Wedding Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories

by Lisa Scott

  Someone shook a branch. “I’ll try, kiddo.” I knew that gorgeous voice.

  My head snapped up. It was Ben. I blinked at him.

  “Micki?” He sounded just as surprised to see me. The Frisbee was still stuck in the bush.

  I stood up. “Hey, what are you doing here?” With a little girl. Who just called you Daddy?

  He placed his hand on top of his daughter’s head. “It’s my weekend with my daughter, Alexis. We love playing catch at the park. She’s gonna be a softball star, I just know it.”

  She looked up at him. “If you can’t get the Frisbee, I could throw the ball to the dog.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  “Who’s this?” She jabbed her thumb at me.

  “Remember the wedding I was in?”

  “The one with the doves?”

  “Yeah, and the one last week. Micki was in both of those too.”

  She smiled at me. “You probably looked really pretty.”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “Why don’t you throw the ball to the dog?” Ben suggested. “All the way over there?”

  She ignored him and put her hands on her hips. “Did you dance with my Daddy?”

  I crossed my arms and shook my head. “Barely. There were lots of ladies dancing with your Daddy.”

  “Any good ones?” She squinted up at me. “He needs a wife, you know.”

  Ben searched the sky. “Alexis, play ball with the dog.”

  “Are you married?” she asked me.

  I laughed. “Nope. I’m not.”

  Ben took the ball from Alexis. “Hey, I know. I’ll throw the ball and you race the dog to get it.” Ben heaved the ball before giving his daughter a chance to ask any more questions. Daisy and Alexis took off, her pigtails swinging.

  He turned to me. “And now you know the real reason I want to get married. Why I need to.”

  “But why? Doesn’t she have a mother?”

  He jumped for the Frisbee, trying to knock it free. “She does. A girl I spent one night with when I was twenty. Haven’t done that again until last week with you.” The Frisbee fell and he picked it up. “Her mother and I never even considered getting married. Now she shows up with a new boyfriend every six months.” He handed me the Frisbee. “Alexis deserves to see what a real family looks like. And I’m not willing to settle for less. I’m not parading women in and out of our lives, letting her get attached to someone, only to have it go nowhere. My mom did that to me and it sucked.”

  Daisy and Alexis raced back to us.

  “Come on honey, let’s go.” Ben held out his hand, wiggling his fingers.

  I took the ball from her and threw it. “Go get that one, guys.” That’d buy me some more time. “It makes sense.”

  “Can’t say the same about your reasoning, Micki. I think you’re just scared. And I think you’re going to regret it someday.”

  I looked down at my sneakers, then up in his eyes. “I’d really like to see you again. I’m a good girlfriend. My last boyfriend just really screwed me up. Do you think we could try?”

  He put his hands on his hips. “But you’re still set on not getting married?”

  I balled up my fists and groaned. “Why does a relationship have to be categorized like that?”

  “So that Alexis would know you’re there for good. So I would.”

  I shook my head. “Putting a name on it is just setting the bar for it to fail.”

  “So we’re right back where we started.”

  I threw up my hands. “I guess so.”

  He nodded, and Alexis and Daisy ran up to us. “We really gotta get going, kiddo.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “Okay.”

  I watched them walk toward the parking lot. Alexis said something to Ben, then turned and ran toward me. “Here, I want to give Daisy my ball.”

  “That’s so sweet of you.”

  “And I wanted to tell you my Dad is really funny and really nice and I think he likes you. I can tell by the way he was looking at you. So, maybe call and ask him out sometime? I don’t like how he’s so lonely when I’m not around.” She kicked at a stone in the grass.

  “I think all those things about your daddy, too. But here’s the thing. I don’t want to ever get married and he does. Sometimes things just can’t work out.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “And sometimes grownups just don’t try hard enough!” Then she ran off back toward Ben.

  We stared at each other from across the park, then turned and walked away when Alexis caught up to him.

