The Professional Bridesmaid

by Jennifer Conner

  “And you’re not calling a cab. I told you, that’s not happening.”

  She bit her lip and looked at her bandaged foot. “I’m too tired to argue. I’ll let you drive home if you let me order some takeout to pay you back. You told me that you hadn’t eaten and then you spent the next three hours in the emergency room.” She looked at the empty wrapper on the table. “And all you’ve probably had was a candy bar.”

  He stood. “Deal.” When she grimaced as she put weight on her wounded foot, he bent and draped her arm across his shoulders. “Come on, let’s get out of this place.”

  Chasen helped her out through the sliding doors and told her to wait as he went and retrieved the limousine. People gawked as he drove to the front. Limos weren’t usually the vehicle of choice for the ER.

  He helped Skye in the back. Opening a compartment between the seats, he drew out a pillow and propped it under her damaged leg. “Better?” he asked.

  “Yes, even though I feel a little silly.”

  “Hey, are you making fun of my car?” He grinned.

  “It’s beautiful. I would never do that.” She shook her head.

  “Then sit back and as soon as you tell me where you live, I’ll have you home in no time.”

  He opened the slider between the driver and the back. “I put a bottle of water in the seat. You okay?”

  “Yes. I’m fine.”

  After he’d driven a few miles, he spotted his favorite burger joint and hooked the limo into the drive-thru. “Have you ever eaten at Broncho’s Burgers? They are open late and their barbecue bacon burger with frizzled onions is to die for.”

  As he pulled through the order window, he saw Skye look around. “Oh no. My purse and wallet are still back at the wedding.”

  “The caterers called me while you were in the ER and said they found your purse. They are holding it at their office, and you can pick it up tomorrow. And besides, don’t worry about it. The bride and groom are paying for our dinner tonight. I’ll add it onto the ‘extra charges’ on their bill.” He waggled his eyebrows at her in the rearview mirror.

  When they got to her apartment, he parked his car in the lot and then helped her out. “Do you mind if I come in and eat with you? The burgers aren’t any good if they’re cold.”

  “I’d like that.” She pointed at a flower box. “I hid a key under a rock in that planter. I am always forgetting my key. Can you get that for me?”

  Chasen found the key, jostled the bags of food into his other arm, and took her arm again as she limped up the steps. He opened the door and flipped on the lights.

  “Home sweet home,” she said. “We’re in luck tonight my other roommates are gone for the weekend. I don’t know them well since I have only lived here a few months but they are nice girls. We all have busy schedules and see each other on the fly. I could never afford to have an apartment by myself.”

  The place was cheery and bright with large posters of Impressionist paintings on the walls. A leather couch and two floral-covered chairs welcomed them into the living room. Repurposed furniture was painted in bright hues of chalk paint. Skye had a great eye. She’d done a lot to make the small place feel homey. He could use someone like her around the office. He was terrible with the creative side of the business.

  “Can I ask you a huge favor? My neighbor, Mrs. Benson, to the right of my apartment is watching my puppy, Ollie. Can you knock on her door, explain what happened and get him for me?”

  “Sure.” He did as she asked and returned with a wiggling ball of fur in his arms.

  He barely got the puppy on the floor before it leapt from his arms and jumped into Skye’s lap.

  “What a cutie.” Chasen chuckled. “And it looks like he missed you just a little bit.”

  The puppy jumped around and licked her face.

  “Make yourself at home.” She pulled herself to her feet. “I need to change out of this dress. I smell like potato salad.”

  Chasen went to the kitchen, opened a cupboard, pulled two plates from it and then returned to the couch, where he placed a burger, fries, and a milkshake for each of them on the coffee table. Skye came in a few minutes later wearing pastel-striped flannel pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. He watched as she came toward him and sat on the couch.

  “I really wanted to take a shower, but the doctor told me not get the bandage wet for a few days. Perfume de potato salad it is for a few days.” She looked down at herself. “Why are you staring? Is there pickle relish on my cheek?”

