Long and Hard: A Bad Boy Box Set

by Lulu Pratt

When I finished my beer, I ordered another. It pissed me off that Callie hadn’t wanted to know what I was all about. I had my reasons for being upset about the wedding. If she’d bothered to listen, I would have told her it was too soon, that if Carter was too hasty, he would lose so much of himself. I would have told her how much we had all already lost. But Callie hadn’t wanted to know.

  She had said her piece like my view didn’t matter at all, and she’d walked away like I hadn’t had anything to add to the conversation. I was irritated that I still thought she was so damn attractive. I wanted to hate her and fuck her all at the same time. And I couldn’t do either. Talk about the ultimate sexual frustration.

  I downed my second beer, so it fizzed in my stomach and made me momentarily lightheaded. I paid for the alcohol and left the bar because there was nothing sadder than a man drinking alone.

  I hoped to slip into the house unnoticed when I got back. I wasn’t in the mood to talk about my night, and of course, John and Carter were going to ask. I wanted to go to my room and lick my wounds in peace instead of acting like the big guy. I didn’t want to admit I was pissed off by how Callie treated me, that I didn’t care as little as I had hoped.

  “How was it?” Carter asked when I stepped foot into the house, and I groaned inwardly.

  “Fine,” I said.

  “What did she want to talk about?”

  “Wedding stuff.”

  It wasn’t a lie. We had talked about the wedding. Rather, she had talked about the wedding. I had been forced to just listen.

  “Don’t be so tight-lipped about it. Unless it was supposed to be about some kind of surprise? Spill.”

  I sighed. Carter wasn’t going to let me get away with this unless I told him it was a surprise. Which I couldn’t justify when nothing came of it. So I walked to him where he sat on the couch, and he paused the game I hadn’t realized he’d been playing on the Xbox. He turned to me, curious.

  “It was just a load of bullshit about how I have to behave,” I said. “It was all about my attitude.”

  Carter laughed. “Really? She asked you to meet so she could tell you to back off?”

  “Scolded me like a child,” I said.

  Carter laughed. “Wow. I knew she was feisty. I mean, you can see it a mile away. She’s the type who wears the pants, you know? But you’re pretty intimidating yourself. I’m impressed.”

  “With her?” I asked. “I’ve just been pulled through the wringer by the wedding planner, and you’re impressed with her.”

  Carter shrugged. “Most women drool over you. And if they get pissed off with your shitty attitude — which, let’s face it, you have — they’re too scared to tell you to your face. So yes, I’m impressed with her.”

  I shook my head. “Backing the wedding planner and not your best friend. Ouch.”

  Carter pulled up his shoulders. “Let’s be fair, you’ve been a dick so far.”

  “Because this isn’t right, and you know it.”

  Carter shook his head. “You can’t hold onto the past forever, Grayson. Shit happens, and it hurts like hell. Believe me, I know how much it hurts. But what will it help us if we look back? I’m trying to move forward with Abigail. You should try to move on too.”

  I shook my head and stood up. I wasn’t in the mood for more lecturing. I’d had more than enough of that for one night.

  “I’m going to bed,” I said.

  “You do that,” Carter retorted, and I left the room before I said something I would really regret.

  Chapter 13

  CALLIE

  THE PHONE RANG off the hook all morning, and I barely got around to my emails. Thursdays seemed to be crazy every week.

  “I can’t keep up,” I said to Isaiah who had resorted to responding to the most urgent emails for me, even though I preferred to know personally what was going on.

  “You’re popular, honey. Bask in the glow of your success.”

  I snorted. “Thanks, Isaiah.” Sometimes, his quirkiness and his flair for positivity weren’t exactly what I wanted. Sometimes, I wanted to complain and get sympathy.

  “Somewhere Special Weddings, Callie speaking,” I said, answering the phone yet again. I listened to the voice on the other side of the line before I hung up, smiling.

  “Good news?” Isaiah asked.

