Page 29 of Before I Say I Don't
I curated a slow smile, one that conveyedI heard you, but I’m letting it slide… for now.
Without missing a beat, she quickly redirected the conversation back to floral arrangements, rattling on until she ultimately decided it was time to “let me get back to my day.”
The second she left, I went straight to the kitchen counter and hit the button on my answering machine, and the device whirred to life.
One new message displayed on the screen.
“Hi, Kamira! This is Mariah from Landry Hall Event Center. I probably should’ve called sooner, but I wanted to give you a courtesy call. We’ve been trying to reach your fiancé, Mr. Grant, about the remaining balance for your venue, but unfortunately, we haven’t received any response. The balance was due last week, and as it stands, your reservation is at serious risk of cancellation if we don’t receive payment by tomorrow. Since I know you personally, I thought it was best to give you a direct heads-up before things move any further. Please call me back today. Thank you.”
As the message ended, I stood there, my good mood evaporating like it had never existed.
Balance past due? A potential cancellation?
I grabbed my phone, dialing before I could talk myself out of it.
“Landry Hall, this is Mariah," came her cheery voice.
“Hey, Mariah. This is Kamira Sinclair. I just listened to your message. Can you clarify what you mean by the balance beingpast due? My fiancé was supposed to take care of the payments for the venue.”
“Correct,” she replied, her tone professional but tinged with concern. “We received the deposit six months ago, but there has been no payment since. The full amount is now overdue, and it must be settled by tomorrow if you still plan to have the wedding here.”
My hands clenched around the phone, sweat prickling at my brow.
“How much are we talking about here?”
When she revealed the amount, I felt like I had been punched in the gut.
That wasn’t some low-budget hall; that was a lavish, high-end, glass-chandelier, marble-floors, the kind of place that hosted exclusive events and had a lengthy waitlist for bookings.
“Alright,” I replied tightly. “I’ll make sure it’s taken care of first thing tomorrow. Thank you for the heads-up.”
When I hung up, my back hit the counter in exasperation.
All those late nights. All those excuses about “working overtime for the wedding.” And this man hasn’t paid a dime past the deposit?
My spa day was officially ruined.
By the time Viangelo walked through the door, I was already seated at the dining table, arms crossed tightly against my chest, glaring at him as if he had just strolled in from robbing a bank.
He casually kicked his shoes off like nothing was wrong. “Hey, baby. What’s for dinner?”
“Oh, I don’t know… maybe a generous serving of overdue bills, a side of disappointment, and a tall glass filled to the brim withhalf-truths! And let’s not forget for dessert! Cupcakes frosted withunmet expectationsand extra sprinkles!” I retorted, my voice sharp and laden with frustration.
Viangelo halted abruptly, caught mid-motion, confusion written in every line of his face.
“What?”
I pushed my chair back, the screeching sound echoing through the otherwise silent room, and rose to my full height.
“You forgot tofinishpaying for the venue, Angelo!”
“Damn… I did. Is that what this is about?” he asked, tone flat, as if it barely mattered.
I jerked my head back, disbelief tightening my chest. “Uh…yeah!”
“Kam, look, I?—”
“You what?!” I cut in, my voice rising with each word. “Because Mariah from Landry Hall informed me today thatthey haven’t received a single payment since the deposit! Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you know the venue is the most important thing for this wedding! It’s the place! The date! The foundation everything else is built around!” I argued.
