Page 23 of Love, Honor, and Ink

Colleen nodded; the anger in her eyes as fierce as any dragon’s. “What are we going to do?”

“First, I’m going to call Pierre and tell him that his name doesn’t mean much anymore and that whoever will listen will now know that,” she bit out. “Then, we need to find someone to help with the food. The B&G wanted small hors d'oeuvres, so it’s something that can be done within the next four hours before the reception, if we find someone with time right away. I think. Jesus.”

Harper ran his hand up her back and gripped her neck, squeezing lightly. The action forced her shoulders to relax, and she turned to him.

“I might have someone who can help, depending on what the B&G wanted.”

“Nothing too fancy because, despite the setting, they wanted food that everyone would like to munch on before dancing.” Relief and a little apprehension filled her at the look on his face. “Who do you have in mind?”

“Aubrey.”

Of course. Harper’s ex-girlfriend. In fact, the only serious girlfriend Harper ever had in Arianna’s memory.

If she hadn’t been thinking of a hundred things at once, she’d have thought of Aubrey herself. Of course, now this might be awkward since she had to call her current…boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend and beg for help.

Damn it. This was why she didn’t want a man right now. Well, not that she’d ever envisioned something quite like this, but the cloying feeling in her stomach was part of it. It had to be jealousy. Jealousy over a woman she hadn’t seen in at least four years, and who, apparently, had kept in contact enough with Harper that he thought the other woman could handle the wedding this afternoon.

None of that was important at the moment, though. Just for Them was the important thing. The B&G were what mattered. Not her potential feelings—okay, not so potential but full-blown at this point—toward the man who had been her best friend for so long that she knew his ex would work for this.

Damn it.

“She’d be able to help?” she asked, surprised her voice was so calm, so rational.

Harper met her gaze, worry heavy in it, but she didn’t say anything. It wouldn’t be appropriate. Plus, she hated to act the jealous woman. Harper and she hadn’t made any promises to each other, and Aubrey had been out of the picture for years.

Or so Arianna had thought.

“We need to ask, but you know she’s good at her job, and she doesn’t have an account this weekend.”

She didn’t let the fact that he kept in touch with his ex hurt her. In fact, she buried it deep because she didn’t like the woman she was becoming. She was more than this.

“Call her, then I will call her to discuss details if she says yes.” She went to her toes and kissed him softly on the mouth, ignoring the look on Colleen’s face. “Thank you, Harper.”

Harper cupped her face. “Aubrey helped Wes and Storm with a function. That’s the only reason I know. I told you I’d help you, Ari. Now, go call Pierre and give him hell.”

He kissed her again, then went off to the side to make his call.

“Arianna, are you sure—”

She held up her hand at Colleen’s words. “Don’t. Not now. I’m going to need to handle this with Harper.” She handed her friend her list. “Can you work on the next few items on the checklist? I don’t want the other things to go by the wayside because I’m dealing with this.”

And Harper’s ex.

Stop it.

Apparently, Aubrey wasn’t just an amazing chef, but one who knew how to fix the unfixable. The woman was a saint.

A pretty, articulate, and downright likable saint.

It had taken one phone call, and the woman had sprung into action, sending her minions out to the farmer’s market for food and supplies. Though the menu wouldn’t be quite the same since some of the ingredients wouldn’t be able to be acquired so last-minute, it was apparently perfect enough for the B&G and their guests. Arianna had explained to them both what had happened—minus the part her father and Justin had most likely played—and before they had time to react, she’d told them she had a backup plan already on the run. The couple, thankfully, were down to earth enough to take things as they came, and didn’t care that they might be eating something slightly different than they’d planned. Sure, the bride had only wanted white, but other than that, she’d been a little easier going than some of Arianna’s past brides.

And, as Arianna had tasted every dish, she had a feeling the B&G were getting the better deal anyway. However good Pierre thought he was, Aubrey was better.

Plus, the woman didn’t give Harper the time of day beyond a roll of her eyes and a smile.

“I just wanted to say thank you again,” Arianna said. “I know you had to pull this out of your hat at the last minute, and I honestly don’t know how you did it.”

Aubrey grinned, then looked up her and down. Arianna merely raised a brow, not caring for the look at all.

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