  I nodded. “I got confirmation that Abigail’s invites have been delivered.”

  “Another tick,” Isaiah said.

  It was a great feeling when something came together. It was even more thrilling when it happened so fast. It was a challenge to get everything together in such a short time, but I was making it happen, and it was a thrill. I loved planning this wedding because it was a challenge.

  “Let’s run through what still needs to be done,” I said.

  “Décor,” Isaiah said. “Photographer, videographer if she’s doing one.”

  I nodded. “I’ll call her with suggestions.”

  “And you need to ask them what they have in mind for favors. That needs to be ordered as soon as possible. You know how much Marissa hates it when you let her know last minute.”

  Marissa was the woman I turned to for most little gift parcels, and she wanted more than enough time to enjoy herself putting the order together.

  “I’m afraid there’s not much time to be had with this one. Everything we’re doing is last minute.”

  “Maybe you’ll have to let me deal with Marissa then. She likes me more than she likes you.”

  I grinned. Everyone liked Isaiah. He didn’t fit in with anyone, which meant he fit in with everyone.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “Wedding planning assistant skills, check,” Isaiah said.

  I shook my head and tried to focus on administration while the phones were quiet. Grayson popped into my mind, but I forcefully pushed him away. I didn’t want to think about him right now. I hadn’t let him get a word in edgewise when I’d met with him. I hadn’t wanted him to argue with me and give me some kind of logic I couldn’t counter. What was more, I hadn’t wanted him to say something that would distract me, to change my mind, to be charming so I would forget why I had gone.

  My job as Abigail’s best friend was to protect her from people like Grayson so she could remain in the bubble that was her upcoming wedding. I wouldn’t let him ruin everything for her, but if I let him in too close — and that was a real danger right now — then he would ruin everything for me. Men like Grayson were trouble. He was too full of himself, too arrogant, and he didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. He had the capacity to break everything. And the worst part was that he was so fucking attractive while doing it, I couldn’t help but be hot for him.

  Even when I hated him.

  Which was why thinking about him was the last thing I needed.

  “Your eleven o’clock is here,” Isaiah said, leading a young woman into my office. She had wispy blonde hair and watery blue eyes, and her smile was so innocent and gentle, I struggled to peg her age.

  “I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to meet you,” she said when she held out her hand. I took it. “I’m Eileen.”

  She looked like an Eileen. I smiled politely and offered her a chair and coffee. Isaiah disappeared to make the coffee she accepted.

  “Right. Let’s start with the basics,” I said. “When are you planning to have the wedding?”

  She gave me a date, and it was in a year’s time. I could work with that.

  “How much have you done already?” I asked.

  Eileen shook her head. “I came to you. That’s all I’ve done other than get engaged. It’s so daunting, you know? I don’t know how I would manage.”

  I nodded. “What’s your budget for this wedding?” I asked. I had to find out what I had to work with and what I stood to make out of it all. When Eileen told me her price, I put down my pen and folded my hands on the desk, staying polite. She didn’t have enough a large enough budget to hire a wedding planner. It was expensive to get me on boar
d, and most of the things I sourced were also expensive. This woman was going to have to make another plan.

  “I want it to be an open-air wedding with finger food and country music. Do you know what I mean?”

  I nodded. “If that’s the case, let me tell you three things. You want to let the guests wear flat shoes if it’s open-air so that influences your dress code a lot. Make it casual, and that makes it easier for you to find clothes for the groom and your wedding party. The more formal you go, the more expensive it gets.”

  “Will it be romantic if it’s casual?” Eileen asked.

  I nodded and pulled up photos on my laptop of a few casual weddings I had coordinated.

  “Look at this,” I said, pointing out the different elements. “And it looks great, doesn’t it?”

  “You said you would tell me three things,” she said.

