by Haley Travis
He was already taking notes. “Great place. Wonderful layout, good kitchen, all of the bells and whistles. What’s your theme?”
“I was thinking simple and rustic, but there’s a reason. Can you promise that this stays between us?”
He nodded seriously, holding up his hand as if swearing an oath. “Planner-planee confidentiality. Go on.”
“I don’t come from money. And the thought of wasting so much money on one day sickens me. So I thought, if the money has to be spent, I could hire independent vendors who really need the money, and could use a huge gig to pad their portfolio, and get more business in the future.”
His hand grabbed mine and squeezed. “You’re a doll. I’m loving this. Go on.”
“So since I don’t really care about the details, we could go to these vendors and just ask them what they do best. What flowers are in season, what cake flavor do they know that everyone loves? Let them do their best work, and let them shine.”
Zachary was furiously taking notes. “Loving this to pieces, honey. Do you have any color preference whatsoever?”
“All greens go together and don’t have to match, right?”
“Brilliant. Nature theme. Simple. Elegant. Not all matchy-matchy, yes?”
“Precisely.”
“Do you have a vendor list started?”
I gave him all of the notes I had so far. He flipped through quickly, smiling and nodding at my organization. “Flowers, decorations, no problem. Local wineries and breweries – Local is so very now. Any thoughts on food?”
“There are so many people with food issues. Can we make sure that the vegans and the gluten intolerant and everyone can still have something delicious instead of an afterthought?”
“I’ll see to it. How about farm-fresh veggie everything, fresh local bread, and we’ll have the chef decide what sort of meats are the best. They know what people love.”
“Perfect.”
He suddenly stopped, picking up my left hand carefully. “Lord love a duck, will you look at this.” Holding my ring up in a beam of sunlight, he grinned widely. “Somebody loves you, girl.” He released my hand, then pursed his lips. “The dress?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea.”
“You must have some idea,” he said, picking up his pen again. “Poofy princess, a ton of pearls, crystals, a tiara?”
“None of that. I don’t want to play dress up.”
“Okay, but…” He looked at me very intently. “People are going to expect some sort of show.”
Interesting that he chose that word, I thought. “You’re right. But I don’t want to trip all day.”
“No train. No huge skirt. Picture an elegant dress that a well-known actress would wear to an awards ceremony when she knows she’s going to win.”
I laughed, instantly understanding. “Simple and walkable… if that’s a word used for dresses.”
“There we go. If you don’t want a tiara, maybe just a big glittery clip. Get a little bling in your hair. And don’t worry, honey, I have a makeup artist that will make you look like an extremely polished version of yourself, not your weird slutty cousin.”
I laughed so hard I nearly choked on my coffee.
“Don’t laugh – I’ve seen a whack of brides wearing a faceful of slap so thick their relatives didn’t recognize them. Less is more.”
“I’m so glad that Rosalind sent you here. I was worried that you wouldn’t listen, and try to get me to waste money on every single trend.”
“Not only am I here to listen, sweetie, but I’m also here to take the blame. If Rosalind tells you that something is tacky, you tell her that I insisted. If anything goes sideways, it’s all on me. It’s the bride’s event, and you can do no wrong.”
“I could trip and fall into the cake,” I snickered.
“Not on my watch, girl. We’re getting you a dress and heels first thing tomorrow, and you’re going to practice walking in those shoes until you can dance blindfolded. We’re also going to pack you cute little silver flats for when you start to hit the champagne later. No twisted ankles on my watch.”
I absolutely howled with laughter. “Zachary, I must say, you’re the best.”
“I am. Don’t tell anyone else. I’m usually overbooked.”
JACOB
<<< 18 >>>
NOT THE BOSS
As I got home, I opened the door to see Mia hugging the daylights out of someone. The moment she saw me, she giggled, her pretty eyes lighting up. “Jacob, this is Zachary, our wedding planner.”
“Hi,” I said, holding out my hand.
He hugged me warmly instead. “Well, look at you. What a gorgeous couple.” He was smiling almost proudly at the two of us. “As soon as we get her gown situation taken care of, you and I are going shopping for your tux. Your homework is to spend ten minutes thinking about what you’d like.. Grab some photos online.” He turned to Mia and gave her another quick hug. “Tomorrow is wedding gown day, and I’ll have a huge list of details that you’ll just have to skim and approve. Don’t forget your homework is to look at dresses tonight and make some notes. Have a great day, folks!”
After I closed the door behind him, I raised an eyebrow to Mia.
“I know,” she giggled. “He’s a bit over the top. Your mom insisted I meet with her event planner, but he’s amazing. He really listens, and he’s going to make this go a lot more smoothly.”
