Karen sheepishly lifted a bag. “Phoebe asked me to give you these.”
“She planned this beforehand?”
Karen shrugged and looked down at the floor. “I know Phoebe is hard to get along with and I was worried that she would be like this on her wedding day. She’s been high-strung since we were kids.”
“I was only trying to help.”
“I know. She’s yelled at all of us.” Karen put a hand on her arm and nodded. “Phoebe needed one main person to take the blame and be her whipping post for the day.”
“And that would be me,” Skye said as she slipped the zipper down the back of her dress and stepped out. She handed Karen the dress.
THERE WAS A BAGGY 80’S style sweater with shoulder pads and a skirt in the bag. After Skye changed into them, she helped Karen put on the finishing touches to her makeup and handed her Phoebe’s lipstick. “I’m passing on the lipstick as a torch. I guess all I can say is, good luck.”
Karen grinned. “I’m going to need it.”
Skye headed down the stairs and out the back door of the venue. She was embarrassed for anyone to see her wearing the silly mismatched sweater and floral skirt. She sat on the iron bench for a minute to gather her thoughts.
“What the hell is going on?” a deep voice asked. “Why are you out here, and what are you wearing?” She turned to find Chasen hurrying toward her. He kneeled down and took her hands.
“I was fired.”
“You...what? How can you fire a bridesmaid?”
“I’m not sure, but that’s what happened. Phoebe fired me from my free, slash helping, position and as a bridesmaid.”
“That woman has some big ones and I’m not talking about her chest! I heard part of what she said after she ordered me, the ‘hired help’ away.”
“I thought they were my friends.” Skye looked up and tried not to cry. She stood and began to pace.
“No one needs ‘friends’ like that. Phoebe is one of the worst fire-spewing brides I’ve ever seen.” He wrapped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her against him. “None of this was your fault. Brides just...I swear, they lose their minds on their wedding day. They forget what the wedding is supposed to be about and fixate on all the unimportant details.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I know for sure. I’ve done hundreds of weddings. You always care about the people around you, you would never treat anyone like Phoebe has today.”
“You don’t know for sure. Maybe I have a mean and dark side.”
He gently touched her cheek. “Nope. Not going to believe it.”
“Why not?”
“Because if you did, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you.”
She suddenly stopped pacing, as she felt her mouth drop open in surprise. Chasen pressed it closed with the tip of his finger and kissed her. His touch was gentle and sweet, and Skye felt her heart slip.
Chasen sat back down and pulled her beside him. “There. You had a few minutes to think of negative thoughts about yourself and now I hope I gave you something good to erase that.”
“You...you love me?” She still couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly.
“I’ve never really been in love before, but yep, I think so.” He grinned and looked her up and down. “Or else how could I think, while seeing you wearing that horrible, crazy ugly sweater, and flowered skirt that you are still the most sexy and beautiful woman I’ve ever seen?” He kissed her again. “I’ve also called my backup driver. I can’t drive for that dragon of a bride tonight. I’m afraid I might say something I regret...or drive over her foot.”
Skye laughed. “You’d do that for me?”
“What? Drive over her foot? Oh yeah, in a nano-second and I’d be sly to make it look like it was an accident.”
“No more wedding injuries. But now because of all this mayhem, it looks like we are both free for this evening.” Skye reached in her beaded purse and pulled out the small red bag with the tokens inside. She dangled it between her fingertips. “It looks like I’ll have time to redeem a token.”
“I’ll ask again, just one?” He gave her a devilish grin.
“I think I’ll stop for take-out and then you can come back to your car’s garage when the other driver gets here. Are all the other cars out for the night?”
“There’s one left.”
“And they won’t be back until late?”
He nodded as his eyes darkened with sexy charm.
“Then be there as soon as you can and see what I have in mind.” She kissed the tip of his nose and stood.
Chasen fanned himself with his chauffeur’s cap. “My word, I think I will die from anticipation.” He ran a hand up and over her bare knee.
As Skye walked off, she still couldn’t believe the last half hour. From this terrible wedding day to hearing the words, I love you, from Chasen. His words reflected how she felt. She loved him too. It had only been a few weeks, but she could imagine spending the rest of her life with him.
She had a skip to her step when people stared at her mismatched outfit and wedding high heels as she wandered back over the lawn. She waved to Phoebe who was still having her picture taken. Phoebe glared at her.
Skye shouted, “I hope your wedding turns out to be everything you want! Perfect.”
Chapter Seven
CHASEN SAT AT HIS OFFICE desk and stared at the stack of papers and billings that waited for his attention. He was usually excited about coming to work, but the last few days all he wanted to do was to spend more time with Skye. She was like a drug that spread through his system. This is what people talked about. He was over the top in love.
They’d made love and he hoped that hadn’t changed things. Was it too soon for him to admit being in love with her? This ‘love’ thing was all new to him. He wished he could Google it and find out if there was a timeline for what was the proper timing for things.
He hadn’t just fallen in love, he’d fallen into her. It was difficult to remember back a few months ago when she hadn’t been a part of his life, and thoughts of anyone he’d dated in the past faded.