  ***

  I couldn’t stop thinking about Alexis and Ben all week. Facing a weekend off from any weddings, I realized I wanted to be with them. But I got caught up on my blogging instead. After touting the beauty of ordering a wedding cake that was all fake except for the top layer (it’s cheaper, and it’s easier to cut and serve sheet cakes back in the kitchen) I asked readers for some advice. “How did you know he was the one? Weren’t any of you terrified it wouldn’t work out?”

  I got all sorts of advice. One woman couldn’t stop throwing up. That’s how she knew. Another hiccupped every time he dropped her off after a date. And of course, I got the ever helpful, ‘You’ll just know.’

  But it should have been a good week. Three brides inquired about my wedding planner services. I got an email from a literary agent asking if I’d be interested in sending a book proposal. It boosted my mood for a moment, but I still couldn’t shake Ben and Alexis from my mind.

  It didn’t help when Samantha and Justin got back from their honeymoon, all smiles and goo-goo eyes. They stopped by to move Sam’s last things out of our apartment. She hugged me goodbye. “We’ve got a wedding booked for our catering company next month. I gave them your number.”

  “Thanks.” I forced a big smile. Maybe working in the wedding industry was a bad idea for a girl who opposed the institution.

  But I couldn’t call it quits now. I had ten more weddings to appear in, including one that weekend. I was feeling so lousy I skipped the rehearsal dinner. The daughter of my mother’s best friend was not happy. “Charlotte, it’s not like I need the practice. I know how to line up. I know how to walk down the aisle.”

  She sniffed over the phone. “I have pearl necklaces to give all the bridesmaids.”

  My heart softened. This was her big day and I was letting my internal drama ruin it. “I can’t wait to see it tomorrow.”

  ***

  Truth is, I’d been looking forward to wearing the Vera Wang bridesmaids dress. But even that didn’t make me smile. I drove to the church and Charlotte fastened the pearls around my neck and handed me my bouquet. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Her face was pale and her eyes were big. Not all brides handle the big day with total grace.

  I squeezed her hand. “Calm down. It’s going to be fine.”

  “What if he’s not the one? What if he stops loving me?”

  “You love him, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Nothing else matters.” Like I would know.

  I hadn’t yet caught up with the attendant who’d be standing up with me. I crossed my fingers it would be Ben. That would be a sign, wouldn’t it? We’d never compared wedding schedules. Maybe he was in this one.

  But five minutes later, I met the guy who’d be walking me down the aisle. He was built like The Rock and had a grin that would’ve wobbled my knees a few weeks ago. “I’m Ted, the groom’s cousin.”

  “Micki, the bride’s friend.” I shook his hand.

  He looked me up and down. “You single?”

  “Not exactly.” I wasn’t sure why I lied. I plastered on a great big smile and tried to figure out how soon I could get myself a drink. We lined up and I clutched my bouquet, trying to keep track of the music selections and flower choices for my blog. As we walked down the aisle, I noticed a little girl on the end of a pew wave at me. Her father craned his neck to look. It was Ben.

  I dropped my bouquet. Alexis dashed out of the
pew, grabbed it and handed it to me. “Just smile and walk slowly. That’s what I did when I was flower girl,” she whispered. “People put me in a lot of weddings cause they think I’m cute.”

  “Thanks.” I looked at Ben and smiled, aware that tears were pricking my eyes. Wouldn’t it be nice if they were mine, I thought. Why couldn’t I let myself take a chance?

  It was another wedding I couldn’t pay attention to. I missed Ben on the way out of church and did a lot of fake smiling afterwards when we posed for pictures. When we got to the reception site, I scanned the ballroom for him. I spotted him and his daughter at a table.

  I squared my shoulders, took a deep breath, and walked over to them.

  Alexis popped up from her chair. “Micki! You did so good on the way out of the church. You didn’t drop your flowers or anything.” She hugged me and I pressed my eyes closed.

  “Thanks, sweetie.”

  Ben pulled Alexis onto his lap. “I should’ve known you’d be here.”

