Chapter Eight
Sienna
My alarm went off at four that morning, and my eyes sprung open wide awake. I thought of the fun times I’d had with Parker the day before. Granted, the goal of the day was to get a dress, and we accomplished that, but being with him felt like it had before he got engaged to Rachel. He was more carefree and fun, like he used to be. I hoped I’d be able to show him how to have fun again so maybe he would start to see a difference in how his life was with and without Rachel.
And the dress we picked out was breathtaking. I loved how I looked in it, and I loved how much Parker liked it. I needed that boost in confidence from him. I trusted his opinion, and he was always honest with me. The silky fabric of the dress was incredible, and I’d be happy to spend the entire day of his wedding in it. I never felt more beautiful than I had in his eyes.
At the diner, I found Tony smoking again. Annoyance flourished inside of me as I got out of the car.
Tony had the sense to put out the cigarette before I got to him. I wondered how bad his life needed to get before he figured out that I was right.
“You’re going to die, you know,” I said moving past him to the door.
“Everyone dies, Sienna.”
“The whole black lungs and cancer can be avoided, you know.”
“How was dress shopping?” he asked.
“It was fine.”
“Did you find something?”
“Yes,” I said, opening the door and holding it for him.
“Is it pink?”
I coughed a laugh. “Do you know me at all?”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t sure if Rachel wanted to torture you.”
“Well, it's a good thing I’m not on her side of the party. Parker let me pick the color and style.”
“Let me guess: black and covers everything.”
“The first part is right. The back is covered with lace. And there's a little bit of cleavage.”
Tony’s mouth popped open. “Cleavage? You slut.”
I laughed. “It’s classy cleavage.”
“I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“Well, Parker liked it.”
“I’m sure he did.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, he has a super-hot best man. I’m sure he’d want to show you off.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. I had issues when guys called me hot. I knew I wasn’t ugly, but I didn’t think I was in the same category as Rachel. I almost didn’t want to be, either.
Tony and I went to work on prepping the opening of the diner. With my mind on autopilot, I thought again about my day with Parker. I hadn’t realized how much I missed him.
Our first customers of the day were the Lamontes. Tony seated them at their table and didn’t bother with the menus since they ordered their usual. I brought their food out and greeted them.
“We missed you yesterday,” Harriet said as I refilled her coffee.
“Oh, I had the day off. I’m sorry I missed you, too. I went shopping for a dress for my best friend’s wedding.”
Harriet’s face lit up. “Are you a bridesmaid? I bet you’ll make a lovely one.”
“Oh, no,” I said. “Actually I’m the best man.”
“Pardon?” Harriet said. “You mean the maid of honor?”
I smiled awkwardly. “No, actually my best friend is the groom, and I’m his best man.”
“How positively wonderful and very modern,” Harriet said. “Don’t you think so, Kenneth?”
He looked up from his plate. “What’s that now?”
Harriet waved him off and glanced up at me. “I’m happy for your best friend. I’m sure you’ll be the best best woman he’s ever had.”
I didn’t know about that. I still think he should have used a guy for the job, but I wouldn’t do anything to ruin this day for him. Even though I didn’t agree with any of it, to begin with.
I left the Lamontes to their meal, mostly to get a break from the questions about the wedding. I didn’t want to think about it anymore.
But life doesn’t usually work out that way. Just before I got to the kitchen, Parker walked in the front door.
“Sienna, dear,” Harriet called over.
I tore my gaze from Parker who was already crossing the room toward me. I hoped he didn’t have another errand to run for the wedding.
“If I could get another fork? I dropped mine on the ground.”
“Sure thing,” I said.
I turned, and Parker was right there. “One second.”
I got the extra fork from the serving station and came back to the table to see Harriet beaming at Parker.
I put the fork next to her plate, and she barely noticed.
“Sienna, you know this handsome man?” Harriet asked.
Parker reached out his hand. “I’m Sienna’s good friend.”
“The one getting married?” Harriet asked with one eyebrow raised.
“That’s the one,” I said, cutting in. “This is Parker. Parker, this is Harriet and Kenneth. Our best customers.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Parker said.
“You are very handsome,” Harriet said.
I looked at her, and she waggled her eyebrows at me. Kenneth only shrugged.
“That’s very kind of you,” Parker said. “But do you mind me stealing Sienna away from you?”
Harriet’s eyes widened, and she grinned madly. “Of course.” She was positively smitten! And unlike any other woman who showed their attraction for Parker, I didn’t mind Harriet at all.
