Unexpectedly You

by Josephs, Mia

  “Hey there,” I say. “Ready to start over?”

  Brooke freezes as our eyes meet and gives me a look with a sort of stunned face.

  “Brooke?”

  “Oh.” She cringes as she shifts her briefcase. “Hi. Sorry. I had one of those Murphy’s Law mornings, you know?”

  “No,” I deadpan.

  Her face falls flat. “Really? Or are you just giving me shit again?”

  “Just giving you shit.” I give her a mock scolding face with a little frown. “Is that appropriate language for the workplace?”

  “Will working with you always be this annoying?” she quips back.

  “You’re pretty full of attitude with this being your first day and all.” I grin.

  She cocks a brow and shifts to one hip, but the way she does it makes me think it’s rehearsed, like she practiced before she came. It looks…forced, and I’m getting a kick out of it.

  “Says the man who needed help ditching his date?” she asks.

  “Fair enough.” I hold out my hand and we shake.

  Just then the phone on the front desk rings, and I step aside and gesture for her to go ahead. “Job starts now.”

  She leaps forward and then stops, her hand hovering over the phone. “What’s the greeting?”

  I can’t help but harass her again. “A Marks Weddings and Events. This is Brooke. What can I do for you? Blowjob? Handjob? Back alley transaction?”

  She frowns and then glares before pausing and answering the phone, only stopping the greeting before the blowjob part. She’s good.

  I flip the phone on speaker because we get a lot of strange requests, and she might not know how to handle it.

  “Hi, I’m Jeanette and my fiancé and I are eloping to Vegas next month, and I know this is short notice, but we were hoping someone there could help us plan the elopement?” It’s typical nervous bride voice that gets higher at the end of the sentence with a tinge of excited desperation.

  Brooke has the most perfect confused face as she tilts her head to face me and mouths, “Plan? An Elopement?”

  I nod and mouth back, “We do this a lot. Super easy. Quick money.”

  “So…” Brooke sounds a bit unsure now. It probably doesn’t help that this is a crazy request (or I used to think it was a crazy request until we did a bunch of them) and she doesn’t trust me. “So…you need help planning your…elopement?”

  “Yes.”

  Brooke’s face shifts again to be more determined. She is so easy to read I think she might actually be a lot of fun. “What date are you thinking of?”

  “The twenty-fourth?” The girl’s voice sounds both unsure and hopeful.

  “Give me a moment to check with my assistant.” Brooke throws me a look, and I have to appreciate the way she tosses my crap back to me.

  I scan over the calendar on the computer and hit the hold button on the phone.

  “Okay,” Brooke starts. “I’m not crazy in thinking it’s strange to plan an elopement, right?”

  “I’m with you. If I eloped, it would be spontaneous and fun. Actually… I can’t imagine getting married after… I just don’t plan on getting married.” Can’t believe I almost let that slip.

  “Strange job for you, then.”

  Viv’s pale face and deep eyes are all I see, so I snap my head away from Brooke and stare at the calendar. “We can do the weekend after.” I point. “The stars and asterix are for wedding size and account price. Both weddings the weekend she wants are a full five stars, so there’s no way we can help her that weekend.”

  “How much is that?” she asks. “I mean, what are people spending on a wedding with five stars?”

  “Six figures.”

  Brooke coughs.

  “I know.” I widen my eyes. “And in a town where Elvis can marry you in your car for a hundred bucks.”

  “Romantic.” She rolls her eyes.

  “It has nothing to do with the money and everything to do with the feeling between the couple.” I snap my mouth shut as soon as the words are out. Working with her is one thing, letting her in on anything personal is not going to happen.

  Her green eyes float over my face for a moment before she picks the phone up and starts in again with her chipper professional voice. I already know she’ll be sort of perfect for this job, but she’s too easy to be around. I don’t need anyone else giving me the pity face.

  She hangs up the phone with a smile and two pages of notes on an iPad I didn’t see her take out of her bag. “So. Do you show me around now, or…?”

  I glance at my phone. “Nope. Our ten o’clock will be here any minute.”

