AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"That sounds like a plan," the bride said. The two other women rose from their seats first, thanking me for the cake and coffee, then making a beeline for the door.
"Thank you for being on my side," she said once we were alone. "I know they want the best for me, but they're driving me nuts."
"It will all work out," I promised.
After they left, I drafted the e-mail, summarizing our discussion and making suggestions. Even though I was cutting it close for the next meeting, I wanted to write this while everything was still fresh in my mind.
Before leaving, I checked my appearance. My shoulder-length blonde hair was as unruly as ever, despite the product I'd smeared in it this morning. I tried to tame it some more, but neither my fingers nor the comb did much. With a sigh, I quickly maneuvered it into a thick braid. It was the only style that kept it under control. My outfit was as professional as could be: knee-length dark blue dress with a conservative, round neckline. I'd paired it with nude pumps.
Our meeting point was a coffee shop near Griffith Park. Despite having an office, most clients preferred to meet on location or in coffee shops close to their workplace. My office served more as storage for the wedding and party supplies. Even I got together with my three assistants mostly somewhere in the city.
Luckily, traffic was on my side, so I had time to stop by one of my favorite food trucks, which was three blocks away from the park. Despite the cheesecake, I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything else today, and I wanted some sustenance before the meeting. As a rule, I never ate when I met with clients, even if they did. Since it was early afternoon, there was no line.
"Hi! I'll have a hummus sandwich with falafel, please."
The vendor, Declan had only started working here last week, as a stand-in for the owner, who was on vacation.
"Hey, I remember you. You were here last week too."
"It's one of my favorite food trucks. I stop by any time I'm in the neighborhood."
He prepared my order in no time, and when he handed it to me, he said, "I hope this isn't too forward, but I'd love to take you out."
Okay. I hadn't been expecting that.
"Wow, Declan. I'm flattered... but I can’t."
He nodded curtly. "Right, of course. Had to try though. Hope it won't stop you from returning."
"Are you kidding? These sandwiches are to die for."
I was so hungry I finished my sandwich within minutes. Declan had seemed like a nice guy, and he was attractive enough, but I already had someone I liked to call the most important man in my life: my seven-year-old boy.
I looked Matt and Amber up on Facebook on my way to the coffee shop, so I could put faces to the names. Then I ignored some friend requests from random men. I had no idea if it was a single woman issue, or a single mom issue, but they were getting out of control. I hadn’t even posted my relationship status.
When I stepped inside the coffee shop, I swept my gaze across the room. It was full of customers, some with laptops propped open on the table, typing away, some just chatting over a drink. My party hadn't arrived yet. I located a single empty table in a corner. The guy who'd entered after me was also eying it. Forget it, buddy. That table is mine.
I dashed through the room, muttering excuses when I bumped a few chairs, until I reached the table. I set my tote on it and sat down, mentally reviewing the topics that usually came up during the first meeting.
I kept my attention trained on the door, and when my couple came in, I waved at them. Amber waved right back. Her fiery red bob bounced with every step. As she and her fiancé made their way toward me, I took in the third person. He looked vaguely familiar. It took a few seconds for the connections to click in my brain. With a jolt, I realized he was the owner of Jace's team, the LA Lords. I tried to remember if Jace told me anything about Graham Frazier, but other that he was thirty-two and a great leader, nothing came to mind.
I was certain I'd seen him in photos with the team before, but either all pictures had been black-and-white or I'd mentally blocked how striking his blue eyes were. In fact, he was a striking man all around. On a scale of one to ten, that face earned a twenty.
"Hi! I'm Lori Connor."
"Hi, Lori. I'm Amber. This is my fiancé, Matt, and this is Graham, our best man."
I shook hands with all three, and once we all sat down, I straightened my shoulders, lifting the corners of my lips in my go-getter smile.
"So, what can I do for you? I'm afraid my brother didn't know many details. The most important things to know are the date and the approximate number of guests. Let's start with the date."
"As soon as possible. I'm pregnant, and I'd like to wear my white gown before the bump shows. We thought a Valentine's Day wedding. Is that even possible?"
"Everything is possible. I can work with that; don't you worry. And congratulations."
Valentine's Day was in four weeks. It required even more hassle than usual, and some suppliers overcharged for speedy services. It wasn't much time, but I'd pulled it off before.
"Thank you. We're thinking about eighty guests."
