Page 36 of Kiss Me Forever

Chapter Ten

Luke

On Tuesday evening, my family and I gathered at one of Tate's vineyards about one hour outside Chicago. Usually, he asked us here to taste new wines, but this time it was the menu for his wedding.

Tate, Paisley, and Lexi were here along with Tyler, Declan, Liz, Travis, and me. Our parents were here too. Sam had already left the States, heading back to Honduras.

We were in the building’s cellar where he kept the wines. The walls were all brick, and I had no Wi-Fi reception. Donna had sent me an important email, and I couldn’t reply. Sporadically, there was a weak signal, but mostly only enough to receive incoming emails or messages.

"Luke, darling, why don't you put the phone away?" Mom said. "We need your opinion, not for you to just be here."

"Sure," I said, pocketing my phone. “But why can’t we do this up in the vineyard? You’ve got a table there.”

“I’ve got a million wines here. I want to find the perfect pairing for each course,” Tate explained.

Fair enough. I just needed a Wi-Fi signal. I had an important decision to make. An integral part of the intern program was a trip to see a client’s property. I asked interns to come up with a vision for it while we were there. Then I required them to come up with three very different models of what they would do if this were their project. Megan could even use it as her project for the competition.

Every single intern said it was one of the highlights of their internship. But I wasn't sure if it was smart to go with Megan. I could send someone else with her.

After our lunch together, I didn't trust myself around her.

She thought I had excellent self-restraint. She was wrong.

I was hanging by a thread, but I wasn't going to get to the bottom of that problem right now. Donna was on my case to give her an answer about the trip—I’d told her I wasn’t sure I could make it this time. But it could wait until after the tasting.

"I like all three appetizers," I said.

Lexi sighed. "Which one's your favorite?”

“The salmon roll."

"Okay, see, now we're getting somewhere."

I enjoyed great food and fine wine, but I wasn’t a connoisseur. I was what I liked to call an appreciator of life.

"The wedding is going to be amazing. Your menu is delicious," Liz said. Declan’s girl was a baker and usually very knowledgeable about food.

Lexi smiled at her. "Thank you for offering to make the cake."

"Are you joking? I love, love, love that I get to do it."

Lexi was so thrilled with the cake that she’d promised to spread the word about Liz’s bakery and get her in the wedding cake business.

At some point, Liz offered to bake some wedding cakes so Lexi could know what to ask for when she ordered her own. Lexi had been so amazed by the cakes she’d made that she asked Liz to do it for the wedding herself. I liked the connection between Lexi, Liz, and Kendra—Tyler’s fiancée. My family always had one another’s backs and supported each person every way they could. My brothers had chosen great women. They fit perfectly into the family.

"So, when are we discussing the bachelor party?" I asked.

"Yeah,thatwe can do with style," Travis added, and Tyler chuckled.

Tate looked around the table with a serious expression. "No. This is the second time I'm getting married. Isn't there a rule against having a bachelor party?"

"No," I replied. "Besides, you didn't want one the first time around either."

“Maybe that should give you a hint," Tate said.

"Get off his back," Declan said with a warning expression.

I pointed at them. "You'll both get a bachelor party. And Tyler too."

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