  “A client?” A brief wave of fear passes through her eyes but is quickly replaced by determination. “Yes. Of course. I’m fine. Good. Best way to learn is by doing. Right?”

  “It’s not a six-figure wedding, but it is a big deal.”

  “I’ll just follow your lead then.”

  I smooth down my tie, even though my shirt isn’t buttoned to the top. I can’t breathe when I’m buttoned all the way up. “Sounds good.”

  I pull out the laptop and go to Mom’s PowerPoint of themed ideas. Mom’s been doing this for as long as I can remember. It started with my friends’ birthday parties and bah mitzvahs and then engagement parties, bridal showers, big anniversaries and a few scattered weddings, which turned into more, which turned into more…

  The biggest thing I learned is that flattery will make a bigger sale almost every. Single. Time.

  The door opens to reveal a medium build blond next to a goddess-like brunette. Drop-dead gorgeous—tall, lithe, toned without being too muscular. Small nose, bright blue eyes. Dressed well, but not too high-maintenance because her nails aren’t done. She looks so much like Viv that I stop for a moment before taking a breath. This is the kind of girl I should be hanging out with, not the practical teenagers from the other night.

  Please let her be the bridesmaid, please let her be the bridesmaid, please let her be the bridesmaid…

  “I’m Chantele.” The blond sticks out her hand, which I shake. “And this is my maid of honor, Darrian.”

  Yes. “I’m Nathaniel Marks and this is my assistant…” I even hold in my smirk. “…Brooke.”

  “Nathaniel,” Darrian says. “That’s nice.”

  “Thanks.”

  Brooke gives me a sideways glance at the way I let my whole name slide, which I ignore.

  “So, this is what Ms. Marks has set up for you so far.” I spin my laptop around for the girls to scroll through the different ideas for the garden-land-gag-me-flowery thing that Chantele is after. The two ooo and aah as Brooke types up a few notes as to favorites and possible adjustments.

  “So, Nathaniel.” Darrian’s blue eyes find mine. “How did you get into wedding planning?”

  “I’m a photographer, actually.” I rest my elbows on the table, inching just a little closer to her. “NYU. I’m back here for a while helping out my mother for a semester.” Or until I figure out how to live in the same city as the girl who broke my heart, which may be never. New York isn’t big enough for both of us. Not yet.

  “Wow.” She leans forward, resting her arms on the table between us as well. I’m not sure if Brooke and Chantele are chatting or watching, and it doesn’t much matter in this moment.

  “Always been my thing.”

  Brooke clears her throat softly, which is such a twitch of hers I almost comment, but don’t move because I’d really like Darrian to think all my attention is on her.

  “How long are you ladies in town for?”

  “Darrian goes home after the weekend.” Chantele sighs. “But I live here.”

  “Oh, perfect.” I give Chantele my best salesman smile. “I remember mention of booking hotel rooms for family, so I assumed you lived out of town as well.”

  “Will you be the one showing us maybe a few venues?” Darrian asks.

  I really want to say yes. Wish I could. “No. My mother is very specific that she be the one
to do that job.”

  “Bummer.” Darrian fingers the bottom of her long hair. “I was kind of hoping it would be you.”

  I’m so in. So. In. And this time I’m not going to back down. It’s for fun. I can totally do this. “Well… I’m around. Maybe we could get together at some point and check out a few clubs for the bachelorette party.” I’m totally playing this, holding my breath, in hopes it’ll work.

  “I don’t know…” Chantele bites on the end of a nail.

  “Definitely.” Darrian grabs a card from the cardholder and writes her number on the back. “Give me call if you’re up for it, since planning that party is my job.”

  “Okay.” I stand, realizing that Darrian and I have sort of taken over the conversation and knowing the appointment has already gone long. I turn toward Chantele. “Keep thinking on what I showed you, and Brooke will forward all of what you saw in an email while you make decisions. When you tour locations, you can be keeping all of that in mind to help the wedding feel cohesive in the end.”

