"A picture paints a thousand words," Ben said wisely.
"Hmmm, there's a lot more to a connection than a photo," Nicole countered.
"Well, we have to have some sort of a filtering system," Evette insisted. "What happens if we're inundated with couples wanting our help? We can't possibly meet everyone in person."
"Maybe not," Nicole reluctantly agreed. "Let's hope we have the problem of being inundated with work. But I already know that I'd rather have a few select clients who I can dedicate myself to than have lots of clients who I hardly know."
"What are you suggesting?" Evette asked.
She could see that her sister was alive with ideas brimming under the surface.
"Well, I'd like to offer a more personal service to our clients, a service with a human touch. Online websites are useful but human intelligence and the personal touch is what could set our service apart from the others. We can offer people a chance to connect with us and we can authenticate prospects in a way the internet can't. I want our business to help people who are genuinely interested in planning their dream wedding."
"You also need to remember that you'll be running a business," Ben said.
"I realise that fact," Nicole agreed, "but I want it to be a service for people who want to have the wedding of their dreams. We'll be dealing with people's hearts. I want it to be more than about us making money."
"I like that idea," Evette smiled.
"Obviously, we'll need an internet site to advertise our agency and have our clients make initial content with us, but after that initial contact I want to make it more personal."
"Maybe we could interview our clients in person. We could meet them for lunch or coffee and try to get a better understanding of what they need."
"Excellent idea," Evette enthused, as she furiously took notes.
"Let's brainstorm," Nicole suggested as she handed cups of hot sweet tea to Ben and Evette.
She tried to ignore the frisson of tension that passed through her when her fingers touched Ben very lightly.
"Whenever I had an idea for a story at the newspaper I'd take fifteen minutes and jot down every thought and random idea that popped into my head. It's an amazing way to clear your brain and get your ideas together in one place without limiting yourself," Nicole continued.
"Ok, let's do it." Evette perched at the end of her seat, her pen poised over her notebook.
"What is wedding planning?" Nicole began.
"I suppose the definition is that wedding planning is the art of planning marriages in fine detail," Evette answered.
They sat until late into the evening bouncing ideas off each other. They were full of enthusiasm and drive for their new business.
"I'll make an appointment to see my bank manager tomorrow and then we can really get started," Nicole decided.
"I don't know about you two but I need to hit the hay. I feel like my brain is fried," Ev groaned, as she tried to stifle a yawn.
"I'm too wired to sleep now," Ben said. "What about you Nicole?"
"I'm not tired either," she said primly. There was something about Ben that made her feel nervous. He had such an aura of masculine energy about him.
"Well, I'm off to my bed. Goodnight you guys."
"'Nite Ev," Ben and Nicole chimed in unison.
"Would you like some wine? I don't about you but I feel like I've earned a glass after our hard work today," Nicole tittered hysterically.
She almost jumped off the couch in her haste to avoid sitting too close to Ben. She felt slightly panicky being in the same room alone with him. She didn't know why he made her feel uncomfortable, but he did.
"I'd prefer a beer if you have one," he said easily, as he stretched out his long legs on the couch and flicked on the television.
She had a quick peep in the refrigerator and was relieved to see a few cans of beer shoved at the back.
Pull yourself together woman, she thought as she poured herself a large glass of cold white wine and took a few deep breaths to calm down. What's wrong with me? I haven't felt this nervous around a man in years.
She was desperately trying to think of something to say, but couldn't think of anything so she took another long sip of her wine and went back into the living room.
"Cheers," Ben said as he opened his beer.
"Cheers," Nicole raised her wine glass in a toast and spilled some of it on her skirt. She ignored the stain, hoping that Ben wouldn't notice it, but he was already absorbed in the sports news. Nicole sighed.
"Typical man," she thought to herself, sitting back on the couch and beginning to relax a little.
The wine was having the desired effect on her nerves and she was starting to feel a bit more at ease.
"Would you like some more wine?" Ben asked.
"Yes, please," Nicole passed him her wine glass which he promptly refilled.
He helped himself to another beer from the refrigerator.
"I think your business idea is inspired," he said as he plonked himself back down on the couch beside her. "Thank you," she said primly, drinking her wine quickly.
"When do you think you'll venture back on the dating scene?" Ben asked her directly.
She almost choked on her wine.
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."
She really hadn't considered moving on with her love life and getting back on the dating scene any time soon. She'd never imagined herself being with anyone except her fiance.
"Paul's a fool if you ask me," Ben said, eyeing her over the top of his beer can.
"Do you think so?" Nicole looked at him curiously.
"Yeah, you're gorgeous," Ben replied, looking at her with his unwavering gaze.
Nicole felt herself blush.
"You're even more gorgeous when you blush," he teased.
"Cigarette?" she asked, shoving the cigarette box in his face.
