“We can’t risk it,” Renee told her. “We need it by midday on Friday and if there’s any kind of accident, we can’t be sure the smell will be gone or the carpet dry. The groom is just putting on a suit or a tux. The bride has the whole dress thing going on.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Wynn admitted. “This is why you two are the professionals.”
“You’ll want to put down some kind of indoor-outdoor carpet to protect the floor,” Natalie pointed out. “The filming situation could be stressful for the dogs, plus whatever food they’re eating. Is there a cake or something?”
Renee typed on her tablet. “Floor protection. An excellent idea. Now, food.” She read for a second. “Okay, they’re providing doggie snacks. There will be a dog food cake and doggie cookies. We need to have catering for the humans. An easy lunch.” She made more notes on her tablet. “I’ll call the canine catering company and get information on what they’re providing.” She grinned. “We should either avoid cookies altogether or get sugar cookies with icing. That way we can have the bakery write ‘human’ on them.”
Everyone laughed.
She looked back at her list. “I’m thinking we’ll need to have the human catering inside. Otherwise it will be too tempting for the dogs. How about a salad and taco bar, two or three different kinds of sandwiches, water, soda and juices, plus dessert?”
Pallas nodded. “That sounds great. Odele told us we need vegetarian and vegan options.”
“So no meat, no eggs, no dairy.” Renee thought for a second. “Sure. We can do corn tortillas and have beans and rice at the taco bar. I’ll make sure the caterer provides a vegetarian sandwich and a vegan option. Maybe we’ll do some kind of a soup.”
She made more notes. Jasper reminded himself to avoid the vegan dessert.
“Decorations,” Renee said and activated the screen on the wall. “Time is of the essence. Anything custom has to be easy to get. So I went on Etsy.”
“I love that site,” Wynn murmured.
Jasper had no idea what they were talking about. “What’s Etsy?”
Pallas looked pitying. “It’s a website with all kinds of crafts and different creations. We bought Ryan the cutest toy box. It’s just gorgeous and really well made. You should check it out.”
Renee’s mouth twitched. “Yes, Jasper, check it out. It’s very you.”
“Uh-huh. You’re just messing with me.”
Renee was still smiling when she pressed a button on her laptop. A picture of a floral dog collar appeared on the screen.
“I spoke to the vendor. She’s doing a rush job in eight colors. They’ll be here by Monday.”
Renee clicked the button again. A bow tie collar appeared. “These are for the boy dogs and will coordinate with the flower collars. We went with white, pink, blue, red, green, yellow, purple and orange.”
“Not black?” he asked.
Verity glanced at him. “Black might not film well. There wouldn’t be definition in the flowers.”
All the other women were nodding. Were they just born knowing this kind of stuff?
“So no black,” he muttered.
“I’d love to do cuffs for the paws,” Renee said, “but we don’t have enough time. So these will have to do.”
“I could do paw cuffs out of paper,” Natalie offered. “It wouldn’t take any time at all. I’d use peel and stick dots to hold them in place, that way they can be adjustable, depending on the size of the dog. Read me the colors again. I’ll have them match.”
“Are you sure?” Renee asked.
“I think it would be fun.”
Renee listed the colors. Natalie wrote them down, then the meeting moved on. Renee clicked the computer again. Rows of white chairs appeared.
“Odele wants flowers at the end of each row of chairs.” Renee sighed. “I’ve already got a call in to the florist to make sure the flowers they send over aren’t poisonous to dogs. We’ll have ten tables that seat six.” Another picture went up on the screen, this one showing a set table.
“I’m thinking white linens with black runners, seeing as we’re not using black anywhere else.” She glanced at Jasper. “Black will be a good contrasting color.”
“Sure. But how do you use a runner? The tables are round.”
Several more pitying looks were cast his way.
“We run them north-south and east-west, so they cross. It’s pretty and simple. Flowers on every table. Black chargers instead of place mats.”
She glanced at her notes. “Do we want a gift table? And if we do, should it be wrapped empty boxes or should we have actual gifts inside?”
“For the dogs?” Wynn asked. “Like toys and stuff?”
“I don’t know,” Renee admitted, then started typing. “I’ll get a list together to ask Odele.”
“Is there an officiant?” Pallas asked.
Renee scanned her notes. “I don’t see one mentioned. I’ll put that on the Ask Odele list, as well. It could really be anyone. The weddings aren’t legal.”
“It would be funny to have a cat marry them,” Wynn said. “Although that is probably asking for trouble.”
“I got the impression the wedding was supposed to be fun and charming rather than funny.” Renee glanced at Verity. “Mom, what do you think?”
“I agree. Obviously it’s not serious but it’s not comedy, either.”
“Oh, it might be,” Pallas said. “Even with a medium-sized dog wedding, it’s going to be hilarious. Or a complete disaster.”
“Nick would point out that is you, being a ray of sunshine,” Renee murmured as she typed. “It’s on the list. Anything else?”