  “You’re awesome, Nathaniel.” Chantele gives a wave as she walks out, but I’m staring at the back of Darrian, her hair swinging behind her. Her jeans showing every curve of every muscle on her perfectly slim legs knowing that if she gives me one last look I can call her. One last look. One glance. Anything.

  And just before the door shuts, she smiles over her shoulder, and I give her a quick wave.

  Brooke snorts as I sit. “I suppose that’s your type then?”

  “That, Brooke…” I sigh as I lean back in the office chair and rest my hands behind my head. “…is everyone’s type.”

  Brooke makes a frown of disgust, but her features are so small that it contorts her whole face. “A nice set of cheekbones and perfect hair doesn’t make a girl everyone’s type.”

  “She had cheekbones?” I tease.

  Brooke rolls her eyes.

  “Also,” I continue. “That face you just made was very interesting. You should try to recreate it in front of the mirror. Great entertainment.”

  Her eyes narrow slightly but the rest of her face goes flat like she suddenly won’t be pulled into my games.

  I pick up the card and glance at Darrian’s number. No hearts anywhere. A very good sign.

  I pull out my phone and start to dial.

  “What are you doing?” Brooke asks only her voice makes it sound like I just walked on white carpet with muddy shoes.

  “Calling Darrian.”

  “Don’t guys have rules about torturing girls by not calling for days?” She seems almost desperate with the way she’s clutching her iPad.

  “Not this guy. And definitely not with a girl that hot.”

  Brooke snorts again.

  “Wow two snorts and a funny face. You are just full of sexiness today aren’t you?” I tease her again.

  She shakes her head. “It’s weird that you’re calling her. She’s only been gone like a few minutes.”

  “Watch.” I put my phone on speaker and set it on the table, feeling fairly confident that I have this. I’m not even sure where all this confidence came from, but it could stem from desperation in wanting to be out with a girl again. Not a serious go-out, just a regular go-out. And anyway, I was always good at getting the girl. I’m just not so good at keeping them.

  “Hello?” she answers.

  “Hi. This is Nathaniel. You might not remember me—”

  She laughs this gorgeous, perfect laugh.

  “But we met like five minutes ago.”

  “I remember.” Laughter is still on the edges of her words.

  “Oh, good. So I thought you might be talked into hanging with the wedding photographer and do a few rounds of Vegas. Strictly wedding business.”

  “On wedding business, huh?” She sounds uncertain, but she’s playing the same game I am. I can still totally do this. Viv didn’t ruin me forever.

  “Or not. It doesn’t have to be wedding business. I’m good at killing time, too.”

  “A man of many talents,” she says.

  “Well…” I pause for a moment and wag my brows quickly at Brooke. “I’ll let you be the judge of that. Let me know when and I’ll clear my schedule.”

  “This all sounds very promising. I’ll be in touch Nathaniel.”

  “Thank you.” And then I hang up feeling completely high because I know she’s going to call.

  “You’re seriously okay with her calling you Nathaniel?”

  “She can call me Grover if she’s screaming my name.” I wink just to get her reaction.

  Her jaw drops before she snaps it shut. “And you’ll clear your schedule? Don’t you follow any of the guy rules? Aren’t you supposed to be all macho and say you’ll check your calendar or something?”

  I shrug. “I like her. It would be stupid to let her think otherwise.”

  Brooke sighs as she flips through the calendar on her phone. “Why am I dating guys who follow guy rules?”

  “First off, I’m not aware of any “guy rules” and second, stop dating assholes.”

  “If only it were that easy…” Brooke pauses. “But I do have a second date tonight, and I’m great at those.”

  Confusion rattles through my brain. “I’m sorry, what?”

  Chapter Five

  Brooke

  I can’t tell if he’s being a huge ass again, or if he really wants to know about my dating life. He’s smiling at me, but I think he’s in the afterglow of proving his man-card point. I get it, buddy. You’re smooth and cute and she totally loves you already. Maybe it’s because her first impression of him didn’t involve snuffing a cigarette out on a five-thousand dollar glass table.

