Page 41 of Feast

The smile stayed professional. “And your father’s name?”

“Stephen Harris,” Halley put in, and the woman’s smile bloomed warm.

“You’re in the right place,” she assured them and held out a hand. “I’m Maya Jenkins, the event coordinator handling your father’s wedding.”

Maddie shook her hand. “I’m Madison.”

“Halley,” her sister said, shaking hands in turn.

“It’s lovely to meet you both. I understand you’ll be standing up with your father for the ceremony?”

“Are we?” Maddie looked at Halley, who just shrugged. “He hasn’t told us what he wants us to do.”

“Ah. Well, I can walk you through it. We’ll be out on the balcony for the ceremony.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Halley enthused as they followed Maya across the room.

“It should be, yes,” Maya said. “Especially with the fireworks.”

“Fireworks,” Halley repeated with a glance at Maddie. “That’s why they’re doing this at midnight.”

“Clever,” Maddie admitted.

“It is,” Maya enthused, brushing aside a set of gold curtains and opening the French doors that had been hidden behind them. “And perfect for the small, intimate ceremony they want.”

The balcony was a curving sweep of marble, and here were the decorations that had been missing from inside. Flowers stood in urns and vases, turning the small space into a lush garden. Fairy lights were draped over the balcony railing, vying with the bright lights of the city behind it for glow. A walkway had been laid out with flameless candles and rose petals, leading to the centermost point of the balcony where more lights and flowers decorated a delicate metal arch.

“Oh.” Halley let out a romantic sigh. “It’s so pretty.”

“It looks great,” Maddie agreed and had to fight back a romantic sigh of her own. “Really lovely.”

Maya beamed. “I’m so glad you’re pleased. Now, let me tell you about the ceremony.”

It only took a couple of minutes to walk through the whole thing, then Maya walked them back inside. “We’ll be ready to go in about ten minutes,” she said, checking her watch. “If you’d like a few moments with your father before the ceremony, he’s in the get-ready room just over there.”

“Actually, we need a moment with the bride,” Halley said, indicating the small silver bag holding the necklace they’d chosen.

“Of course.” Maya gestured to a door hidden by another swath of gold curtains. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you, Maya,” Halley said.

“Yes, thank you.”

Maya gave them a nod. “You’re more than welcome. I’ll see you at the ceremony.”

Halley waited until Maya had slipped out then held out the bag to Maddie. “You do it.”

“What? No. I barely know her.” She shoved the bag back. “You should do it.”

“You want to have a relationship with her, right?” Halley asked, one eyebrow lifted. “Well, start now.”

Maddie scowled, then sighed. “Fine. But I hate it when you do the one eyebrow.”

“That’s because you can’t do it,” Halley said smugly and knocked on the door.

“Spence, is that you?” a voice called out from inside, and the door was flung open. “You’re late—oh.”

The woman on the other side of the door was tall, elegant, and pissed off. She tried to hide it behind a flustered laugh, but her pretty blue eyes were blazing with temper.

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