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CHAPTER FIVE
EMMA GOT THROUGH THE SUNDAY EVENT AND HER MONDAY consults and adjusted the arrangements for some upcoming events due to changes of bridal minds.
She canceled two dates with two perfectly nice men she now had no desire to spend evenings with. She filled those evenings by doing inventory and ordering ribbons, pins, containers, forms. And wondering if she should call Jack and make some light, breezy comment about the kiss - or pretend it never happened.
She alternated between the top options and a third, which involved going over to his house and jumping him. So she ended up doing nothing but tying herself into knots over it. Annoyed with herself, she arrived early for a scheduled afternoon staff meeting. She cut through Laurel's kitchen, where her friend was arranging a plate of cookies beside a small fruit and cheese platter.
"I'm out of Diet Coke," Emma announced and opened the fridge to take one. "I'm out of almost everything because I keep forgetting my car battery is dead as disco. "
"Did you call the garage?"
"That, at least, I remembered to do about ten minutes ago. When I confessed - under expert interrogation by the guy - that I've owned the car for four years, have never taken it in for a tune-up, couldn't remember exactly the last time, if ever, I've had the oil changed or some computer chip check job thing and other car business I don't remember now, he said he'd have it picked up, taken in. "
Pouting a little, she popped the top and drank straight from the can. "I sort of felt as if I'd been holding my car hostage and he's releasing it. He made me feel like even more of an idiot than Jack did. I want a cookie. "
"Help yourself. "
Emma picked one up.
"Now I'm going to be without a car until he decides to give it back. If he does, and I'm not entirely sure he intends to. "
"You've been without a car for over a week because your battery's dead. "
"True, but I had the illusion of a car because it was sitting there. I guess I need to take the van and go to the grocery store, and the zillion other places I've put off going. I'm actually afraid to, as it occurred to me I've had the van for a year more than the car. It may rebel next. "
Laurel tossed some pretty pastel mints on the cookie tray. "I know it's a crazy idea, but maybe once you get your car back, you can have the garage service the van. "
Emma nibbled at the cookie. "The car guy tossed that idea in the hat. I need consolation. How about dinner and movie night?"
"Don't you have a date?"
"I canceled. I'm not in the mood. "
Laurel blew hair out of her eyes, the better to stare in shock. "You're not in the mood for a date?"
"I have to get an early start tomorrow. Six hand-tied bouquets, and the bride's makes seven. That's a good six, seven hours of work. I have Tink coming in for half a day, so it cuts it back, but there's all the rest to put together for the Friday night event. And I spent most of the morning processing the flowers. "
"That's never stopped you before. Are you sure you're feeling all right? You've been just a shade off. "
"No, I'm fine. I'm good. I'm just not . . . in the mood for men. "
"That couldn't include me. " Delaney Brown walked in, lifted Emma off her feet to give her a resounding kiss. "Mmm. Sugar cookie. "
Emma laughed. "Get your own. "
He plucked one from the tray, grinned at Laurel. "Consider it part of my fee. "
Going from experience, Laurel got out a Ziploc bag and began to fill it with cookies. "Are you in on the meeting?"
"No. I just had some legal business to go over with Parks. "
Since it was there and so was he, Del went to the coffeepot.
He and Parker shared the dark brown hair, the dark blue eyes. What Laurel would have called their refined features were just a little more roughly carved on him. In the smoke gray pin-striped suit, Italian shoes, and Hermes tie, he looked every bit the successful Connecticut lawyer. The scion of the Connecticut Browns.
With the food prep complete, Laurel untied her baker's apron and hung it on a peg.
Del leaned on the counter. "I hear you kicked some ass with the Folk wedding last weekend. "
"Do you know them?" Emma asked.
"Her parents are clients. I haven't had the pleasure - though from what Jack says that may be overstating - of meeting the new Mrs. Harrigan. "
"You will when they file for divorce," Laurel said.
"Always the optimist. "
"She's a nightmare. She sent Parker a critique list this morning. E-mailed from Paris. From her honeymoon. "
"You're kidding!" Stunned, Emma gaped at Laurel. "It was perfect. Everything was perfect. "
"The champagne could've been colder, the wait service faster, the sky bluer, and the grass greener. "
"Well, she's just a bitch. After I gave her ten more roses. Not one, but ten . " Emma shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Everyone who was there, and who was an actual human, knows it was perfect. She can't spoil it. "
"That's my girl. " Del toasted her with his coffee.
"Anyway, speaking of Jack, have you seen him? I mean, will you be seeing him?"
"Tomorrow, actually. We're heading into the city to catch the Yankees. "
"Maybe you could take him his jacket. He left his jacket. Or I forgot to give it back. Anyway, I have his jacket, and he probably wants it. I can go get it. It's in my office. I can just go get it. "
"I'll go by and get it on my way out. "
"Good. That'd be great. Since you're seeing him anyway. "
"No problem. I'd better get going. " He picked up the bag, shook it lightly at Laurel. "Thanks for the cookies. "
"A baker's dozen, including the one you ate, will be deducted from your fee. "
He shot Laurel a grin, and sauntered out.
