Confessions of a Wedding Planner (Bliss Series Book 1)

by Michelle Jo Quinn

  "I've been looking all over for you," she said. "We need to talk."

  Yeah, join the club. This night was turning into a let's-all-talk-to-Veronica event. "We do?"

  "I went out with Chase last night, and we bumped into your trainer. Did you see Diego this morning?" Her eyes twinkled when he said his name. Diego and Natalie? Why not?

  "I did. I had boot camp."

  Natalie bit her lower lip before asking, "Did he say anything? About me?"

  "I'm..." She looked hopeful. "...sorry, but I was in and out. Should he have?"

  Natalie released my wrists and leaned against the marble countertop. "It was just... amazing. He is such a great guy. And he's so beautiful. We spent the rest of the night talking, just talking. Getting to know each other."

  "Well, did you exchange numbers and make any more plans to meet?" It was easier to deal with other people's relationship issues because mine was sucking the life out of me.

  Natalie turned shy. "He knows where I'm staying." Oh, no she didn't!

  "Did you sleep with him last night?" My voice rose.

  "No! Well, we...I asked him to come up for a nightcap. We talked a lot. Made out a little. The sun was starting to rise when he left." No wonder Diego wasn't so peppy during this morning’s boot camp class. "So, he didn't say anything?"

  "Natalie, I don't know what to say. He's my boot camp trainer. I go in, and he kicks my butt, then I leave. I didn’t even know you guys were together last night. I would have asked."

  She nodded, but she looked worried. "No, I understand."

  "What did you tell him?"

  "We talked about everything. I told him about work, about Paris, about possibly going back to Doctors Without Borders again."

  Diego didn't believe in long distance relationships. I was about to impart that information when the door handle jiggled again. There were three other bathrooms on the first floor and three more elsewhere in the house!

  "We better go out there. Jake and Sandrine have to do their speech. I'll talk to him tomorrow," I promised her, although, I didn't know how my talk could possibly affect his decision.

  "Veronique? Are you in there? I can ‘ ear you." It was Sandrine on the other side of the door. I opened it for her, and she jumped in, locking the door behind her. "Oh, Natalie, good, you are 'ere too!"

  "I think we can talk outside," I commented, but both Natalie and Sandrine grabbed my arms. Was I being initiated into some kind of secret sisterhood? "Or, we can talk here."

  "You can't go out there yet," Natalie said.

  "Not until you let us say what we need to," Sandrine added.

  This could take forever, so I sat on the padded bench against the wall. "Alright, talk. What's up?"

  The two friends stared me right in the eyes. "Did you think about what I said? About Levi and giving 'im a second chance?"

  "What?" I looked at the two of them, sure that they'd gone crazy. Or, it might be a French thing. "I'm not going to..."

  "No, Veronique, you must tell me." Although she said the words hurriedly, she sounded very concerned.

  "I..." I turned to Natalie, then to Sandrine. "I can't talk to you guys about this, about him. You're his cousin." I pointed at Sandrine, then switched to Natalie. "And you're his ex." And back to the bride again. "This is your rehearsal dinner. People are waiting out there for you. Levi and I can wait."

  Although I liked Sandrine, and Natalie was pleasant company, they weren't the people I needed to talk to about my heart breaking into pieces.

  "But..." they both started.

  I stopped them immediately. "Please. It's simply not the time." I heard a beep in my ear, and it took me a few seconds to realize someone was calling me. "Hold on. I have a call... Veronica."

  "We need you out here," Jewel said. "The parents are about to give their speech, but we can't find the bride."

  I stared at Sandrine. "She's with me. We'll be right out." I signed off. "Natalie, Sandrine, it's really great that you're both concerned, but tonight is not the right time, nor tomorrow. Whatever it is I have to deal with, I'll deal with it in my own time, and with Levi."

  They opened their mouths to speak, but I didn't let them. "Please."

  Sandrine nodded. "You're right, of course, you're right. I'm sorry." She sighed and leaned over to hug me. Natalie joined in on the hug.

  The three of us filed out of the bathroom afterward, garnering a questioning look from a passing server.

