Lori

On most days, I loved my job. Today, I had a case of triple zillas on my hands: the bridezilla, her mother, and mother-in-law. The three women had been in my office for more than an hour, shouting, crying, and shouting some more. 

"Ladies, why don't we take a small break? I can make us some coffee, and I have an excellent cheesecake in the fridge."

"I'd love some coffee and cake," the bride said. I dashed out of the meeting room as soon as the other women nodded in agreement. I hoped the sweet treat would soften my zillas, or this wedding would end up with three color schemes. By the time I returned with the coffees and the cake, they’d calmed down somewhat.

There was still tension in the air, and the break went by in a loaded silence, but after the plates and cups were emptied, the conversation was more civil. I was pretty sure cheesecake could bring about world peace. Still, half an hour later, it became clear we wouldn't decide on the color scheme today.

"I made notes of all the wishes expressed today. I will e-mail the three of you a list of suggestions taking everything into account, and we can go from there."

In my experience, seeing their options laid out for them helped people decide quicker. Plus, if the three zillas didn't leave soon, I'd be late for my next appointment. My brother Jace had asked me to squeeze in a meeting with his boss and two friends of his who were about to get married, and I didn't want to make Jace look bad by showing up late.

"That sounds like a plan," the bride said. The two other women rose from their seats first, thanking me for the cake and coffee, then making a beeline for the door.

"Thank you for being on my side," she said once we were alone. "I know they want the best for me, but they're driving me nuts."

"It will all work out," I promised.

After they left, I drafted the e-mail, summarizing our discussion and making suggestions. Even though I was cutting it close for the next meeting, I wanted to write this while everything was still fresh in my mind.

Before leaving, I checked my appearance. My shoulder-length blonde hair was as unruly as ever, despite the product I'd smeared in it this morning. I tried to tame it some more, but neither my fingers nor the comb did much. With a sigh, I quickly maneuvered it into a thick braid. It was the only style that kept it under control. My outfit was as professional as could be: knee-length dark blue dress with a conservative, round neckline. I'd paired it with nude pumps.

Our meeting point was a coffee shop near Griffith Park. Despite having an office, most clients preferred to meet on location or in coffee shops close to their workplace. My office served more as storage for the wedding and party supplies. Even I got together with my three assistants mostly somewhere in the city.

Luckily, traffic was on my side, so I had time to stop by one of my favorite food trucks, which was three blocks away from the park. Despite the cheesecake, I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything else today, and I wanted some sustenance before the meeting. As a rule, I never ate when I met with clients, even if they did. Since it was early afternoon, there was no line.

"Hi! I'll have a hummus sandwich with falafel, please."

The vendor, Declan had only started working here last week, as a stand-in for the owner, who was on vacation.

"Hey, I remember you. You were here last week too."

"It's one of my favorite food trucks. I stop by any time I'm in the neighborhood."

He prepared my order in no time, and when he handed it to me, he said, "I hope this isn't too forward, but I'd love to take you out." 

Okay. I hadn't been expecting that.

"Wow, Declan. I'm flattered... but I can’t."

He nodded curtly. "Right, of course. Had to try though. Hope it won't stop you from returning."

"Are you kidding? These sandwiches are to die for."

I was so hungry I finished my sandwich within minutes. Declan had seemed like a nice guy, and he was attractive enough, but I already had someone I liked to call the most important man in my life: my seven-year-old boy.  

I looked Matt and Amber up on Facebook on my way to the coffee shop, so I could put faces to the names. Then I ignored some friend requests from random men. I had no idea if it was a single woman issue, or a single mom issue, but they were getting out of control. I hadn’t even posted my relationship status.

When I stepped inside the coffee shop, I swept my gaze across the room. It was full of customers, some with laptops propped open on the table, typing away, some just chatting over a drink. My party hadn't arrived yet. I located a single empty table in a corner. The guy who'd entered after me was also eying it. Forget it, buddy. That table is mine. 

I dashed through the room, muttering excuses when I bumped a few chairs, until I reached the table. I set my tote on it and sat down, mentally reviewing the topics that usually came up during the first meeting.

I kept my attention trained on the door, and when my couple came in, I waved at them. Amber waved right back. Her fiery red bob bounced with every step. As she and her fiancé made their way toward me, I took in the third person. He looked vaguely familiar. It took a few seconds for the connections to click in my brain. With a jolt, I realized he was the owner of Jace's team, the LA Lords. I tried to remember if Jace told me anything about Graham Frazier, but other that he was thirty-two and a great leader, nothing came to mind.

I was certain I'd seen him in photos with the team before, but either all pictures had been black-and-white or I'd mentally blocked how striking his blue eyes were. In fact, he was a striking man all around. On a scale of one to ten, that face earned a twenty.

"Hi! I'm Lori Connor."

"Hi, Lori. I'm Amber. This is my fiancé, Matt, and this is Graham, our best man."

I shook hands with all three, and once we all sat down, I straightened my shoulders, lifting the corners of my lips in my go-getter smile.

