by Aurora, Lexi
Although he wasn’t a hundred-percent certain the fourteen-year-old would pick up, it was a Thursday night after all. He did answer on the first ring. One loopy smile, then, “Heya, Gray!”, and they were in business.
Grayson had known he was getting in deep when Big Brothers had paired him with the taped-glasses black-eyed kid, but Piper defied all expectations. He was like a magnet for the schoolyard bullies, who punched and mocked the poor loser whenever he made the poor choice of being in a hundred-mile radius of them. Home life for the kid wasn’t much better, with a mom who was absent and a dad who came to terms with this by drinking until he passed out.
“How’re things, buddy?” Grayson asked.
Piper squinted, sneezed, scratched behind his ear like a ferret. “Ah, you don’t want to know. What about you, though? Any hot babes in Hamilton?”
Grayson smiled thinly. “Dude, I told you, calling them ‘hot babes’, especially when you’re fourteen, is not a wise move. Anyway, haven’t gone out yet, so I couldn’t tell you.”
Piper nodded importantly, like this was a secret world-class mission only they were privy to.
“What about your friend, though? Did you convince him to call it off?”
“Ha, not yet,” Grayson sighed. “Tell you the truth, I’m not sure his fiancée is completely unacceptable.”
To Piper’s questioning, glassy-eyed stare, he continued, “I don’t know. She was funny and seemed genuine. Anyway, I can’t say yet. Though she hasn’t totally won me over, yet.”
His phone went off.
“Yeah, yeah, answer it!” Piper urged in a shrill, excited voice.
Grayson clicked it off. “Just the bitch of honor.”
“The bitch of...”
“The maid of honor,” Grayson made a face. “Just this humorless woman who was at a dinner I went to last night.”
“Another one of the ladies?” Piper said, significantly.
“Hell no. The woman’s uptight, not at all my type, just... No,” Grayson shook his head firmly. “Anyway, cut it out, you hear? You’ll have plenty of time for that when you’re old and bored, like me. Enjoy your youth, play video games, eat too many chips and enjoy not getting fat.”
Piper rolled his eyes. “Easy for you to say.”
Hearing a knock at his door, Grayson got up. Peering through the eyehole, he groaned, “Got to be fucking kidding me...”
Back at his laptop, he said, “Piper, buddy, got to go. We’ll talk later. Take care of yourself, man.”
“Wait!” Piper said. “Is that one of them? Could I...”
“Goodbye, Piper,” Grayson said firmly, hanging up.
Dragging his ass to the door, which she was still knocking on, he opened it.
“You really don’t give up, do you?”
“And you really don’t pick up, do you?” she shot back, putting a hand on her hip.
Grayson paused, momentarily stunned. Ms. Grey Bitch looked... well, not grey, and maybe even good.
Her blouse almost showed the shape of her curves, while her brown waves, when not amassed into a rat’s nest on the top of her head, actually framed a face that was admittedly good-looking.
“Nothing to say?” she said.
“What’s the big deal, anyway?” he asked.
“What the big deal is Mary-Kate just sent me a memo of wedding details and it’s not at all what Kyla wanted.”
Grayson stared blankly at her and she rolled her eyes, “Mary-Kate, the wedding planner?”
“Oh yeah. Thought the name sounded familiar.”
She was eyeing him like she was considering rolling her eyes again. Instead, she said, “So, you’ll do it – help me talk to her?”
“Do I have a choice?”
She shrugged, “Not really, no. You agreed to help while Kyla and Kyle were away at that relationship conference.”
Don’t remind me, he thought.
“Alright,” he said. “What’s the plan, then? We track this wedding coordinator down at her house in the middle of the night and shank her?”
Judging by the expression on her face, she wasn’t even considering laughing at that.
“Tomorrow I have an appointment with her at her office, on Clair Creek Street.”
Grayson nodded, already turning away. “Tomorrow then.”
As she left, he kept the door open partway and watched her go. For some reason, he wasn’t, totally, not looking forward to tomorrow.
