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Although it’s nothing more than sarcasm, her response makes me laugh. Repositioning herself, she sits on the side of the bed gesturing for me to help her to her feet. I think her struggles are cute, but Em sees them as nothing more than an inconvenience.
“How did your call with Antony go?” I hear her ask as she turns to leave the room.
“Unpleasant but productive,” I offer in return.
As she stops and looks at me, I can see the confusion on her face. Urging her to take a seat at the dining table, I relay my conversation with Ant about the current danger Sean and his family are in. I tell her I have a plan, but I need to speak with Mark and Jackson before discussing it further. I want to be honest and tell Emily it relies heavily on her input, but I decide it’s better to wait. Any involvement from Em will prove dangerous, so I need to ensure her and our unborn child’s safety before considering anything further. I don’t know if it’s because she is pregnant and tired, but instead of pushing me for more intel, Em nods her head and changes the topic of conversation.
“I hope you haven’t forgotten our dinner arrangements?” Em suddenly announces, rising from her chair.
I want to say I haven’t, but this nightmare surrounding Sean and Hadley has distracted me. The look on my face must give me away as Em softly laughs, reminding me that tonight is the night Sumner and Tatum meet with Mark to confirm their vows for their upcoming nuptials. To say I’d forgotten is an understatement and explains my confusion when Mark told me he would be seeing me later during our call.
“Okay, I’m going.” I half-heartedly groan with a smile as she shoos me away.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
Emily
I know Hawke is up to something; he has a tell-tale sign. I also know pushing him to talk is not good because whatever he plans will sometimes trouble him. When that man is hiding something, he rubs his finger at the corner of his eye. He does it subconsciously, which I learned about him during our initial counseling sessions. When he is ready to talk, he will, and for now, even though it’s completely out of character for me, I’m happy to wait.
The last thing I want on our drive to the restaurant is silence because whenmi osogoes silent, it means his mind is focused on a mission. I doubt Hawke has any idea what I’m up to with my constant chatter about Sumner and Tatum’s upcoming wedding. I know I’m just being selfish, yet tonight I want his sole attention to be on the girl he has adopted into his life as his daughter and her little family.
As we approach the entrance to the small restaurant Tatum chose, we hear Mark Dixon’s bellowing laughter, and I feel Hawke’s body relax next to mine. Whatever has been eating at him suddenly appears to have become a second thought, and when he looks my way, the smile beaming down at me brightens his face completely. Gripping my hand tightly, he leads me to where we find not only Tatum, Sumner, and their baby girl Abi, but also Mark, Charlie, and Tatum’s parents.
“About time you showed up,” Mark teases as we take our seats.
Standing, Tatum asks everyone to quiet as he and Sumner have something they want to share. Before anyone can say a word, he asks that we give them a chance to explain why they have asked us all to be here tonight. Using the silence as her opportunity to rise, a nervous yet beaming Sumner stands beside Tatum and begins by telling us that there have been a few changes to their wedding.
Allowing them to continue, we silently sit as Tatum explains that the first change they have decided upon is the venue. Directly looking our way, Tatum quickly says that he and Sumner love The Liberty Warehouse, but they’ve come to realize it’s too big and grand for them. Taking over, Sumner further explains it would be like a fairy tale to be married in something that beautiful, but in reality, all they need is something a little simpler.
Surprisingly, Hawke quietly sat back and just listened. Not what I believed he would do, but I do know that in his heart, he wants Sumner to be happy.
“We know you have already paid for the venue in full, dad,” Sumner extends to Hawke. “But we have secured the whole fee back.”
“How did you manage that?” Charlie asks.
“Pure luck,” Tatum chimes in. “Apparently, the manager who booked our date never checked their calendar, so our canceling fixed the problem, and they will refund Hawke in full.”
“And have you picked another venue?” I inquire.
The smile that lights up Sumner’s face is infectious.
“Yes,” she cries in excitement.
Rambling, she tells her audience that she and Tatum have chosen to hold their wedding at the Brooklyn Winery in Williamsburg. Before I can ask anything else, she describes it as a smaller location with a warmer feel. Considering they currently only have around thirty guests on their list, it seemed a little overkill to book a venue capable of holding up to four hundred people. Tatum took a liking to the room they’ll be using, which has a glass roof, and the venue has its own design team taking care of the decorations.
“And the cost?” Tatum’s father requests.
“We are unsure of the exact price because we haven’t confirmed anything,” Tatum replies. “But it ranges between seventy-five dollars to three hundred dollars per head.”
Wanting to know more, Tatum’s father asks his son what options are available to them. Speaking on his behalf, Sumner interrupts, announcing that they will be sitting down with someone this coming week to confirm. Once they table the options, Sumner and Tatum will discuss them with each father before deciding.
Taking their seats once more, Sumner moves on to the next of their changes. Originally both had planned for a date toward the end of winter, but because they have limited dates to choose from with the new venue, they have decided to bring the wedding forward.
Looking around me, I see the concern on Hawke’s face and Mark's and Charlie’s. What troubles them is the current situation Sean finds himself in and whether Hawke, Antony, and Jackson Cole’s team can resolve it in time.
“What date have you chosen?” I hear Hawke ask, composing himself.
“July 31,” Sumner happily informs us. “Three months from now.”
