by Alina Jacobs
“Aw!” Archer said, coming by with a stack of plates piled with food and several other blond, grey-eyed men trailing him. “I have a ton of single brothers. You could have one of them.”
“Why are you even here?” Evan said in exasperation. “You let us get kicked out of the reception hall.”
Archer shoved a piece of cake into his mouth. “I told you, no alcohol allowed. I’m already on thin ice with my insurance company. But I had to come, because you have wedding cake.”
“Do me a favor,” Evan said to Mika, “and stay away from the Svensson brothers.”
“Or not,” I teased. “They are pretty handsome. And sometimes you find love where you least expect it.”
“Hey!” Evan said, picking me up and spinning me around. “I not only have a very attractive package, but I make a very attractive package.”
“You do,” I told him, kissing him. “You’re the best wedding present ever!”
Keep reading for a sneak peek of
A SHORT ENGAGEMENT!
READ A SHORT ENGAGEMENT
Read more about Evan and Ivy!
Subscribe to my mailing list and receive this 4,400 word bonus short story!
alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html
1
Ivy
Ah, the end of wedding season! I stretched out on the large king bed, still amazed that I couldn’t touch all of my possessions from said bed. I rolled over and made starfishes on the bed just because I could. Fergus meowed from above my head. Now that he had three floors in a penthouse that were all his and windows he could survey the city from, Fergus’s mood had improved greatly.
I had gotten home from the final wedding of the season, and for the first time in the past seven months, I didn’t have to scramble to prepare for a wedding or a meeting with a bride. Evan and I had been together since Imogen’s wedding disaster, and every day had been better than the last.
As dreamy as this penthouse was, it was not my dream penthouse. We were not living in the clock tower penthouse. It was probably for the best, I thought, as Evan walked back into the bedroom wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs and a chef’s hat. I enjoyed seeing him like this every morning, but I really didn’t need half of Manhattan to enjoy it as well.
He was carrying a tray with a bowl of pasta on it, and my mouth watered.
“He cooks, he brings breakfast in bed,” I quipped, sitting up. The sheet fell down, exposing the other reason I was glad we weren’t living in a space with two-story-high windows. Evan bent down to kiss my chest.
I pulled up the sheet. “I don’t want cream sauce all over the comforter.”
Evan’s mouth quirked. “I did tell you to take the comforter off because you creamed everywhere.”
“You’re insufferable,” I told him then leaned over and kissed him.
“But you like me anyway,” he whispered against my mouth. He smiled at me, then he fed me a bite of pasta.
“I’m surrounded by all my favorite things,” I joked. “What’s not to love?”
“There aren’t any weddings coming up?” Evan asked.
“Thankfully not. And you know me, I love a wedding, but I’m glad to take a break. All I want to do today is craft, cook an elaborate recipe, read romance novels, and snuggle with you and Fergus.”
Evan stiffened. “I thought you had plans. I already scheduled time with my friends today. Sebastian is coming into town.”
“Oh.”
“But I can cancel,” he said hurriedly.
“No, no,” I assured him, feeling slightly miffed. “That’s fine.”
“Are you sure?”
I planted a kiss on his chin. “I don’t want Sebastian to think I’m stealing you away!”
“Sent!” Grace announced when I walked into the brand-new offices of Weddings in the City.
“Champagne?” Elsie offered, popping a cork.
“Those were the last of the wedding photos for the final bride,” Grace informed me. “We only have two weddings booked through Valentine’s Day, but those are Christmas and New Year’s brides. They’re always fun and low maintenance.”
“A whole three months off!” Amy said, sprawling on one of the large leather chairs.
When Evan had bought the clock tower penthouse, the furniture had been included. We hadn’t had a chance to really explore decorating because of all the weddings. Now we would finally have time to decorate the space. We could buy desks, put in plants, and have fancy white chairs.
The Roomba whirred by. It was festooned with flowers. Fergus sometimes came to the office with me, but Evan for some reason wanted him at home that day.
