Ugh. I hate hearing that, of course I don’t hate him. That’s one of the reasons I don’t think we should be working together anymore. I’m afraid if we keep working together then that will put the final nail in our friendship.
“What did you say to him?” I ask.
“I told him that he was being ridiculous and he’s the one that hadn’t returned any calls. Don’t think he believed me, but who knows? He may not even remember calling me at all.”
She’s right. I tried calling him several times after our fight and he just ignored my calls. I know he got those messages.
“So, when are you planning on answering him? Does this mean that he’s coming back?” she asks. I can see how concerned she is. I’m sure she’s wondering how his return would affect her new position.
“Craig and I need to have a talk, but I can promise you one thing, your position with Sheer Happiness is solid no matter what happens with him. I’m so impressed with you tonight. I can’t even begin to tell you how nice it is to be at an event and not be a nervous wreck. It’s been a long time, and it’s nights like tonight that remind me how much I love what we do.”
Nicole looks so pleased with herself and she should. I really underestimated her talents. Carrie never let her be anything more than a personal assistant, or slave as we used to call her. When she came to Sheer Happiness, I didn’t really give her an opportunity to showcase her strengths either. I was so worried about being able to trust that I could have missed out on a great employee. Once again, my trust issues could have gotten in the way of good thing.
“Tracy is really excited to meet with you. I think she would be really good,” she says excitedly. “Oh, and don’t worry about us working together, we will be very professional—assuming you decide to hire her.”
“It will be fine,” I assure her. “Actually, if you know anyone else, I think we will need one more person, especially after looking at our schedule and not knowing what’s going to happen with Craig.”
“Excuse me.” We turn around to see the groom’s mother standing behind us. “I have to tell you that I’m very impressed with you girls. You did a good job with the ridiculous requests from my son and his bride. I still think those centerpieces are hideous, but I know that’s not your fault.”
Of course, she brought up the great centerpiece fiasco. When we originally sat down with the couple, they had some pretty outlandish ideas. At the time, Craig and I convinced them to drop a few of those ideas, however the centerpieces stayed—glass bowls filled with Rubik’s Cubes. You can’t get any more ˈ80s than a Rubik’s Cube. Of course, the guests are welcome to take them home as a keepsake. Both of the mothers objected to this idea, but it’s our job to adhere to the wishes of those who hired us. You would have thought the bride’s mother was going to have a panic attack over those things.
“I understand,” I say calmly. “But in the end, the wedding went off without a hitch and your son looks very happy.” I point to the happy couple swaying back and forth on the dance floor to a horrible rendition of REO Speedwagon.
She makes a face. “I suppose. And I wish someone would take that guy’s microphone and shove it down his throat.” She puts her hands up to cover her ears. “On another note, I’m in need of an event planner and you’ve proven to me that you can do anything after tonight.”
I give her my information and tell her to contact me for a consultation. That’s the good thing about these events, I continue to find new clients, and the more business I get, the more it solidifies that Sheer Happiness Events is here to stay.
*~*~*
“How are you doing?” I ask Abby. I arrive at the coffee shop and I’m a little nervous. I haven’t seen her since her emotional breakdown and the last time I spoke to her I was asking her questions about Kami. Today, however, I’m planning to avoid that conversation at all costs.
“I’m doing much better. Matt’s mom has the kids this morning and I’m getting a massage after this,” she says excitedly. “There’s nothing better than coffee with my dear friend and a wonderful relaxing massage. It’s all about finding the balance of being with my babies and taking care of myself.”
I give her a hug. I’m seeing signs of the old Abby returning, and I’m so happy about that. It’s not that she’s a completely different person, but like any new mom, she’s overwhelmed at times and I can see that.
“Good for you,” I say, taking a sip of my coffee. “You deserve it.”
She gives me a big smile. “Enough about that. What’s happening with you and Ace and the wedding? We’re all waiting on the details.”
I groan. I really don’t want to talk about the wedding, which at this point is only a date on the calendar. I haven’t told anyone about my meltdown the other night and I don’t know if I want to, especially because I totally overreacted.
“Yeah, there’s not much news on that front,” I say sadly. She gives me a curious look.
“Oh, speaking of weddings, that reminds me,” she exclaims. “Remember the other night when you called me about my friend Kami?”
I start to choke on my coffee.
“Are you okay?” she asks, patting me on the back. Damn, why did I have to call her and ask about Kami? I really wish I could go back in time and change everything about that night.
I clear my throat. “Yeah, sorry, went down wrong. You were saying?”
“Oh yeah, you know she got engaged that night, right?”
I nod quickly. “I didn’t actually see it happen but I heard about it.” Hah, heard about it is an understatement.
She continues talking, “Kami called me the next day. She said she saw you earlier in night and went looking for you later. Anyway, she’s so happy . . . and she asked me for your information.”
My mouth drops open because I know exactly why she wants my information. This can’t be happening.
“She wants you to plan her wedding,” she exclaims.
Crap. I knew it. It just keeps getting worse and worse.
