by Nikki Bloom
“On?”
“Tell me one thing, and there is only one right answer to this question.”
“You’re setting the stakes pretty high, but I think I’m up to the challenge. What’s the question?”
“Are you a dog person or a cat person?”
I considered her for a moment. She could really swing either way. I could imagine her with some glasses on, reading a good book, and curled up with a feline friend. But, at the same time, I could see her on a hiking trail with a four-legged companion following in her midst. “To be honest, I never had any pets while growing up. My grandparents were the ones who raised me and they did a lot of traveling, so it just wasn’t practical for us to have a family pet. Although, if I was hard-pressed to choose, I’d pick a dog over a cat. I like to keep myself active and it would be nice to have a running partner.”
“What kind of breed?” she asked like it would make or break her opinion of me.
“Uh…rescue?”
She laughed. It was a mirthful sound that brought an immediate smile to my face. “That was clever of you. Rescuing a dog is very noble, so my only question now is why haven’t you gotten yourself a dog?”
“Do you work for a rescue organization or something?” I asked. “I didn’t think I would get hounded into adopting a dog when I agreed to attend this wedding.”
“I’m just trying to make conversation,” she said. “We’ve been standing around all morning. The constant flow of mimosas has really been the only thing keeping me sane. All these girls want to talk about is the latest model of shapewear or how their kids have learned to go to the bathroom. I’m hoping you might prove to be a bit more interesting, so tell me something about yourself. I mean, you might think we’re close to the finish line but Jenna will probably bitch about something and that’ll push the start of the ceremony another half hour – maybe an hour if we’re really unfortunate. I haven’t even danced and already my feet are killing me. I should have listened to myself and gotten a pair of fancy flip flops.”
“Why didn’t you?”
She showed me her footwear. “Because these were on sale and I couldn’t resist a bargain. I’m a typical woman in that sense.”
“Ah. Well, we can always trade.”
“Trade?” She took one look at my feet and doubled over. “We would both like clowns. You must be double my size. I’m not even sure if you could get your pinky toe into my heels, let alone your entire foot.”
“Then just ditch the shoes.”
“I already told you, I got them for a bargain. I can’t let them go.”
“You know, I will never understand a woman’s obsession with shoes. They are just shoes.”
“Would the two of you quiet down? They’re going to hear you.” Another member of the wedding party shushed us. I hadn’t realized we were laughing so hard. She gestured toward a field of chairs, each one of them filled with family and friends. A few of them were looking our way, waiting for us to do something.
And we did. Once the first couple started moving, we all did. It was quite difficult to walk through the sand, but I had it easy compared to the girls wearing high heels. All I can say is that it wasn’t very graceful. But somehow, we all made it to the arch where the bride and groom were to get married. There, each couple separated – bridesmaids to the left, groomsmen to the right. Once the front row was filled, the music changed.
Everyone turned in their seats. And there came the bride marching toward the beach. She had this bright smile on her face, eyes focused on her husband-to-be. It was like nothing else mattered to her.
Buzz. Buzz.
My hand immediately went into my pocket. I was just about to pull out my phone when I felt a burning stare in my peripheral vision. I turned in that direction to find my green-eyed partner looking my way. It would be terribly rude of me to answer the call in the middle of a wedding and I didn’t want Poppy to think I was some kind of scumbag. There was still the rest of the night to be had and I wanted her to feel comfortable spending it with me. So, whoever was calling would just have to wait.
I tried to focus on the ceremony, but the officiant was awfully dull and that’s saying a lot from someone like me. In my line of work, being stuck in a conference room full of boring old men is an almost daily occurrence. But this guy had a monotoned voice and an excitement level of negative hundred. There was absolutely no emotion on any part of his face. It made staying awake an almost Herculean task. And I wasn’t the only one struggling. I could see slouching bodies, drooping heads, and heavy eyelids.
But there was one person who seemed oddly alert. Only, she wasn’t watching the exchange between the bride and groom. She was watching me. Those dazzling green eyes of hers kept darting in my direction, half-hidden by the curtain of red hair framing her face. I couldn’t quite be sure but it looked like she was smiling – the kind of smile worn by someone who knows something they shouldn’t. What was she thinking? What game was she playing?
She became my sole focus for the rest of the ceremony because everyone else seemed to pale in comparison. What was it about this woman? Why did she have this hold over me? Why did I want to know everything about her? From her favorite dessert to how she took her coffee – whether she even liked coffee. I wanted to find myself locked in a room with her just to talk the night away.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
3
Poppy
Starving, I made my getaway. Jenna and her new husband would be busy for the next couple of hours taking pictures. The bridal party was supposed to meet back up with them around two. Until then, I was free to do whatever I wanted, and this girl can’t survive on water-downed mimosas alone.
So, I hiked up my skirt and made my way towards the boardwalk. It was packed with tourists. A few of them stared as I walked by. Jenna hadn’t picked the most flattering color scheme. Any brighter and my dress would have been mistaken for a highlighter. But try telling that to Jenna.