The meeting went on for a few more minutes. Jasper listened rather than said the wrong thing—again. So he wasn’t Mr. Wedding Expert. At least he was participating.
Once they’d worked through all the items on the agenda, Renee reviewed their decisions and confirmed what she had to talk to Odele about. She excused herself and left for her office.
Verity disappeared just as quickly, leaving Jasper to walk out with Wynn.
“Do not even think about putting a dog wedding in your book,” she told him.
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“You would, in a heartbeat. You enjoy putting real life into your stories, but the tone is wrong.”
He knew she was correct, but really liked the idea of writing about dogs going crazy at a wedding.
“I couldn’t have a dog wedding and a murder at the same time,” he said. “That would be over-the-top. Still, it would be fun.”
They reached the parking lot. He saw she’d parked next to him and they headed in that direction.
“Look how far you’ve come,” she said, her voice teasing. “I remember when you would barely make eye contact when you showed up at The Boardroom. Now you’re a social butterfly.”
“That’s extreme.”
“Maybe but it’s pretty close to the truth. You’ve changed.”
They stopped by her SUV.
“Not that much,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound defensive, because he didn’t feel it. Not really. Just a little apprehensive, because Wynn seemed to have something on her mind and he had a bad feeling it was more than helping Hunter with his fastball.
“Renee is really special,” she said.
He held in a groan. “You and I shouldn’t discuss that.”
“Someone has to discuss it with you and no one else seems to be volunteering.”
“We’re doing just fine.”
“I know and that’s my point. Your relationship with her is a lot better than your relationship with me.”
He had no clue what that meant, but figured the safest course was to keep his mouth shut.
“We were never going anywhere and we both knew it,” she said.
“You set u
p the rules so we were bound to fail.”
He hadn’t meant to say that, but he wasn’t taking it back. It was the truth.
“I did. Absolutely. I didn’t want any more than we had and I was terrified you did.”
“Why would you think that?” He’d been very clear on not getting involved. He couldn’t.
“Because you were getting better every day. You were healing right before my eyes and I knew it wasn’t going to be very long before you wanted something more.” She offered him a sad smile. “I didn’t realize that you would want it with someone else.”
He’d gone from clueless to genuinely flummoxed. What was he supposed to say to that?
She held up a hand. “I’m not complaining. I get it. I was never going to be that important to you.”
“That’s not true.”
“You never fought for me, Jasper.” Her tone was soft, her gaze steady. “I’m not saying you should have, and I’m not complaining. I’m pointing out the fact that you never pushed back on my ridiculous rules and when I ended things, you let me go. I wasn’t the one.”
“I don’t have a ‘one.’”
“Of course you do. Don’t be silly. Like I said, when you and I were together, I could see you getting better every day, but you’re not anymore. You’re healed. Whole. Whatever you want to call it.” She touched his arm. “You’re back among the normal, however you want to define that.”
“I’m not,” he managed through an uncomfortable combination of panic, fear and hope. “Things happened. I still have nightmares.”
“You probably always will, but the band that defines normal is pretty wide and you’re well within it. What I mean by this is that while you’ll always have crap from your past to deal with, you’re still emotionally capable of being a functioning member of society. More important, you’re more than ready and completely able to be in a real relationship. One with expectation and commitment and a future. That’s my point here, Jasper. Don’t assume what you have with Renee is like what you had with me. It’s not. It’s so much better and stronger. Don’t blow it by thinking you’ll be able to replace it. You and Renee have something really wonderful going on.”
He wanted to ask how she knew any of this. About him, about him and Renee. He wanted to make her tell him why she would want him to think he was normal when he knew he wasn’t. He couldn’t be. Even his dog thought he had issues.
“You’re wrong,” he said, walking to his truck. “You’re wrong.”
Wynn didn’t try to stop him. It was as if she knew he had to process what she’d said. As if she knew he was running away.
Well, so what? Bolting seemed the most logical next step, he thought as he drove out of the parking lot. Normal. No way. Not him. He was never going to be normal. He was always going to be reclusive and solitary and distant. He was broken—shattered—and he could never be right.
That settled, he made his way up the mountain, concentrating on the road and his breathing and doing his best to ignore the voice in his head that asked What if Wynn was right?
She wasn’t. She couldn’t be. Him healed? Because if he was, if he was at a place where he could be involved with someone in a meaningful way, didn’t that change everything, including how he defined himself? And if she was right, where did that leave him? And assuming he could answer that question, then he had one more to wrestle with. What on earth came next?
* * *
RENEE WAS SURPRISED to find herself just as nervous the morning of the dog wedding as she was on any other day when she had a human wedding going on. Even though the brides and grooms wouldn’t care about the decorations and if things flowed smoothly, she wanted to get it all exactly as it should be.
In deference to the fact that she might be called on to perform different duties at this event, she’d put on black slacks and a black blouse, rather than a dress. She had on flats and she’d pulled her hair back.