Chasen sighed and looked into his latte cup. He’d even forgotten to stop at the bakery for his morning muffin. Now he was hungry and grouchy. Hangry.
A knock sounded on Chasen’s door before it opened. Bowen announced, “There’s someone here to see you, boss.”
“Would you stop calling me boss?” Chasen frowned and looked for the phone to check his schedule. “I don’t show any clients scheduled. Do they have an appointment?”
“I doubt she has an appointment.” Bowen grinned. “I guess I’ll have to tell the pretty lady named Skye that you’re too busy to talk to her. She seems upset. Looks like I’ll have to be the one to console her.”
Chasen slammed his laptop closed and hurried around the desk after Bowen. Skye stood by the back door with a large cardboard box in her arms.
When she spotted him, tears slipped down her cheeks. He took the cardboard box and placed it on the workbench, then took her in his arms.
He let her cry for a moment before he asked, “Skye, what’s the matter?”
“Remember the other night when I told you about work?” She sniffed and looked up at the ceiling. “Mr. Barker fired me.”
“That’s Phoebe’s dad?”
“Yes. He said that she told him all the things I’d messed up—no, make that ruined—for her wedding. She said she was going to do it, I’m not sure why I’m shocked.”
“I can’t believe he was serious and believed her. That is one hot-mess of a family.”
“Since they are a private accounting firm, and I haven’t even worked there six months, he said they didn’t need to give me notice. He told me to pack my box and leave. He’d cleared everyone else out of the room before he told me. He said I wouldn’t even be able to collect unemployment.”
“He said you quit?”
“He did.” Confusion darkened her tear-filled gaze. “How did you know?”
“From what you’ve told me, he has fairly unethical business practices and doesn’t care much about his employees either. He’d do that to save a few mighty dollars.”
“Yes, I see your point. It was a terrible place to work. Tomorrow, I’ll check with Labor and Industries.”
“And you’ll file a grievance?”
“That sounds like a plan.”
Anger seethed through Chasen’s veins. “What I should do is go down there and punch him in the nose.”
A small smile tipped her lips. “As much as I would love to see that, it wouldn’t help anything and he’d probably have you arrested for assault. I didn’t know where else to go. I carpooled in and my car was at the park and ride. I could have taken a taxi, but your shop was within walking distance.”
“I’m glad you came here first.” He soothed a hand over her hair. “Letʼs go back into my office and I’ll get you some water.”
She followed him, and he shut the door. He poured water into a paper cup, handed it to her, and then knelt on the floor before her.
“What am I going to do? I can’t afford to live in Seattle without a job. Even with roommates the rent is much too high.” She sniffed back tears again.
He knelt in front of her. “You have a job if you don’t already remember. I’ve been waiting for you to come in and start.” He took her hands and kissed her knuckles. “In fact, I think I’ve been waiting for you my whole life and I’m not talking about work.”
She met his gaze and lifted one of his hands against her cheek. “Every time I try and do something new, it never seems to work out. I moved here from Portland to be with my dad and now I’m out of work.”
“You’re not going to work here?” Chasen tried to suppress his frown.
“I’m still worried about us being together twenty-four-seven. Will we grow tired of each other? And, I’ve never worked in the limousine business.”
“You know paperwork and organization, the rest you can learn.” He waved a hand toward his desk. “See that pile of paper over there? Thatʼs all back billing. Youʼd be doing me a favor. I’m always afraid people will think Iʼm unprofessional with late billings. You work in accounting. I’m sure you would be on time. Right?”
“Yes, I would be.”
“And I’ve seen how organized you were to put together those three weddings. Brides are usually like napalm waiting to blow. It’s a crazy business. But there are fun and non-crazy brides and gigs to balance out the others. I can’t lie. I need your help here at the office and you need a job, I think it’s the perfect scenario.”
“If you give me a chance, I know I could be of service and help build your business. You’re the nicest and most generous man I’ve ever met.” Skye pulled him toward her and kissed him. When she drew back she said, “I love you, Chasen.”
“Like I love you, love you? Or, I love you because you gave me a job.”
“I was saying it as I love you, love you, if this is what you want too.”
His heart felt like it leapt out from between his ribs. He stood, pulled her to her feet, and then he kissed her across the cheek. He whispered, “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world. I’m sorry about your other job, but they must be crazy not keeping someone like you. I love you too, Skye and I want you by my side to grow this business into something great.”
“I guess there was a reason I carried my desk with me in a box over here. I hoped you remembered your job offer.” She wound her arms behind his neck. “Sometimes out of bad days come good ones. You’re right. I’ve had my thirty seconds to feel bad about myself. Now I need to get back on my feet and move ahead.”
“About that office.” Chasen looked around the small space and chuckled. “I think we’d better work on a desk first. I need to knock out a few walls, but it shouldn’t take too long. I’ll see if Bowen can work on it next Sunday.”
“There’s no rush. I’ll be happy wherever you put me.”
He ran a hand around her waist. “Then it will be as close to me as possible.”