“I told her how great Sheer Happiness is and apparently she was at that grand opening party you planned for Mike’s law firm. They were all very impressed with you.”
That’s right, she was there, I think to myself. That’s the night that Lisa was so flustered and Craig told me about her fling.
“Thanks for doing that,” I reply dryly. “I’ll have to talk to her. Our schedule is filling up fast, so I’m not sure if we will be able to squeeze in another event for a while. I’ve been overbooking and I probably should slow down. At least until I get my staff issues under control.”
Abby gives me a funny look. “What? Since when do you turn down an event?”
Never, I think to myself. Well, hardly ever. In this case, how could I plan an event when I know something about the groom that could potentially ruin their lives? At the same time, how can I live with myself if I don’t tell Kami the truth? This is a no-win situation.
“I’m not saying I’m turning it down. It depends on the date and what’s already on my calendar,” I say nervously. She continues to stare at me.
“What?” I snap.
I didn’t mean to snap at her, but it’s so frustrating that she knows me so well. I’m not sure how I will get out of this, but I need to figure something out. And I need to decide if it’s my place to tell Abby or if I should go right to Kami.
“Don’t get so upset,” she says calmly. “I’m not trying to meddle in your business or add to your stress. I just thought you would be happy about another new client.”
I smile sheepishly. “I know. I didn’t mean to overreact. I just have a lot on my plate right now. Not to mention I still haven’t had a chance to talk to Craig. I’m absolutely dreading that conversation.”
I tell her all about Craig’s drunken phone calls to Nicole and me from Mexico.
“I still can’t believe that Craig didn’t call you before he took off on a vacation. He really just stopped showing up for work after your fight?” she says. “I would have expected better from
him.”
I roll my eyes. “Of course, you would . . . but honestly, this isn’t completely out of character for Craig. When he feels threatened, he lashes out. I think he was really bothered when I promoted Nicole to start working events.”
Wow, I sound like I’m actually making excuses for his actions. I refuse to let him slide on this. I can’t let him slide. This is what being a good employer is all about and it’s time I set precedence.
“Anyway, so back to your wedding,” she says, changing the subject. I force a smile. It’s pretty sad when every topic she brings up causes me anxiety. Between my wedding, Kami’s wedding, and Craig—that’s enough stress to last me a while. I think it’s safe to say that my life is crumbling around me and I have to figure out a way to fix it.
“All you need to know is that it’s happening. Ace and I are getting married and details will be coming soon. That is, as soon as we decide,” I say. Abby gives me a funny look but, in true Abby fashion, doesn’t push the issue. She knows I will tell her when I’m ready and I plan on being ready soon. Hopefully.
We spend the rest of the time talking about her kids and mommy life. I think she enjoyed it, too—it’s been a long time coming that we don’t spend our entire conversation talking about my crazy life. It’s time I was as good of a friend to her as she has been to me.
*~*~*
I’m definitely not prepared to find Craig waiting for me at the office. When I walk in I find him casually sitting on the couch in the lobby chatting with Nicole. He looks refreshed and tan, not surprising because a vacation in Cabo will do that for you. That makes me even more frustrated with him, or maybe just jealous.
“Hi, Sienna,” he says awkwardly.
“Hey,” I reply just as awkwardly. The three of us fidget because we aren’t used to having uncomfortable conversations in this office. On a normal day, the office would be happy and cheerful. This is miserable. I head toward my office and he follows me. Here we go, it’s time we got this over with.
We sit down across the desk from each other. I straighten up my desk, waiting for him to say something. Finally, I know it’s time to break the ice. “I’ve been trying to contact you. I don’t really understand what’s been going on, but we need to work this out one way or another.”
He shifts around uncomfortably. “Yes, I got your messages. I didn’t have the best reception down there. I tried calling you back, though.”
Yes, he did finally, over a week later.
“Anyway, about our fight, I don’t even remember what we were fighting about anymore. I’m ready to move past it. What do you think?” he says nonchalantly.
Okay, I can take this conversation a few different ways. Is he ready to move past our fight and stay friends or ready to move past our fight and come back to work? He hasn’t said either way. Although, it’s obvious he’s not taking it too seriously.
I sit back against my chair and look at him. “You’re a good friend, Craig. We’ve worked together a long time and we make a good team. I want to move past it, too. How do you think we should do that?”
He looks up at the ceiling as if he’s trying to come up with the best answer he can think of. I take advantage of his silence and continue speaking.
“Craig, do you want to stay with Sheer Happiness? Do you want to plan events? Honestly?” I ask. “Sometimes I wonder if your heart is in this. You know how I feel about our business. Anyone can put together an event but you know it’s more than that. Our clients are trusting in us to create a memorable celebration for some of the most important events in their lives. It has to be taken seriously.”
He nods slowly. “I know. I always take our events seriously,” he says defensively.
I give him a look.
“Okay, sometimes. Regardless, I like working with you and I think you should give me another chance. That’s why I came here today. I figured you might be a little upset about me taking a trip and not letting you know. Sorry about that, by the way.”