“How is Fergus liking his new digs?” Sophie asked, slicing leftover cake and passing it around.
“He and Evan are weirdly close. Evan cleared out a whole room for him and installed a cat elevated highway.”
Sophie snorted.
“Has Fergus lost any weight?” Brea asked.
“I think he’s actually gained some. He and Evan spend the weekends lying on the couch and watching football,” I said.
“It sounds like Evan might be losing his girlish figure!” Grace snickered.
“Oh, he works out,” I assured them.
“I bet you’re giving him a good workout, Ivy!” Sophie cackled.
“Oh my!” I ate a large bite of cake.
“I do feel bad that I’m gone like every Friday and Saturday night plus random weeknights. Now that wedding season is over, we’ll have more time together. And I’m putting Fergus on a diet. He doesn’t even use his cat superhighway. He just climbs up on one particular perch and hopes that a bird will smack against the window.”
“Now that we have a smattering of free time, we can talk about decorating this place,” Grace said. “At the very least, we need curtains in the bathroom.”
“Having a man staring at you while you pee might be the start of a beautiful romance,” Brea said earnestly.
Sophie made a face. “We need to start censoring your Kindle.”
My phone beeped with a picture of Fergus, Evan, and Sebastian drinking whisky, though Fergus had cream in his glass.
“I’m surprised you aren’t with him now,” Elsie remarked, looking over my shoulder.
“I wanted to come see all of you, my dearest, bestest friends!” I said.
“You’ve spent sixty hours a week with us for the past five months,” Amy said flatly. “None of us are going to begrudge you if you spend a Sunday with Evan.”
I chewed my lip.
“Is everything all right?” Grace asked.
“He said he already had plans for today. Maybe he’s rethinking this whole relationship,” I said, worried.
“He was probably just confused. He didn’t know wedding season was over. Usually you do work on Sundays,” Sophie said reassuringly.
“I guess,” I said, looking down at the picture. “But what if Evan is unhappy?”
2
Evan
“You have to help me!” I said when Sebastian showed up at the door.
Ivy had taken a car to the clock tower penthouse. She had turned it into her company headquarters, which I was fine with. I wanted to be able to fuck her in the living room without all of Manhattan watching us.
“How’s soon-to-be married life?” Sebastian asked, bending down to greet Fergus.
“That’s why you’re here.”
“You’re going to propose?” my friend asked.
“Do you think it’s too soon? I figured it would take her years to plan her wedding in between all the other ones she plans,” I explained as we walked into the living room. I poured him a drink at the wet bar.
“Six months is probably fine if you think it’s going to take years to plan a wedding,” my friend said, nodding. Sebastian took a sip of the whisky. “Now walk me through your proposal plan, and bring your A game. Ivy’s seen hundreds of proposals. You’re competing with all her ghosts of grooms past.”
“Shit. No pressure, huh?” I ma
de a drumroll motion. “For my epic proposal, I am going to have Fergus help me!”
Sebastian made a face then gave me a thumbs-down.
“Come on! Ivy loves that cat. I’m training him to bring a ring box when called, and I’m going to put him in a little bow tie, throw flower petals everywhere, and light a shit ton of candles.”
“That cat?” Sebastian pointed at Fergus, who was licking his nonexistent balls.
Read A SHORT ENGAGEMENT
Join the mailing list to receive this free 4,400 word short story!
http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html
Weddings in the City Girls
Ivy – Wedding Planner
Elsie – Catering
Amy – Flowers
Grace – Photography
Brea – Wedding dresses and jewelry
Sophie – Wedding Cakes
Acknowledgments
A big thank you to Red Adept Editing for editing and proofreading.
And finally a big thank you to all the readers! I had a great time writing this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy!
About the Author
If you like steamy romantic comedy novels with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!
Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books…
Sign up for my mailing list to get special bonus content, free books, giveaways, and more!
http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html