  “I’m surprised you two aren’t in the wedding.”

  “We’re just friends with the groom.”

  “The bride’s mother is friends with mine and I barely know her daughter, but I’m still in the wedding.”

  “Well, you’re like a celebrity bridesmaid.”

  “Right. And after all these weddings, how would I ever decide who’d be in my bridal party? See, there’s another reason me and marriage would never work out.”

  Alexis put her hand on her hip. “The wedding’s not the important part. Who you’re walking down the aisle with is.”

  I blew out a breath. “Is your daddy giving you smart pills or something?”

  She looked at him. “I don’t know. Are you?”

  He kissed her head. “Nope. I just got lucky and got the best, smartest girl in the world.”

  I tried to swallow the lump I my throat. “I better go see if the bride needs anything. I’ll see you guys later.”

  “Save us a dance!” Alexis called after me.

  I turned back and smiled. “I will.”

  ***

  I went through the motions of the reception, and wondered if I could slip out early. But Charlotte was already mad at me for missing the rehearsal dinner. When the dancing started, I wondered if I’d have a chance to be in Ben’s arms again. Once my escort, Ted, realized he wasn’t going to get anywhere with me, he quickly left me for a dance partner more appreciative of his wandering hands.

  Alexis ran up to me and grabbed my wrist, but Ben stayed in his seat, watching us. “Twirl me!” she demanded.

  So I twirled her until she got dizzy and tumbled to the floor, laughing. “See, you’re the kind of lady Daddy needs. You’re fun.”

  I squatted next to her. “But he needs more than that, sweetie.”

  Alexis stood up and waved Ben over to us. He rushed over. “Is everything okay? Did you get hurt when you fell?” His fingers swept over her, searching for bumps and bruises.

  “Um, yes. Yes, I got hurt. Just a little. I want to sit down. Can you dance with Micki now?”

  He frowned at her and sighed. “Sure. Micki’s a good dancer. You can find our table alright?”

  She nodded and skipped off.

  “She’s not hurt,” I told him.

  “I know.”

  “Not to butt in here, but she seems to be more upset by you being alone than she would be by getting to know someone who might not be around too long.”

  “She’s been talking about you all week. She thinks she can make something happen between us, I just know it. Do you know how disappointed she’s going to be?”

  I took a deep breath. “Ben, I really like you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you. I’d really like to give it a try. There are never guarantees in life things are going to work out, but what do you think?”

  He pulled me closer and smiled. “Does this mean you’ve changed your stance on marriage?”

  “I can’t go that far. I was hoping you could be the flexible one here.”

  He let out a long sigh. “Micki, I like you, too. And Alexis is crazy about you. I can’t be with you if I know there’s no chance you’d ever marry me. Alexis would be waiting on a wedding and I can’t do that to her.”

  The song hadn’t ended, but I stopped dancing. “I hoped just being with you would be enough.” I broke away from him and ran to the bathroom before he could see me crying. Why couldn’t I change my mind on this? I locked myself in a stall and tried to stop my tears. Normally, I’m not so ridiculous.

  I heard the door swing open and tried to stop blubbering.

  “Micki? Are you in here?” It was my mother.

  I brushed away my tears. “I’ll be out in a minute, Mom.” I took a deep breath and blew my nose, before facing her.

  When I came out of the stall, she held out her hand. “Why did you run in here crying?”

  “It was that obvious?”

  She nodded. “To me.”

  I slumped onto a love seat in the alcove of the bathroom. “It’s really stupid.” I swiped away a few tears I’d missed. “I thought I never want to get married, and I met someone who’s got me thinking twice about that. But look at the track record in our family, Mom. I wouldn’t even know how to get a marriage right. It wouldn’t even have a chance. It’s like I’m doomed before I even say, ‘I do.’ So why do it at all?”

  She sat next to me. “We haven’t set the best example, I know. But that doesn’t mean it’s your destiny. How many of us went to college?”