My thoughts were interrupted by the smell of a pizzeria. I could pick out all the different aromas from bubbling cheese to the sizzling of crisp pepperoni. Best of all was the scent of garlic bread. Maybe this was one of those places with the fancy crust. Eager to find out, I turned into the shop. The dining room was tiny and the woman behind the counter looked surprised to see me like she had never spotted a living customer before.
“Where are your manners, Genevieve?” came the voice of an older man. He had materialized from the kitchen wearing an apron covered in flour. “Get the lass a menu. She didn’t come in here to gawk at the décor.”
The woman grabbed one of the takeout menus and hurried to my table. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“A water is fine,” I said. “I don’t mean to be rude by asking this, but do you guys not get a lot of customers or something?” A quick look through the window was enough to tell me that most of the other restaurants were packed with people. What made this place so different? Was there something I was missing? Had someone completely trashed the pizzeria online or something?
“We do most of our business through delivery,” she explained. “To the university nearby. Most of the tourists want something more than a pizzeria.”
“Ah,” I said with a nod. “So, why are you paying for this space on the boardwalk? I mean, rent has to be outrageous and it doesn’t really make much sense to be paying an arm and a leg if you don’t get the foot traffic the boardwalk is supposed to bring.”
“Very well said.” It was a familiar voice.
Connor.
He stood in the doorway of the pizzeria. Had he followed me here?
“Sounds to me like someone studied business in college.”
“It wasn’t my major, but I did take a few classes.”
“It shows.”
Genevieve now stood with bulging eyes. It appeared that two living, breathing customers sitting in her dining room was too much for her to take. The old man from the kitchen had to tow
her away.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“And what might that be?” I asked in a casual tone while browsing the menu. Everything on it sounded exceptionally good. Either that or I was just really hungry and willing to eat just about anything. “What are your thoughts on buffalo chicken pizza?”
“There has to be bleu cheese on the side.”
“Definitely,” I agreed. “Now, what was it that you wanted to ask me?”
“If you could spend the next year of your life doing whatever you wanted, what would it be and why?”
“That’s what you wanted to ask me?”
“Well, you said you wanted to get to know me. The feeling is mutual. I thought this would be a good question to get the ball rolling. Although, I’ll admit, I didn’t come up with it on my own. Some blogger suggested it along with ten other questions. Apparently, if we go through all ten we’ll figure out whether or not we’re soulmates.”
“Right,” I said with a chuckle. “And my horoscope is going to predict exactly what’s going to happen to me.”
“Speaking of horoscopes, what’s your sign? I can see whether we’re compatible.”
“Damn, you’re persistent. I’ll give you that.” I smiled over the rim of my drink before taking a sip. “Sagittarius,” I said. “You?”
“Aries.”
“Shame. We’re both fire signs. You know what that means? We’re bound to butt heads.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been known to be stubborn.”
“That’s the ram in you,” I said. “I’ve known a few Aries in my lifetime and they can be pretty difficult to deal with. But I’ll admit you’re rubbing me the right way. You definitely beat the original best man. That guy is a bore and a half and he likes to nag, too. You? You’re okay – for now. We’ll see how I feel about you at the end of the night.”
Before Connor could respond, the old man approached our table. “Have you two decided what you’ll be having?”
“We’ll be sharing a large buffalo chicken pizza. Bleu cheese on the size. And an order of the mozzarella sticks. Oh, and an order of fries, too.” Before I could order anything else, I returned the menu. I was hungry, sure, but I wanted my dress to continue to fit me when I went back for pictures.
“That’s quite the appetite.”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I like to eat.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. I can’t stand the girls who go to a restaurant and order nothing but a plain salad, and then I have to sit there and watch them grimace the entire time.”
“Sounds like you run into that problem quite often.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not like I’m taking out women on dates every other day. Besides, most of the time, this happens at business meetings.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” I said before taking a sip from my water. I mean, this guy was devilishly handsome – handsome enough to be on the cover of a magazine. With looks like that, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find women lining up at his doorstep. And with a personality like his, he could have the cream of the crop. There was a good chance he was already taken – that he had swept some girl off her feet with that charming smile of his. “In any case, why did you follow me here?”
“What makes you think that I followed you?”
“I have eyes, you know. That watch you’re wearing – it didn’t come from a department store, did it?” I grabbed his hand and brought it across the table so I could take a better look at the timepiece on his wrist. Just as I had guessed – a Rolex – and it looked real too, not one of those cheap knockoffs that people wear to make themselves appear wealthier than they were. Honestly, I didn’t understand the obsession with brand names. A $30 watch told time just as well as a $3,000 watch.
“Hmm?”
Now that the bad boy was out in the open, the watch glittered like mad. “I bet this thing is worth more money than the typical mortgage.”
“Well, aren’t you the observant one.”
For some reason, I kept holding on to his hand. Doing so brought a tingling sensation to my skin and I liked it a bit too much to want it to stop.