I gave her a little hug without thinking. “Whatever makes you happy.”
Her laughter shook against my chest. “Keep saying that all day long and this is going to be a great marriage.”
We went to sit on the couch. “I have to say, I’m a bit surprised that you gave in to my mother so easily.”
Her lips tightened for a moment. “I didn’t think I should protest. I mean, this is your family, the wedding is mainly for their benefit, and we’re trying to sell this whole thing. Whatever makes it seem more real, the better. Right?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
The look she shot me was extremely odd. “Jacob, I’m basically your employee for the next year. You do realize that, right?”
My mouth fell open. “I… I don’t see it that way.”
“It’s okay,” she said quickly. “That’s just the way it is. But we might as well be open and honest about it.”
“I really didn’t think of it like that at all.”
“But it’s true. I’m playing a role so that you get a house and an early inheritance, and I’m earning a cut. I’m considering this my work. My job. With a hell of an annual salary. So if I have to play the part of the obedient daughter in law, or defer to some of your family traditions or whatever, that’s just something I’ll have to deal with.”
I found this strangely uncomfortable. “I don’t want you to be unhappy.”
She shrugged. “Every job has a few parts that make you feel proud and fulfilled, and some parts that are lousy work. Everyone has to scrub the toilet sometimes.” Her eyes flew wide when she realized what she had said.
“Dealing with my family is the equivalent of scrubbing the toilet?” I laughed, nearly doubling over.
She gave me a light smack on the shoulder, pretending to be annoyed. “You know what I meant.”
“I’ll tell my mother on you.”
She gave me another tiny smack, laughing like crazy.
“Now I’m really going to tell.”
Her hand lifted to tap me again, but I caught her wrist, pinning it behind her back, and tickling her stomach with my free hand.
She went berserk, shaking and squealing, and I released her immediately. “No tickling,” she said, as soon as she could breathe.
“Noted.”
My fingers wandered to the inside of her elbow, stroking softly. After a second, she jumped away. “No tickling.”
I leaned closer, my fingers reaching behind her neck up into the back of her hair. Holding still for a moment, her glorious wide eyes l
ooked up at me with an expression I couldn’t read. My fingers began gliding against her skin, up and down her neck, slowly, then quickly. She leaned closer, looking like a kitten who was about to purr. I needed to kiss her. Her lips were so close, and I could feel that she wanted me to.
Realizing that I crossing all sorts of lines, I snapped my hand back, but she only smiled. “Okay, tickling in permitted areas only.” We laughed, the moment of tension broken.
“How was your day at work?” she asked politely.
“Busy. Our tech team just fixed a major problem far more quickly than we anticipated, which is wonderful because the new team leader is our first woman in the position, and she’s kicking ass.”
She regarded me carefully. “Do you try to hire women?”
“Yes. I mean, we always have to hire the best person for the job, but if the decision comes down to a coin toss, we look at the whole department, and try to make things as balanced as possible.”
“Good for you.” She seemed genuinely impressed.
“I’m glad that my business practices meet with my fiancée’s approval,” I said, patting her knee then pulling my hand back. I couldn’t stop touching her. It was automatic, and the urge was so strong it was hard to concentrate around her.
“Tacos for dinner?” she asked, jumping up.
“See? I knew it. You’re a great wife already.”
M I A
<<< 19 >>>
THE BIG DRESS
I had just finished making a huge pot of coffee when Jacob came into the kitchen Tuesday morning. He flashed that casually stunning smile of his while he poured himself a mug.
“You’re shopping for your dress today, right?”
“Yes. Is there anything in particular that you’re looking for?”
His eyes widened in surprise, then he crinkled his nose and flashed me his boyish grin. “I’m sure you will choose something fabulous.”
“At the past few weddings you’ve been to with your friends, what have the dresses been like?”
He stared into his coffee for a moment. “Um, they were white? And…” It was cute how hard he was concentrating while trying to recall the details. “They sort of looked more like an evening gown than a big poofy cupcake. Overdressed for a cocktail party, but not by much.”
“Perfect, thank you.”
He glanced up at sheepishly. “I’m sorry I don’t know anything about dresses.”
“No, that’s enough to go on. Just wanted to be sure.”
Reaching into his pocket, he handed me a folded wad of cash. “Here’s a little something for all of the things you might not be able to throw on your card,” he said.
“Good grief. How much is this?”
“It’s only two thousand. I can get you some more tomorrow.”
“Why on earth would you think that I need this much money?”
