Page 47 of 4 Weddings and a Feud

“Cierra’s wedding is you? Was the aerialist your idea?”

“She said she wanted something that’d stand out, and I know someone.”

“Of course you do. And it’ll keep everyone entertained. No one will forget her wedding, which is one-hundred percent what Cierra would want. I wish you’d let me add something similar to the Richardson wedding. Rochelle’s going to hate being upstaged by Cierra Dallencourt.”

Mary tilted her head. “Will she? Or is that you who doesn’t want to be upstaged by your ex?”

“Cierra?” He shrugged. “I couldn’t care less about her or her wedding. So what’s the emergency?”

She narrowed her eyes, not sure she bought Alex’s sudden carelessness. “The emergency isn’t with Cierra’s wedding. It’s another one. Which is in a couple weeks.”

“A couple weeks? When?” His stare was flinty like he already knew.

“The weekend before Rochelle’s. But it’s fine. I’ve got them both handled.”

“Two weddings in the span of a week? No wonder you’re so stressed out. We should’ve gone to the spa like I suggested.”

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I was plenty relaxed on my vacation. Besides, a masseuse might’ve asked about the”—she lowered her voice—“beard burn on my boobs.”

He rubbed his smooth chin. “Maybe I should check it out.”

“It’s fine now.” She squeezed his hand. “Besides, it’s only an hour to Vegas.”

He leaned closer. “There’s a couch in the back. We can ask the steward to go up with the pilot.”

The mile-high club would be another first. Would it be worth all the guilt as she said goodbye to the pilot and the steward at the end of the flight if they knew she’d been naked on their plane?

A ping from her phone saved her from the decision. She scanned the screen. “Oh no.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Now thereisan issue at the shop. One of our customers got in a fender bender with Christie Brinkley.”

“Wait. Actually with Christie Brinkley?”

“No. It’s a vintage red Ferrari. Like she drove inNational Lampoon’s Vacation.”

“Is everyone all right?”

She read the latest message. “Fine. But Michael and E—my assistant had to go pick it up.”

“Good.” He sipped his sparkling wine. “You name all your cars?”

“Every one. It’s more fun that way. Our dad started it with the Clinton, his first town car.”

Smiling, he shook his head. “Fun and business don’t really go together in my world.”

“I can’t imagine not laughing at least once a day at work.”

“You’re more naturally vivacious than I am.” He wound one of her curls around his finger.

“You don’t have to bevivaciousto laugh at work. You just need to take yourself less seriously.”

“I don’t think that would fly in my line of work. I have to maintain a certain…presence.”

“Customers enjoy working with people they like. We’ve had customers come back year after year for prom, weddings, parties, even funerals.”

“And I’ve found that people don’t mess with people they fear.”

---