“Sadie. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. This is Charleigh.”
“Oh good. I was worried I’d dialed the wrong number or something.”
A light chuckle carried through the phone, and the woman said, “Okay, so you already got my message. Do you have any weddings we can stop by and see in the next few weeks?”
“Actually, I’m working on one that will be the week of Thanksgiving. Is there a certain theme or style you prefer?”
Seconds ticked by, and Sadie wondered if the call had been dropped, when Charleigh said, “I guess all the classic things. White dress, black tux, color in touches throughout the display. White roses and plenty of bling.”
Sadie looked over the items on the table and realized that everything she’d planned for Taryn’s wedding so far was completely opposite of that: rustic, homey, with touches of bling here and there.
“Okay, that will give me an idea. When are you planning to have your wedding?”
“We were thinking in Monaco in June. But that’s hush-hush. We’re trying to make it small so the word doesn’t get out. I’d prefer not to have several strangers with cameras arrive, you know?”
Sadie grinned. It was a concern Maleah had expressed as well. “I completely understand. Okay, I will send you the details of the November wedding, and then we’ll go from there.”
“Sounds good. I’ll send you an address for where to send an invitation so we can attend, if that’s okay with the bride and groom, of course. I’m hoping to get some inspiration as I haven’t done a thing to start planning the wedding.”
Sadie’s brain was blank, as if it had stopped working at the idea of talking to a movie star. Words finally started ticking through her brain, and she said, “If you’d like a few other wedding themes I’ve done, I can email them to you. One of the weddings I did was also featured in the All Things Wedding magazine two months ago, and that wedding sounds similar to what you’re looking for. My biggest suggestion is to start a board of your likes and dislikes on ClipBoard. That will be the easiest way for me to get a feel for your taste, and there are so many great ideas people have clipped on there.”
They finished the conversation, and Sadie sat back, stunned. She’d never thought she’d have the opportunity to plan weddings for celebrities, but as her reputation kept growing, the opportunities continued to increase as well.
Pulling out her calendar, Sadie made a few adjustments to the schedule. The wedding for the Montgomerys was going to be held two days before Christmas in Aspen. She was grateful that most of the big stuff had been decided on and ordered, meaning there would only be small things Sadie would need to check on here and there. After Taryn’s wedding, she would go back to it in full force, but for now, she could focus on a Vegas wedding.
Leaning forward, she knew she was going to have to get Taryn’s wedding perfect. Being the wedding coordinator for Charleigh French’s wedding would be the gig of a lifetime and could make her earnings skyrocket. The only problem was impressing Charleigh with what Taryn had requested. She might have to add persuasion to her list of things to get done.
Chapter 3
The captain of the plane asked for seat belts to be buckled as they made their descent into Las Vegas. Sadie was grateful Aubrey had decided to fly out with her even though it was only for a weekend. She would be driving to visit her family in Aspen Hollow, Utah, the following Monday.
As they found Sadie’s large suitcase in the baggage claim area, Aubrey said, “Are you ready for this?”
Sadie grinned. “Yep. I feel really good about my plan and schedule so far. Sure, there will be a lot of things that have to line up perfectly in the next five weeks, but I think with my ideas and your brother’s connections, we might be able to pull it off.”
“Yeah, Evan definitely knows a lot of people. That comes in handy more often than I care to admit.” Aubrey laughed, her dark hair cascading down her back.
As her insides turned at the mention of his name, Sadie tried to push away the curiosity about Evan stirring inside her. She’d always tried to keep the conversation casual when it came to him, hoping not to tip off her best friend that she liked her brother, even after years had passed. Maybe seeing him again would help her get over him this time.
“Oh really? When have you used his connections?” Sadie turned to her best friend and narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her face.
Aubrey shrugged. “Well, I haven’t really done that, but I know many people who have. Sometimes I feel bad for Evan and Aiden. A lot of people cling to them because they have money.”
Sadie smiled, remembering the time when Aubrey’s triplet siblings had started seeing a lot of success in their fields. Aubrey had questioned whether or not nursing was something she should continue. She’d always loved nursing, but it was surprising how some people didn’t value that as much because she didn’t have billions in her bank account. Some even thought of her as a failure because she wasn’t as “successful” as the other two. When she’d come to terms with the fact that nursing was noble and that no one expected her to do something she didn’t want to do, her life changed, and Sadie could see the peace that had finally rested over her.
“We’re there to put them in their place, though, right?” Sadie smirked.
Aubrey threw her head back and laughed. “Of course. But for now, let’s take advantage of our mini vacation and enjoy the weekend.”
Sadie pushed Aubrey’s shoulder, causing her to stumble to the side a few steps. “Vacation for you. I’ll be working the entire time.”
Aubrey giggled and moved back next to Sadie, motioning to the line of guys waiting with names written on papers or tablets. An older gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair held a sign with their names.
Sadie pointed to the tablet. “That’s us.”
“Hi, George.” Aubrey dropped her bags and went on tiptoe to hug the large man.
They pulled apart, and the man grinned. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Miss Pearson. It’s been too long.”
“That it has. How are Holly and the kids?”
