“Take a deep breath. Then start with how you got to the point where you almost kissed him and end with why you didn’t.”
So Grace did. She spilled every detail she could remember. When she finished, Emerson just sat there.
“Em, say something.”
Emerson ran a hand through her curly hair. “It’s a lot to take in. I’m processing.” She sighed. “I really wish I could have seen you take that creep down.”
“It was pretty amazing. But, back to the issue at hand. What about Xander?” Grace asked impatiently, fidgeting in her chair.
“What about him?”
Was Emerson serious right now?
“He walked you home, which I give him high points for. You guys finally started getting along and then you tripped, he caught you and there was an epic romance moment.”
“An almost moment because nothing actually happened.”
Emerson studied her for a long time. Grace actually began squirming in her chair.
“You sound disappointed that nothing happened.”
Grace’s mouth dropped open and Emerson laughed. “Stop laughing at me. You’re my best friend and you’re supposed to be supportive.”
“I am. I just don’t get what the problem is. Xander is a great guy. I know a ton of women who would kill to go out with him. He’s stable. He has a great job.”
Grace grumbled at that.
“He’s successful. He’s really funny when you get to know him. He has great taste in best friends.” Emerson got the gooey face she usually did when talking about her fiancé. “And, he’s hot.”
“He really is,” she said without thinking.
Emerson’s eyebrows went up.
“Well, I’m not blind,” Grace said defensively. “He’s incredibly attractive.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Emerson avoided eye contact. “Because Jack is going to ask him to be his best man.”
Grace shrugged. “I figured as much.”
“So you’re okay walking down the aisle with him?”
“What am I? Five? Of course I’m okay.”
Emerson took a big breath. “Then you also won’t mind planning a couples’ shower with him?” She popped up out of her chair. “Want some coffee?”
Grace’s head started spinning. “Wait, what did you say?”
Emerson paused and slowly turned back around. “Jack and I decided that instead of having a separate bridal shower and bachelor party that we’d like to have a couples’ shower with all of our friends and family in one place.”
“O-ka-a-a-y,” Grace said slowly. “That’s a good idea. Very modern. I like it.”
“And...we’d kind of like for the two of you to plan it together.” Emerson bit her lip and scrunched her nose.
The gesture would have been endearing if Grace hadn’t gotten the sudden urge to throw up. “Both professional-wedding-planner Grace and best-friend Grace are offended.”
“Gracie, don’t be like that.”
“Come on, Em. I can handle planning a shower all on my own, thank you very much. I don’t need Xander in the mix, getting in my way and messing up my flow.”
“Listen, this was Jack’s idea. He’s not having a bachelor party and he thought it would be nice for Xander to have something to do besides just standing next to him on the big day. Plus, Xander knows all of Jack’s friends.”
Grace narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m going to ask you this question for a second time. Are you and Jack trying to play matchmaker? Be honest, Emerson Rose.”
“No, we are not. Trust me,” she said with emphatic eyes. “Although, you did almost kiss the other night.”
Grace stuck her nose in the air. “I regret telling you that now.”
“No, you don’t.” Emerson crossed back to her, grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “I know this isn’t ideal for you, but please try. For me? I promise he’ll be at his best.” She put on her most winning smile.
Grace blew out a puff of air. “Fine. I’ll plan a shower with Xander.”
Emerson was right—this was not going to be her favorite part of planning the wedding. In fact, spending more time with Xander was sure to have her reconsidering her entire profession.
* * *
“You want me to do what?”
Jack had to be kidding him. What did he know about throwing a wedding shower?
Xander stared at his best friend and attempted to display his most pained face. Jack appeared unmoved.
“Seriously, Jack.”
Jack was working behind the bar at The Wright Drink, the bar he’d inherited from his father. Even though the bar was located in the heart of Old Town, the place had fallen on hard times during Jack’s father’s illness and become a less-than-desirable hangout spot. But once Emerson came along, she’d helped Jack turn the business around. Now, it was bustling every night of the week. Jack hosted trivia nights, ladies’ nights out, sporting events and even a board-game challenge. Plus, Emerson booked plenty of special events, like parties and receptions.
Xander enjoyed coming here. There was a large square-shaped bar in the middle of the room, plenty of high and low tables, a stage and dance floor for karaoke and great framed photos of Alexandria along the walls.
“I am being serious,” Jack said. He poured a beer from the tap and slid it over to Xander’s waiting hand.
“Why can’t you just have a bachelor party like every other man on the planet?”
Jack flipped a rag over his shoulder. “Because I don’t want a bachelor party. Besides, once Em explained what a joint shower could be like, I thought it sounded fun. Plus, her mom was pushing for an engagement party and Emerson didn’t want one. Too fussy for her, and frankly, for me, too. So this was a decent compromise.”
Xander took a good, long swallow of his favorite beer. Too bad it did nothing to calm his nerves. “I don’t even know where to start in planning something like this. Do I have to find a venue?”
Jack shook his head. “We want to have it here.”