My core temperature rose. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. Quickly, I took another sip of water, wanting to cool myself down, but then I made the mistake of looking into his eyes. That’s when my insides began to boil but in the best possible way. “You still haven’t answered my question,” I said, trying to play it cool even though my whole face was turning into a giant McIntosh apple.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he answered.
“Actually, no.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I guess you’ll never know.” The legs of his chair scraped against the ground as he positioned himself closer. “But I’ll give you a hint. Caviar isn’t worth the price.”
My eyebrows furrowed together. “What does that have to do with anything?”
He just smiled. When his words failed to spark understanding, he occupied himself by folding a napkin.
“Caviar…?” I questioned but he ignored me, focusing instead on his origami project.
A paper crane appeared in the palm of his hand. He pulled on the tail, causing the wings to flap. As he did so, the old man returned with our pizza while Genevieve carried over the sides.
The crust was nice and golden with baked-in parmesan. The cheese heaped over the buffalo chicken bubbled. And the smell? Like a Super Bowl party concentrated into a 16-inch circumference.
“Enjoy,” said the old man. “And Genevieve will be sure to bring out some extra water. The buffalo can be quite spicy.”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” boasted Conner.
Then, it came to me. “Wait, are you telling me that a rich boy like you actually prefers cheap pizzeria food?”
He answered by dunking his slice into the bleu cheese dressing and taking a bite. A second later, he spat it back onto his plate while fanning his mouth.
“Too spicy for you?”
“No. Hot.” He spoke like someone struggling with a cheek full of marbles.
“I could have told you that. See this?” I pointed to the steam rolling off the surface. “That means that it’s hot.”
He stopped.
“You know, if looks could kill, I’d be on my way to the morgue right about now,” I said, doing my best to suppress a giggle. Having lunch with Connor made me feel like I was back in high school, going out on a first date. Back then, if a guy asked you out, it was a big deal and an even bigger deal for me who wore braces for my entire teenage years.
There was a moment of silence before we both fell into a fit of laughter. By the time I managed to catch my breath, my stomach was hurting me. “You know, I think I like you.”
“Is that so?” It was then that his phone began to vibrate. He watched it skid across the table for no longer than a millisecond before snatching it up. “Bill. I’ve been waiting for your call all day. Did you get those numbers?” He had gotten out of his seat. Forgetting all about our meal, he began to pace the entire length of the restaurant. “What do you mean you need more time? I’ve given you an extension already. I’m not dicking around here. I need those numbers and if you can’t find them for me, I’ll have to find someone who can. Do I make myself clear?”
It was like a switch had been flipped. One second we were enjoying some pizza and a couple of laughs and the next, he was threatening to fire some poor bloke.
No longer hungry, I beckoned Genevieve to the table. “A check and a to-go box, please.”
When next I saw Connor, he was still on his phone. It was like he had surgically attached it to his ear. I could understand taking a business call but there was a time and place and this certainly wasn’t it. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Jenna. If she noticed Connor yammering on his phone, I feared the repercussions. Becoming a Mrs. hadn’t toned down her bridezilla levels.
Wanti
ng to warn him, I walked over and grabbed his wrist. “Hey, you might want to hang up,” I said. “Jenna’s coming.
“Just give me a minute,” he mouthed, hand over the receiver.
“You don’t have a minute. Jenna wants pictures and if you’re caught posing with that phone, she’s going to stuff it so far up your ass that it’ll come out your mouth.” I was speaking loud enough so that whomever was on the line could hear me.
“Sorry, Derrek…I’ve got to go.”
“Now, come on. Let’s get this over with. I’ve never been a fan of pictures. I always look so awkward and my smile is absolute shit. My parents paid so much money to get my teeth straightened out and I keep them hidden.”
“I don’t know why.” He stopped to look at me, his eyes soft like he was admiring something precious. “I think you have a beautiful smile and an even more beautiful laugh. If you want I can crack some jokes during the photoshoot.”
“What makes you think I’ll laugh?”
“Because they are comedic gold,” he answered. “And if I fail to make you laugh, well, I’ll take you out to dinner or something to make up for it. How does that sound?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?” I asked.
He did not answer me outright but there was a mischievous grin stretching across his lips as we crossed the lawn, joining the rest of the bridal party that was already there.
“Where have you been?” Jenna wheeled on us the second she saw our approach. “I was about ready–”
“We’re here now, aren’t we? That’s all that matters, isn’t it?” I interrupted, thinking it would be the best way to stop her from blowing up.
From there, the photographer took over. He took about a million pictures. There were some of us jumping in the air and some of us all together, smiling with the sea against our backs.
With every picture, it was a new joke. Some of them were actually pretty good and I have to admit, I was rather surprised. I didn’t think Connor was the kind of guy to crack jokes. From the watch that he wore to the obsession with his phone, I thought him nothing more than a businessman, but it appeared that Connor had a few tricks hidden up his sleeve and a few good punchlines, too.