"Oh, ok." Ben looked stunned. She almost pushed a cigarette up his nose in her haste to cover her embarrassment at his compliment.
"We'll have to smoke outside," she said as she bounced up off the couch.
"Ev hates us smoking in the apartment."
She ran to the balcony and pulled the doors wide open. Ben followed close behind her. The cold night air hit her face and she winced with the shock of it.
"It's a beautiful night." Ben stared up at the stars twinkling in the sky above them.
"Yes. I love cold nights like this when I can see the stars," Nicole shivered slightly.
"Are you cold?" Ben asked gently as he moved closer to her.
He pulled off his sweater and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"Thanks," she smiled shyly up at him, breathing in his musky scent.
He smelled of lemon soap and expensive cologne. He held her gaze for a moment and brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes. He gently touched her face and tipped her chin up. Then he bent to kiss her, all the while stroking her hair. She closed her eyes and felt his soft lips on hers. He kissed her gently; long and slow and pulled her close in his arms.
She could feel his heart beating through his shirt. He held her tight, sliding his arms down her body and pushing himself against her. She moaned softly as his kisses became more urgent. She kissed him back.
She wanted him and she knew that he wanted her. She closed her eyes and indulged herself in his tantalisingly gentle touch.
"I want you," he whispered hoarsely.
His eyes were dark with lust. She lost herself in his kisses and the heady scent of his cologne.
"Let's go inside," he said, taking her hand in his.
She followed him hesitantly. She began to feel unsure of herself and she couldn't stop thinking about Paul. Every touch and kiss from Ben felt like a betrayal of her ex-fiance.
"I'll be back in a minute," she said. "I need to use the bathroom."
She closed the door softly behind her and locked it.
"What's wrong with me?!" she whispered to herself as she washed her hands and
brushed her teeth.
She splashed cold water on her face.
"I can't do this.”
The cold water seemed to have woken her up suddenly.
"I don't want to sleep with Ben. It's too soon after Paul."
Paul was the only man she'd kissed or slept with in her life. It didn't feel right to have kissed someone else. Her head was spinning; probably a combination of too much wine and too much flirting.
"How am I going to get out of this?" she asked her reflection in the mirror.
She stayed locked in the bathroom for as long as she could.
"Is everything ok?" Ben asked when she finally re-emerged from her hiding place. "I was about to come looking for you. I thought you might have fallen doen the toilet."
He laughed at his own joke. "I'm fine." Nicole managed to force a weak smile. "I'm going to bed, Ben."
He almost leapt off the couch.
"I'm sorry, Ben, that wasn't an invitation. I don't want to get involved with anyone right now. My head's a mess after my breakup with Paul. I'm sorry."
He looked disappointed.
"There's no need to apologise," he said quickly. "I understand. I know you've been through a lot recently and you're right not to rush yourself."
She walked him to the front door and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.
"You're a gentleman," she smiled.
"Don't tell anyone," he winked at her as he walked towards the elevator.
"It'll be our little secret," she laughed as she closed the door softly behind him.
Chapter 9
"Where do we begin?" Evette surveyed the huge pile of letters that were stacked high on her living room table.
They'd been inundated with applications for their wedding planning service, Elite Weddings, since they'd placed an advertisement in the national newspaper the previous week.
"My inbox is overflowing with emails too," Nicole groaned.
They'd spent most of the month building their website with Jack and Ben had been very supportive with their marketing campaign. Elite Weddings already had several thousand "likes" on their Facebook page and there were almost three thousand people following them on Twitter.
"I can't believe how quickly it's taken off!" Evette exclaimed.
"I'm absolutely thrilled," Nicole smiled at her sister. "We'll soon have to hire staff to help us with our work-load if we keep going at this rate."
"It's very exciting!" Evette's face was alive with enthusiasm for their new project.
"Where do we begin?" Nicole reiterated her sister's question.
"You can stick the kettle on, make tea and start opening some letters and I'll pop across the road to the bakery and treat us to some yummy cream cakes," Evette said, as she grabbed her coat and keys.
"Good idea. There's nothing like a cup of tea and a cake to start any business meeting."
"How are you getting on with the applications?" Evette asked, half an hour later, as she handed a gooey cake to her sister.
"I love it," Nicole could hardly tear herself away from reading the latest application.
"It's fascinating to read these letters. This one is from Deanna Ferguson and her fiance David Yates. She's an aspiring artist and teaches art to autistic children and he's a paediatric nurse."
Nicole showed her sister their photo. Deanna was an attractive woman, aged thirty two with long, light brown hair. Her hazel eyes were framed with heavy black eyeliner and lashings of black mascara.
David had black, floppy hair and honest brown eyes. The couple had their arms around each other and were beaming at the camera.
"They look very happy together," Evette agreed.
"They've certainly written a lot about themselves." Evette waved the bundle of papers with Deanna's neat handwriting under her sister's nose.
