The Marrying Type

by Laura Chapman

  ~ Henry Van Dyke

  ELLIOT GAVE DINNER with the Warners another shot the following evening. With Marissa resting comfortably at home—and basking in the attention a short trip to the ER gave her—Elliot had nothing holding her back from the inevitable: awkwardly breaking bread with her secret ex-fiancé and his sister.

  And with Chase playing nursemaid for at least another couple of days, Elliot could relax with the guarantee a camera crew probably wouldn’t ambush her mid-dessert. She’d tried to keep this meeting a secret, but they desperately wanted footage of Eric for their show. They’d stop at nothing to get their shot.

  This time around, as she arrived at the restaurant, she experienced almost none of the nerves she’d felt last time. They’d already survived the first meeting. The night before, she’d been so preoccupied with concern for her cousin she’d forgotten to overanalyze every second of the reunion. Tonight, she planned to harness her inner zen and play the role of calm and collected wedding planner. No craziness.

  The Warners were already seated when the host escorted her to their reserved table, essentially giving Eric home-field advantage. He stood when she arrived, and they shook hands while his sister made the introduction.

  “It’s nice to see you again.” He quickly released her hand, taking a step back.

  Good to see you again. The words ran through her mind on repeat at high speed. Did he mean again as in “since fake meeting last night” or again like “it’s been a long time since you broke off our engagement, you heartless wench?”

  Her brain wanted to overanalyze every word he said and she wasn’t even sitting yet. She forced a smile to compensate for her inability to find the right verbal response.

  She thanked the host, who helped her into the empty chair next to Sadie. Seated again, Eric unfolded the linen napkin on his plate. “Elliot and I had a class together at UVA.” He turned his face, but not his full focus, toward her. “I’m not sure I remember what class.”

  “Brit Lit.” She fought a smile, intrigued by how he wanted to play this out. “We spent a whole semester buried under Austen, Dickens, and the rest of their literary friends.”

  “What a small world.” Sadie leaned on her elbow. For once, Elliot was glad her sister was skipping another meeting. Libby would’ve had a heart attack if she’d caught the bride committing a crime as heinous as putting an elbow on a dinner table. They would’ve had to call the medics, and she didn’t relish another trip to the hospital. “You never said anything, Elliot.”

  “I guess I didn’t make the connection until now.” This earned her a quick frown from Eric, which made her want to laugh even more. “I’m trying to remember, was this the first semester or second?”

  “First. You peer-reviewed a couple of my papers.”

  “What was my brother’s work like? Brilliant or sloppy?”

  “Both.” His eyebrows shot up, and she gave up fighting the laughter. “I’m kidding. He did good work.”

  “From what I remember, your papers always turned out better. You were the only first-year student in our class, yet you usually ruined the curve for everyone else.”

  “If I did, maybe that says more about the other students than it does about me.” Her heart rate slowed, and she let her shoulders relax. She couldn’t have imagined this going better. They were actually joking. “You’re the one who made us come off like slackers. The next year, while the rest of us were neck-deep in writing papers and taking tests, you had earned your first million.”

  “I lucked out.”

  “Your success isn’t a matter of luck.” Elliot wished he’d meet her gaze. She wanted him to understand how proud she was of him. Even if their checkered past might suggest otherwise. “You’ve done well for yourself. Better than well. You’ve blown people away.”

  He gave a short, tight-lipped smile, but said nothing.

  “I’m glad you won’t have to waste any time with trust exercises or answering ice-breaker questions to help the two of you get to know each other.” Sadie leaned back in her chair. “We can dive right into what matters most: me and my wedding.”

  “You’re absolutely right.” Eric winked at his sister over his water glass. “What point would any of us have to even exist if not to serve you?”

  “Isn’t he the best big brother ever?” She shared a glance with Elliot. “He never doubts me being the center of the universe.”

  “Should we order a bottle of wine for the table?” he asked.