A little upset? I think to myself. He didn’t really answer the question. All he said was that he likes working with me.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I insist.
He sighs loudly. “What do you want me to say? Is this what I want to do forever? No. But for now, it’s fine,” he says nonchalantly.
It’s fine? I knew his heart wasn’t in this. I understand that not everyone has my passion for this business, but I at least want my team to want to do this. That is what has made us successful in such a short time.
“What happened to your acting?” I ask. “What about all of those auditions?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I just got lazy.”
I smile. “But that’s what you really want to do.”
He rolls his eyes. “Well, yeah. But you know that takes time. Anyway, are you going to give me another chance?”
This is such a difficult decision. Whatever I decide I know it will be the wrong decision. Either way, this is going to affect my business or my friendship.
“I have to think about it and so do you,” I say finally.
He gives me a curious look. “What do I have to think about?”
I have an idea. I grab a Post-it note and a pen. “You have to think about this list I’m making for you and decide if you could commit to it.”
Chapter 16
The next few days fly by and I’m so busy that I almost forget about Ace’s mom coming for a visit. She flies in the day after tomorrow and Ace arrives home the following day.
I admit I’m stressed about picking her up at the airport and spending the day with her. It almost feels like a blind date. A blind date with my future mother-in-law, now that seems strange. Ace continues to reassure me that it will be fine, but of course I continue to worry about it. That’s me.
“You will be fine,” Madison says. She’s been back in town for over a week and this is the first time I’ve gotten to see her. I feel kind of bad about this. I can’t even count the number of times I complained about her being gone, and when she finally returns, I don’t have time to see her.
“I remember the first time I met Susan,” she says with a giggle. “Cole took me to dinner at their house. I was freaking out; I stood at the door for five minutes debating on taking off my shoes or not. You know how perfect her house is.” She pauses. “Anyway, I didn’t want to be totally rude by walking through her house with my shoes on, but I didn’t want walk around barefoot either. Cole told me to just keep my shoes on but still. It was one of the most difficult decisions of my life.”
I laugh because I can totally see that happening.
“Looking back, I was so stupid. Susan was so nice to me from the moment I met her, and she still is. I worried about it for nothing, so you need to just relax. She’s going to love you.”
I wish I could take her advice, and it’s not like Maureen and I haven’t had any contact. We’ve spoken on the phone several times, but actually meeting her in person without Ace here for the introduction scares me.
“We’ll see,” I say doubtfully.
Madison tells me all about the remainder of Cole’s tour and the exciting and not-so-exciting cities they visited. I laugh at the thought of her going to a restaurant where they sold alligator and armadillo meat and turtle soup. Apparently, she started gagging right at the table, not exactly the menu a California girl is used to. At least, not a menu Madison is used to.
“And what’s the latest with Craig?” she asks.
I roll my eyes because that’s always a big question. He wasn’t sure what to make of the list I gave him. He’s worked with me long enough to know that lists are a big deal for me.
“The last I heard he was thinking about my list of requirements for the job. I don’t think he liked what I had to say, but he didn’t tell me to screw off, so I guess that’s progress? That’s what started this whole thing in the first place, me trying to get him to take things more seriously. It’s not fair to everyone else for him to come and go
as he pleases. And it’s definitely not fair for him to miss meetings or to run off to Mexico with no notice. I mean, come on, who just disappears to another country with no notice and then expects to return to their job with no consequence?”
She shakes her head. “Wow, who would have thought it would come to this? You two have worked together forever. It’s such a shame for things to end just like that.”
Well, nothing has ended yet, but she’s right. When I think about it, at first I’m really frustrated but then I do feel sad. I hope that in the end it won’t affect our friendship, but I know it probably will.
“I know it is a shame,” I say sadly. “But it may be a good thing in the end? I think he’s ready to move on whether he wants to admit it or not. He needs to get back into acting. That’s what he loves and what he really wants to do. I know you understand how I feel about doing what you love.”
“Absolutely,” she agrees.
*~*~*
This woman talks more than anyone else I’ve met in my life. We’re heading toward Ace’s condo and Maureen has been going a mile a minute since she stepped off the plane. I recognized her immediately and she recognized me, too. I guess from pictures? But Ace looks just like her, and of course she’s stunning. Her accent is stronger than Ace’s but equally as fun. I sent a text to Ace letting him know that I remembered to pick up his mother and she’s not wandering around LAX in a panic.
“Tell me, love, where are your parents currently? I know you said they were on the road for a while,” she asks. “It seems very American to travel in that method.”
I smile. “They’re currently in the northeast of the United States, living near my brother and his wife. I hope they will come back this way eventually, but right now they’re enjoying themselves.”
“How extraordinary,” she exclaims. “My dear friends who will be visiting with me are very much into traveling. They would probably adore traveling around in a bus.”
I consider explaining about my parents’ RV but it may be easier to let her think of it as a bus. I’m not sure if RVs are a big thing in Australia or not.
Not Quite Sheer Happiness (Event to Remember Series Book 3) Page 12