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Heck, she didn’t believe she was getting married until a few seconds ago. She hadn’t expected the question, but then again, it did need answering. “I might be cliché in saying this, but I always wanted the big beachy wedding surrounded by family and friends, palm trees and sunshine. And white lilies.”
He chuckled. “Any clue as to where, though?”
“My cousin has a hidden beach resort in California. Small, quaint. It's for High rollers and he’s always booked, but I’m sure I can get him to clear out a few days for us.”
“Excellent choice. That’s one way to cull my mother’s invitation list and lessen your workload.”
Juniper’s eyes widened.
“That’s terrible.” She swatted at his chest and scooted from his lap.
Planner in hand, she jotted down a few notes. “I’ll get a call out to Jon and set something up. Do you want to see the place before I book it?”
“I trust your judgment. Besides, I saw the place being built. It’ll be perfect. And all your family can attend since it’s in your neck of the woods.”
She cleared her throat. “Yeah, I guess I have a few calls of my own to make.”
“This won’t cause any problem, will it? Keeping the truth from them must be hard, but Juniper, you have to even with Callie.” He wrapped her hand in his. “If the board gets wind of what we’re doing and then the lawyer, we’re toast.”
“I’m sure it will cause a little unease in my father from his point of view. But he never really stood in my way if I wanted to do something. Plus, I like to think it’s for a noble cause. He’ll understand eventually.”
“Thank you, for everything, Juniper.”
She stopped writing notes for a moment and raised her eyes to his. “You’re welcome, Marshall Blackwood. Now that I have a solid plan and I think I can wait to drop the bomb on my family for when I’m face-to-face with them the day after tomorrow, what can I help you with?” She gestured to the stack of papers.
He groaned. “Know anything about corporate law?”
“Actually, yes.”
He canted his head to the side, shock widening his eyes. “You know what. I should have known.”
“I was a year shy of graduating from California State University when an early life crisis hit me and I changed courses, much to my father’s dismay. I was to major in corporate law, like him. The only other lawyer in the family. I guess if I’d had to close my doors to my business, I would have gone back to school and worked at my father’s law firm.”
She scrunched her nose. “Not as luxurious as it sounds. All that constant negativity and problems. Give me a bridezilla any day, and I mean that.”
“Okay, then.” He passed her a stack of papers that she could barely fit her grip around.
“Okay, then what?”
“I’m not above begging for help. I need to give these contracts a final read-through. With my executive assistant on summer vacation, I need to do that and get ‘em organized and mailed out to the board members pronto. They’re expecting it on a deal I’m closing. The Masterson deal.” He sat back in his chair and scrubbed a hand over his face. “It will take us from number two to the number one oil company in all of the western hemisphere when we absorb their assets, Juniper. It has cost me a lot to get this on the table and the old man is ready to sign.”
“Your father would be proud.”
Marshall smiled at her and suddenly she wished he’d truly meant the proposal and she lamented the day she would have to walk out of his life and the day another woman walked down the aisle to this man.
“Point me to a table where I can work and let’s get this done.”
