AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She checked her texts, but didn’t see one from Ari or Ex. Odd. Then she noticed she had zero texts.Thenshe noticed the little airplane symbol in the corner of her screen. Her phone was on airplane mode? Panicked that she’d missed more messages than she cared to acknowledge, she turned off airplane mode and waited for the flood. Three texts came through, and her email showed ten unread messages. Not great, but not a disaster.
Ari’s text to Rylee read, “We are switching up the menu for tonight but Ex called Colin personally. See you at Sheen!”
Rylee’s heart was leaping out of her chest, unspent adrenaline zipping around her bloodstream. She pursed her lips and blew out a breath. While tonight was an upset she hadn’t seen coming, everything seemed to be under control. Shoulders back, she replied to Ari and scanned the other incoming messages to make sure there were no more emergencies to head off.
Over the next hour, guests poured into the private seating area in the rear of Sheen, more than the originally planned-upon bridal party, but still a reasonable number. Rylee greeted everyone with a smile, and a few friends with hugs, including Dionna who had come directly to her.
“You are exquisite.” Dee held Rylee’s hands out to her sides and admired her coral dress.
It was fitted, cocktail-length, and had a decorative bow on the shoulder that normally would have been a bit much for her. But it had seemed the right vibe for a rehearsal dinner...even one that had turned into an hors d’oeuvres and cocktail party.
Dee cocked her head. “What’s different?”
“Um. Nothing?”
“Your hair is down. Your dress is brightly colored.” Dee’s eyes popped wide. “You slept with that hunk of yummy wedding crasher, didn’t you?”
Rylee shushed Dee, but the other woman did not oblige.
“I knew it!” Dee hugged Rylee, saying into her ear, “Your secret is safe with me.”
Once that mini interrogation was done, Rylee found Corynna, who appeared half as harried as Colin. She relayed the message from the chef, and Corynna hustled outside to gather the edible flowers she’d brought over from her shop.
Rylee wasn’t quite in Relax Mode yet, though. As more guests arrived, she had to slip out of the private area to alert Sheen’s staff that they needed more chairs, and at least one more table. Both were delivered quietly and efficiently, and with as little disruption as possible.
The waitstaff, dressed in black, served wine and champagne as well as some sort of puff pastry that looked amazing. Her mouth watered at the thought of a nibble of one of Colin’s last-minute creations, but she didn’t want to take food from the guests. Best to wait and make sure everyone was fed first.
A warm hand slipped around her back and gently tugged her close. She knew it was Trick without turning. Not only because of the faint scent of his cologne, but also because she’d come to know his touch. Gentle but firm. In a few short days, he’d become so familiar to her.
She relaxed against him, realizing that she’d been holding tension in her shoulders for the last few hours.
“Welcome to the rehearsal cocktail party,” she said to Trick as she waved to Sasha, Ari’s sister, who was on the other side of the room.
“No dinner? I’m starving.” He held up his cellphone and angled the camera at them, never taking his hand off Rylee’s back. “Smile pretty, Peaches. We’re going live.”
Before she could protest, he hit the red button and gave the camera a wide grin. “Hey, Tricksters,” he greeted his fan club. “I’m here with the beautiful, beguiling Rylee Meadows, resident wedding planner and savior of celebrity nuptials. You asked for more, and here she is.” He faced her, his jovial smile going a long way to soothing her nerves. “You look stunning. Who are you wearing?”
She laughed at his shtick. The way his eyes twinkled when he looked her up and down hinted that he liked what he saw.
“This is one of Keely Tucker’s earlier designs. You might recognize it. Didn’t you leak some of her stuff to the public at one point?”
“And she’s feisty,” he said, never taking his eyes off hers. “I’m going to shake a few trees and find out what Ari and Ex’s guests think of Sheen and Colin Reynolds’s culinary creations.” He removed his hand and tilted his head. “I’ll find you later, Peaches.”
That rumbled promise left a trail of tingles down her arms. She watched as he made his way across the room, stopping to say hello to Dee and Tripp first.
With a spring in her step that wasn’t there before Patrick had come over to say hello, Rylee walked over to greet a pair of new arrivals.
Trick thanked Dee and Tripp for their time and shut off the camera. One of his series on his social media channel was a three-question interview with the guests. Typically he saved it for the reception, but as he wouldn’t be filming any of the wedding or reception, he’d been forced to be creative.
He cast a glance over at Rylee, who couldn’t look hotter unless she were holding the tray of flaming baked Alaska that was being whisked across the dining room of the restaurant. She was also calmer than usual. Oh, sure, she was hiding stress beneath a stunning smile, but he could tell she was no longer fretting over the party.
She lifted her foot and adjusted a strap on her gold high-heeled shoe, grimacing the entire time. He shook his head, and then had an idea...
His phone buzzed in his hand with an incoming text. Then another. Then one more. “What the...?”
Todd, via group text was the first.Yo, Trick! We’re in Royallllll.
Yee-haw!came Rusty’s reply to all.