“Okay, but what about everything else? Do I have to do invitations or is this an e-vite situation? And who do I invite? How do I know what kind of decorations to use? Do you need decorations for this thing?”
Jack held his hands out in front of him. “Whoa, slow down.”
“Order up.”
Jack turned to grab the plate of chicken fingers and sweet-potato fries the waiter had placed on the bar. “Your food’s ready.” He snatched a rolled napkin with silverware and made his way out from behind the bar. “Oscar, you got this?” His bartender nodded.
Jack gestured for Xander to follow him to one of the tables. Xander took his beer and sat across from his friend. He dove into the chicken fingers.
As he ate, he began to reiterate why he was not going to be a good party planner. “I’m happy to be your best man but hanging up streamers and blowing up balloons isn’t my thing.”
Jack snorted. “Streamers? Balloons? This isn’t a party for a bunch of five-year-olds. Anyway, I thought you might have this type of reaction,” Jack said, snagging a fry. “That’s why Emerson and I are bringing in some help for you.”
Okay, this was something he could get behind. Help. Someone who planned parties. Someone who especially knew how to plan wedding-type parties. He froze, his hand pausing in midair with a sweet-potato fry in his fingers.
Oh, crap.
“Wait a minute...” he began.
“You just said you didn’t know what you were doing.”
“Don’t tell me,” Xander said, a pleading note entering his voice.
“She’s the maid of honor.”
“Stop.” Xander threw down his fry. “Not her.”
“Grace is a professional wedding planner.”
She was also the star of his recent dreams. E
ver since he’d walked her home after the party, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind.
She’d looked amazing in that killer red dress with the sexy-as-hell heels. Her long hair was begging for him to run his fingers through. And those legs... All he could imagine was them wrapped around him.
Then there was the fact that she’d been able to hold her own with Derek. Grace Harris was anything but vulnerable. And damn if that didn’t turn him on. Which was exactly why he shouldn’t plan this party with her.
Xander noticed the door open and Emerson waltz in, with Cosmo at her side. She beamed at Jack and then leaned down and undid Cosmo’s leash. The perpetually happy dog bounced right over to them while Emerson stopped to say hi to some people at a table near the entrance. Cosmo stood on his hind legs, leaning on Xander’s thigh. His little brown nose was twitching as he took in the scent of food.
“You’re lucky you’re so cute.” He broke off a small piece of his fry and gave it to the dog. Cosmo devoured the fry in one gulp and then again turned expectant eyes on Xander.
“Dude, I just gave you something. Jack, you need to teach this mutt to—”
He broke off when he noticed his friend wasn’t paying the slightest bit of attention to him or his dog. Instead, he was staring at Emerson. Xander wouldn’t have been surprised if hearts had poured out of his eyes.
Jack had found a life partner. Someone who would stay by his side forever. Xander couldn’t help but think about his parents, married for over thirty years and no sign of true emotional connection between them. No evidence—other than him, anyway—that they’d ever really cared about each other. Togetherness wasn’t always a good thing.
There was always the option of divorce. He wasn’t sure why his parents had never pursued it, but if something went off the rails between Jack and Em, there was an escape clause. What would the happily-ever-after-believing Grace say if she knew he was considering her best friend and divorce at the same time.
“I can’t work with her,” he said abruptly to Jack, who snapped to attention after making moony eyes at Emerson.
“Why not?”
“Because—because...” he stammered like a petulant child. Jack raised an eyebrow. “Because I don’t like her.”
“Name one thing you don’t like about her.” There was a challenging gleam in Jack’s eye.
“Just one?”
“Come on.”
“Get out,” Xander said and took a big bite of his chicken finger to buy himself time.
“I’m serious. Name one thing about Grace that rubs you the wrong way.”
The room suddenly felt hot. Xander refrained from loosening his tie.
Jack pointed at him. “You can’t do it.”
“Give me a minute.”
“I’ll give you twenty. But I don’t think that will help.”
Realizing Jack wasn’t going to let this go, Xander struggled to come up with a reason why Grace drove him nuts. Besides the fact that she just did.
“She’s so...”
“Yes?”
“She’s too perfect. What’s with the optimism? How can someone be that happy all the time? It’s not natural.”
“Too perfect? Are you kidding me? You’re really stretching now.”
Cosmo batted his paw against Xander’s leg. “Don’t you feed this dog?”
Jack beamed. “He enjoys chicken tenders.”
“And fries, and all other food in the world apparently.” He slipped another piece of fry to Cosmo who gobbled it right up.
“Back to Grace.”
Xander shook his head.
Jack offered a smirk. “You force my hand.”
Xander narrowed his eyes. “Meaning?”
“Time to call in the big guns.” Jack turned toward the bar, where Emerson was now getting a drink from Oscar. “Hey, babe, can you come over here for a sec?”
Xander leveled a hard stare at his friend. “That’s low, man. You know I can’t resist her.”
He thought about spending hours with Grace planning this party. In any other situation, he would go for it. If he was attracted to a woman, he’d simply ask her out. With Grace, it was different. Xander knew what he wanted out of life. Or, more accurately, what he didn’t want. His life path would never mesh with Grace.