Chapter 5: Annie
It can’t go that bad.
As Annie cast her gaze around the white-and-blue themed room, she braced herself for what was to come. Confrontation was her worst enemy, and she was about to go head-to-head with someone even sweet Kyla had admitted could be “a bit hard-headed”.
Grayson wasn’t making this any better. While he had shown up at the Hooters dinner looking somewhat presentable, now his mussed hair and crumpled t-shirt was making him look like he’d just rolled out of bed, which he probably had, seeing as it was 9 a.m.
The receptionist had plopped them in a corner before a whole clump of magazines with the promise that Mary-Kate would be out “shortly”.
Feeling Grayson’s eyes on her, Annie scowled. She’d known this slightly too-tight blouse and knee-length skirt had been a mistake. “What?”
“Just...”
“You thought the only things I had in my wardrobe were an endless supply of too-big grey sweats?”
He shrugged, “I guess, yeah.”
“Well, sorry to disappoint.”
Annie shifted, throwing her glance to the nearest magazine. Style & Home, why not. It would have to do for now, anyway. Looking over and continuing the conversation with Asshole was out of question. Especially not with him so close beside, with that look in his eyes that was as intimate as an actual stroke.
Heat flamed through her cheeks and she tore to a new page in the magazine, which displayed a living room styled in deep aquamarine and tan. It was a bit eclectic-looking, somewhere you could picture a well-to-do hippie settling down.
Don’t. Even. Think. About. It.
The guy was a tool. He had bad news written all over him. This arousal was just a natural reaction to it being so long since she’d been with someone, or that someone had even touch her in that way.
“Ms. Peters?”
Mary-Kate decided to show up. The woman with the dark, chin-length bob and square-framed glasses had a voice that was monotone and mannish, and a smile that was obligatory.
“Yes,” Annie said, extending her hand. “It’s a pleasure to –”
Grayson stepped beside her. “I’m Grayson.”
Annie’s outstretched hand met thin air as Mary-Kate’s swivelled to meet his. “You’re the...”
“Best man.”
“And I’m the maid of honor,” Annie made sure to add.
Mary-Kate nodded, already turning away. “Just this way.”
They followed her into a room with white walls, white leather furniture, and black accents. It was a chic utilitarian room, where the slightest speck of dust would feel instinctive unease. Annie certainly did.
“You called to express uncertainty about the memo,” Mary-Kate said flatly. “But here’s the thing; having a dog deliver the rings is implausible at best, too much peach in the meal will turn off the guests, purple is not this year’s shade – blue is, and purple carnations are ok.” The woman bore her long, gleaming teeth into a smile. “Any questions?”
She said, it in a tone that almost sounded like a threat. Annie took a deep breath. Here goes.
“Yes,” Annie said. “Not questions, actually, but concerns. With so many of Kyla’s suggestions unheeded, I’m worried she’s not going to be happy with the result.”
More like crushed. Even months ago, Kyla had stayed up half the night telling Annie all her wedding ideas and how perfect the day was going to be.
“Your friend gave me her implicit trust that I knew what was best,” Mary-Kate adjusted the red-framed glasses on the tip
of her nose. “Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think.”
Annie gaped at her. Was this woman for real?
She was about to snap. Yes, we’ve only been best friends since we were seven. Before she could say anything, Grayson cut in.
“C’mon, you don’t think a dog would be cute?” He let a lopsided smile fall on his face as he leaned in. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you don’t strike me as the dog type, more like the....” He let his eyes rove over her, too long, and then waved a hand as he pursed his lips. “Probably shouldn’t get into it.”
Mary-Kate pressed her cranberry-red lips together. When she spoke, her tone was decidedly less hostile. “Still, the fact remains...”
“I get it,” Grayson grinned. “You’ve got a lot of demanding clients, and only so much reality to give. The truth doesn’t always whet the appetite, but you’re the one who has to serve it in a way that’s doable. But look at you; you’re a good-looking woman who clearly knows her stuff. I’m sure if anyone can find a way, it’s you.”