  Sandrine joined Jake and his parents on the terrace, and Natalie hooked her hand around my arm and grinned like we were besties. During their speeches, I scanned the crowd, and like a magnet to true north, my eyes fell on Levi standing by Gerard's bar. As though he'd waited for me to return. Back to him. I couldn't see his facial expression from afar, and I was hoping he couldn't see mine.

  The longer I stared at him, the faster my heart beat, and the tighter my core clenched. My mind urged me to pretend he wasn’t there, but I couldn't, particularly when he started making his way to where I stood, never once taking his eyes away from me.

  The applause broke the trance of his gaze. I released a shaky breath, clapped, and sauntered back into the house. I told the chef I was retiring for the night to prepare for tomorrow's big event. I called Jewel and informed her of the same, and asked her to let the couple know I'd left.

  I'd had enough for tonight. My false confidence to face Levi was simply that. False. And i f...when…when he left...no, I couldn't think about that. Not yet. Lips trembling, hands shaking, I unhooked the device on my ear while I walked to the library to gather what I’d brought with me. Among them was Levi's bag.

  My heart fluttered as I picked up my bag that contained my clothes and personal items and slung the strap over my shoulder. I could just leave his here. I hadn't checked for tags, but someone was bound to find it and figure out that it belonged to Levi.

  I warred with myself. It was a simple move, a simple decision. I owed it to myself to at least do it in person. Getting over him, once he left, would be difficult. Couldn’t I hold onto something of his for a little longer? Something to remember him by? But I didn’t want to just remember him. I wanted more than just memories. He wanted me. I wanted him. Why couldn’t it be as easy as that? I picked up the bag and felt the heaviness of it in my hand, a heaviness that I felt all the way to my chest.

  When I opened the library door, there he was, muttering to himself and seemingly lost in thought. Levi paused his soliloquy when his brooding eyes reached mine. I closed the door behind me, tugged and adjusted the strap of my bag. Holding onto it like an anchor.

  "You're leaving." He might have meant it as a question, so I nodded. So was he.

  "You left this." His eyes dropped to the leather bag I'd brought. "I've meant to return it to you." He made no move to take it, only continued to stare at it. "You left it in my hotel room...in Paris. I stuffed everything you owned in there." This was harder than giving Jake the breakup box.

  I brought it up higher, and he reached for it. His hand covered mine over the handle. That zing to my center was back, in full force. Levi electrified me.

  My body trembled. I tried to slide my hand away and let him take the bag, but he held me tighter.

  In a faltering voice, I said, "It might be of good use when you leave for France." Tears threatened to escape my eyes, but I held it in and steadied myself.

  "Veronica…”

  "Please take it." My lips quivered. His half-lidded eyes darted on them. He knew what this was doing to me. He had to know. This was causing me pain. He knew what I had overheard. He knew what it could mean to us.

  When he freed my hand from his grasp—enough to hold on to the bag—he lowered his head, and looked down at his feet. "Thank you," he said in an apologetic tone. "I’d completely forgotten about it. Thanks for bringing it back."

  A breathy, "Yeah," was all I could muster.

  "Veronica, I just want to say..." He rubbed the back of his head before bringing his gaze up. His eyes were the bl
uest I'd ever seen them. It would be easy to get lost in them, to pretend that we had a chance. To think that he would change his plans for me, to be with me. "What I want to say is..."

  "What? What do you want to say?" I didn't want to sound angry, or hurt, but I was, and it took him by surprise.

  "I'm sorry." Levi paused to bite down on his lip, and work his jaw with one hand, but he didn’t take his gaze from me. "I'm sorry for the stupid things I've done. For that time with Ophelia. For leaving you in Paris. For not having the guts to talk to you sooner." I wished he'd stop talking now. My fragile nerves started to fail. "I want you to know that I appreciate everything that you've done, and for putting up with me these past weeks." He laughed, mirthlessly, but his eyes lit up. My chest tightened at that sight. At him. At the honesty in those blue depths. "You've been very patient with me, even when I didn't deserve it."

  "Yeah, well, part of my job." I hadn't meant to say it, but I couldn't take it back. "I better get going. Big day tomorrow. I'll see you?" I knew I would, but like everything else—how much I felt for him and what exactly he thought of me—I wasn't too sure.