“Doing well, miss. Thank you for asking. Let me get your bags. The car is out this way.” George reached forward, taking the handles of the suitcases from the girls and moving toward the wall of windows to the outdoors.
As they walked outside, Sadie was grateful it wasn’t sweltering at the beginning of October. Leaning over to Aubrey, she gestured to the man walking in front of them and asked, “How do you know him?”
“Evan hired George when he bought his first hotel in Las Vegas. He’s kind of like part of the family. He even brought his family to dinner at my parents’ house once. You know, one of those times when I invited you to come hang out at a family party and you turned me down.”
“That’s what a boyfriend is for,” Sadie said, flashing Aubrey a mischievous grin. “Besides, the longer I can stay away from Aspen Hollow, the better.”
George opened the door of a white limo, and Sadie slid in after Aubrey, hearing the click of the door as he closed it.
“Your parents don’t live there anymore, so why don’t you like it?” Aubrey turned her hazel eyes toward her. This was when Sadie wished her friend wasn’t so inquisitive.
“All I think about are the bad memories from that place. It’s just better if I don’t have to relive that again. How’s Lance? I feel like I haven’t been able to talk to you since I’ve been in New York.”
Aubrey grimaced. “We decided to go our separate ways. He didn’t like the fact that I was working extra shifts to be able to go see my parents. If he really knew me, he’d know I love decorating for the fall festival. I wait all year just so I can get things ready for it.”
“That and Christmas.” Sadie reached over and patted her friend’s hand. “I’m sorry, girl. You’ll find someone soon.”
“You will too. Maybe this wedding will bring out all the good-looking normal guys and we can both benefit.”
Sadie laughed and nodded, feeling a small hollow
space in her chest. There wouldn’t be a guy who could take the fear of marriage out of her. But she could hope that for her friend.
* * *
The ride to the resort was quick, the driver navigating the roads with experience and efficiency. Evan’s assistant checked Sadie and Aubrey into one of the upper suites, and upon walking into it, Sadie couldn’t close her mouth. It seemed like an exorbitant amount of money was spent on the furnishings and the look, and in Sadie’s opinion, they’d done a great job.
“Are you sure Evan doesn’t need to rent this room out? It seems like this should be going for quite a bit.” Had he personally arranged for them to stay in such a big space? Or was this just the standard Pearson-family accommodation?
Aubrey waved it off. “He’ll be fine. There are probably three thousand rooms in this complex. With all the shopping below and the shows that come to town, he’ll be fine without this room for a few weeks.”
“I’m not staying in this room the entire time, or I better not be. I might get too used to it and then never be happy in our small apartment.”
“You can enjoy things and then find a way to get back to normal. Besides, you don’t stay long at our apartment anyway.”
Biting her bottom lip, Sadie said, “True.”
“Do you think you’ll be a wedding planner forever? I mean, it seems like a great adventure, jet-setting around the world for each event, but what happens when you get married and have a family?” Aubrey’s face was neutral, and Sadie knew she was just asking, like she did almost every six months.
Flopping onto the bed, Sadie stared at the ceiling. “I love this, Aub. It’s like fulfilling every dream I could have to get married. I love kids; I just don’t know if a family is in the cards for me.”
“Just because your parents’ divorce was less than civil doesn’t mean that relationship problems are genetic. You’re beautiful, and I would kill for your auburn hair. Besides, you’re sweet, funny, and you genuinely care about people. Some guy would be hitting the jackpot if he landed you.”
“What about you?” Sadie asked, sitting up and glaring at her friend. “We’re only a month apart. Why do I have to be dating someone if you aren’t either?”
“Because I worry about you. You used to have dreams about your wedding, planning every detail, right down to the cream puffs. It’s been nine years, Sadie. Your parents are better off now, don’t you think?”
Nodding, Sadie had to agree. It had been hard to accept new spouses for her parents, and although they still bickered when they were together, she was grateful things weren’t as bad as they’d been at the beginning. It was a wonder they’d each wanted to marry again after the year in court and several restraining orders.
She needed a break from the conversation. “I’m going to fill the ice bucket. I feel like my tongue has turned into sandpaper after the flight.” Sadie lifted the bucket from near the sink and moved toward the door.
“Just use the water in the mini fridge.”
Feeling the need for air, Sadie shook her head. “No, I think I’d drain it right now. I’ll be right back.”
Ducking into the hall before Aubrey could come up with another excuse, Sadie breathed a sigh of relief that she’d been able to escape the room. She loved Aubrey like an actual sister, more than her own, actually, but there were times when she just needed a break to think things through on her own, without Aubrey trying to solve everything for her.
Reading the sign on the wall pointing the direction to the ice machine, she walked to the left, admiring the wood trim of the hallway. Evan, or more probably his designer, had good taste in finish work and décor, pulling all the pieces together.
She’d been looking up at the lights as she walked when she bumped into something hard, causing her to take a step back. At first she thought it was the wall, but upon looking, she found a dark-haired man standing in front of her, several inches taller and blocking the light just behind him, making it difficult for her to see who it was.