  I nodded. “Fairy lights can be your go-to for lighting and atmosphere. It’s easy to find, and you can get a lot for a small amount of money. And finger food is easy to go through a normal caterer. People tend to stick price tags on everything the moment you mention it’s for a wedding.”

  Eileen nodded, listening intently. I wasn’t going to be able to make her wedding happen for her, but I could help her make it work by giving her advice.

  When the meeting was over, Eileen left without having signed anything with me. Isaiah shook his head, tutting.

  “Poor girl.”

  I shrugged. “It happens. Back in the day, everyone but the rich and famous did their own weddings. The whole concept of a wedding planner is fairly new. She’ll manage.”

  “With the advice you gave her. For free.”

  “Talk is cheap,” I said. I usually charged for my time, even the consultations, but I had felt bad asking for money when I had really only told her I wouldn’t take her on.

  “You’re too nice,” Isaiah said.

  “There’s not enough nice in the world. We have to make it go around where we can.”

  “Preach,” Isaiah said.

  I laughed. “Go on. Get back to work,” I scolded lightheartedly. Isaiah was right. I was a bleeding heart, but I was who I was, and my company didn’t go under because I helped the odd bride.

  My cell phone rang, and Abigail’s name flashed on the caller ID.

  “Are you busy?” she asked when I answered.

  I was swamped. “For you, I always have time.”

  “I want to look for a florist today, and tonight, we’re tasting cake. Come with me?”

  I nodded. “I’ll be there. Meet you in an hour?”

  Abigail agreed and told me which florist to meet her at. When I hung up, Isaiah looked at me with raised eyebrows and folded arms.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You always have time for Abigail, but who has to pick up the slack?”

  “This is work, not play. She’s paying me, remember? Besides, I’ll give you a bonus after this one if you do what you need to do.”

  Isaiah shrugged. “I’m easy. Money can get me to do anything. I mean everything.”

  “You didn’t have to emphasize that,” I said, pulling a face.

  “I’m just making a point.”

  Isaiah sat down in the armchair opposite me that I had brought in for clients. He crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands in his lap.

  “You look like you want to say something,” I said.

  “Are you seeing Grayson tonight?” Isaiah asked.

  I rolled my eyes. “He might be at the cake tasting.”

  “And how are you going to deal with him?”

  I shrugged. I had already dealt with him. Whatever happened now, he knew how I felt, and I would do everything I could to make sure Abigail and Carter had a beautiful wedding.

  “I know you slept with the guy, but that shouldn’t affect how you react to him,” Isaiah said.

  “Believe me, it doesn’t.” Not if the way I had freaked out at him at the bar had been anything to go by. “He’s still trying to ruin things, but I won’t let that happen. I’m not only the problem-solving, chaos-controlling wedding planner, but I’m also the best friend. He can’t get through me.”

  I hoped I was right. I wasn’t nearly as confident as I sounded. But Isaiah bought it. He nodded and stood up.

  “Take care of those invoices before you go. I can’t do them.”

  I sat down and took care of the necessary business. In the back of my mind, I thought about what Abigail had said about the cake tasting. She had said “we.” No doubt Carter would be there. And if Carter was there, Grayson wouldn’t be far behind. I didn’t how I felt about seeing him.

  When I met with him to talk about what he was doing, I’d been angry. I hadn’t let him speak, hadn’t given him a chance to defend himself, and he’d sat there, looking at me with a face that suggested he hadn’t seen it coming. It had felt amazing at the time to see that smug grin wiped off his face, for the arrogance nowhere to be found for a change. But now that I’d had time to think about everything I said and slept on his reaction, I felt bad. Maybe I shouldn’t have freaked out like that. Maybe I should have had an adult conversation with him.

  What if he had a side? He had to have a reason why he was so against the union. But I hadn’t given him a chance to say anything. Meeting him in private to talk to him about it had been pointless because it hadn’t been a conversation.

  I didn’t regret that I’d had my say. I only regretted how I’d delivered it. He had been childish about the wedding from day one, and instead of talking to him about it like adults, I had been childish and shouted at him too.

