Page 26 of Treasured By 3

Valerie

The week passes by.Hunter, Chase, Lief, and I fall into a routine. Work, rotating who cooks or orders food, and then taking care of wedding plans. Mafia business stays quiet, thankfully, but the reception seating chart is proving to be more difficult. Now that we’ve got invitations sent out and some RSVPs are coming in, we’re hitting the “plus one problem” as Sophia calls it.

I stare at our number of seats available and chew on the tip of my pen. I want people to mingle, but I want them to enjoy themselves too. A part of me wonders if we need a seating chart at all. Can’t people just sit where they want?

“You’re sexy when you’re focused like that,” Chase comments, making me jump.

He kisses the top of my head. “You didn’t hear me come in?”

“No,” I sigh, relaxing into his hands as he rubs my shoulders. “Do we need a seating chart?”

“We should start with some order. Plus, do you want our mafia friends interacting with your coworkers?” he asks.

“They’ll interact, anyway. It’s a wedding. I trust that they can keep their mouths shut even with the open bar,” I murmur.

Chase kisses my temple, my cheek, then turns my chin to kiss me full on the mouth. “I haven’t told you I love you today.”

“I love you, baby boy,” I sigh. “How was work?”

“Boring. My mother and father were about to head out on a date, so Hunter is ...” Chase’s face screws up as he tries to find the word. He shakes his head. “He’s frustrated.”

“He’s not the only one.” I push my phone toward Chase. “My mother is very upset with me.”

“Is she?”

“For multiple reasons,” I grumble.

Chase looks over the texts and shakes his head. “She’s upset she wasn’t invited to the wedding dress trip?”

“That,” I agree, “but she’s also demanding that I tell my father about the wedding because she doesn’t feel comfortable keeping it from him.”

“I thought they weren’t talking,” he answers.

“They’re not supposed to be, but she wants to reconcile with him. She’s convinced that he’s going to stay on the wagon this time. As if he ever lasts once he has her back.” I set the pen down and lean back in the chair, closing my eyes. “If I tell him, he’ll want to come. When he finds out he’s not allowed, he’ll be a problem again.”

“We know how to handle problems,” Hunter says. “Who’s the problem in this case?”

“Our fiancée’s father,” Chase answers.

“Easy enough to handle,” Hunter says with a shrug.

I shoot him a glare. Hunter walks over and wipes at my lip. “Your lip is black.”

“The pen,” I mumble. “We’re nottaking care ofmy father. He can wallow in his isolation and misery, knowing his children want nothing to do with him.”

“Vicious,” Hunter says with obvious approval. He kisses me despite the ink stain on my lips. “Security will keep uninvited guests out. You remember Konstantin, don’t you?”

I shake my head.

Hunter rolls his eyes. “The only guy I’ve ever met who might be bigger than Lief.”

“Ah, the one I’m not allowed to look at because you get jealous?” I remember.

Hunter narrows his eyes. “I’m not jealous.”

Chase takes my hand and pulls me away from the seating chart to sit on the couch with him. “You sound pretty jealous, Hunt.”

“Shut it; I’m not. The point is, he’ll keep your father out,” Hunter assures. “And your mother if you don’t want her there.”

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