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“It’s brilliant. You can schedule what you want. We had an app built for it. The link is on our wedding website.” Brock ticked off the events with his fingers. “It has tee times, yoga, massages, meditation classes. All kinds of restful things for us before the rehearsal dinner tomorrow evening. I want our guests to remember this wedding and to say it was the best one they’ve ever attended.”
“Excuse me, sir. The wedding planner is outside and wants to verify the tent setups.”
“Right on time.” Brock looked up from his watch. “Jorge, this is Ava Baxter, who will also be staying in the house for the weekend. Make sure you take good care of her. She’s Todd’s friend and my angel.”
“Of course, sir. Welcome to Bluff House, Ava. I’m Jorge, the house manager. Please let me know if you have any special requests.”
“There are no impossible requests, my angel.” Brock breezed by her, toward the exit. “I’ll see you all at the welcome gala tonight.”
“Jorge.” Wesley tapped his lip. “I have a few dietary items I’d like to talk to you about.”
As Jorge and Wesley huddled in conversation, Todd drew Ava across the expansive room, getting her out of earshot.
“Jorge is incredible, the best house manager around. He’s got a guy for everything. Brock only wishes we could pry him away from Oldport to run his Malibu house.”
“I’m sure you can persuade him with something he wants.”
“Nope. We’ve tried. His whole family is here, so he won’t go.”
“Must be nice to have someone so reliable to have around.”
Todd’s gaze followed hers. “Do you mean having a house manager, or are you talking more about finding a man to settle down with? You know, you have to let your guard down at some point.”
“I most certainly do not have to let my guard down and find a man, because I don’t need anyone to make choices for me,” Ava whispered harshly. “I just meant, you know, like have a personal assistant or something.”
Todd had been privy to those two glaring examples of other guys making choices for Ava. First, the high school boyfriend abandoning her at an abortion clinic. And then, Dad enlisting her into the military. In years past, when guys in bars ordered a drink for her, it still counted as someone trying to control her. She would never stand for it again.
“When you find the right person, he will respect you and cherish you for who you are.” Todd grinned. “Look at Brock and me. We are so different, yet we have that special spark.”
“I’m happy for you. But I still need you to be an attentive friend. Don’t go forgetting about me because you have all this fancy shit.” Rolling her eyes around the room, her gaze landed on an ornate bowl filled with fruit and flowers.
While Todd chuckled, she couldn’t help glancing Wesley’s way. “So, what’s his story? He and Brock also make an odd match.”
“Apparently he’s some celebrity. Invented some big-time video game.”
“Dragon Rock?” She had played with Jack a few times.
He shrugged. “Yeah, I think that’s the name of it. Dragon something. How’d you know?”
“His T-shirt has the logo.”
“Oh.” Todd flicked his gaze over and back. “I heard he’s grown it into a huge franchise. He’s loaded.”
She eyed the snuggly fitted T-shirt he wore, paired with his other logo threads, giving him that gamer vibe.
“And he’s cute,” Todd said, close to her ear.
He earned a rap in the ribs for the comment.
Jorge stepped away from Wesley and called to Ava. “I can show you to your room. You’ll have time to rest before dinner.”
“Is she in the Dolphin wing?” Wesley asked.
“Yes. Her room is across from the one you usually stay in.”
“Well then, I can show her.”
Todd placed a hand on the small of her back, propelling her toward Wesley. “I better get outside and make sure everything is going as Brock wants it to. I’ll see you both later.”
