Page 35 of Why Not Both?

“Sure you can.” He’s already unzipping the backpack and pulling out the now familiar sweater.

I may or may not have slept in it both Wednesday and Thursday nights.

He shakes it out and pulls it over my head, gently taking my hair out of the back. He’s watching what he’s doing, careful not to pull my hair, but I’m watching him, my heart expanding in my chest like it’s about to burst with all the emotions I’m feeling.

“There. All cozy. Ready?”

I nod, dressed again in his clothes, and I wonder if he even really wants it back.

Chapter 14

Spencer

After the fiasco the previous night, everyone arrives early the next day. Vic calls us into an impromptu meeting first thing.

“Some weddings are like this,” she begins. Then she turns to Lis. “I’m sorry this is your first. I promise they’re not all shit shows.”

The bride emailed her after the rehearsal to request a few extra things including vegetarian options for the wedding buffet, and plate service for the head table. Lis takes these in with a nod, scribbling some notes down on a pad of paper. As Vic continues, asking me to add another row of chairs to the seating area for the ceremony and if I have the tents ready in case it rains, Lis continues scribbling on her notepad. Eventually, she rips the sheet off and hands it to Derek without looking, continuing to write.

Vic asks Adalie to call in two more people, if she can find them, and asks Derek to bring in another case of rum. Then we’re dismissed and get to work. Lis pulls Adalie aside to discuss something about the staff while I go to meet the groom and get him situated in a room where he can sit and relax. The guests begin to arrive and find seats. And then the rain starts.

I’d already started getting the tents set up, having seen the clouds this morning. I had people stringing lights and adjusting seats to ensure everyone would be covered when the first drops landed on my face.

I make everyone hurry and then go to check on the rest.

The bride arrives and immediately says the flowers in the lobby are the wrong colour. Flowers she picked out, of course. Flowers she saw last night and had no problem with.

“Would you like me to remove them?” I ask. “Because we don’t have any more.”

“I want them to be the right colour.” Then she huffs, rolls her eyes, and says, “Ugh. It’s too late now. They’ll just have to stay.”

She hurries to the room we keep aside for the bride to get ready for the ceremony. It’s not long before I’m called back to the room because the champagne is wrong. I find Derek and ask if there was a mix-up with the champagne and he assures me there was not but that he grabbed a few extra bottles while he was out getting things for Lis.

I bring the kind the bridezilla insisted she had requested and find her complaining that her bridesmaids’ dresses are too short. Thankfully that has nothing to do with me. I wait until I’m back in the hall before I roll my eyes.

When I check on the groom, I have to cut him off or else no one will be getting married today. And maybe that would be for the best. I see couples sometimes and wonder what they’re doing getting married. This couple makes me question if their marriage will last beyond a few months. In the time they’d been here, including the rehearsal the night before, I’d seen them competing with each other, arguing, and then of course the groom getting shit-faced before he says his vows.

I find my way into the kitchen where Lis is working on the appetizers that will be served after the ceremony.

“Got any coffee?” I ask.

She pauses, looking up from her chopping. “Coffee? Of course I do.”

She jerks her head to one side, and I follow the motion to where a pot is waiting.

“What do you need it for?” she asks as I go to pour a cup. “Taking a break?”

“Not likely for this wedding. The groom is drunk.”

She stops again. “Seriously? How do you get drunk right before your wedding?”

I shrug. “Some people get nervous.” I set the cup on a tray with a small amount of cream and sugar.

“But if you’re so nervous that you have to get drunk beforehand, should you really be getting married?” she asks. “I thought it was supposed to be the happiest day of your life.”

I pick up the tray and turn to her. “It’s supposed to be. And I’ve seen plenty of weddings where it is. When I see couples like this one, it just makes me more certain, when it happens for me, I’ll be completely sure it’s the right thing. I’ll be nothing but excited. Otherwise, what the fuck am I doing?”

“You don’t think you’d be nervous at all when you get married?”

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