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Amber returned with my tote, and I asked them to excuse me from the rest of the party. I couldn't say goodbye myself, given the state of my dress. When I climbed in my car, pain seared the base of my spine the second my ass touched the seat. Maybe taking Graham up on his offer would have been smarter. Lying down instead of sitting sure sounded like a better plan. And it would have earned me more time with the handsome and charming man. But I powered through and started the engine. Despite the throbbing pain in my ass, I smiled a big, goofy smile. I caught my reflection in the rearview mirror. I looked a little loony.
Then I buried my face in my hands, even though no one could see me. My smile stretched into a grin against my palms. Val and Hailey were right—they typically were. All these years, I hadn't just wanted to protect Milo, but myself too. Before Graham, no man had made me want to dip my toe in the dating pool. Would this be a good idea? The man was disenchanted with marriage; he'd admitted it himself. But did it really matter? As my sisters realistically put it, dating led nowhere most of the time. It was a fun thing to do, and I hadn't had fun in a long time. Was it time for changes in my life? Could I handle them? I had no answers. But my loony grin remained in place the entire drive.
Chapter Eleven
Lori
The next morning, I arrived at Graham's house at the same time as the florist, Gigi.
"You can start setting everything up in the tent. I'll be with you in a few minutes. Need to get my stuff inside first," I informed her.
I was already wearing my wedding suit, but I had a spare blouse and shoes, so I'd be covered in case I had another mishap like yesterday. I wanted to bring them to the room Graham had told me I'd be staying in. I realized Graham's car wasn't in his driveway. Even though he had a detached two-car garage next to the guesthouse, he never used it. Did he have errands to run? If he did, they couldn't be wedding related, because I had all those on my schedule.
As I deposited my things in the gorgeous room, I started wondering if my staying here was really a good idea. Wouldn't it be wiser and safer to drive home after the wedding ended and return the next morning? It probably was the smartest thing to do, but the reality was, I'd only sleep a wink if I did that. I'd be a zombie when I'd take my boy to Universal Studios tomorrow afternoon, and he deserved my full attention. Four hours of sleep were better than one.
I was staying. For my boy, I told myself. Not because I was hoping to get glimpses of Graham during the night. Does he sleep in shorts? Naked? Nor was I hoping to accidentally bump into him after he showered. I chastised myself for giving so much thought to scenarios I didn't want to occur. But just like last night, the more I tried not to think about Graham, the more I did.
Before heading out, I checked my phone for any calls or e-mails from vendors. To my dismay, I discovered an e-mail from Jeff.
From: Jeff Finn
To: Lori Connor
I've tried your old number, but it's disconnected, and your assistants won't give me your new one. Don’t play games. I just want to catch up.
I snorted, shaking my head. I had no intention of calling him. My phone number wasn't listed on my website, only a number that connected to my assistants' phones. I was thankful my girls hadn't given him my number. I wasn't interested in his booty calls. I'd long since given up on the idea that he'd want to be involved in Milo's life. He'd tossed us aside, because Milo's existence wasn't convenient for him. An unexpected child was too much to handle while training to become a doctor.
As usual, his e-mail soured my mood, but I tried my best to lose myself in the day's tasks. Gigi and I put up the flower arrangements in the tent in no time at all, then focused on setting up an orchid arch at the main entrance. The delicate flowers looked even more beautiful against the limestone exterior of the house.
We moved onto the deck next, arranging garlands of roses and orchids on the ceremony aisle and officiating table. We left the glass railing unadorned so everyone had a clear view of the ocean. The chairs still had to be delivered, and I was eyeing the time on my phone almost compulsively. The delivery should arrive in ten minutes, and I hoped they wouldn't be late. Managing weddings was a lot like building a puzzle. One had to coordinate all the moving parts. I'd built in buffer time in case one of the vendors was late, but I'd rather not have to rely on that.
When I walked Gigi to her car, I spotted Graham's Range Rover. He was back. Energy zipped through me, and the man wasn't even in sight.
"I counted the personal flowers twice," Gigi said.
"Don't worry; I counted them once too. All there." It was my responsibility to distribute the personal flowers before the ceremony. "Thanks, Gigi. Your arrangements are lovely, as usual."
The chairs arrived as Gigi left. They were simple white chairs, a sturdy but festive-looking plastic. I planned to purchase similar ones soon. Wedding planning was a profitable business. I wouldn't have gone into it otherwise, no matter how much it spoke to my romantic soul. But owning decorative sets was the way to make the big bucks in this business: linens, tablecloths, decorations of all kinds. Maintaining an inventory was tricky. One had to always be on top of the trends, and sell existing stock before it went out of style. Typically, the items that were hottest this wedding season were already out of style the next one.
I currently owned a large assortment of decorations and tablecloths, but I was always looking to expand, and I'd had quite a few couples who'd wanted the ceremony in locations where one had to bring everything from seats to officiating table.
The driver and I arranged the chairs in straight rows on both sides of the aisle on the deck. While I maneuvered the seats, my body hummed in a way it hadn't before. Was Graham inside the house on the upper floors? Was he watching?
There was a smaller deck directly above this one, but I suspected one could see the outer edges of the lower deck from that window. I risked a glance over my shoulder once. The sun reflected against the glass front on the upper floor, but I thought I could make out Graham's shape anyway. The humming in my body intensified. My pulse was erratic. I felt it in my throat, my chest. Between my thighs.
After the driver left, I had a window of about thirty minutes until the next vendor was slated to arrive with the special brand of champagne that Matt ordered. I resolved to head to my room and freshen up a bit in the meantime. Perspiration had gathered under my armpits during all that chair maneuvering. I also wanted to use my curling iron on a few strands. I'd slept without taking down the ponytail, and carefully splaying the curls on my pillow, but they still needed retouching.
It was a beautiful day for a wedding. The sun was shining; the gentle breeze from the sea was refreshing. I headed straight upstairs without passing through the living room. When I stepped in my bedroom, I ran into an unpleasant surprise.
A beautiful dress was laid out on my bed. Turquoise silk with a white band around the middle. Had I brought my things to the wrong room? It looked like it, though the rightful occupant didn't seem to have left any other possessions around.
I was relieved that I wouldn't be spending the night alone with Graham, but I was also... jealous. Who was she? Couldn't be one of the bridesmaids because they were wearing lilac. It had to be someone who'd traveled from another city. Perhaps that's where Graham went this morning, to pick her up. They had to be close if he offered for her to spend the night here. In any case, the woman had excellent taste in clothing.
A knock at the door startled me. I whirled around to find Graham in the doorway.
"What do you think?" he asked at the same time I said, "Sorry, I mixed up rooms."
He frowned. "You didn't mix up rooms. This is where you're sleeping."