Annie turned to gape at him. What the hell was he doing? They were supposed to be here for Kyla and Kyle, not so Grayson could get another number on his booty call list.
Mary-Kate, meanwhile, was craning her neck so ridiculously in a faux-stretch that it looked liable to snap.
“As for the peach dishes,” Annie continued. “Kyla said she only really wanted the peach pie and a few slivers of peach on top of the wedding cake. So I don’t see what the problem is.”
“Maybe I could see what I could do about the dog,” Mary-Kate said to Grayson, ignoring Annie completely.
Annie stood up. “You two have a productive meeting.”
She stalked out, half-wishing she’d blurted out, “You two deserve each other.”
What made her the maddest, though, was Grayson. Who did he think he was? Flirting with that evil bitch for his own slimy reasons.
In her car, she turned on the ignition and then sighed. An image of Kyla’s downcast face popped into her mind as she broke the news to her friend, as well as her own disappointment, “And you just left?” she told herself
She twisted off the ignition, glaring into the windshield. In the cramped L-shaped parking lot, there was just her Prius, Grayson’s Tesla, another Toyota, and a Porsche she would bet belonged to that bitchy wedding coordinator.
What was the point of staying? So that she could see Grayson march on out, already scanning his latest phone number acquisition, give her a little self-satisfied wave with a shit-eating smirk. Toodle-loo.
And yet, Annie couldn’t just leave without finding out whether the wedding coordinator really was rejecting practically all of Kyla’s wedding preferences. She’d even go back into that witch’s office, if it came to it. No way was she letting that black-haired Godzilla ruin what she and Kyla had been planning for over a decade.
Sitting there, Annie flipped through her Anna Karenina book, although her heart wasn’t in it. Anna was clearly destined for ruin, while she herself couldn’t stop, to her annoyance, from flicking her gaze up every minute or so to check if Grayson had come out.
When, finally, he strode into the parking lot, looking as self-satisfied as she’d expected, Annie got out of her car.
He smiled, “Imagine seeing you here.”
“Hope you enjoyed yourself,” she snapped.
“I did, thanks.”
“So glad,” She rolled her eyes.
He stared at her. “What’s your problem?”
“Oh, no problem.” She glared at him intently. “I mean, totally reasonable that you’d be more interested in flirting with the wedding coordinator than actually doing what we were there to do – sorting out our friends’ wedding.”
“Oh, didn’t I mention?” he smiled mildly. “Also got almost every one of your precious Kyla’s wishes approved – dog ring-bearer, peach pie and all.” His lower lip twitched. “All except for the blue theme, though Mary-Kate did agree to purple carnations at least.”
As Annie stared at him, dumbfounded, he grinned again, “Feel bad you left now?”
“No, I...” Annie struggled with her words after hearing this news.
It did make sense though, now that Annie thought about it. How, at the first sign of Mary-Kate’s hard-headedness, Grayson had jumped in, all smiley compliments and suave suggestions.
“Still, you didn’t have to...”
“Do it like that?” his dark brows rose. “What? I should’ve done it more like you, since you were doing so well?”
They glared at each other for a minute, before Annie turned away saying, “Whatever.”
As she walked back to her car, he called, “I do accept ‘thanks,’ you know.”
She slammed her door, “Goodbye, Grayson.”
Whether or not he responded, she couldn’t tell, since she’d immediately hit the gas and drove away. All the way back to her parents’ place, she drove fast, unsure what she was really escaping from, other than the sped-up beating of her heart.
Chapter 6: Grayson
He was halfway through his room service poached eggs and crispy bacon, when the barrage of knocks on his door erupted. Slowly, he chewed his crispy bacon, waiting for the knocking to stop, which it didn’t.
“I mean it, Grayson. Open up. I know you’re in there.”
At the sound of Annie’s familiar shrill, Grayson sighed. He opened the door, but stayed in place, blocking her from entering. “Is a guy not allowed to enjoy his breakfast in peace?”