  “No.” He smiled. “I was thinking that I’ve never seen you in anything other than taffeta. I wondered what you would look like.” He refilled the dogs water dish and sat it back on the floor.

  “Yeah...” She winced as she attempted to cross her bandaged leg. “I’m sure that I look great.”

  “You do look great. Beautiful, in fact.” Chasen watched her pale cheeks turn rosy. With her light skin and bright blue eyes, she was beautiful. How would her pink lips taste when he kissed them? He was beginning to think this was a ‘when’ and not an ‘ifʼ scenario. He snapped out of his thoughts. Chasen knew he was there to help her with her wounded foot and not ask if they could make out. “Come on. Let’s eat these burgers.” He handed her a plate.

  She unwrapped the paper, took a bite, and sighed in bliss. She broke off a tiny chunk and fed it to Ollie. “You were right. These burgers are amazing.” She dabbed at some barbeque sauce on the corner of her mouth. “Thanks for being there tonight. I’m not sure what I would have done.”

  “I know you had your girlfriends at the wedding, but I didn’t know who was who. I was afraid your foot was broken.”

  “The girls are coworkers...I’m not sure that they would consider me a friend. My dad’s here in San Francisco. I moved here when he and my mom got divorced. He was a little lost and I worried about him.”

  “You must love him a lot.”

  “I do. He may not have been the best husband but he’s a great dad. He always cared about me and my sister. I’m not sure whose fault the divorce was. I think maybe they were never really in love. My mom got pregnant with me...well, you can guess the rest.”

  “Marriage for ‘doing the right thing’ doesn’t always lead to happiness.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “You mentioned about the women in the wedding. Aren’t they friends? They picked you as one of their bridesmaids.” Chasen took a drink of his milkshake.

  “Not really.” She frowned. “They asked me to be a bridesmaid so I could do the wedding coordinating and keep their weddings within budget. As I said, I’m just a professional bridesmaid that they look to for free help.”

  “Why did you agree? It sounds like they are taking advantage of you.”

  “I know they are. I let them. It’s my fault. I was the new kid on the block at work. When three of the girls got engaged at almost the same time, they asked me. I committed.” She shrugged. “I guess I was hoping we would all become friends. But, it hasn’t really worked out that way.”

  “You have one friend.”

  “Who?” Skye asked munching on a fry.

  “Me, silly. I mean I think two weddings and an ER visit would constitute our meeting as friendship, and I’m only going to ask you for one thing.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

  “You let me come back in the morning to make sure that you’re okay and then spend the day helping you around the apartment so you don’t hurt your foot...like the doctor ordered.”

  Chapter Four

  SKYE FLOPPED DOWN ON the couch again and drew the comforter higher. She wiggled her foot and looked at the bandage wrapped around her ankle. She yawned and basked in the sunlight coming through the drawn shades. She knew there were things to be done but she felt lazy and exhausted from the events of the night before. There were lunches to plan for the following week and laundry waiting to be washed in the basket beside the couch, but instead, Skye spent the morning reading her e-reader. Her foot still hur
t, but she could stand on it now without clenching her teeth, so she didn’t really have an excuse other than procrastination.

  She’d just moved off the couch to make another cup of tea, when there was a knock on her door. It was Sunday. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and her dad was out of town for a few days, so it wouldn’t be him.

  Skye glanced through the peephole, sucked in a breath, and then opened the door. “Chasen. What are you doing here?”

  “I told you last night that I would come by to see how you were. But, we were both beyond tired so you may not remember. Or maybe I just imagined the words in my sleep-deprived brain because I wanted to see you again.” He grinned and held out a crumpled paper bag. “I brought over some cinnamon apple muffins from my new favorite bakery. I’m allergic to eggs and they have a good selection for customers with dietary needs. If I’m not being too pesky, can I come in? I bought a puppy-chino for Ollie.”