  I type up another quick reminder note in my iPad and put a cute check mark in the 10:00 mtg spot. I put the note in as soon as he told me about it, just so I could check it off. Nothing like feeling accomplished when everything on your to-do list has a nice green “you did it!” mark next to it.

  Smiling at my big long checklist, I blink to him for a second. He’s still waiting for an answer, brows raised and head tilted slightly to the side.

  “What? You think I can’t get a second date or something?”

  He shakes his head. “No… It was the way you said ‘second date.’ Like they mean something specific to you.”

  “Don’t they to everybody?” I tap away on my Google tab and look up the term “planned elopement.” That’s still boggling my mind. “Second dates are the ‘fun’ dates. You know, the miniature golf, or the picnic in the park, or if it’s cold… board games and hot chocolate.”

  A huge bolt of laughter rocks the iPad from my hands. I give him a pinched grimace, but then remember he made fun of that expression and I quickly flatten it. “What is so funny?” I say, grabbing my iPad off the floor. I’m so glad I splurged for the hardcover case.

  His laughter turns into light chuckles. “Oh, I thought you were trying to be funny.”

  “No…”

  “Oh, uh, okay. So, if you do this stuff on the second date, what do you do on the first?”

  “Dinner, lunch, some kind of food. Coffee house or someplace simple. Anywhere you can be yourself and still make a good impression. If things click, date number two is set up before the date is out.” I smile, even though he looks as though I’ve just spouted off the Universal Law of Gravitation. “And date number three, well, that seals the deal.”

  “What deal?”

  I throw my head at him, because duh… he should know the answer to that. But he just sits there like he still has no clue what I’m talking about. I blow out a breath and go back to the iPad. Nearly 12:30. Lunch hour. I’m off the clock now and he can’t give me crap for not using “work appropriate” language.

  I hit the power button and set it down on the table. Folding my arms across my waist, I turn to face him head on because I’m not intimidated. Nope.

  “You know… sex. Third date equals sex. It’s like the rules of every relationship, right? First date, you see if there’s chemis
try. Second date, you have fun. Third date, you have sex. Once you have sex, you’re exclusive. After all that business, it’s bound to lead to love and marriage.” I shrug. “Or at least, it’s supposed to.”

  He stares at me for the most uncomfortable sixteen seconds of my life. My fingers twitch toward my iPad, but there’s nothing to check off in there yet. “You know your dating life probably shouldn’t be modeled after Sex and the City, right? And before you harass me for watching that show, it was because of my mom.”

  I’m tempted to harass him anyway, but I roll my eyes and try to explain this method in a way maybe a guy would understand. “Okay, you’ve played video games, right?”

  He doesn’t answer, but the look he gives me clearly says “duh.”

  “It’s not necessarily date one, two, and three… it’s more like levels. When you do as much as you can on level one, you level up to number two, right? Well… when the chemistry in the relationship reaches the point of ‘leveling up’ that’s when I take that step. I was just saying it’s usually on date three.”

  “And after level… uh, three… you get to…?”

  “Level four. Commitment, love, the whole package.” I let out an involuntary sigh, then snap my lips shut to stop it.

  “Well.” He leans back again looking both amused and relaxed, making me wonder how I should feel about that. “Seems like you’ve got it all figured out.”

  “Love is important. If you’re going to do it, you may as well do it right.”

  “Hmm.”

  That sound makes me want to take that too-loose tie and strangle him. And because I don’t have the personality to drop anything, I fix the bottom of my skirt and ask, “Hmm…what? You think I’m full of it?”

  “No, just…” He scratches his forehead a few times before shoving his hand through his hair. “How has this dating routine worked out for you?”

  “Well, I’m still single, so obviously, I haven’t gotten to love and marriage yet.”

  “But have you gotten to date number three?”

  “Did you seriously just ask me if I’m a virgin in a roundabout way?”

  “What? No, that’s not what I meant.” He leans forward, tucking his tie out of the way. That open top button is driving me absolutely crazy. “Has any guy made it past these hoops you make him jump through?”