  “Let’s get a white.” Setting down her menu, Sadie paused to crunch a few numbers. “We aren’t dress shopping until Friday. Should I worry about calories tonight? I don’t want to have to wear a corset to squeeze into the gowns.”

  “Absolutely not,” Elliot said. “You’ll be a ten no matter what you eat today or any day.”

  She caught Eric’s nod of approval, before he hid behind his menu.

  During appetizers, their conversation focused on Sadie’s upcoming nuptials. Elliot gave Eric a printed copy of the budget and the code to grant him access to the “Our Day” customer page.

  “Sadie showed me around the website a little a few days ago. It’s impressive.”

  Elliot wanted to ignore the thrill his compliment gave her—made even better when he made no mention of the quotes—but gave up. She’d worked hard to develop and build the new website. She deserved to be pleased by any praise she received. Especially from a social media guru like him.

  “You have to check out the table settings we decided on,” Sadie said. “Elliot do you have a picture of them handy? I still don’t have my code plugged into my phone yet.”

  Elliot pulled up the wedding on her tablet and passed it across the table to Eric. She watched him inspect the modern but classic details.

  “You have good taste, sis,” he told Sadie and handed the tablet back to Elliot. “Most weddings are a bit boring, and I’m sure those fancy place settings will keep it fresh.”

  “My wedding won’t be boring, whatever that means,” Sadie announced. “This will be beautiful, emotional, and unforgettable. Elliot won’t let my marriage start off any other way, right?”

  “I’ll do everything I can on my end.”

  Eric turned back to the booklet sitting in front of him. He flipped through a few pages and stopped on the schedule.

  “You have a few appointments scheduled the next few weeks. Florists, bakeries, lighting technicians, and so on. Do you need me for the consultations?”

  “It’s up to you.” Elliot pulled up a copy of the schedule on her tablet. “Her next appointment is trying on dresses, which you’re more than welcome to be part of, but . . .”

  “You ladies will be okay if I sit that one out?” The women nodded, and he visibly relaxed. “Good. I wouldn’t be much use in a dress shop. And . . . I want to be surprised.”

  “Adam will be around for a few of the final appointments before the ceremony,” Sadie said. “But he can’t go to everything. With his new job starting up, he’s keeping the consults down to A-list only.”

  “The cake and food tastings?” Eric asked.

  “Exactly.”

  “My schedule is basically wide open until after the wedding. I have plenty of time to smell flowers and eat cake. Whatever you need me to do.”

  “I’d like to do this with you,” Sadie said. “Elliot takes care of the details, but I’d love to have you around to make this a memory rather than a process.”

  “You’ll keep me posted on the appointments?” he asked Elliot.

  She nodded. His interest in his sister’s wedding was more than a little endearing. Sadie started to speak, but her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and brightened.

  “Adam is calling,” she said. “We haven’t talked since last night. Would you mind if I snuck out to chat for a few minutes?”

  “Go ahead,” Elliot said. Eric nodded his agreement.

  The bride excused herself to take the call outside. Silence fell upon the table without her presence as a buffe
r. The tension and awkwardness Elliot expected from the get-go set in. Eric’s initial friendliness was for his sister, not her.

  She snuck a peek across the table and caught Eric playing with his phone. He seemed ready to ignore her until Sadie’s return.

  Elliot should give up, but they needed to play nice if they were going to work together for the next few months. She might have been the one to end their engagement, but Eric had walked away. He wasn’t the only one nursing ragged wounds.

  “Your sister is an amazing woman,” she said at last.

  “Mmm.” He didn’t glance up from the phone when he agreed.

  “I’m glad you’ll be around to help her make decisions,” she continued. “You’re not trying to impress anyone. You want her happiness first and last. She needs more people like you in her camp.”

  He brushed a piece of lint off of his dress shirt, but remained silent.

