The Engagement Embargo: A Meet Me at the Altar Novel

by Samantha Chase

  “Four failed relationships would say otherwise.”

  “They weren’t the right ones for you, and if you ask me, it’s better you found out before you got married. Isn’t it easier talking about a breakup rather than a divorce?”

  “I guess…”

  He pat Elliott’s knee. “Let me tell you a story.”

  “O-kay…”

  “You want to know why I went along with this whole party thing?”

  “Um…because it’s your anniversary?”

  “I’ve had sixty-four anniversaries and we never went this wild before.” He chuckled again. “I gave your grandmother a hard time when we first met. I knew for certain I was in love with her, but I didn’t tell her. I couldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “My parents–your great-grandparents–had a plan for me. My father owned his own construction company and he expected me to join him. The problem was…well…I was no good at building anything. I could do all the accounting and run the business end of it, but my father expected me to take over for him and do all the physical stuff.”

  All Elliott could do was nod.

  “I didn’t want to disappoint him, and the stress I was dealing with was killing me. Any time I went to go out with your grandmother, my parents would lecture me on the importance of having a good career so I could take care of a wife and kids. How now wasn’t the time for dating; it was the time for learning my trade.” He groaned. “The fights we would have! But I would sneak out and see your grandmother and no one knew.”

  “You were a rebel, Pop!”

  “No, I just needed to see my Millie,” he said with a smile. “She knew what my parents wanted from me and she was patient for a time. And then she wasn’t.”

  “Oh?”

  Nodding, Pop continued. “She was the first one to say I love you. It was the most beautiful sentence I’d ever heard. Then she took my hands in hers and told me what she wanted for our future. I panicked–completely froze! There was no way I could tell my folks I wanted to get married and didn’t care about construction.” He sighed. “She listened to me go on and on about it and finally, you know what she asked me?”

  “What?”

  “She asked me what my heart wanted.” He smiled. “Her. My heart wanted her.”

  “And what about your parents?”

  He snorted. “My cousin Ed took over the building stuff and I took over running the office. And you want to know what my parents finally said to me after I got married?”

  “What?” Elliott was literally on the edge of his seat.

  “They said it took a strong man to follow his heart and that I better spend my life appreciating the gift I had in your grandmother.” He shrugged. “Of course they didn’t say that until after we had a couple of kids, but…they finally said it.”

  “Wow. I had no idea.”

  “What I’m trying to say, Elliott, is…don’t let anyone tell you how you feel or try to tell you what you shouldn’t feel. You know what happens when you let people do that? You have regret. Regret for all the things you never did because other people thought they knew better. Hell, it’s our mistakes that make us who we are! If you had married that girl in high school, it never would have worked! You were too young! Every relationship teaches us something and I bet if you met a woman right now, you would know exactly what you want and have the confidence to go for it.” He pat him on the knee again. “Any chance of us getting a beer before I have to go in there in this monkey suit?”

  Laughing, Elliott stood. “Pop, I’ll get you whatever you want.” And when his grandfather stood, Elliott hugged him. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For being the smartest man I know.”

  Chapter 15

  Nobody is perfect until you fall in love with them.

  Unknown

  “Ooh…you went with the backless one. Good call,” Josie said midway through the party.

  “Yeah, well, I was going to buy something new and even tried on a few at Macy’s, but none of them looked right.”

  With a knowing grin, she said, “I blame the mall carbs.”

  “I blame the mall carbs too. But…this dress looks just fine so I’m good.”

  “I meant to tell you how pretty you looked when you got here but things were a little chaotic.”

  Skye looked around the room and was pleased. Everyone was having a good time, the room looked amazing, and all the food was delicious. “Well, it seems like it’s all good now and your grandparents looked ridiculously happy. Good for them.”

  “Sixty-five years,” Josie said with a hint of awe. “Can you imagine being with the same person for that long?”

  Luckily, she was saved from having to answer that when Mr. Sullivan walked over and asked Josie to dance.

  With a small smile and wave, she turned her attention to the staff that was clearing away the dinner dishes and getting ready for dessert. There wasn’t much for her to do–everyone knew what they were doing–but she had no idea what to do with herself.

  “Hey, Skye. Want to dance?”

  Turning, she saw Tyler standing there smiling at her. “Um…I probably shouldn’t. I’m working and…”

  “Nonsense,” he said, reaching for her hand and slowly leading her toward the dance floor. “I checked with Josie and she said it was fine.”

  “Oh, well…”

  His arms went around her as the band switched to a slow ballad.

  Damn them.

  “You look really pretty today,” he said as he held her close. She felt his hand on her back–skin on skin–and it took everything she had not to react. Had she known she was going to be dancing with anyone, this definitely wasn’t the dress she would have chosen to wear.

  “Thank you.”

  “It’s great that you’re here so Josie can relax. I swear she is always on the go. It’s nice to see her enjoying herself.”

  She had to agree. “The two of you have been spending a lot of time together lately. Anything going on there?”

  Laughing out loud, Tyler shook his head. “Definitely not. Trust me. But she and Katie get along great, so…”

  “Wait, who’s Katie?”