Emerson made her way to their table. She set down her glass of Scotch and kissed Jack. Then she took a seat between the two of them. “What’s going on?”
“Xander doesn’t want to plan our couples’ shower.”
Emerson made her pretty eyes go wide and batted her lashes. “You don’t want to help us out? You, the best man. In our special time?”
“No, see, that’s not what this is about. Stop looking at me like that,” he said to her. “Seriously, you’re killing me.”
Jack laughed. “Seems like Xander here is afraid to work with Grace.”
Emerson nodded knowingly. “She is pretty scary.”
“I don’t know what’s more frightening, all that pink she wears or those tiny purses she carries around. I wouldn’t want to plan a party with her, either.”
Xander stifled a laugh. “Stop making fun of me. I’m serious. I can’t do it with her.”
Jack and Emerson paused, mischief dancing in both their eyes.
“They have pills for that,” Jack said.
Xander threw a fry at him. “Shut up.”
“How about you do it for me?” Emerson said, suddenly turning serious. “Listen, I’m worried about Grace. I’ve thrown this wedding at her last-minute and given her practically zero time to plan it. If I was anyone else, she would have turned me down. She has so many other brides to handle. And my sister, well, she can’t help out at the moment.”
He groaned. “Come on, Emerson...” But he realized she meant it—for once, it did sound as though Grace was overwhelmed. Especially after she explained how much goes into one wedding the other night. Not only does she put together all the details for a wedding, but she also does showers and bachelorette parties and brunches and more. And really, how hard could it be to plan a couples’ shower? “Fine, fine. You win. I’ll help plan the party.”
“Only if you want to,” Emerson said, making Jack chuckle.
“You play dirty,” Xander said to his friends, then downed the rest of his drink. He was going to need the fortification if he was about to work side by side with Grace.
Then again, he thought...what could happen?
Chapter Six
“Is this a good time?”
A few days later, Grace paused outside Jack’s bar with her hand poised on the door handle. Sophie Miller, one of her younger brides, had just called out of the blue. Never a good sign. Neither was the anxiety Grace detected in Sophie’s voice.
“It’s always a good time to talk to you,” Grace said, trying to add as much enthusiasm as she could to her voice.
“I’m so sorry to call without warning or anything.”
Grace wasn’t sorry. In fact, she was downright giddy about it. She wasn’t a procrastinator by nature, but she definitely appreciated the delay today.
She stepped to the side of the door to allow two women to enter the bar. Glancing in the window, she couldn’t miss Xander sitting at the corner of the bar.
It had been more than a week since she’d seen him. Although, she’d been thinking about him plenty. Not long after she learned of Emerson and Jack’s desire for a couples’ shower, Xander had texted her. He’d asked her to meet him at the bar to start talking about the shower. She’d suggested meeting at her office—her turf—but Xander insisted they’d be more comfortable at Jack’s bar. To Grace’s mind, it was completely unprofessional. Still, she made exceptions for her clients all the time.
But Xander wasn’t a client.
He was a man that she was growing more and more attracted to.
Well, he could wait a little longer. She had a bride to talk to.
“You never have to apologize, Sophie. That’s what I’m here for. Now, what’s going on?”
“I think I’m making a mistake.” This statement was followed by the distinct sound of sobs.
Grace took a deep breath. She’d dealt with plenty of cold feet. There was usually something bigger going on. Even though Sophie was only twenty-four, she’d been nothing but cool and collected in their dealings so far.
“Oh, Sophie, what would make you say something like that? You and Adam are perfect for each other. I knew it from the first time I saw you together.”
Grace meant every word. She’d worked with plenty of brides and she’d never seen a groom look at his fiancée the way Adam did. A wave of jealousy washed over her. She could only wish and hope that someday she would find a man who would gaze at her in the same way. Like she was the only woman on the planet.
Grace pivoted toward the window. Xander was watching her from the bar, wearing an expression that she couldn’t decipher. But his gaze was intense, and if she wasn’t mistaken, she saw a tic in his jaw. She didn’t want to acknowledge the way her pulse had picked up. Instead, she gestured to her cell phone and held up a finger so he would know she needed a minute. Then she promptly turned her back and returned to her conversation with Sophie.
Ten minutes later, she had a happy bride again. As she suspected, Sophie wasn’t nervous about marrying Adam. Rather, she was anxious about moving to New York City right after the wedding and starting a brand-new life in a new city without any friends or contacts. Grace threw out a couple ideas to help her with the adjustment and by the end of the conversation, Sophie was laughing again and talking excitedly about her upcoming wedding-dress shopping.
Grace made her way toward the bar and joined Xander, making sure to leave a seat between them. She made a big show of pulling out of her large tote the various catalogs, magazines and other material she thought would be helpful in planning a shower.
“Thanks for finally joining me,” Xander said in lieu of a hello.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting, but I got a business call on my way into the bar.”
The Wedding Truce Page 6