  “Sadie and I are still getting acquainted, but it seems like she’s the type of person who wants to make everyone happy. Even if it comes at the cost of something she wants.” Elliot kept her chin up and voice directed at Eric despite his indifference. “Any time we have someone else around, she seems more concerned with what they want. The wedding is about her and Adam. No one else’s wishes matter in the end. My main job in all of this isn’t logistics or planning. It’s catering the day to her wishes.”

  At last, Eric set the phone down and stared at her seriously. Their eyes finally met. For the first time in years, she felt herself slip into his deep gaze. She nearly lost her breath.

  “If you understand all of that, I guess you’re the right person for the job.” He spoke clearly, with a strength and confidence he’d often lacked in the past. “My sister is happy about marrying Adam.”

  “She should be.”

  “But she’s also young. Young people are often susceptible to the opinions of others.”

  Elliot’s face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. He’d struck a low blow.

  “She’s young, but she’s smart,” Elliot said. “She understands what she wants.”

  “You’re right,” he said. “I want her to be happy. Make that your top priority.”

  “I will.” She hesitated a moment, but had to make one more point, then she’d quit trying to make conversation. “This is harder for her than she’s letting on. With your father . . . gone, and your mother unable to be around—”

  “I offered to pay for Mom’s travel,” he interrupted. “But she won’t take the time off from work. She doesn’t believe in handouts, even if it’s a gift from me.”

  “I admire that. But I can also understand how this might be difficult for your mother and sister. I’ll make sure to keep your mom updated and involved in the plans. I only brought this up because I’d like your help making sure Sadie understands the people she loves are with her. Even if they aren’t physically around.”

  “I will.” The table fell silent again, but this time she didn’t fight the quiet. Eric’s fingers flew across his phone while Elliot pretended to reread the wine menu.

  “I hope you’re not uncomfortable with the camera crews following us around with the project,” she said, when Sadie still hadn’t returned minutes later.

  Eric shrugged and kept typing.

  “It’s a bit unusual, I suppose, to have a camera crew underfoot while you’re planning a wedding,” she continued. “But this is my cousin’s show, and she needed my help last minute.”

  “It’s fine,” he said. “I do plenty of TV appearances. We even had a film crew on hand for a few months doing a documentary. This isn’t a big deal.”

  Apparently not, but if she had any doubt before, his comments said it all. Eric Warner wasn’t the small-time kid she’d fallen for in college. He was a media mogul. While filming her show wasn’t a “big deal,” he was.

  They didn’t need to make any more conversation. Sadie returned and shared a few highlights from her conversation with Adam. Both acted like nothing had happened, but the strain stayed with Elliot long after she returned home for the night.

  With the exception of the brief explanation of their previous acquaintance, neither spoke of anything other than the wedding. Yet, during their private exchange, their words held deeper meaning.

  Even with his clear disdain for her, she couldn’t deny the spark that ignited inside her when they crossed paths once again. He hadn’t changed a bit. Perhaps his face had a few more lines and his jaw was stronger, but that only made him more appealing. Of course his eyes and smile hadn’t changed. Like years ago, they left her weak in the knees.

  At home, a phone call from Rosalyn kept her from dwelling on how appealing Eric’s voice was when he spoke. “How did your night go?”

  Elliot considered playing coy, but she was too tired and her friend was too smart to waste the time or effort. “Dinner went well.” Elliot finished wiping the makeup from her face. “Eric told his sister we met in college, but he didn’t elaborate. We discussed the preliminary wedding plans and made arrangements for a few appointments in the next couple of weeks. With the short engagement, we don’t have a lot of time to mess around.”

  “But how did he act?”

  “He was fine—polite and friendly enough.”

  “Did he mention—”

  “He never brought up our relationship.” Elliot tossed aside the hand towel and stared at her tired, blotchy face. “We had a clear objective: talk about the wedding. So we talked about the wedding.”

  “Hmm.”

