Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88057 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88057 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Like I’d miss my favorite sibling’s wedding.” Lex cautiously hugged her back, dodging before Hester could flatten their carefully spiked hair.
“I’m your only sibling.” Hester laughed and kissed Lex’s cheek. “And you already missed the spa time.”
“A shame to miss a good pedicure.” Lex shot me a knowing glance, and I hid a smile. “But I’d be an adorable ring bearer. Or flower girl.”
Lex preened, but Hester groaned. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my person of honor. I need you next to me.”
“Darn. Doesn’t anyone else have spare rug rats?” Lex looked around like there might be extra elementary-aged kids lurking in the scrubby beach grass.
“Aaron is the oldest of his siblings.” Hester gestured over at the Willmore family, which seemed to feature a quartet of alarmingly tall and pimply teen boys. “He’s the first to get married. And we’re first of our friends.”
“Because you’re still infants.” Cressida gave a dramatic sigh, and Hester rolled her eyes.
“Not helping, Mother.”
“Ask the dogs.” Harley, who’d been silent through Lex’s arrival, spoke up, nodding like this was a reasonable suggestion.
“Excuse me?” Cressida’s thin, penciled-in eyebrows shot up.
“When my brother, Dale, finally tied the knot, they used their dog as the flower girl since our family only had little boys around. It was hilarious. Everyone loved the pictures.”
Hester made a delighted noise even before Harley finished speaking. “Yes.”
“Absolutely not.” Cressida shook the sand out of one of her heels.
“What not?” Aaron ambled over, giving Hester a hug worthy of a six-month separation.
“Uncle Ambrose’s date had the best idea.” Hester clung to his meaty neck. “We can use the dogs—Uncle Ambrose’s Hercules and your mom’s Princess—to replace your cousins’ kids.”
“I love it. Mom will too. She was worried about leaving Princess with the dog sitter.” Aaron smiled, but Cressida still looked ready to eat sand.
“It’s all fun and games until they swallow the rings.”
Harley shrugged, totally uncowed by Cressida’s warning. “Just attach the rings securely to the collar with a little bag, but if you’re worried, give your best person the real rings, and the dogs can be more for show.”
Harley got major bonus points from me for the easy way he included Lex, who was grinning widely.
“I’ll keep the rings safe. And help decorate the doggos.”
“This is going to be a total spectacle.” Cressida’s shoulders slumped. She knew when she was outnumbered. “I suppose it is your special day though.”
“It is.” Hester beamed delightedly. “Let’s get on with the rehearsal.”
The rehearsal was a good-natured comedy of errors, with the dogs more interested in sniffing each other than learning how to walk down the aisle, the attendants gossiping rather than paying attention, and everyone ignoring Cressida’s attempts to bring order to the chaos.
By the time we ventured into dinner in the private dining room reserved for us, her scowl seemed permanently etched on her face. I steered her directly toward the open bar while Harley helpfully accompanied Aaron’s mother to deliver the dogs to the dog sitter. I’d be okay without the dog for a few hours, but I was more concerned that Cressida wasn’t going to make it through the ceremony in one piece.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I passed her a glass of Oregon pinot.
“I’m fine.” She sounded so much like I did when I denied my anxiety that I had to chuckle.
“You sure?” I rubbed her arm. “You seem unusually…high-strung, even for you.”
“Gee, thanks.” Ignoring her wine, she pursed her mouth. “And it’s nothing.”
“Which means it’s something.”
“Nothing involving the wedding.” Sighing, she handed me her glass so she could slide out of her suit coat.
“Tell me.” Now I was more alarmed. Minor disasters involving the wedding were preferable to other alternatives. “More letters about the show?”
“No more than usual.” She flicked her wrist before taking back her glass of wine. “It’s only the tiniest rumor that the network might have impending budget cuts because of the increased competition from all the streaming services.”
“Oh.” My pulse sped up, but I took a few deep, cleansing breaths. The last thing Cressida needed was me freaking out. “Well, I’m sure we’ll be okay. We have a ton of fan support and good numbers.”
“We do. I’m sure you’re right.” Taking a long sip of her wine, she smiled at me, the first real one she’d offered all evening. “At least your date was a good investment.”
“What?” I shook my head. Oh. Right. Fake date. Harley was being paid to be here. I needed to remember that. Fake. This was fake, no matter how my heart fluttered as I followed Cressida’s gaze to where Harley stood with Aaron’s family.
In contrast to the earlier stiffness, the whole group seemed more relaxed now, laughing at something Harley said.
“What’s so funny?” I asked as I approached with Cressida.
“Hey.” He gave me a smile so intimate I almost forgot my resolution moments earlier. He threw an easy arm around my shoulders, exactly like we’d been dating for months. “We were placing bets on how the Seahawks will do next season and talking about which teams bungled the draft.”