He chuckled at how I held the pile of paper rectangles in front of me as if it would give me a disease. Then he stopped laughing when he realized I was truly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. Mia, something always comes up. It’s just a fact of life, a fact of throwing events. Something will come up, and you’ll be able to make things go a lot smoother if you can just pay cash for it immediately. Trust me. And if you don’t need it, that’s fine too.”
I stuffed the bills into the pocket of my pants, not wanting to leave it on the counter. “Do you need receipts for everything?”
His eyes were a bit darker blue this morning, sparkling when he laughed at me, but now filled with concern that he might be adding to my stress. It was oddly endearing. “No. Spend it all on candy if you like. Just please try to make this whole process as easy on you as possible.”
“Thank you. But that’s what Zachary is for, right?”
“Yes. If you have no strong opinions, he’ll likely throw together the whole thing and it will be fabulous. But it would be nice if some of your personality is scattered through.”
“What about your personality?”
He scoffed. “I don’t think I have one.”
I took a moment to look around the huge kitchen, dining room, living room space. Everything was beautiful, but there was nothing truly quirky or individual. The main palette was black, white, neutral woods, blues, and greens.
“Maybe you don’t have a distinct visual style, but there must be things that you like and don’t like. What’s your favorite color?”
“I like them all, really. Well… not all at once. I mean, rainbows and stuff are fun for parties or a crazy dress. But for room decor or a big event, I think I like one color to be the star.” He suddenly looked worried. “But Mia, seriously, do whatever you like. You’re the artistic one.”
“Is there any color you dislike? I’d hate to do everything in orange and find out that’s your least favorite.”
“Actually, you’re right. I’m not so big on orange.”
“But you like blues and greens,” I said, analyzing the condo again. “A few pops of that dusty, marine blue of the sofa pillows would be quite pretty.” It was nearly the same color as his eyes, but I wasn’t going to point that out.
“You’re going to base the wedding on the couch?” he laughed. His face just lit up when he laughed, but I was determined to focus on the project today, not the way his cheekbones were even higher when he was smiling.
I shrugged. “We’re going for speed, here, buddy. I’m going to have to make decisions on the fly and pretend that I have a reason for it. Whatever shade of blue is easiest is now your favorite color and I’m sticking to that.”
He leaned in, his hand pressing between my shoulder blades in a little half hug. “I’m so glad that we’re laughing through all of this. We’re a good team. Don’t you think?”
His warm hand rubbed against me in a circle before he pulled away as I nodded. “Yeah. We can giggle our stress away.”
“All the way to the bank,” he added, taking another swig of coffee. Reaching into the fridge, he grabbed an insulated bag that must have contained his lunch. “You’ll have to tell Carol what sort of breakfasts and lunches you’d like her to keep on hand for you. I’ve made her a list of meals I like, and she makes them at random so I’m surprised when I get to the office.”
I still couldn’t wrap my mind around having a housekeeper and cook, so I just nodded.
“Have a great day,” he said with a wave, after tucking his food into his shoulder bag. “Shop until you almost drop, but then have some coffee.”
I giggled, giving him a wave. I barely had time to take a swig from my mug before there was a knock at the door.
Zachary greeted me with a giant one-armed hug, as his other arm was nearly falling off from the weight of the bags. “Darling, we’re going to get a month’s worth of work done in one day, so hold onto your knickers!”
He took over the huge dining room table while I fixed him a coffee. “Oh, thank you, darling. Let’s keep each other caffeinated and hydrated today until it’s time for champagne.”
“Nice. When is that, noon?”
“That’s at one when we hit the bridal shops for your dress.”
“Drinking while you shop? I am totally on board with this concept.”
“Many brides get so nervous and freak themselves right out by using the word ‘perfect’ willy nilly. You’re zipping through this process at light speed, but we’re going to make this stupendous.”
He spread a huge array of photographs across the table. “I have the three best bridal stores ready to see you today. We’ll start with the one whose style you like best. Did you find out what you’re looking for? Do you have a photo, a vision board? I know we spoke quickly yesterday, but it’s time to really think.”
“Simple. Elegant. Very quietly fancy. Not blinding bright white. Bits of detail on the straps or neckline.”
Zachary clapped his hands together with a little snap. “So precise. Wonderful. Movie starlet.”
“Exactly,” I said, pointing to a photo. “Down this road.”
He pointed to another. “Maybe this color. Just barely off-white. The tiniest drop of rose so you’re not washed out.”
“Brilliant.”
He grabbed his phone, sending a couple of texts. “Just canceling two of the appointments. I know precisely where we’re going first. And they have an amazing selection of bridesmaid dresses too. Can the girls meet us there? How many are there?”
My mouth fell open. “Oh.”