie sighs. “Why are we here?”
I shrug, setting the papers aside. “They’re big shots. They need to have security to look like they’re important.”
“Idiots,” Charlie groans.
“Yeah,” I agree.
“Wedding planner is smart, though. She seems to have her shit together,” Winston says.
“She’s mine,” I snap.
He holds up his hands. “We know, bro! We’ve seen you with her. Wasn’t trying to make a move or anything. Just saying that she’s good at her job.”
I relax slightly.
“She’s too good for this family,” Charlie says.
“Way too good for them,” I grunt.
Some staff come in with a few carts. We watch as they push them to a corner and leave before we all relax.
“What do we need to do today?” I ask.
“Watch the guests. They’re having a croquet tournament on the south lawn. Some people are at the beach, and some of the younger families went into town for lunch,” Charlie says.
“Okay, let’s get to it.”
“You going to find your girl?” Winston asks.
I nod. “That’s the plan. Call me if you need anything.”
Winston groans. “We won’t.”
I clap him on the back before I leave and head up to my room. I pause outside Fern’s, but I don’t hear any noise coming from inside, so I continue past. I check in with Cal, letting him know that the job is boring as fuck and there’s nothing of note to report. Then I go out to the south lawn.
I keep my eyes peeled for my girl, but she’s not playing croquet. I wander over to the beach, though I doubt she’s there. No doubt Valerie has a long list of menial tasks for her to handle that will keep her busy and away from the fun all day.
I scan the beach, but Fern isn’t there, so I make my way back into the hotel. I check the ballrooms and the storage room before heading up to the suite, but Fern isn’t there either.
It’s getting late, so I go to one of the restaurants on-site. I’ll grab Fern and me some food, then check her room. When I walk in, I spot the bride and some of Fern’s family at a table. My gaze flicks over the faces until I spot my girl.
Fern is seated at the end of the table, close to the kids. She’s crammed into a chair that’s clearly been squeezed in as an afterthought, and she looks uncomfortable as she grabs a menu and looks it over.
I hate it.
I want to take her away from them, away from anyone who’s treated her as less than a princess.
“Would you like a table, sir?” the hostess asks.
I nod. “Yes, for two, please.”
She grabs two menus and leads me to a table on the other side of the restaurant.
“Thanks.”
The hostess nods and returns to the front of the restaurant.
I don’t sit down. I walk over to where Fern is sitting, grab her chair, and pull it out.
“Oh!” she gasps, her head whipping around to look up at me.
“Do you have a minute? We need to go over some security stuff for the wedding,” I lie.
Fern nods. “Oh, sure.”
She stands, and no one even notices as she walks off. I take her hand and lead her to my table, pulling out a chair for her and passing her a menu as I sit across from her.
“Do we really have to discuss security?” she asks.
I grin. “Nope. I just thought you could use a break from all things wedding for one night.”
“I could,” she agrees.
We look over our menus as a server appears to fill our water glasses.
“I can’t decide between the Alfredo and the penne pomodoro,” Fern says, chewing on her bottom lip.
“Get both,” I suggest.
She shakes her head. “I’d never eat it all.”
“Why don’t you get one, I’ll get the other, and we can split?” I offer.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. Get whatever you want,” she says, waving me off.
I grab Fern’s menu from her when the server returns and order the fettuccine Alfredo and the penne pomodoro. Fern bites back a grin, and I love it. She should always look so happy.
Taking her hand, I lace our fingers together on the table. “How was your day?”
She takes a deep breath. “Busy. Valerie has me triple-checking everything. I’m trying to remind myself that this is her special day, and I know she must be stressed, but it’s getting harder and harder.”
“Might help if she were a little more grateful for all your hard work,” I grumble.
“That’s true,” Fern agrees with a wry smile. “What about you? What did you do?”
“Looked for you mostly,” I admit. “I checked in with security. We have our game plan for the rehearsal and the big day. Should be easy since there isn’t anything to look out for.”
“I’m sorry you’re here wasting your time,” Fern apologizes.
I squeeze her hand. “I don’t mind. It hasn’t been so bad.”
She blushes, and my body stirs at the sight. I want Fern. Badly. I know I need to make a move soon. I can’t let her go back to Oregon without her knowing I’m head over heels crazy about her.
“Are you all set for the rehearsal and wedding? Do you need help with anything?” I ask as the server drops off a basket of bread and fresh butter.
“No, I’m all good. Honestly, things have been set for weeks now. It’s all just waiting now. Waiting for deliveries, waiting for the big day. Then it will get crazy.”
I ask her about other weddings she’s planned, and she smiles as she talks. It’s obvious she loves her job and is good at it. She’s patient, detail-oriented, creative, and hard-working.
Our food comes, and I split the dishes between us. We both dig in.
“Have you dealt with a lot of bridezillas before?” I ask.
She snorts. “I’ve been fortunate to only have a few difficult clients. Most are pretty calm and trust me to do my job. But every now and then, you get someone who needs to be in control of everything or needs things to happen on a timeline that isn’t realistic.”
“Do you fire them?”
Fern shakes her head. “No, I’m firm with them. I remind them that I do this for a living and can deliver what I promise.”
“Does that work?”
She grins. “About half the time.”
We fall into easy conversation after that. I tell her about some of my missions, sticking to the funnier stories. She tells me about her friends in Wolf Valley, some of her favorite weddings, and what she wants in the future.
I notice that she doesn’t mention her family. It’s like they’re not really part of her life. If that’s true, why is she putting herself through this hell?
The check comes, and I pay the bill before Fern can. She frowns at me, opening her mouth to argue.
I shake my head. “Let me treat you.”
“Thank you,” she says softly.
I smile. “Anytime.”
Neither of us looks in her family’s direction as we leave the restaurant hand in hand. I lead Fern to the elevator, and we step on together, riding up to our floor in silence.
I don’t want the night to end. I’m not ready to say goodbye to her.
I walk her to her door, unable to take my eyes off her as she digs her keycard out of her bag.
“Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun with you.”
“Me too. I wish we had more time together,” I say honestly.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“Did you want to come in?” she asks, looking up at me hopefully.
I swear I almost come in my pants right there and then.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice coming out low and raspy.
Fern licks her lips and unlocks the door. I follow her in, and when the door clicks shut behind us, I can’t hold back any longer.
“Fern.”
She spins, dropping her purse on the dresser.
We close the space between us at the same time and crash into each other. My hands grip her hips, and hers fist my shirt as I dip my head and claim her lips with mine.
For a second, everything else disappears. The wedding. The job. Her family. The hotel around us. All of it fades until the only thing that exists is the soft gasp that leaves Fern’s mouth when our lips meet.
She tastes like the wine she had at dinner and something sweet that’s just her. I rumble with approval as she melts against me, pulling her closer, one hand sliding up her back to cradle her head.
“Jackson,” she breathes against my mouth.
“Been wanting to do that all night,” I murmur.
“Only all night?” she asks softly, her eyes bright as she looks up at me.
I huff out a quiet laugh, my forehead resting against hers. “Okay, more like since the first time I saw you.”
Her cheeks flush pink, but she doesn’t pull away. She steps closer, her hands sliding up my chest and settling against my shoulders.