She took a step back, swallowing hard as she recognized the almond-shaped eyes and strong jaw, the lips she’d stared at a time or two all those years before. With his eyes on hers, her breath caught. With a nervous sweep of her hand, she brushed her hair back, feeling like a seventeen-year-old again.
“Sadie?”
Evan. His rich voice sent her straight back to her childhood when they would skip rocks along the pond by his house. Then her thoughts moved to high school where he was the popular guy every girl wanted to date. And finally, the day they graduated from Hawthorne when he’d led the graduates in a cheer as they waited to file into the stadium.
The memory of that night echoed in her brain, the hurt of it causing her heart to slow down a few beats. She remembered seeing him with another girl on his arm, even though he’d promised to take her to the after-party. It had been the culmination of so many little slights that she wished she could just move on.
“Yup. It’s me.” Holding up the ice bucket, she said, “Just going to get some ice.”
They stood there in awkward silence for several moments, Sadie’s heart pounding in her chest. Why would it betray her like that? She’d liked him when they were teenagers, but once they’d made it to Hawthorne, he’d become an arrogant jerk. That should be enough to tell her Evan Pearson wasn’t the right guy for her. But then again, look at her family history. It wasn’t like her parents had had a healthy relationship. Maybe she was destined for the same fate.
“You look great. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” He smiled, baring pearly white teeth that were exactly straight. She’d thought he’d gotten stronger throughout college with all the football training they were put through, but the man standing before her was even bigger, his shirt tight around his biceps.
What was she supposed to say to that? Thanks?
“You’ve been busy building this.” She reached her hands out to the side and looked around as if to encompass the entire hotel with that gesture.
His hazel eyes stared at her, causing her to shift with discomfort. As if snapping out of some strange haze, he finally said, “Is everything okay with your room?”
She nodded. “Yes. It’s quite the room. But after the weekend, I would prefer to move to a smaller room since Aubrey will be going to Aspen Hollow on Monday.”
“No, you’re planning my sister’s wedding. It’s the least I can do to make your stay comfortable. Besides, you’ll probably have a lot of stuff to plan it, boards and supplies. Just stay in that one until the wedding.”
With a shrug, Sadie said, “I’m not going to fight you on that.” She smiled wide, and when he returned it, one side of his mouth considerably higher than the other, there was no holding back the feelings bearing down on the wall she’d built years ago to keep them back.
She took a step to the side, trying to move around him. If she stayed where she was, he’d be able to hear her traitorous heart, and she wasn’t in the mood for his ego. Seven years and billions of dollars probably hadn’t tamed it at all.
“Let me know if I can get you anything.” Evan’s voice echoed down the hall, and Sadie nodded as she looked back, wishing she could run away and not look like she was breaking out of some lockdown facility.
Turning the corner to the ice machine, she set the bucket on the ledge and pressed the button, wondering if she would be able to survive the next few weeks of planning with Evan around. She hadn’t even been in the vicinity for five minutes before she was acting like a nervous schoolgirl.
Maybe it was because he was an attractive guy and she hadn’t seen him in so long that her body had reacted like that. It wouldn’t take long for his true colors to show, and then her attraction for him would die. At least, she hoped so.
Chapter 4
Evan stood in the hall for a few moments before moving to the elevator and heading down. When was the last time he’d seen Sadie? He knew she and Aubrey roomed together at Hawthorne, and he remembered seeing her at graduation, but he hadn’t visited
the two of them since, usually only seeing his sister at home in Aspen Hollow for family occasions.
With her dark red hair and piercing green eyes, why hadn’t he taken notice of her long ago? He’d always found auburn hair attractive, but she was Aubrey’s best friend, and he’d known her since they were in grade school. But she definitely didn’t look like that before. The girl he’d known had worn thick glasses and usually pulled her hair in a ponytail. This version of Sadie pulled at him, making him realize how blind he’d been all those years ago.
He’d come to their floor to check on another guest, not knowing Sadie and Aubrey had arrived. Not wanting to run into Sadie again or make things awkward, he’d gotten back into the elevator. It dinged as it reached the first floor, and Evan pulled his phone out of his pocket, dialing his sister’s number. She picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, Evan. Thanks for the awesome room.”
“I heard you were enjoying it. When did you get in?”
“About thirty minutes ago. How’d you know we were here? Did George call you?” He could picture her face, eyes wide with surprise.
Walking toward his office, he said, “No, why? Did something happen to the car?”
“No, I just didn’t see your manager, so I wasn’t sure how you already knew.”
Grinning, Evan took a seat at his desk and said, “This is my hotel. I have eyes everywhere. But this time, they were mine. I met Sadie walking to get ice.”
“That’s cheating.” She laughed on the other end, causing Evan to do the same. “What’s up?”
Remembering he had a reason for calling her, he said, “I was wondering if the two of you wanted to have dinner downstairs tonight. My treat.”
“Yeah, I think we’d be up for that. Just a second. Sadie just came back with her filled bucket.” Aubrey must have covered the end of the phone because he didn’t hear anything for several seconds. What would they be talking about for so long? It was just a dinner for friends. Right?
The Vegas Billionaire: An International Billionaire Club Series Page 2
