Page 15 of Shameless With Him

Help. With the flowers. Oh, no. Did they want me to do this for free? The size and scale of this wedding, at least from what I could tell, meant that it was going to take a lot of time, energy, manpower, and money to get done.

There must’ve been something showing on my face because my mother pinched her lips as if she had sucked on a lemon, and my sister rolled her eyes.

“We’re going to pay you, of course.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to. I know your job is really hard,” she said and then winced. “Okay, so that sounded like I was placating you. I know it’s an actual job. I don’t want the flowers for free. I want the best of the best. And you’re the best.”

“Well, that was a nice thing to say.”

“I can be nice during all this. I might be a little anal-retentive. I want everything perfect for the best day of my life. But I’m going to be nice about it. Promise.”

Her voice got a little shriller as she said that, and the word Bridezilla once again slipped through my mind.

My baby sister was the sweetest, most wonderful, kindest girl I knew. Yes, sometimes she got in her own way a bit and focused on what she wanted, mostly because that’s what had happened throughout her childhood when we were dealing with everything having to do with cancer. She was still amazing. And wonderful to me.

I just had a feeling that those traits might be buried a little deeper under the Engaged Lacey marker.

Hopefully, once Married Lacey showed her face, things would get back to normal. However, I had a feeling these next few months would be long ones.

“Anyway, you’ll be my maid of honor, and Mary Kate will be right under you. And then John’s sisters will be there.”

“And they all agreed?”

“Yes. John and I asked them when we were at dinner the other night. I know I’m asking you last. I needed you to be here because I wanted to do it in person. I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s really okay. I just want to make sure I do this right for you.”

“You will.” That sounded more like a threat than a promise. I rolled with it. My mother impatiently looked between us, her toe tapping.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” I asked, keeping my voice light.

“We don’t have a lot of time to waste. We need to get going.”

“I need to head to work, though,” I said. “I can only give you about thirty minutes right now.”

My mother’s lips pursed again, and I put a bright smile on my face. “I will do my best to show up whenever I can. You know I’m shorthanded right now during this season…” I shook my head. “I’ll make it work. I promise.”

“You will,” my sister said, squeezing my hand a little tighter than was warranted.

Time to get through the initial phases then, since I figured it was going to be a long couple of months. “Now, there’s five of us as your attendants?”

“Yes, and John will have five groomsmen, as well. Actually, you know one of them. Caleb? He knows John from something or other. I don’t really remember how they met. You know, Denver is the smallest big city ever.” I kept a bright smile on my face, even as I blinked.

“Caleb Carr?”

“Yes, Amelia’s big brother. He’s so hot.”

“Lacey,” my mother warned, though her lips quirked.

“I’m engaged, Mother, not a nun.”

My mother glared for a moment before she grinned. “Well, those Carr brothers sure do know how to fill out a suit.”

I groaned, closed my eyes, and tried to count to ten. “That’s an image I never want to think about again.”

“What, the Carr brothers in suits?” Lacey asked, all too sweetly.

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