"So, what can I do for you? I'm afraid my brother didn't know many details. The most important things to know are the date and the approximate number of guests. Let's start with the date."

"As soon as possible. I'm pregnant, and I'd like to wear my white gown before the bump shows. We thought a Valentine's Day wedding. Is that even possible?"

"Everything is possible. I can work with that; don't you worry. And congratulations."

Valentine's Day was in four weeks. It required even more hassle than usual, and some suppliers overcharged for speedy services. It wasn't much time, but I'd pulled it off before.

"Thank you. We're thinking about eighty guests."

I nodded. "I have a list of locations that can fit that number."

Amber turned to Graham. "Graham has agreed to host the wedding. He has a beautiful house outside Santa Monica, and the outdoor space is gorgeous. We could install a tent there."

"Perfect. If we've got the location, half the wedding is practically in the bag." I turned to Graham. "But I do have to warn you that hosting a wedding involves a lot of hassle. We'll have a crew milling around your property."

"I can handle it."

I bet he could. He seemed the kind of man who could handle anything. He smiled, and I returned it but then averted my gaze. I was trying really hard not to find him attractive, and I was failing. His face looked sculpted, and I briefly wondered if the rest of him did too. I couldn't tell because his blue shirt was tailored but not stretched. Still, I thought it hinted at steely, defined muscles. Or maybe that was just my overactive imagination.

"Since we're on a tight schedule, you might want to send a save-the-date e-mail to your guests. I have some beautifully formatted wedding templates to show you."

"But we'd be sending regular invitations too?" Amber asked.

"Some of our guests are more traditional," Matt added. 

"Of course. But choosing invitations and having them printed and mailed can take up to a week, even if we hurry. The save-the-date e-mail is so people already know to keep that day free, make traveling plans if necessary."

"Great thinking. I like you, Lori," Amber said. "So what are the next steps?"

"Do you have any preferences regarding color scheme, or even a theme?"

"Not really," Amber said. Matt looked mildly panicked. Graham merely leaned back in his chair. This was business as usual. The bride getting all excited, the man—or in this case, men—checking out at the mention of color schemes.

"I have my laptop with me, and I'll be showing you a few things, so you can have an idea of what's possible."

I extricated my laptop from my tote and positioned it on the table so the four of us could see the screen. Most of the time, the first meeting was about getting to know each other, seeing if we clicked, but Amber and Matt were on a tight deadline. I clicked open the folder titled Themes, and started the slideshow. I had a mix of everything, from classic elegance to shabby chic to more extravagant options.

"Tell me if you like anything. And if you don't, that's okay too. I promise we'll find exactly what you need for your special day."

I trained my gaze on the bride and groom, trying to read their expressions, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught Graham smirking when I said “special day.” Was he a marriage skeptic? I hoped not, because they ruined the buzz. I encountered one in the close circle of the couple every now and then. When said person happened to be the best man, it could become very unpleasant. I'd witnessed one too many awkward speeches.

Maybe Graham's smirk was simply a knee-jerk reaction to the overload of glitter on my screen. Over-the-top wedding arrangements brought out the cynic in everyone, occasionally even in brides. But I wanted to show them the possibilities.

I flipped the image on the screen to a wedding with a vintage theme, then to one with no theme at all, just classic, timeless elegance. I had a hunch Amber would go for that one. When she pointed at the screen, and exclaimed, "This. I want something like this!" I couldn't help the pride surging inside me. "What do you think?" she asked her fiancé.

"This looks about right."

"I thought you might go for classic elegance! Now, for catering, photographers, florists, and everything in between, I work with a network of professionals. It'll be fastest if you trust me to pick the right team to work for your wedding."

"It means less hassle for us, so I say go for it," Matt said. "We should also talk about your fee."

I'd hoped the question would come later, but I couldn't skirt around it. When I uttered my fee, Amber nodded.

“How much do you think the menus would be?” she asked.

Graham talked before I could answer. "Amber, leave that to me. I told you it’s my wedding gift to you."

I was surprised at that. So not only was he putting his property at their service, he was also paying for the wedding menus? That went above and beyond best man duty. He slid a business card over the table, and said, "Ms. Connor, send all invoices regarding the menus to me."

"I will. Call me Lori, please."

"Cost is not an issue, Lori." 

Amber nudged him with her elbow. "Hey! Just because you're paying doesn't mean I can't watch the menu costs."

"That's exactly what it means," Graham said.

"Amber, I promise I'll get you the best deals. Your wedding will be perfect. You'll cherish those memories for the rest of your life." 

A hint of a sarcastic smile played on Graham's lips. I caught his eye and cocked a brow. He kept my gaze until I looked away squirming. So my instincts had been right. He wasn’t big on marriage... yet he was footing the bill for the wedding menus. Intriguing combination.

"I have some layouts for the save-the-date e-mail that I think you'll like. I have to see the location as soon as possible so I know what type of tent will fit best, where to locate it, things like that. Next, we'll be talking about the menu. Once you choose a few options, I'll arrange for a tasting. At the tasting, I'll also have my florist make a few arrangements you can choose from."