  She stepped to the side and let him in. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, he looked even better than he did in his chauffeur uniform, and Skye hadn’t thought that was possible. A Celtic tattoo wound around his muscled bicep and peeked beneath the hem of his sleeve. Skye shouldn’t have walked behind him because the view of his Levi’s were a little much for this early in the morning. Especially since she wore the most unsexy, too large, rumpled pajamas. Of... course.

  When he reached the living room, Chasen gave her a puzzled look. “Is there something wrong? Is this a bad time?”

  “It’s ...No. It’s just that I probably look even worse than I did last night after the ER visit.” She pushed the laundry basket behind the couch. Of course there was a pair of her lace undies and bra on top of the heap.

  “Will you stop worrying about that? Geesh.” He stepped close and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not a guy who worries if your mascara is on straight. I’m here to see you not your makeup bag.” He leaned even closer. “And you don’t have any visible blobs of potato salad on you. That might be a deal breaker. That salad has too many eggs. I’d have an allergic reaction, and then I’d be the one in the ER.”

  Skye’s pulse kicked up. She was happy she didn’t smell any longer like the spilled salad because he smelled great. Spicy and manly. She smiled and relaxed. Who was this adorable guy and how had he fallen into her life? Her second question was, could she keep him for the day? “Have a seat. Can I get you tea or coffee?”

  “Coffee. Black. Thanks.” He sat on the couch, took out the two muffins and put each one on a napkin. She brought the coffee and then sat across from him. Chasen took the lid off the puppy-chino and kneeled down. Ollie licked the cup clean.

  “What do you have planned for the day? Were you thinking of spending it together?” Skye hoped she didn’t sound too forward.

  “I guess you have me figured out.” He smiled again. “If your foot hurts, we can hang out here. I’ll even watch some chick flicks.”

  “You’d make that sacrifice?”

  “I would. But I hoped if your foot was up for a little walking, we could hit a park. It’s a beautiful day. It would be a shame to waste it inside.”

  “My ankle cut feels a lot better. A few Ibuprofen have worked like magic.” Skye wiggled her foot. Iʼll make the sacrifice if I can spend the day with you.” She looked up in time to see him reflect her smile, and thought he looked a little surprised that she said yes. “Can we take Ollie?”

  “Sure. Let’s finish these muffins and get going.”

  Skye held up her hand. “I’m not going anywhere without a shower and washing my hair. You might not care how I look, but I do.” She finished her muffin and stood. “You mind waiting? I’ll hurry.”

  “Not at all.”

  AFTER A QUICK SHOWER, Skye dried her hair and then stood in front of her closet for inspiration on what to wear. She decided on a white short-sleeved blouse and capris. She’d only worn the shirt once so she hadn’t had a chance to stain it. When she walked back out into the living room, Chasen looked up from a magazine he’d snagged off her coffee table.

  “Wow, you weren’t kidding. That was fast.” He stood and took a step toward her and eyed the bandage on her ankle. He frowned. “I can’t believe that bridesmaid threw that bowl. She could have broken your foot.”

  “I like to stay positive. It was just a flesh wound to quote Monty Python.”

  He rolled his eyes and smiled. “And she quotes my favorite movie. You’re a keeper.” He crumpled up the empty muffin bag and napkins and threw them in the trash. He waited for her to put on shoes and then said, “Let’s see what the day has in store for us.”

  Chasen led her out to the curb where his car was parked.

  “Nice. A classic Mercedes.”

  “1986. Do you like cars?”

  “I went to a lot of shows with my dad growing up. I’m fairly familiar with the makes and models. 560SL?”

  “Yep. I’m impressed.” Chasen ran hand over the fender. “Maybe someday I can afford my dream car of a 1964. But that is a long time off.”

  “I’ve only seen you in your limousine. I never thought of you having another car.”

  “Like you experienced last night, people look at you funny if you go through a drive-thru, and besides that, the limos are rotten on gas mileage.”

  He opened the back door and she laid out the blanket to protect the seat from Ollie’s claws. The puppy jumped in and sat down. Then Chasen opened passenger door and Skye slid in the front seat. He got in and then pulled out into traffic.