  There was nothing I could do about it now. I wasn’t going to phone and apologize. I didn’t grovel to men like Grayson. And maybe my scolding session would stop his shit. I hoped so. It was starting to become unpleasant, and the wedding was still a short while away. I didn’t feel like dealing with his negativity until the day of the wedding. I had visions of him standing up to object to the union when the priest asked. When that happened, it was humiliating to almost everyone involved. I’d seen it happen twice, and there was nothing beautiful about it. The couple usually got married anyway, but there were strain and tension the rest of the day.

  I wished nothing like that for Abigail. I wanted her day to be perfect. And I would do my best to ensure it was.

  I finished up the invoices as Isaiah had asked, trying not to think too much about what had happened between me and Grayson, either of the times. When it was done, I took my bag, said goodbye to Isaiah, and headed out to meet Abigail at the florist. That was my priority. I had to focus on her wedding and making it a special day because it was the only thing that mattered.

  Chapter 14

  GRAYSON

  WE HAD TO find florists. Was nothing going to fall to the bride to handle alone? I was sick and tired of having to deal with all this wedding planning shit. Surely, the best man’s duties weren’t to help plan every goddamn detail?

  “It’s important to Abigail that I’m involved with it all because it’s not just her day, but it’s mine too,” Carter said to me when I mentioned it. “And you’re here with me because you’re my support. You’re my best man. I need you here to help me out.”

  I snorted. “You have to learn how to deal with the woman if you’re going to insist on letting her wear the pants,” I said.

  “Fuck you, Grayson,” Carter said, and I raised my eyebrows. It was out there for Carter to swear at me, and I didn’t think it was a joke.

  We left to go to the florist. Abigail was already there looking at the flowers, touching them as if she could decide what she wanted through a connection or some shit. Carter walked to her and kissed her. She lit up when she saw him, and I had to admit, she looked like she cared about him. Pity, it would only be harder for her to get over it once I managed to stop the wedding from happening.

  “Where’s Callie?” Carter asked. I wanted to know too. I hoped she wouldn’t be here.

  “She’s on her way,” Abigail co
nfirmed.

  So much for that.

  “No reason not to start looking,” Abigail said, taking Carter’s hand and leading him to the flowers she’d had in mind. I tagged along.

  “I was thinking we could do lilies for the tables. It’s a little different but not too out there.”

  I chuckled, and Abigail looked at me. “What?”

  “It’s just a little cliché, don’t you think?”

  Abigail blinked at me before carrying on like I hadn’t said anything.

  “I want to do something a little simpler for outside where we’re doing the photos so it looks natural,” she said.

  “Isn’t outside already natural?” I asked. “It’s nature.”

  Abigail looked a little irritated. Carter was starting to look pissed off too. I was downright annoyed with all this bullshit.

  “What do you think about this?” Abigail asked, pointing at something frilly and pink.

  “God, more pink,” I said. I hadn’t meant to look for shit with that comment. It had been genuine. There was more pink than anything else in this wedding, and it was tacky as shit. Abigail shook her head, turning away from me. Callie arrived at the same time, and Abigail flew into her arms. Great, the support system had arrived. Now we were really going to get into it, and my whole day was going to get progressively more fucked up. I folded my arms and watched Carter watch Abigail, hating how he looked at her.

  When the women headed out of the store to talk for a moment, Carter turned to me, and the look on his face was not friendly. He walked to me with an attitude that made me straighten up and brace myself. I didn’t know what was coming. Carter and I had never gotten into a full-on fist fight, but the way he approached me now made me wonder if he would go there if it came down to it. I could take him, of course.

  But I didn’t want to. He was my friend.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Carter asked. He walked to me until we were toe to toe. It was a challenge. If I took it, it was going to come to blows.

  “Come on, man. This is bullshit, and you know it. Flowers? Really?”