"Wow!" Amber blinked. "I feel like half the wedding is in the bag. I'm starting to feel like I'm de-stressing."

"Leave the stress to me, Amber. That's what I'm here for. I’ll show you save-the-date templates right now. I also have pictures of invitations."

"Sounds great. But can we get some drinks first?" Amber suggested.

Graham rose to his feet. "I'll go buy some. What do you want?"

Everyone agreed on coffee, and I ended up walking to the counter with Graham. He couldn't carry four cups by himself.

"Thanks for taking on the wedding on such short notice," he said as we waited for the barista to prepare the drinks. 

"My pleasure. I'll be sending you the menu budget as soon as I put it together. Do you need a list of best man duties?"

"Amber already took care of that."

"All set to be best man, then?"

"I'd say I am." His tone was challenging, as if he was daring me to disagree. He smiled, and the left corner of his lips caught my attention. Was that a... a dimple? Moving on. I debated bringing up the best man speech, but I wanted to have a plan first, what with him being Jace's boss and all. He fixed those baby blue eyes on me. They looked hypnotic. His light brown hair was messy in a sexy way. I wondered if that was how he looked when he woke up in the morning. I wasn't just squirming now; I felt my body temperature go up.

We spent the next two hours combing through the materials on my laptop, deciding on the save-the-date text, the type of printed invitations, as well as crosschecking our calendars for the next appointments.

"Want to have dinner with us?" Amber asked after I closed my laptop.

"Thank you, but I already have plans. I'll keep in touch."

We chitchatted for a while longer, but then I had to excuse myself. I didn't want to be late to pick up Milo from school.

As soon as I was alone with Amber, I was going to pepper her with questions. I liked to get the scoop: When did he propose? How had he proposed? Had he dropped on one knee? Did they have an audience? I'd barely refrained from asking all those things today. I lived vicariously through my brides. I'd been twenty-three when I discovered I was unexpectedly pregnant. My announcement was certainly not met with a marriage proposal, or hell, even a hug.

I arrived at Milo’s school in time for pick-up, and once we were both inside the car, I asked “How was your day, baby boy?”

"Mom! I told you, I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a grown-up boy."

"Okay, okay. How was your day, grown-up boy?"

"We have a new soccer coach. He's cool. I'm starving."

"We'll be at Aunt Val's house in no time."

My siblings and I got together every Friday to have dinner at my sister Valentina's house. It was hands down the best way to kick off the weekend and catch up. There were six of us, so there was never a shortage of news. Everyone was already there and gathered around the table when Milo and I arrived.

My oldest brother, Landon, was fussing over Maddie—his pregnant wife. Next to him, Jace was trying to convince our brother Will to be his wingman when they went out later tonight.

"Afraid you can't get a date without my help?" Will was sporting a shit-eating grin.

"I'm wounded!" Jace exclaimed.

"Detective William Connor. My, oh my. Being a wingman is a bit like cheating on a test. Isn't coloring outside the lines a little beneath you?" Val teased.

"Hey, once the badge comes off, I'm officially not on duty. I break the rules in my free time, for a change of pace."

My other sister, Hailey, pulled Milo into a hug then kissed my cheek.

"Do you think we should remind Will that Jace is a sports celebrity? If anything, Jace is probably getting him dates. I mean, Will knows how to work the hot cop angle, but hanging out with a professional athlete sure doesn't hurt the prospects," Hailey fake-whispered, chuckling. Will gave us the evil eye.

"Nah, let's wait until after he eats to be mean to him," I said.

My mouth watered as I took in the goodies: sweet potatoes with chili sauce and a mix of garbanzo beans, diced avocado, and chicken. Next to it was a small bowl with lime and coriander dressing. Val was the best cook I knew.

Our parents passed away in an accident when Jace, Hailey, Will, and I were still kids. Valentina and Landon were the only legal adults, and they practically raised us. Mama's cooking had been delicious, but Val's was even better. 

As soon as I sat between my sisters, Hailey showed me pictures of a fiery red mane; she was considering changing her hair color. Hailey's hair was a beautiful hue of brown, a rich chocolate. I was the only blonde in the family. My siblings’ hair ranged from dark brown—Landon and Valentina—to light brown—Jace and Will. 

Milo wedged himself between Will and Jace. My boy worshipped my brothers. His dad took off before he was born, so my brothers were the closest things he'd ever had to father figures.

"Lori, how did it go with Amber?" Jace asked.

"It went well. The wedding is in four weeks, which will mean a lot of hassle, but Amber seems easy to work with."

My agency was fully booked for the next two months, so my assistants already had their hands full. I was going to work on this wedding solo.

"She is. Best head of marketing and PR we've had."

As I savored the sweet potatoes and bean mix, I questioned my brother about Amber. The more I knew, the easier it would be to work with her. Then I couldn't help myself, and also got the scoop on the best man.