She thrust something in his face and waved it around, “This isn’t funny.”
Grayson took a step back to look at what were apparently napkins with... were those eggplants?
“Ok, so...” he scanned her face carefully for some clue as to why she was here with her incorrect napkins. “The coordinator is an incompetent bitch, what else is new?”
Annie’s glare was determined. “I know you did this. Putting these... vegetables instead of the peaches Kyla wanted.”
“And why the hell would I even do that?”
Her eyes narrowed so much they almost looked closed. “You’re not going to make me say it.”
He shrugged, “You’re not going to make me admit to something I didn’t do.”
“You put the eggplant there because of the whole...dick...” Her eyebrows flared. “...connotation. Well, it’s not funny, because now we’re going to have to pay at least two-hundred dollars out of our pocket to get the right ones printed.”
Grayson stepped back. It was official. Kyla’s BFF was actually certifiable.
“First off, I didn’t do shit with your precious napkins. Second off, what kind of fancy-ass napkins cost two-hundred dollars?”
Annie’s expression didn’t budge, “The custom-made kind.”
Grayson shrugged, “Fine, whatever.”
“Don’t pretend that...”
Her phone ringing, Annie answered it. “Hi.”
A pause, then, “My blue carnation delivery came in? Are you sure?” She let out an exasperated breath. “Yep, I’ll be right over to check them out in person.”
As she hung up, Grayson asked, “Do I want to know?”
“The flowers,” Annie said. “Mary-Kate ordered the wrong flowers, too. I’m going over there now.”
She turned away, but Grayson caught her wrist. “Hey, I’ll go too.”
She paused. Her gaze shot to his hand. For his part, he was surprised at how soft her skin felt and how delicate her wrist was. This is unexpected... almost nice...
“See you there, then,” she said, extricating herself with a flurried tug.
HE FOUND HER IN THE hotel parking lot, looking about ready to set the place on fire.
“How sweet, you waited for me,” he said.
“My car won’t start,” Annie said the words without looking at him. “It does this sometimes. Just needs a bit of time to cool down.”
“So... I’ll drive?”
Annie responded with a mute nod, then, as she walked over to his
driver’s side, an unwilling “thanks”.
Grayson flashed a smile, “Don’t mention it.”
“So, these flowers,” he said, as he puttered along in traffic a few minutes later, “They’re at the banquet center where the wedding is happening?”
Annie nodded, “Kyla figured it was the best place to store them before the big day. Luckily, they’re fake, so they won’t go bad, but still. Kyle and her place is packed to the brim since they’re moving anyway.”
“Those crazy kids,” Grayson said with a little smile. “Who plans a wedding and a move within a few weeks of each other?”
“They’ll pull it off,” Annie asserted.
Silence.
“You’re really loyal to her, aren’t you?” he asked.
Annie responded while looking out the window, “She’s been my best friend since we were kids. We’ve been through a lot with each other.”
“It’s crazy though, isn’t it?” he asked quietly. “Seeing this person you’ve known for so long just... I don’t know, change so much? Like, one minute they are this sole entity, and the next, they’re... joined.”
“I don’t think so,” she said from the window. “Anyway, we’re pretty late.”
Grayson wasn’t sure what help that was supposed to be. If she would look out the front window, then she’d see they had a good ten minutes’ worth of traffic ahead of them, at least. Not to mention, he doubted they had a specific ‘wrong carnation’ appointment at the banquet center, where they were just checking out the mix-up.
When they finally pulled into the elongated parking lot, the sky above was dismal and Grayson was already really hungry. He’d stashed the rest of the breakfast in his mini-fridge, and now his stomach was paying the price. Luckily, this shouldn’t take long.
Now that they’d arrived, though, standing outside, Annie took her sweet time snapping pictures of the hall’s not-even-that-impressive pointy-topped exterior.
“C’mon,” Grayson stepped in front of her photo. “Thought we were late.”
“I’m taking these pictures for my mom,” Annie said, scowling at him.