  “My girlfriend. She really wants to help with this project, but she’s never done anything like it before.”

  “Oh, so…how’s the fundraiser planning going?”

  He shrugged. “It’s a lot more work than I anticipated. I’m considering putting it off for a bit, but Josie’s convinced I can pull it off.”

  “When she’s determined to make something work, she finds a way. Trust me.” They swayed to the music for a minute when something came to mind. “So…how did you and Jared and Alex end up on the guest list? Josie never mentioned it to me and Lea about coming, so I just thought…”

  Tyler laughed softly as he shook his head. “Basically, we’re moral support for Elliott.”

  “Seriously? Why?”

  “This is the first big event since his wedding, and he was having a lot of anxiety about being here with everyone. You know, afraid they were all going to want to talk to him about it. So we’re here to make sure no one gives him a hard time.”

  It was weird because in all the conversations she and Elliott had about the party, he never once mentioned being freaked out about it. If anything, he was looking forward to it.

  “Uh-oh, you’re frowning,” Tyler whispered dramatically. “No frowning at such a happy event!”

  Skye couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Sorry. My mind wandered.” She glanced around the room and saw most of the tables were cleared. “I should probably go and check on…”

  “Mind if I cut in?”

  She turned and saw Jared standing there looking hopeful. “Um…I was just about to…”

  “Aw, c’mon, Skye,” he said with a mock pout. “Just one dance. You already danced with Tyler.”

  She knew he was just being a goof, but she relented. “Okay. Just one dance and then I have to get back to work.�
� Tyler gave her a playful spin right into Jared’s waiting arms and again, as soon as his hand was on her back, she felt weird.

  “Great party!” he said, grinning.

  “It sure is,” she replied, scanning the room.

  “So how come you and I have never gone out?”

  Her eyes went wide. “What?!”

  He nodded. “Yeah, why haven’t we ever hooked up and gone out alone without the whole group?”

  “Jared, I…I…”

  “I mean other than the fact that I never asked.” He gave her a flirty wink and it was hard to tell if he was being serious or not. “Okay, here’s the thing, Skye. After seeing everything Elliott’s gone through, it got me thinking.”

  “O-kay…”

  “I met a woman that I think is really amazing,” he went on. “And we have a lot in common and…I think there’s a vibe there, you know?”

  Oh, God…

  “So it occurred to me that…”

  “Jared,” she quickly interrupted. “I think you’re a really nice guy, but I’m just not attracted to you in that way. I’m sorry. Really.”

  He looked at her like she was crazy as they continued to sway to the music. “Um…yeah. I wasn’t talking about you,” he said slowly. “I was going to ask you for advice because I think I’ve waited too long to make my move and…”

  Unable to help herself, she let out a nervous laugh that was really full of relief before resting her head on his shoulder. “Okay. Whew!” She gave him a hug before pulling back slightly and smiling at him. “Tell me about the girl.”

  “Well, I met her at…”

  “Hey, no hogging the prettiest girl here!”

  Alex.

  Because…of course.

  “Dude, we were just in the middle of a conversation,” Jared explained.

  “Yeah, well, the song’s over and I’d like to dance with Skye.”

  “Guys, I really need to get back to work. I’m not here as a guest,” she told them, hoping this was her moment to sneak back to the kitchen and check on things.

  “One song, Skye. Come on,” Alex pled. “You danced with both Tyler and this guy.”

  Oh, for the love of it…

  Pasting a serene smile on her face, she thanked Jared for the dance and promised to talk to him later before she turned to step into Alex’s arms.

  If only she got this much attention when she was out and actually looking for a date.

  “So…what’s new?” she asked him, thankful the band was playing another slow song.

  “Not too much,” he said with a shrug. “I’m going to be traveling a lot for work starting next week–going to Tokyo for six weeks and then Paris for a month.”

  “Wow! That sounds amazing! I’m a little jealous.”

  “It’s not going to be nearly as glamorous as you think. I have a feeling I’m going to be locked in meetings all day without having a whole lot of time to sightsee.” He shook his head. “My girlfriend is pissed because she wants to come with me and I just can’t make it happen.”

  That…surprised her.

  All of Elliott’s friends had girlfriends?

  “I had no idea you were dating anyone,” she commented. “How long have you two been together?”

  “A couple of months,” he admitted with a shy smile. “Honestly? I don’t like to talk about it in front of Elliott. With the whole embargo thing it felt…I don’t know…like I would be bragging or something.”

  She nodded. “It’s very considerate of you. You’re a good friend.”

  He shrugged as his smile grew. “I try.” He paused. “So what about you? What have you been up to?”

  Sighing, she told him about all the jobs Meet Me at the Altar had booked and how it took up so much of her time. His hand skimmed up and down her spine and she wanted to swat it away, but it wouldn’t be possible without making a scene.

  “It’s been really impressive to watch you and Josie and Lea build the business, Skye. Like seriously impressive. If things go as planned and I end up popping the question next year to Beth, we are definitely going to want to hire you for the engagement party and the wedding.”