Laurel waited a few beats then pointed at Emma. "Jack. "
"What?"
"Jack. "
"No," Emma said slowly, laying her hand between her breasts. "Emma. Em-ma. "
"Don't be funny, I can see right through you. You said 'any way' three times in under a minute. "
"No, I didn't. " Maybe she had. "And so what?"
"So, what's going on with you and Jack?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Don't be ridiculous. " She felt the lie burning her tongue. "You can't say anything to anyone. "
"If I can't say anything, it's not nothing. "
"It is nothing. It's probably nothing. I'm overreacting. Damn it. " Emma popped the half a cookie she had left in her mouth all at once.
"You're eating like a normal person. Something is wrong in the Emma-verse. Spill. "
"Swear first. You won't say anything to Parker or Mac. "
"You drive a hard bargain. " Laurel swiped a fingertip diagonally across her breasts, then pointed it to the ceiling. "Sworn. "
"He kissed me. Or we kissed each other. But he started it, and I don't know what would've happened next because Parker beeped me. I had to go, then he left. So, that's it. "
"Wait, I lost the sense of hearing right after you said Jack kissed you. "
"Cut it out. This is serious. " She bit her lip. "Or it's not. Is it?"
"This isn't like you, Em. You are the goddess of handling men and romantic or sexual situations. "
"I know . It's just this is Jack. It's not supposed to be . . . " She waved her arms in the air. "Something to handle. I'm making too much of it. It was just a moment, just the circumstances. Just a thing. Now it's done, so it's not a thing. "
"Emma, you tend to romanticize men, potential relationships, but you never get flustered over them. You're flustered. "
"Because it's Jack! What if you were standing around, minding your own business, baking, and Jack came in and kissed you stupid. Or Del did. You'd be flustered. "
"The only reason either of them come in here is to mooch baked goods. As Del just demonstrated. When did this happen? The night you broke down?"
; "No. It almost did. There was a second there . . . I think because there was a second there, it just led into it happening. During the reception Saturday. "
"Right, right, you said Parker beeped you. Well, how was it? How did it rank on the patented Emmaline Grant spark-o-meter?"
Emma let out a breath, pointed her thumb up, then swiped a hand through an imaginary line. "Slapped the top of the red zone before it broke the meter. "
With her lips pursed, Laurel nodded. "I always suspected that about Jack. He has that red zone vibe about him. What are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know. I haven't decided. It's thrown me off. I need to get my balance back, then figure out what to do. Or not do. "
"Then you have to tell me, and also let me know when the gag order is lifted. "
"All right, but meanwhile, not a word. " Emma picked up the cheese tray. "Let's go be businesswomen. "
Vows housed its conference room in what had been the library. The books remained, framing the room and giving way in spaces for photos and mementos. The room maintained its warmth, its elegance, even as it served for business.
Parker sat at the big inlaid table, laptop and BlackBerry at the ready. As the morning client meetings and tours were complete for the day, she'd hung her suit jacket on the back of the chair. Mac sat across from her, long legs stretched out, wearing the jeans and sweater that served her for her workday. When Emma set the tray on the table, Mac levered herself up to snag a cluster of grapes. "You guys are late. "
"Del stopped by the kitchen. Before we start business, who's up for dinner and a movie night?"
"Me, me!" Mac shot up a hand. "Carter has a teacher thing, and that saves me from working until he gets back. I put in a full one today. "
"As it happens, my calendar is clear. " Laurel laid the cookie plate beside the platter. Parker merely picked up the house phone, pressed a button. "Hey, Mrs. G, can you handle the four of us for dinner? That'd be great. Thanks. " She hung up. "We'll have chicken and like it. "
"Works for me. " Mac bit into a grape.
"All right then, the first order of business is Whitney Folk Harrigan, aka Monster Bride. As Laurel knows, I received an e-mail from her wherein she lists several bullet points addressing what she feels we could improve. "
"Bitch. " Mac leaned up this time to spread some goat cheese on a rosemary cracker. "We kicked severe ass on that event. "
"We should've kicked her severe ass," Laurel commented.
"Whitney feels, in no particular order of importance, that . . . " Parker opened a file to read from the e-mail she'd printed out. "The champagne was inadequately chilled, the service during dinner was slow, the gardens lacked enough color and bloom, the photographer spent more time than she deems necessary on the wedding party when the bride deserved more attention, and the offerings on the dessert table weren't as varied or as well presented as she'd hoped. She adds that she felt rushed and/or neglected by the wedding planner during some parts of the event. She hopes we'll take these criticisms in the spirit with which they're offered. "
"To which I respond . . . " Mac shot up a middle finger.
"Succinct. " Parker nodded. "However, I responded with our thanks for her comments, and our hopes that she and Justin enjoy Paris. "
"Panderer," Laurel muttered.