  Elliot chose not to take Rosalyn’s bait. The evening had been draining enough without diving deeper into the subject. She’d survived the dinner, and now she wanted to move on. She also wanted to crawl in bed for the next twelve hours, but would settle for six.

  “Thank you for calling, but I need to get some rest.”

  “Before I let you go, I wanted to ask you something. I’ve told you about my friend Doris Wick before, right?”

  “Maybe.” Elliot searched her brain, but came up with nothing. She finished putting on her pajamas and began the process of removing the decorative pillows from her bed.

  “Well, her son Ben recently moved back to the area. Since you’re both young professionals in Charleston, I figured you might want to meet up some time. Talk about business or life. Maybe make a new friend. Can I give him your number?”

  Elliot smelled a setup before Rosalyn finished making her pitch. “I appreciate what you’re doing, but I don’t need a blind date.”

  “I’m not trying to set you up.” Her tone was too defensive to support the claim. “I’m only suggesting that you make some more friends who are single like you. Poor Ben could use a friend. His fiancée called off their wedding a few months ago. He moved across the country to San Francisco only to find out she’s been seeing one of the partners at her law firm. Can you believe that?”

  “How awful.” Breaking up was hard enough without the added baggage of betrayal. “I can imagine it must be tough for Ben. I can also imagine he might not be in any hurry to get involved with anyone else.”

  “Take a moment to consider the big picture,” Rosalyn said. “Would it be nice if you two hit it off? Absolutely. Do I think it will happen? Probably not. But you should get out there and meet people. It’s good to have friends if nothing else.”

  “We’ll see. I’m going to bed. We can talk more at the shop in a couple of days.”

  “One more thing.”

  “What?”

  “The CEO from Weddings by Will . . . he’s in town.”

  Elliot closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the bed post. “Thanks for the heads up.”

  She hung up the phone and crawled into bed. Staring at the ceiling, her mind processed everything that happened. Between her cousin’s trip to the hospital, dinner with the Warners, the money her family owed, she had a lot on her plate. Now this business with Weddings by Will.

  Even amidst the other chaos in her life, Ben Wick’s story stuck with her.
Finding someone to spend your life with wasn’t easy. Finding someone—then losing them—was an agony no one should have to experience. She understood what that kind of heartbreak felt like.

  But to have the person you loved turn around and betray you in such a horrible way—unimaginable. Breaking up from a difference of opinions or beliefs was one thing. Being cheated on was something else. How would you ever trust another person or your heart again?

  “HOW DID YOU LIKE HER?” Eric shrugged and loosened the top button of his shirt, choosing to ignore his sister’s question for the moment. Sadie caught on and wouldn’t be denied. “Seriously. Tell me.”

  He sighed and cast a glance at her, before returning his focus to the road. He did not want to go down this path, but he had no choice.

  “She seemed competent and organized,” he said. “Both are good qualities for an event planner. She’s taking the job seriously. You chose well.”

  Sadie’s eyes narrowed. He had no doubt she suspected he wasn’t telling her the full truth. She wasn’t stupid. She’d asked a few not-so-casual questions, and thus far he’d managed to deflect them. It wouldn’t last long, but he wouldn’t cave yet.

  “What a fun coincidence.”

  “Hmm?”

  “You and Elliot met at school,” Sadie said. “What are the chances?”

  “Good enough, apparently.”

  Undiscouraged by his lack of commentary, Sadie continued her gentle prying. “Do you remember her?”

  “A little.”

  “How does she seem years later?”

  “Older.” He hoped his short answers made her stop prying.

  “Come on, Eric.” He felt her glare from across the car. “I’m curious. What did you think about my wedding planner? You noticed her years ago when you were in school. You have to have an opinion.”

  “Fine.” Thinking fast, he tried to come up with a few comments that wouldn’t give away too much. “She was always kind and studious, and it seems she still is. She is obviously good at her job.”

  “She grew up around weddings. I imagine she learned a lot from her parents.”