Page 52 of Fool Me

“Good. As both your agents,” he continued, “don’t you think you should hear my opinion on this offer?”

“Please,” Grant said. Nobody knew Hollywood the way Ronny did. “What do you think?”

Ronny threw his arms around Sadie and Grant, creating a triple hug. “I think I’m going to pay for your honeymoon! Congratulations!”

“Honeymoon?” Grant heard Dela say under her breath. “Forget that. Filming will be their honeymoon.”

Hug finished, Grant turned to Dela and held out his hand, which she shook. “Thank you. We would love to star inSurf Summer.” Nodding enthusiastically, Sadie shook Dela’s hand next.

“Wonderful,” Dela said with all the enthusiasm of a company CEO bringing a boring meeting to order. “Now, let’s see how rusty I am on this wedding business, and then we’ll get to the really important part…”

“…the kissing,” Grant thought to himself.

But Dela finished with, “…the contract signing.” She looked Grant up and down. “Do you even have rings?”

Rings!He plunged his hands into his pockets, but of course he had no rings. Marriage hadn’t been on that day’s to-do list. “I—” he started to say.

“Hold that thought,” Ronny said, and took off toward the food tables. Seconds later he returned, still running, but cradling two matching leis in his outstretched arms. Clusters of baby white roses alternated with baby white orchids. Grant hadn’t seen any others like them at the whole party. “These were made specially for you and…ah, never mind.” Ronny held them out toward Grant. “These are for you two.”

Grant didn’t care if their wedding rings were matching toilets seats. He just wanted to be married to Sadie with no more delays. But he knew how much wedding details meant to some women, and he and Sadie certainly hadn’t had time to discuss her fantasy wedding plans. If this wasn’t good enough for her, he’d figure something else out. “What do you think? Will they do for now for our rings?”

She smiled shyly and whispered, “They couldn’t be more perfect.”

32

The next morning, Rick’s Diner looked like an empty movie set save for the small group of people squished shoulder-to-shoulder in booth twelve. Sadie held down the center of the semi-circular bench, with Monique and Ginny to her right and Grant and Rick to her left.

She couldn’t wait for her family to meet Grant, but after making the basic introductions and gushing about the wedding, an awkwardness settled in around them. Ginny’s hands lay uncharacteristically still in her lap, and her phone, usually a sixth finger on her hand, hadn’t made an appearance. Sadie could tell by the thinness of Monique’s lips and the way her eagle eyes rarely strayed from Grant that her eldest sister was sizing him up and it wasn’t going well. Sadie gave Grant’s hand a comforting squeeze, and his palm felt damp in her hand. He had to be even more nervous than she.

The day before had been a non-stop rush, but her sisters and godfather needed time to get to know Grant and admire him the way she did. They would get there, because who couldn’t love Grant? For now, she just had to keep the conversation moving.

She smiled at Rick before saying into a lengthening break in the conversation, “You didn’t have to delay opening the whole diner this morning just for us.”

“I did if I wanted a chance to talk to you and meet your husband,” Rick said. “Otherwise, the place would’ve been packed with people trying to get selfies with the #marriedmudpuppies.” He belly laughed, and it relaxed Sadie a notch.

At least someone was acting normal.

Monique slowly tilted and re-tilted her half full coffee cup so that the liquid came right to the edge each time but didn’t spill out. “Are you planning to get real rings at some point?” she asked no one in particular.

Sadie hoped Grant hadn’t heard the skepticism in her tone, but it felt like a smack to the face to Sadie.

“Oh, of course,” Grant said. “Whatever Sadie wants.”

“Will you help me pick one out?” Sadie asked Monique. “You’re good at making decisions like that.”

“I won’t disagree about me making good decisions, but…” she looked up, her forced smile stopping well short of her eyes, “…no thank you. I’ve got a lot going on at work and I’m staying away from wedding stuff for the next few years.”

Panic burrowed into Sadie’s thoughts like the roots of noxious weeds. Grant’s introduction to the family was not going well. If they didn’t accept him, what then? Her entire world would split in two, that’s what.

“I’d love to go ring shopping,” Ginny said. Sadie appreciated the comment, but coming after Monique’s smack down, the offer sounded more like Ginny throwing Sadie a lifeline rather than genuine enthusiasm. Ginny couldn’t care less about rings…or accessories…or fashion of any kind.

Grant cleared his throat. “Once we’ve got them, I thought maybe we could do a second ceremony for family and close friends? You’re all so important to Sadie, which means you’re important to me, and I feel terrible that none of you were there. My family would like to come, too, and meet you all.”

Sadie brightened. “I love that idea!” She smiled at Grant, and his warm eyes seemed to say back, “We will figure this out together.”

Sadie blinked back the wetness springing to her own eyes. Despite how important Monique and Ginny were to her, how much they had done for her and cared for her, not since her parents died had she felt the sense of safety and comfort she felt when she was with Grant.

“I love it too,” Ginny said, smiling broadly. “It’s not fair we didn’t all get to be there for your wedding. How about you, Monique? Would you like that?”

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