By eight forty-five, she’d confirmed the tables were set, the chairs were in place and the flowers had been delivered. By nine, the film crew had arrived to set up, as had the caterers.
Renee introduced herself to Odele, a tall, pretty African American woman with a take-charge attitude that Renee found comforting.
“This is exactly what I pictured,” Odele told her, looking around. “I love it.”
They walked the event, first going through the ceremony—to be performed by an Animal Planet celebrity dog trainer—then moving on to the reception.
“As you requested, we did only a couple of tables out here with the dogs,” Renee said, pointing to the decorated tables. “The rest are inside, away from inquisitive canines.”
“But there’s a dog-friendly cake?”
“Yes, and cookies. There are a dozen or so water dishes around the perimeter of the reception area and I have someone who will be checking them regularly.”
“Good.” Odele scrolled through her tablet. “The pooper-scooper guy will arrive with the dogs.”
“I’m glad you thought of that. I’m not sure I would have,” Renee admitted.
Odele laughed. “I’ve done plenty of dog-based shows. You learn to expect that sort of thing.”
They finalized all the details, then Odele went back to oversee her crew.
Close to ten, her friends started arriving. Not only would they be there to help with anything unexpected, they would also be extras at the wedding and ceremony.
Jasper had texted the previous day to say he couldn’t make the wedding. Renee smiled as she thought of his excuse that he had to work on the book. She suspected he was thinking that a dog wedding could easily get out of hand and wasn’t anything he wanted to be a part of. He was such a guy.
Carol, Silver and Verity all arrived at the same time. She showed them the layout and the incredible amount of food the caterers had already set up.
“I think it’s called a craft table,” Silver said, eyeing the Danishes. “Or maybe not.”
“We’re so Hollywood,” Carol teased.
Verity looked around. “Renee, you’ve done a wonderful job.”
“Thanks. Do you want to check out your room where you’ll be doing the readings?”
Her mother smiled at her. “Has it changed from yesterday?”
“Odele was going to get the camera set up in it, so there’s that.”
“Then we should probably make sure it’s as I remember.”
“You think I’m overmonitoring the details.”
“I think this is you doing your job, which you do very well.”
“I appreciate that.”
Renee told Pallas she and her mom would be right back, then they went inside to the groom’s room. Sure enough, it was as it had been the day before, with all the furniture removed and cushions and a dog bed on the floor. A guy was setting up a camera. Two big lights had been placed at one end of the room and there was a chart on the wall, detailing the order in which the dogs would come in.
“You’re going to be busy,” Renee said. “That’s a lot of dogs.”
“I’ll be fine. This will be good practice for me before the show starts.”
They confirmed everything was in place before starting back to the main event area. Partway there, Verity came to a stop.
“I want to talk to you for a second.”
Renee looked at her mother. “Is everything all right? You’ve been so busy working, I’ve hardly seen you for the past week.”
Verity glanced away before returning her attention to her daughter. “Yes, well, there have been some things to deal with but it’s all good. Very good, in fact. But that’s not what I want to talk about. I’ve been thinking about what you told me about Pallas wanting you in the business.”
“What? We didn’t talk about that.” Renee was nearly sure of it. She’d told Jasper, but that was it.
“Of course you di
d,” her mother told her. “Anyway, I’ve been thinking that I would very much like to give you the money to buy in as a full partner.”
“What? No. Mom, no. That’s impossible.”
“It’s not. I have the money I made when I sold the salon, plus my payment for the show. I want to help.” She smiled. “Renee, I’ve never been able to give you much financial support. You went to college on scholarships and before that we were always scrimping to get by. I want to do this. It would make me so happy.”
Renee couldn’t take it all in. “Mom, that is incredibly generous and I want to talk about it, but not right now, okay?”
“Of course. I just want you to know I love you and I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you. I love you, too.”
They hugged before returning to the prewedding frenzy. Renee pushed thoughts of her mother’s offer from her mind. She would deal with it later. No way would she take the full amount from her mother, but even the money for a quarter of her share would be fantastic.
They stepped outside in time to see Bethany arriving, with two tall men trailing her. She hurried over, her expression both apologetic and exasperated.
“These are my bodyguards,” she explained. “They go with me everywhere and they make me insane.”
“What about at the ranch?” Pallas asked. “They can’t be there all the time. They’ll spook the horses.”
“They keep their distance, but there they are. Lurking. I hate lurkers.”
“Poor you.” Silver put an arm around her. “What are you going to do?”
“Endure. Be passive-aggressive with my parents. Plot my escape.” She sighed. “If it’s like this now, what is it going to be like when I have the baby? My parents are literally going to smother me with their concern.”
“What does Cade say?” Renee asked.
“He says we should surrender to the inevitable and move to El Bahar when I’m about six months along. Then I can just be there for the birth before we come back here. But I don’t know.”
“Not a decision you have to make now,” Pallas told her. “Although if you do go to El Bahar for three or four months, we are so going to visit.”
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