Chapter Eight
FOR THE NEXT MONTH and a half Skye floated on air knowing Chasen loved her. She’d spent her office time learning about the limo rental business and the nights in his arms. Now that fall was here, there was a lull in business before the holiday rush began. Chasen followed her idea and took the time to expand the office. He also rented a small, unused space next to the garage. It was a larger and functioning space that gave a professional feel to new clients coming in for the first time.
Skye hung large framed photos on the wall of Limo Scene’s drivers and cars. She’d included a gold logo she’d made for the company in the center of each picture. Chasen let her bring Ollie to work and he slept under her desk on most days unless one of the drivers took him out to play with him.
She learned she couldn’t win every bid, but many of those jobs were for the high energy brides who wanted something that wasn’t available...at least on this earth. Usually at the end of those meetings, Skye would direct them to Limo Express, Limo Scene’s direct competitor. They could deal with the dragon brides.
In the time she’d been there, business grew by fifteen percent, quicker than it had since Chasen opened. She was proud to be a part of its growth. She felt like she belonged. The other limo drivers were goofy and often make off color comments, but they all wore their emotions on their sleeves and were easy to work with. She loved that Bowen had known Chasen since they were kids, and she loved to hear stories about his childhood. This was a very different work environment than with the women at the accounting firm. It was fun coming to work in the morning, and especially if it meant seeing Chasen.
Not that they ever spent much time apart. They were always together, so Skye move into Chasen’s one story house. Ollie loved the fenced back yard. It was a weird feeling seeing a man’s clothes the closet, his bath items in her medicine cabinet, and boxers in her dresser drawers, but it always felt like their things belonged together, sharing space.
THAT NIGHT, AFTER THEY left the shop, Chasen packed a picnic basket, and they rode their bicycles to Gasworks Park. Since it was early fall, a nip in the air, but hardly anyone around. When Seattle was cold, it was cold, but tonight it wasn’t too bad.
Skye buttoned her cable sweater and helped Chasen with the basket and blanket. Seagulls flew overhead, and the salty air of the sea refreshed her lungs. A couple walked by, hand in hand, with their little white dog and Ollie ran after him barking. A few months ago, Skye would never have believed that she would have someone special but now she had.
She spread the wool blanket over the sand and Chasen laid out the deli cheese and meat. He wiggled the stopper in the champagne bottle and popped the cork. Some of it spilled out and down over his hand.
“Fancy. Champagne?” Skye asked.
“Sure. Why not?” He filled her plastic cup and they toasted. “Here’s to a special day.”
“Why is today special?”
“Well...it just is.” He fiddled with the plastic glass and looked distracted. After a long pause, he said, “Do you know what I loved to do as a kid? Build sand castles. Did you ever do that?”
“Sometimes.” Skye followed him out into the sand and they both dropped on their knees. “In Oregon, the beaches are different. They are full of rocks and barnacles. But we would look for crabs and build them rock houses.”
Chasen drank the last of his champagne and then filled the empty plastic cup with sand. He pressed it down and then set it on the beach. When he pulled the cup back, in its place was a sand form. “Now you,” he said.
Skye followed suit placing hers alongside his. “How will they stay together?” she asked.
“It all starts with a good foundation.” He started the next row of forms. They stacked and packed sand until a small castle stood before them.
She laughed and clapped. He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I want to take a photo to remember exactly how you look at this moment.”
Skye
wiped at her hands. “Remember this? Messy me with sand all over my hands and pants?”
“Look at the sunset over the Seattle skyline.”
She turned and sighed at the beautiful hues of orange and purple streaking the sky in the distance.
“Smile.” He framed the shot and took the photo. “Okay, now it’s perfect.” He pointed back at the blanket. “There are some clean glasses in the basket. Would you pour us more champagne?”
Skye left to pour them a drink and then returned to hand him a new glass. She sat back on the sand.
“This is for you when you finish the castle.” He handed her a small glass vial. “This is for you to save some of the sand in your special box.”
She took the bottle from his hand. “Where should I take the sand from?”
“How about the top?” He scooted close.
When she looked down, nestled in the top of the sand castle was a sapphire and diamond ring. Chasen lifted the ring off its resting place and moved to kneel on one knee. “I love you with all my heart and for all my days, Skye. Will you marry me? Please say yes.”
Everything spun in her head until it came crashing back to what he’d just asked. She squealed and knocked him on his back in the sand. Ollie joined in on the fun nipping at her foot.
“Wait!” he cried. “I dropped the ring.” Chasen frantically searched around on his knees for a second before producing the ring. “Whew! This almost became the shortest engagement ever.” He smiled as he slipped the ring over his finger. “So, yes?”
“Yes. I love you, Chasen.” Skye looked at her hand.
“I hoped that would be your answer.”
“It’s a beautiful ring.” She tipped her hand and the colorful streaks in the sky reflected on the flat surface of the stone. “It’s different. Unique.”
“Unique and one of a kind like you. I knew you wouldn’t want something too traditional. I found this estate jewelry store and when I saw this ring, I knew it was the right one.”
The Professional Bridesmaid Page 6
