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“No, I don’t have cold feet. Are you kidding me? Ariana is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t wait to marry her,” Ex said without hesitation.
“Then why are youreallybailing on this trip home?”
“I told you why. My publisher wants to extend the tour.” Ex sounded a little too defensive.
“And…”
They might’ve spent the past decade or so apart, but Tripp still knew his cousin well.
“All right, you’ve got me,” Xavier sighed. “Everything I said about the tour is true. But Ari has already made such ahugesacrifice in moving the wedding to Royal. I don’t want to screw this up. This wedding needs to be everything Ari has ever wanted and more.”
“Well, who would know what she wants better than you?”
“I know a lot about Ari,” Ex said. “But when it comes to this wedding stuff, I’m at a total loss. I cannot fuck this up. It’s too important to her.”
“Okay, so what’s the plan? You rescheduling again?”
“Ari doesn’t think we should. She wants to forge ahead and let Dionna handle the decision-making,” Ex said.
“I realize they’re close, but is Ariana really good with letting her bestie make decisions about her wedding?” Tripp asked.
He’d only met his cousin’s future bride via video calls. But he couldn’t imagine she’d want to be hands-off for something as important as her own wedding.
“Ari insists no one knows her better, and I’d have to agree.”
“What about whatyouwant?” Tripp asked. “I get that she’s already conceded on the location. But you’re telling me you don’t want to have any other input into the ceremony? I mean, assuming this is going to be your only wedding—”
“Ha ha ha,” Ex said drolly. “You’re so un-fucking-funny.”
“I’m just saying, if you’re only planning to do this once, I’d think you’d want your stamp on things in at least some way,” Tripp said.
“Glad you mentioned it. That’s where you come in.”
“Say what?” Tripp took his eyes off the road for a nanosecond and had to jam his foot on the brakes so he wouldn’t hit a squirrel that darted across the street.
“Dionna is filling in for Ari, and I’d like you to fill in for me. You know me, Tripp. You know what I’d like, what I’d just roll with if it makes Ari happy, and what I’d hate.”
“Dude. When it comes to the bachelor party, I got you. But what about me sayswedding planner?”
“We’ve already hired a wedding planner, Rylee Meadows. She’s flying into Royal this weekend.” He could hear the grin in Xavier’s voice. “All I’m asking is that you and Dionna work with her to ensure that this wedding has Ari’s and my stamp on it. You know I wouldn’t ask a favor this big if I didn’t really need you.”
Tripp sat in his truck, idling at a traffic light, and debated his cousin’s request.
Of course, he was going to help Ex. They were blood and as close as brothers. So he’d do just about anything to help his cousin. Apparently even becoming a junior wedding planner.
Besides, hadn’t he already been doing that the past couple of months by tossing around ideas about when and where the couple would get married?
Ariana recognized how important family was to Ex. So she’d roped Tripp into the phone chats about their wedding, and it had been his teasing-not-teasing comment about his aunt and uncle, Xavier’s parents, being none too happy about the wedding being in LA that had prompted Ari to move the wedding to Royal.
He honestly hadn’t expected her to give up her dream wedding location in LA. But it was evident that she loved his cousin, and he respected that. So he wanted this wedding to be amazing for Ari and Ex because they both deserved it.
If Ari could make such a huge sacrifice for Xavier, it wouldn’t kill him to dedicate a few days to the cause.
“Okay, I’m in. Just tell me what you need,” Tripp conceded.
“We were supposed to take the girls to dinner tonight. Show them why Royal is such a great place. Dionna is already in town, and to be honest, she isn’t on board with having the wedding in Royal. I’d appreciate anything you could do to change her mind.”
In their video chats, Ari’s best friend was pretty, quiet and very by the book. With her tortoiseshell eyeglasses and her hair always pulled up, she’d given him hot librarian vibes. By the third call, she’d gotten a little more comfortable with him and loosened up a little. The two of them couldn’t be more different, but there was something about Dee that Tripp liked.