  Her eyes went a little wide. “So this is serious, huh?”

  He nodded. “Yeah. I know I can’t take her on the trip with me, but if I could, I’d propose to her in Paris right in front of the Eiffel Tower.” And with a shy smile, he added, “I know it’s not terribly original, but…I just think it would be incredibly romantic.”

  She found herself sighing because it really was.

  “I’m happy for you, Alex. And I can’t wait to meet her. You guys need to stop tiptoeing around with your girlfriends. Elliott will be fine.”

  “For a while there I thought so, but…I don’t know, this last month he’s been all depressed again.”

  It was stupid how much that pleased her.

  “There were several months that he was the happiest I’ve ever seen him–and I mean ever. Elliott and I have been friends since the sixth grade so I can say with complete confidence that he was in a good place.” Then he shrugged. “Something happened and he won’t tell us what it is, but he’s in a funk again so…eventually the girls will come out with us. Just not yet.”

  “Again, you’re a good friend, Alex.”

  When the song ended, Skye knew she had to act fast before anyone else swooped in and asked her to dance.

  “Thank you so much for the dance, but I really need to go and check on things.”

  “No problem, Skye. And thanks.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before she made her way through the crowd and back to the kitchen.

  “Shouldn’t you be up and socializing?” Tyler asked.

  All Elliott could do was grunt a response.

  His so-called friends had all gone and danced with Skylar when he couldn’t.

  Or…shouldn’t.

  Or…wait. Could he?

  Before he could think too much about it, his grandfather came strolling over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Do me a favor, Elliott? Go ask your nana to dance. It would mean the world to her.”

  He wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it sooner, but he’d been so consumed watching Tyler, Jared, and Alex dancing with Skye that he hadn’t been paying attention to anything else.

  “Of course, Pop. Thanks.”

  When he reached his grandmother, she beamed up at him. “There’s my sweet boy. Are you enjoying the party?”

  Elliott held out his hand to her. “I am, but I’d enjoy it a lot more if I could dance with the beautiful bride.”

  He didn’t think it was possible for her smile to grow more, but it did. “Such a sweet talker,” she said as she put her hand in his and stood.

  Slowly, he led her out to the dance floor as the band cued into another ballad. “How about you, Nana? Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “It’s been an almost perfect day,” she told him. “Everyone I love in this world is here.”

  “Then how come it’s not completely perfect?”

  She was barely five feet tall and she looked up at him with a sad smile. “Elliott, I’ve been watching you all night and you rarely smile. It breaks my heart.”

  Well, damn.

  “I’m sorry, Nana. I didn’t realize I was doing it,” he said softly, kissing the top of her head.

  “Are you sure you didn’t know? Because you looked positively furious when all your handsome friends were dancing with Skylar.” She gave him one of her sweetest smiles. “If I didn’t know any better, I would swear you were jealous.” Then she shook her head. “But how could that be? You’ve known her for most of your life. She’s like family.”

  “Yeah,” he murmured. “Not really.”

  “Elliott,” she quietly demanded, and when he looked down at her, she looked pretty fierce. “You’re not fooling anyone. If you want the girl, go and get the girl.”

  “Pop said something similar to me earlier…”

  “That’s because your grandfather and I are o
ne,” she said, back to her sweet, demure tone. “We’re old and wise.”

  Leaning down, he kissed her on the cheek. “And I love you both.”

  “Then what are you doing dancing with this old lady? Go and tell her how you feel!”

  “Nana, I can’t do that here. And besides, we’re dancing.”

  “Not anymore,” his grandfather said from beside him. “I just saw Skye go into the kitchen.” He nodded in that direction. “I’m going to be giving my speech in five minutes. It would be nice if the two of you were out here to hear it.”

  Then he nudged Elliott out of the way and took his wife in his arms.

  Hint taken…

  It would have been easy to wander around and pretend that he needed to think about it, but…he didn’t.

  He missed her.

  So much it hurt.

  And his damn beard itched like wild.

  So with some intent in his stride, Elliott made his way to the kitchen and spotted Skye in the far corner eating something. The closer he got, the more his smile grew.

  Frosting.

  She didn’t notice his approach, and it wasn’t until he was behind her that he leaned in close and whispered, “For shame, Skylar. They haven’t even served dessert yet.”

  A small scream was her first response as she jumped and dropped the bowl of icing and the spoon.

  It reminded him of the day she dropped his phone.

  “Dammit, Elliott! You scared me!” Bending down, she scooped everything up. When she straightened, she glared at him. “What are you doing back here?”

  Taking a step back, he slid his hands into his pockets and just drank in the sight of her. From that sleek ponytail that she only wore for events, to the sexy-as-hell backless dress, and even the slight smear of chocolate icing in the corner of her mouth, she was perfect.

  Everything.

  But did he really want to proclaim his love for her and beg her forgiveness in the middle of the banquet hall’s kitchen?

  Um…no.

  Instead, he took the icing and spoon from her hands and placed them on the counter. “I came here to get you.”