"Great!" Nicole said. "The more details we have on our clients, the better our insight into their requirements."
"Tell me more about them."
"Well, she says she loves art. She enjoys the outdoors; horse-riding, skiing and canoeing. She likes running and has recently participiated in a triathlon!"
"She's making me feel guilty," Nicole said, swallowing the last of her cake.
"What does she say about love?"
"She and David have been dating for two years. They got engaged last month and they have a three year old daughter. She writes that she'd like a Disney themed wedding, as her daughter is in love with Cinderella and she wants them both to be dressed like princesses."
"Does she have an email address?" Nicole asked.
"Yes, she included her email and telephone number."
Nicole opened a spreadsheet and began to type.
"What are you doing?" Evette asked curiously.
"I'm setting up a database of our clients. We'll need to arrange interviews and then we'll cross-reference against our notes and hopefully we'll soon be able to start making some dreams come true. Who's next?"
Evette ripped open another letter and began to read.
"Our next application is from William Kennedy."
Nicole typed William's name onto her spreadsheet.
"Oh my goodness!" Evette exclaimed. "He's sweet! Listen to what he wrote."
Evette cleared her throat. "I believe that there is someone for everyone and like the swans I've been lucky enough to find my mate for life."
"It's corny," Nicole cringed. "I thought I'd found my soulmate in Paul, and look how that ended."
"I think it's cute," Evette protested. "There still is a lot of love in the world. Have you heard from Paul recently?"
"I changed my phone number. He kept calling and texting me, begging me for forgiveness. I even had to change my email address. He says he wants one more chance to prove how much he loves me."
"Hmmm, are you thinking about trying again with him?"
Evette anxiously searched her sister's face for an answer but Nicole looked at her blankly.
"I feel numb about the whole situation. I thought I'd still be in agonising pain. I think about him every day and I miss him lots. Everyone tells me that it'll get easier in time, bit it's not getting any easier for me. It's not getting harder, so I suppose that's a blessing. I guess it will fade eventually."
"Well, maybe you should talk to him," Evette suggested.
"Maybe I will one day, but not now or any time soon. I need to get my head together and find out how to live my life my way, without him. I didn't realise how much I depended on him and that wasn't healthy. It was as if my main focus in life was how I could make him happy.
I was constantly striving to be the perfect girlfriend for him and I can see now that I forgot about me along the way. All I ever thought about was Paul. What does Paul want to do? What does Paul think? Rarely, if ever, did I think seriously about what I wanted or needed. Anyway, never mind, please continue reading," Nicole instructed, getting ready to type again.
"Planning other people's weddings is helping to keep my mind occupied and stops me thinking about Paul."
"Ok. William says that he hasn't asked his girlfriend to marry him yet because he wants to whisk her away when all the plans have been made. He wants to surprise her. How cute is he?" Evette couldn't stop smiling at the letter.
"Steady on, sis," Nicole laughed.
"He writes that his friends describe him as being charming, witty and somewhat geeky. He writes that this is his first and only time being in love and he hopes it's forever. How's that even possible?"
Evette looked at her sister in amazement.
"He's thirty years old and he's never been in love before. Wow."
Evette was finding it difficult to comprehend what she'd just read.
"It's not that hard to believe," Nicole said, pausing in her typing.
"I'm twenty eight and Paul is the only man that I've ever loved. I admire William's honesty. Anyway, we're not here to judge people. We're trying to make their dreams come true."
"I suppose you're right," Evette grinned. "William say
s that he's based in the USA at the moment and won't be able to be here in person to help with the wedding plans! How's that going to work?"
"Hmm, it might be difficult." Nicole looked puzzled. "Remember, sis, there are no problems, only solutions."
Evette made pretend gagging noises. "I think you've been over-indulging on the self-help books again Nicole."
"Maybe a little," Nicole laughed.
"Seriously, how will we plan his wedding if he isn't even going to be here to look at the venues for the reception and the ceremony?"
"Perhaps he already has an idea for the venues."
"Would you honestly trust your fiance to choose your wedding dress?" Evette asked incredulously.
"He might have good taste. I know that I'd have trusted Paul to choose my dress. He has excellent taste and always knew exactly what suited me."
"Well, most of the men that I know wouldn't even have a clue where to begin," Evette disagreed.
"I suppose that's why William has been clever enough to hire the two of us. We can email him with links to everything anyway. I'm sure we'll work it out perfectly."
"I like your optimism, sis. Lucinda Tyler is next. She's a funny one," Evette laughed.
"She says her name's Lucinda but everyone calls her Cindy. Whatever happened to plain old Lucy?"
"Carry on," Nicole said, suppressing a smile.
"She writes that she believes in reincarnation and has many memories of her own past lives! She's done a lot of travelling and in the past five years she's lived in France, Scotland, Denmark and Australia."
The Wedding Day Page 7