  “How many limousines do you have?”

  “I have three now. It took me awhile to get enough saved up for even the second car, but I love my job and my business. I am happier than I have ever been.”

  “I liked my job in Portland better than the one I have now.”

  “Why did you move to Seattle?” Chasen asked as he adjusted the rear-view mirror.

  “My mom and dad separated. My dad moved here, and after many conversations, I realized that he needed family close by. Dad was lonely. My sister is married, so I looked for a job in Seattle, found one, and moved here.”

  “My parents both live just outside the city. We often get together for dinner on a weekday since I’m busy on weekends.”

  They drove for a few more miles and Chasen pulled into Chapel in the Sky.

  She slapped her forehead. “I forgot all about my purse. I guess it’s a good thing you were around to remember for me.”

  “I called this morning again and my friends the caterers, said they were here cleaning up from last night and we should just stop by.”

  SKYE RETRIEVED HER purse and thanked them profusely. When they left the kitchen, she commented, “You know, I’ve never walked the grounds of the Lodge, it’s beautiful.”

  He took her hand. “Well then, let’s take a walk—that is if your foot feels up for it.”

  “Are you sure? The place looks closed.”

  “I’m friends with Amina. She wouldn’t mind at all. She loves her place and loves to show it off to people who appreciate it.”

  They walked across the rich green lawn and wound between the Aminas and garden. Skye touched the petals of a red Amina and bent to sniff its fragrance. She and Chasen walked until they reached the cliff overlooking the salt-water cove below. She looked back at the Lodge. “Being involved with these weddings, I’ve never had a chance to enjoy the place itself. I was always running around trying to make sure everything was perfect.”

  “The one thing brides never realize is that there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ wedding. Every wedding something goes wrong. You just have to fall back and punt.”

  “Having a wedding here at the Lodge would be special. Even though I doubt my family or I could ever afford it, it’s beautiful here.” Skye sighed. “If I was planning my wedding, instead of all the fancy things, I would make it simple. This place has everything you need.”

  He laughed. “You know, for all the wedding parties I’ve driven here, I’ve always thought the same thing. Cou
ples bring in tents, huge flower arrangements, and lights that basically cover up what is already here.”

  She walked to the wrought iron railing and leaned against it. “Simple. Beautiful.”

  Chasen stood in front of her. “Beautiful,” he whispered. “I’m going to kiss you now, because I’ve been wanting to do it for a very long time.” He took her chin and tipped it up, then bent forward.

  Nothing too sensual, just two mouths touching. Simple. Sweet. His hands dropped to her arms and he drew her to her feet. This time he took her face, smiled, and then kissed her again. He changed the angle of his head to deepen it. The light and airy sounds of water from a nearby fountain matched her heart. She was coming alive. It had been a long time since Skye felt this much electricity from a man’s kiss. At this moment would her entire life change?

  When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless.

  “Will you go to dinner with me tonight?” he asked, skimming a thumb over her cheek.

  “You’ve already brought me dinner last night and breakfast this morning. And, after a kiss like that, I think I would follow you off a cliff.”

  “Don’t do that.” Chasen chuckled. “I’m offering to take you to another dinner. I would ask if I could take you to lunch too, but I don’t want to seem like a stalker.”

  Skye wouldn’t have minded, but she thought they’d best slow down a bit. “I’ll make you a deal. Dinner tonight, but I treat.”

  He frowned.

  “Okay, how about dinner and I cook? I’ll feel much better if I can repay you for all that you’ve done to help me. You bring the wine and salad.”

  “That sounds like a deal I can live with. I’ll be there.”

  Chapter Five

  CHASEN WAS SURPRISED he felt so nervous. It had been awhile since he felt this connection with a woman.

  Most of his dates over the last six months had been one and done. He’d had a fun time at dinner or the movies with the women, but didn’t feel any connection. With Skye, that was different. He found that he wanted to spend as much time as he could with her.