  I motioned toward the door, and at the same instan t he stepped toward me, grazing my arm with the tips of his fingers, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin. With a pleading gaze, I begged of him to let go. My pulse thrummed in my ear. My heart skipped a beat. He dipped his head, down to mine, and his lips touched the edge of my lips.

  So softly...

  So tenderly...

  I closed my eyes as I inhaled his scent—committing it to memory—together with the feel of his lips, and the warmth of his body this close to mine.

  This close I could feel the rise and fall of his chest.

  This close I could hear the tremor of his heart.

  He ghosted his lips along the line of my cheek, stopping just below my ear. I tilted my head, granting him more access. With his fingers, he curled the hair that had loosened from my braid as he silently...

  ...and deeply inhaled.

  In a gravelly, trembling voice that would shatter me for eternity, Levi breathed out, "Sweet Veronica."

  My heart exploded . I was filled with hurt. Pain. Love. And affection.

  I forced myself to back away from him, as the tears rolled down my cheeks, and whispered, “Goodbye. ”

  Nineteen

  The Big Day

  I parked my car right outside a heritage building , where Chase stood waiting on the front steps. She ran over when I looked up with tear-soaked eyes, and practically ripped the door open to get to me.

  Even though I thought I didn’t have any tears left, they wouldn't stop pouring out. And she just let me ugly cry on her shoulder.

  She didn't make any snarky comments. She didn't offer any words of comfort. She didn't have to say anything.

  Once I quieted down, Chase said she would drive me home. It was for the best, considering I could barely keep my eyes open from the heaviness. When we arrived, Chase walked me to my bedroom and helped me into a sleep shirt. She led me to my bathroom, and while I stood there like a mindless zombie, she brushed my teeth for me and dabbed my face with a wet cloth. I was exhausted like I’d been sucked dry.

  Tomorrow would be the end of it all. Jake and Sandrine would be married. They'd go off on their month-long honeymoon. And Levi...he’d walk out of my life, and I’d find a way to move on.

  I’d been through this before, and I thought my heart would be used to it by now. But it wasn't. Tonight, before I left, he had to do that. He had to make me feel again.

  "Get some rest. Don't worry about getting to the club early tomorrow. We don't have to go to the gym. Diego knows." Chase undid my messy braid, and untangled my hair with her fingers. "I'll take care of everything. You can trust me on that." This was why I had her in my life, as my best friend. She understood. "I'll sleep in the other room. If you need me, you know where I'll be." Before she stood, she hugged me through the blanket.

  I nodded and closed my dried-out eyes, hoping that when I woke up, I would find that everything had only been a senseless dream.

  * * *

  I dripped the eye drops into my eyes, blinked a couple times, and replaced my glasses. I’d forgotten to take out my contacts the previous night, in addition to all the crying, and my eyes had suffered.

  Hopefully, the makeup artist could do better with the red splotches on my face and dark circles under my eyes than I had. The used tea bags I placed on them while Chase drove us to the club hadn't made much difference.

  The theme of this afternoon's event was old Hollywood glam with a Parisian flair. Glitz, glamor, gorgeous. With a hundred or so flower arrangements placed strategically inside and outside the tents, the glint of ten crystal chandeliers hanging above the square tables covered with purple silk cloths, the gold chivari chairs with purple velvet upholstery surrounding them, and the elegant stage—which would hold the eleven-piece big, sound band—in front of the dance floor, the reception area was close to completion. I could have been a vindictive ex, listened to Isobel and sabotaged the event, but I would never be able to live with myself if I chose that path. I stood at the back and admired my handiwork. I was good. No, I was great. I was a fantastic wedding planner, giving the couple just the fairy tale wedding they wanted. Any other time, I would have been ecstatic about my creation, but it served as a symbol of more heartbreak to come. When would I get my happily ever after?

  I heaved out a sigh. This wedding was going to happen. This wedding would go on even without my presence. Run. Run before you see him. I rubbed my temples in a futile attempt to erase the thought.

  * * *

  My phone buzzed on the counter as soon as I zipped my dress up. I leaned forward to check who was calling. It was Chase.

