Page 10 of My Grumpy SEAL

Of course she is already talking to the bride before me.

“An outdoor wedding will be more difficult to organize. We have to set up canopies because, god forbid, it rains. Most of our outdoor events are evening events.”

She looks at me and I growl lowly. “You didn’t.”

“The bride is also amenable to a sunset wedding.”

“And the guests? Last I checked there were over two hundred guests.”

“But according to the bride, invitations are yet to be sent out. In my years of organizing, tailoring your plans to what the client really wants, not what people expect, has always yielded good results.”

I’m going to wring her neck.

When I don’t reply, she continues. “I’m thinking fairy lights to light up a pathway to the wedding and lamps as a source of light, more eco friendly and inexpensive. I really want to give, not just the couple, but every single one of the guests a fairytale experience.”

“This is hogwash,” I mumble.

“Did you say something, sir?” She turns to me. I know a set-up when I see one; I can already see the staff members nodding at her words. Her hogwash is selling fast. I wave my hand at her to continue.

“We will also be working with a lot of flowers as the bride is in love with them…” I zone her out as I watch my employees. They have already accepted her! My lips lift in a sneer when I turn to Tristan and see him smiling at her and nodding.What do you even know about decorations?

But deep down I know, my issues are not with her ideas. I want so badly for her to be incompetent it’s almost cynical. If she were incompetent, I could go back to disliking her and this sudden attraction I feel for her would be gone. I want to go back to sneering at her words and actions like I used to ten years ago. Not notice how prominent her dimples become when she smiles, or the spark she has in her eyes as she explains the basics of the wedding plans to the staff. I also notice the gaze of the men in the room every time she sways her hips. She ends the meeting with triumph and everyone leaves.

I walk up to her before she can exit. “I hope your game is as big as your talk. Delegating is no easy feat.” Now I just sound petty.

She fixes me with another heated gaze. “With all due respect sir, do you have a problem with me?”

Narrowing my eyes at the venom in those words I reply, “I would just be disappointed if this ends up coming out subpar.

CHAPTER5

BELLA

“Iwould just be disappointed if this ends up coming out sub par.”

I cock my head at his words before giving him the brightest smile I can muster. “Fingers crossed.” I stomp out of the room before he can reply. Of all the self-centered, arrogant assholes in the world, Jake takes the cake hands down.

I am still stomping when a hand grabs me. It’s Tristan. He gives me a bright smile. “You were amazing in there. You really got the whole staff excited about the wedding.”

I give him a small smile. The rush from the presentations and Jake’s consistent attacks are already wearing off and I can feel exhaustion wrapping around me like a blanket.

Tristan takes note of my condition and smiles sympathetically. “How about I treat you to lunch?”

At the restaurant I let Tristan have the full force of my frustration. I go on an irate rant about our asshole boss. “It’s like he has a personal vendetta against me, really.”

Tristan offers me a sympathetic smile. “It did seem like he was out for your blood today, but it’s just the way he operates. I’ve never known the boss to go easy on anyone, especially new employees.” He pats my hand. “You’ll get used to it.”

I remove my hand from his grasp. “I don’t want to get used to it. I want out.”

“Already?” he laughs.

You have no idea. I wanted out the minute I saw him at the restaurant yesterday.

* * *

For the nextweek I do my best to avoid Jake. And luckily, Cecilia’s constant bridal meltdown is enough distraction.

Ever since my presentation on the flowers, she fell in love with the fairytale story. Now she wants everything to have a touch of whimsical. It took a lot of convincing on my part to stop her from getting a seamstress to add the lavender color of the African Violet and red of the Poppies on her wedding gown, though at this rate I might just have to cross-check the wedding gown a day before the wedding.

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