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“All right, you two lovebirds. Stop canoodling and let’s go,” Rose said, though her heart panged a little at the sight. Steven should have been with them, and in another world, he would be. But it would be a while before he was well enough to go out like that again.
When they arrived at Bea’s, Trudy and Toccara were waiting for them. Both wore light-colored sundresses that contrasted nicely with their ebony skin. Rose greeted them each with a hug before turning to the newest member of the group, Steven’s law clerk, Michael.
“Hi.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Rose, Steven’s fiancée.”
“I recognized you from your photos,” Michael said, bypassing her hand and pulling her into a hug. “I feel like I already know you.”
Her body stiffened, not used to such close contact with a complete stranger, and he quickly released her with an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, that was a bit forward.”
She waved her hand. “It’s fine. Just caught me by surprise is all.”
Discreetly, she tried to assess him. He was younger than she’d expected, closer to Lanie’s age than her own. But he seemed friendly, and Lanie had told her how impressed she was with his credentials. Perhaps he was the answer to Rose’s prayers. At the very least, he might relieve some of the burden on Steven, allowing him more time to heal.
“So, how do you like the office so far?” she asked.
“It’s great! Everyone has been nice, and I’m excited to dive in to the cases Steven’s assigned me.”
Rose smiled, and the tension in her shoulders ebbed away. While she wished Steven would have taken on a real partner, she could be grateful for the assistance Michael provided in the short term. And maybe he would stick around beyond the summer.
Lanie grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door. “I’m starving. Let’s eat!”
The diner was packed, and it took a minute to find a place for them all to sit. As they made their way to the back, Rose caught the owner’s eye. Bea’s white hair was in a hairnet, and she flashed a grin, signaling that she would stop by their table later.
As they settled into their seats, Lanie immediately started flipping through the jukebox beside her. Everyone else picked up their menus. Rose followed suit, though she wasn’t hungry. Lately, she hadn’t had much of an appetite, between her worries about the wedding and her concern for Steven.
After the server took their orders, Lanie began laying out the plan for the evening. Once they finished dinner, they would head over to Seabreeze for karaoke and drinks.
Rose couldn’t help smiling at the way the tables had turned. The last time she and Lanie had gone to Seabreeze, she was trying to cheer up Lanie, who had spent most of the evening making eyes at Nate.
“Are you going to sing this time?” Lanie asked, giving Rose a pointed look.
“I’m not much of a singer.”
“Is anyone at karaoke?” Michael joked.
Rose opened her mouth to respond when she caught sight of a familiar face. Her stomach churned, and she swallowed the bile rising in her throat. Carissa, her wedding planner, was heading their way. Rose should have known she couldn’t avoid her forever.
“Rose!” Carissa’s gaze swept over the table before settling on Rose. “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve, uh, had to work a few double shifts lately.”
Carissa clicked her tongue. “We have a lot of work still to do for the wedding, you know.” She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. “Since I have you here, why don’t we set up an appointment?”
Sweat gathered on Rose’s upper lip, and she shot Lanie a pleading look, hoping she would intervene. She was Rose’s maid of honor, after all. Lanie took the hint and turned to Carissa.
“Hey, Carissa, I’m glad we ran into you. I’ve been meaning to ask if you would be available to handle my wedding.”
Nate blinked. “You have? I thought we were going to—ouch!” He reached under the table, presumably to rub the shin Lanie had just kicked. Rose bit her lip to hide her smile.
Lanie patted his hand in apology. “We haven’t decided on a date yet, but we were thinking late fall, early winter.”
“Let me check my schedule,” Carissa said, and she seemed to forget Rose was there. “Is tomorrow too soon?”
“Tomorrow’s great!” Lanie cleared her throat. “And Rose has her hands full taking care of Steven. But as her maid of honor, I’m happy to go over anything pertinent with you at our meeting.”
“Is that okay with you, Rose?” Carissa tucked a lock of graying hair behind her ear.
