Page 57 of Why Not Both?

“Will you be here all night?”

“Yes. Tonight and tomorrow. It’s my job to make sure everything runs smooth.”

“So we’re like co-workers then?” she asks, fluttering her eyelashes at me.

I admit, it’s not the first time I’ve heard that line from a maid of honour.

“I guess so.”

“Well, Spence, if you need me for anything,” she says, stepping closer. “Anything at all. Just let me know. I’ll be happy to assist.”

I grit my teeth at the use of my shortened name. I hate it when people call me Spence, especially when it’s used to create a familiarity that doesn’t exist. I give Annie a polite nod, because she doesn’t know and she’s a guest.

“I prefer Spencer,” I say. “And I think we have everything under control. But thank you. If you’ll excuse me.”

I turn before she has a chance to respond, escaping downstairs, hoping the retreat lets her know I’m not interested.

It doesn’t.

Two hours later, the rehearsal is wrapping up and the guests are starting toward the hall for dinner. I’ve staved off Annie’s advances as best I can without being outright rude. If we’d met at a bar, I would simply tell her I’m not interested. But I can’t be rude to a guest. Especially when the guest is part of the bridal party. At least she hasn’t called me Spence again.

When I’ve had enough, I tell Nessa and Carter that I’m going to check on the dinner even though I’m certain Lis doesn’t need my help.

I’m right. She doesn’t. She’s plating the first of the dishes when I enter the kitchen, standing near enough that I can talk to her but out of the way so I don’t mess up her rhythm.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, barely looking up from her work. She’s plating all twenty, moving around a large table with Tina as they get everything ready to leave the kitchen at once. Wait staff stand by to take the plates on four trolleys as soon as they’re done.

“Hiding,” I tell her.

“From your job?”

“From the maid of honour. She keeps hitting on me.”

She gives me a startled look and I think I see a flash of jealousy cross her features before she concentrates on her task again.

“Poor baby. Some chick wants to bone. Whatever are you going to do?”

“I keep trying to let her down easy. She’s not getting the message.”

“Tell her you have a girlfriend.”

“I have. She doesn’t seem to care.” I’d mentioned it when she tried to grab my ass. I don’t tell Lis that I’d been thinking of her when I told the lie.

She sets down the tray she’d been carrying to put the roast beef on each plate and then pats my shoulder before picking up a pot of red sauce to drizzle over the meat. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Your vote of confidence is overwhelming,” I say, deadpan.

She pauses in her plating and fixes me with a look, one eyebrow raised. “You must be having a bad night if you think a Princess Bride quote is going to stump me. Even a more obscure one. There is no line from that movie you can recite that I won’t guess.”

I manage a smile. “Inconceivable.”

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I huff a laugh and straighten. The plates that Lis has put sauce on are now being loaded onto the trolleys. She only has a few left. “I guess I better get back to it. Wish me luck.”

“Have fun storming the castle,” she says without looking up.

As I climb the stairs with the wait staff that won’t fit on the elevator, I wonder if it’s weird I’d rather trade quips with Lis than be hit on by an admittedly beautiful woman.

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