  "What's up?" I answered, bypassing the cheery greeting.

  "I need you. Come down to the kitchen." An unusual panic laced her voice.

  "Leave Chef Laupin alone, Chase."

  "It's not him. Just come down, okay?" She signed off.

  After replacing my flats with the new gold peep-toe Louboutin’s Sandrine had given her bridesmaids and MOH, I hurried to see why Chase wanted me. I stopped short when I saw the older, yet still, quite a good-looking man standing beside her.

  "Monsieur Saint-Croix?"

  Chase sighed with relief. "So, he is Sandrine's dad."

  "Is Madame Saint-Croix with you?"

  The man hurriedly shook his head. "Non, she is back 'ome in Paris. I couldn't possibly miss my only daughter's wedding. I will deal with Vivienne when I return." He squared his shoulders.

  I smiled widely at him. "I see you've dressed for the part." My eyes wandered over his tuxedo-clad form. Even at his age, he could give the single men in the party a run for their money. "How about I take you to your daughter?"

  "Oui, that would be lovely." He turned to Chase and nodded once. "Merci, mademoiselle."

  We walked arm-in-arm out of the kitchen, swerving around staff until we reached one of the smaller back rooms that the club had allowed us to use for the bride's preparations. I smiled at François before knocking lightly on the door and opening it a smidgen.

  Sandrine, beautiful as ever, sat languidly on a chair facing the window. The train of her gown pooled around her feet. Natalie stood beside her, pinning the vintage veil on Sandrine's hair. A click sounded from the photographer's camera.

  "How are things here?" They all turned to me, as I slowly slipped inside, still holding onto the door.

  "Ah! Look at you, Veronique! So lovely."

  "Thanks. And you, wow, I've never seen a bride more beautiful." I smiled at the photographer. "May I have a moment with Sandrine?"

  "Yeah." She looked at her camera. "I have quite a bit here. I'll go see the groom again." She signaled to her assistant, and they both gathered their kits and left the room.

  Now, for Natalie. I looked at her with pleading eyes.

  "Oh, me too. Yeah, of course." Thank God, she was smart. She leaned down to place a kiss on San
drine's cheek and muttered a few words in French. I hoped she’d keep quiet when she saw François outside the door.

  I lifted my index finger, gesturing for her to wait, then opened the door wider to let the father of the bride in.

  Sandrine let out an audible gasp, her hand flying to cover her gaping mouth. Mr. Saint-Croix had tears in his eyes.

  "Papa!" Sandrine stood and opened her arms wide to welcome her father.

  I stepped out of the room, leaving father and daughter alone to have their moment.

  I leaned against the closed door upon realizing that I would never have such moment with my Dad on my wedding day. If I ever had a wedding day.

  * * *

  "Give it to me." Chase stretched an upturned hand to me. "You don't need that. I've got it all covered." I hesitated. "Nica, trust me. If not, trust Jewel." We both glanced at Jewel, who was being followed by Trent and Landon.

  I averted my gaze, knowing full well that Jake and Levi were right behind. I plucked the earpiece from my ear, gave it to Chase, and pouted.

  "Why the pout, Nica?" Jake wrapped an arm around me. "It doesn't become you."

  "Because she's no longer in control." Chase showed the Bluetooth device to Jake, grinning wickedly. She twisted on her heel. "All right, ladies and germs, it's show time!"

  Jake gave me a little shake. "C'mon, Nica, cheer up! I'm getting married today." I rolled my eyes at him but offered a weak smile. He leaned down to whisper, "You've done a fantastic job. I will forever be grateful." Then he kissed my temple before taking his spot.

  A warm breeze whispered past me, and I felt the jolt of electricity from the person that brought the warmth. Levi sent a surreptitious smile my way as he joined Jake. It was so fleeting I had no time to look away, but it had been enough to affect me. My legs turned gelatinous. He was so handsome. Dapper. World-class heartbreaker.

  Chase touched the side of her ear, spouting off orders, "Cue music... Men, move your asses."

  Not exactly how I'd word it, but her way worked. The men lined up and strutted down the aisle. I forced my eyes to stare somewhere other than at the best man.