“What’s going on?” I asked Parker on the way to the kitchen.
“Sienna, I need some help today.”
I turned to him. “Parker, I can’t leave right now.”
“I can wait.”
“You’re going to be waiting a while. I don’t think today will work.”
“Don’t worry about it; I have the entire day.”
“If you insist,” I said, fully expecting him to leave after he ate.
I almost envied him for not having to work as much as I did. But that wasn’t always the case. Being a tech mogul, his office was anywhere he wanted it to be.
Parker sat down at the corner booth and pulled out his phone. I went back into the kitchen and got to work.
Hours later, Parker still sat in his booth. He didn’t appear bored or even put out. I sort of felt bad; I was his best man after all.
I had been so busy I didn’t even ask him what he needed my help with.
“Parker,” I called from the kitchen.
He looked up.
I waved him over. “Can you help clean up? We’ll be able to leave quicker if I get an extra set of hands. It’s not like you’re doing much.”
“I could use a break from running a billion dollar empire,” he said with a wink.
All of the customers had cleared out for the day. On Friday nights, Tony cleaned the grease trap so I was on dining room duty with Parker.
Parker cleaned the tables while I swept the fallen food and dust under them.
“Have you heard from Rachel today?” I asked without looking up.
“Not yet.”
I scoffed.
“Is there something you want to say, Sienna?”
I stopped sweeping and leaned the broom against the table. “Actually, there is.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Parker, are you sure this is what you want?”
“Of course it is. Why would you ask that?”
“For one, she went on vacation during her wedding planning. Don’t you find that a little strange? I understand you’re paying for everything, but doesn’t she want to be involved in her own wedding day?”
“It’s not strange; she wanted to hang out with her friend. That’s not a crime.”
“It doesn’t seem like she cares about this wedding, or you, for that matter.”
“Sienna, if she didn’t care about me, why would she marry me?”
“Because she’s a—” I wanted to say gold-digger, but my mouth wouldn’t form the words.
Parker stood there, his eyes darkened and I knew I was going to cross a line if I told him how I really felt about Rachel.
I wasn’t going to be “that girl,” so I just shook my head and dropped it.
“What were you going to say?” he persisted.
“Nothing, forget it.”
“No, Sienna, talk to me. Do you know something?”
“I crossed a line. I’m sorry.”
He sighed. “I mean, sure, we haven’t had sex yet, but a lot of couples do that, right?”
Was he asking me if this was normal? I’d only heard of abstinence with religious couples, and from what I knew, neither Rachel nor Parker were.
“And sometimes she can be a bit prickly, but deep down, she’s really great.”
It was the first time I heard the uncertainty in his voice about his relationship with Rachel. Maybe the stress of the wedding and living with that girl for the rest of his life were giving him cold feet. There was nothing I wanted more than for them to stop dating, but Parker had trusted me to be the most important person in the wedding—other than the bride. I owed it to him to at least be supportive of his choice. I wasn’t going to be the person who made him regret anything.
“As long as you feel that way.”
His jaw worked for a few seconds before he spoke. “We’re going to go through with it. It’s the right thing to do.”
There were many things that would warrant a “right things to do” scenario. Marrying someone wasn’t, unless he’d knocked her up, and for me, even that was a stretch. But they’d also have to be having sex for that to happen.
His uncertainty was plain, and I wondered would he change his mind if I pushed him a little more….
For the moment, I decided to drop it. Maybe this conversation would make him rethink his decision. And I was once again straddling that line of going too far. I didn’t want him to resent me or think I didn’t support him in his choices. We’d done so much to keep our friendship intact over the years that an argument over this might be a tipping point in the wrong direction.
“What was it that you needed my help with?” I asked him.
He snapped out of his daze and did one more swipe of the table with his rag. “I double checked with the venue that we wanted for the wedding, but it’s booked solid for two years. So I wanted you to come with me to find another place.”
“Oh, okay,” I glanced at the clock. It was pretty late.
“It’s too late now, though,” Parker said.
“I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “It’s fine.”
I didn’t know why I felt so bad. Maybe because I was feeling guilty over how I felt about Rachel when he clearly wanted to go through with this. “I have tomorrow off. I can help you then.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” There was nothing I wanted more than spending an entire day with my best friend, especially after I’d offended him. I would try harder to be a good sport, but it would take everything I had to do so.