Page 19 of Conquering the Skies

“It’s fine.” Adele beckoned him closer. “I think it’s only Marcus who’s not supposed to see me ahead of time.”

“Right.” He straightened. “He’s all ready to make his way to his assigned place at the altar. The rest of the guys sent me over to find out if it’s time to start lining up with you.”

“Almost,” Susannah said. “We’re going over a few last-minute things.” Turning to the coordinator, she tapped the side of the box she’d handed her. “Everything you wanted to set up while the ceremony is going on is in there. The engraved champagne flutes, the special knife for cutting the cake…”

“Very good.” Nodding, she balanced the box on her hip. “Where are the rings?”

She gestured behind her. “I gave them to Phoebe to hold on to.”

The youngest sister shrugged when everyone stared at her. “They’re on one of the tables over there.”

Susannah craned her neck to peer around her. “Which one? I don’t see them.”

“I don’t know. I put them down when I got this giant bouquet.”

She made a noise of exasperation. “Phoebe, you always do this. Why can’t you—”

“Stop!” Adele’s shoulders hunched and she frowned. “Can we please not have any fighting today?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find them,” Geneva said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. “They couldn’t have gone too far.”

Some of the color had drained from Adele’s face, and she stayed in place while the others commenced their search. Shuffling around the various items already atop the tables produced nothing. Starting at one end of the row, Geneva scrunched up one of the tablecloths with her free hand while Ash lowered himself to his hands and knees. “Do we know what, exactly, I’m looking for down here?”

“Some sort of jewelry box, I assume.” When he shook his head at her, she moved on to the next one and lifted the tablecloth. “Or something small, sparkly, and very expensive.”

“Nothing but dust bunnies under here.”

“Dust? In this venue? I’m shocked.” She bit back a smile. “Try not to get your tuxedo dirty before the ceremony even starts.”

While they continued down the line, the coordinator summoned one of the employees who had been folding napkins. “I need to speak to your supervisor,” she said. “This is urgent.”

Adele’s flowers bounced up and down as her hands trembled. “I can’t believe this,” she murmured.

“Everything will be fine,” Susannah said before turning around to glare at her other sister. “Phoebe, are yousureyou brought the rings down here?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m surprised you trusted me with them in the first place.”

“Clearly, it was an error in judgment.”

Phoebe opened her mouth to shoot back a retort, but Vivian stepped between them. “Girls, enough. Arguing isn’t going to solve anything, and we don’t want to upset Adele.”

Several feet away, Geneva leaned toward Ash, the hem of her dress swishing against his legs. “See, this is why I never minded not having any siblings,” she whispered.

He snorted. “It’s different with brothers. We tended to settle all our disputes with our fists, but then we’d be best friends again afterward.”

Another uniformed employee with slicked-back hair strode into the room. Geneva couldn’t hear all the hushed conversation between him and the coordinator, but his face reddened at one of her inquiries. “Preposterous!” he shouted. “Not a single member of my staff would even dream of what you’re accusing them of!”

Following his outburst, the room grew silent as everyone froze in place. Anguish curved the corners of Adele’s mouth downward, and she twisted the chain of her bracelet back and forth, her bouquet drooping. The coordinator planted her hands on her hips, unwilling to back down, while the rest of the family was split between consoling the bride and resuming the search. Geneva was about to join the latter group when movement out of the corner of her eye attracted her attention.

One of the employees who had been sorting silverware, a young man with mousy-brown hair, inched toward the side door. She stared at him, her mind racing with possibilities for his attempt at a surreptitious exit. His gaze locked with hers, and they both stiffened.

She laid her bouquet on one of the tables behind Ash. “I’ll be right back,” she said quietly. “I just want to—”

The man broke into a run, sprinting out the door. “Shit!” she muttered. Without giving it a second thought, she hiked up the skirt of her dress, gathering the multiple layers of material in both arms, and chased after him.

He took off down a narrow hallway, darting around his fellow employees. “Stop him!” she shouted as she tried to navigate the crowded space without bumping into anything. The weight of her dress made her curse under her breath again. Gritting her teeth, she held it as far out of her way as she could and increased her speed.

The presumed thief made a sharp turn around a corner. As she followed the same path, she heard Ash calling her name. “Over here!” she yelled, though she was unsure whether he could hear her. She couldn’t risk waiting for him, though, and attempted to close the distance between her and her target.

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