  I paused. “Just me.”

  She nodded. “And you got that right. And what happened when you went to Boston?”

  “I failed. I came crawling back.”

  “And are you doing okay?”

  I shrugged. “I guess so.”

  “Right. It wasn’t the end of the world. You’re not going to die if you do end up divorced. At least you’d know you tried. But even sadder than getting divorced is never even giving yourself a chance. I knew love for a while with your father. It just didn’t work out. But you’re never going to know love if you decide you don’t deserve it because of all of our breakups.” She sniffed. “And that makes me very sad.”

  “Me too.”

  She patted my shoulder. “You take chances on so many things, Micki. You’re so brave and so confident. You have to do that with love, too. You’ll be okay no matter what happens. You’re Micki Keegan and you’re incredible.”

  I started sobbing and she hugged me. Then someone walked in the bathroom and I tried to get myself together.

  “They’re doing the bouquet toss soon. Better get out there,” Mom said.

  I nodded, and fished through the goodie basket on the counter for powder and mascara to fix myself up. Was my mother right? Would I be fine if the worst happened?

  I joined the other single ladies lined up for their chance at the bouquet. Charlotte tossed it in a high arc, and it was sailing to the left of me. Without realizing what I was doing, I dove for the bunch of roses.

  Charlotte shouted, “Move! Let her have it! She’s always the bridesmaid.”

  I snatched the bouquet out of the air, skidded across the floor, the sound of very expensive satin ripping in the process. I held the flowers up over my head to the roar of the crowd.

  Alexis ran over. “You caught the flowers! You know what the means, right? You’re going to get married next!” She clapped and twirled in a circle.

  I smelled the flowers. “I don’t know about next.”

  Ben walked over and looked at me. “You dove for that sucker. So, what does this mean, Micki?”

  I stood up and handed the bouquet to Alexis, shaking out my dress. I linked my hands around his neck. “It means that I’d be stupid to rule out a lifetime of happiness with you. I’d be stupid to assume it wouldn’t work. It means if things work out between us, I’d definitely marry you.”

  Alexis cheered and Ben kissed me. “I really wish I could take you home tonight,” he whispered in my ear. “But Daddy duty calls.�
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  I nuzzled his cheek. “No problem. I want more than one night, remember? I can wait.”

  Great Aunt Mildred pushed her way through the crowd. “What’s this business? You dove for the bouquet? You hurled it at me last wedding.”

  “I found a guy worth diving for,” I said. “And a little girl, too.” I wrapped my hand around Alexis’s head and pulled her to us.

  Aunt Mildred patted my cheek. “He’s a force on the dance floor with buns of steel—I gave them a quick squeeze, you know. I don’t blame you one bit, cookie. I’ll go crockpot shopping tomorrow.”

  ***

  After the happy couple cut the wedding cake, I convinced a kind waitress to wrangle up a giant banana split for us to share, while we talked about plans for the next day.

  “We have to go to the park again. With your dog,” Alexis said.

  “That’s not my dog, honey. I was dog sitting.”

  Alexis pouted.

  “Maybe we could go to the shelter and pick out our own dog tomorrow,” Ben suggested.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Daddy, you said you didn’t want a dog.”

  He looked at me. “Sometimes you’ve got to rethink old decisions.”

  I grinned “Absolutely.”

  Alexis clapped. “And when you two get married, we can have the dog in the wedding!”

  I widened my eyes and held up my hand. “Whoa, hold it right there.”

  Ben’s smile fell. “Getting cold feet already?”

  “I have a very strict rule about animals in weddings. Remember the doves? Dog poop’s even worse.”

  Alexis fell laughing into Ben, and he reached across the table to me. “Maybe we’ll just have something quiet.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Are you kidding me? With my blog contacts, I’ll get sponsors to pay for the wedding of the year.” And while I didn’t know when it would happen, sitting there with Ben and Alexis and the warm, happy feeling flooding my heart—I knew it would happen someday.