The Bridesmaid's Checklist: Laura's Wedding (BCL Book 1) (7 page)

“I’ll see you tomorrow, babe,” he said so very tenderly.

“Good night, Josh.”

“Good night, Kass.”

And he sealed our farewells with a sweet kiss on my lips.

~*~

The next morning, he came back as promised. I was a little nervous to spend more time with him, but he arrived with coffee, muffins, and doughnuts, which I gladly received. I’d invited some of the girls to finish planning the engagement party with me as well, but an hour after the appointed time, I felt hopeless. Fortunately, Natalie arrived a little later, apologizing for her morning sickness and delay.

In a way, it was a good thing that it was just the three of us there that Saturday. Josh helped me explain and reassure Natalie that Edward wasn’t the insensible bastard he’d been to me all those years ago—like pushing me to make decisions I hadn’t been ready for at the time. That was really beneficial, since I felt now that I didn’t have to tell Laura everything right away. I had some time to think about exactly how I was going to do it and what I was willing to share.

We advanced a lot on our planning, too. I had it all mapped out already, but they helped me decide and distinguish some information I needed to discuss with Laura to get her approval before we carried on with the arrangements I envisioned.

It was almost 4:00 when Josh’s phone rang. He looked at the screen and frowned before he excused himself, stood up, and answered his phone. “Hi, Mindy. How’s everything going, sweetheart?”

He motioned with his hands if it was all right with me if he took the call in my bedroom. I nodded and he left Natalie and me sitting in my living room. Nat was perfectly seated and cross-legged on one of my white winged chairs while I sat on my light, soft carpet and used my big beige ottoman as a table for taking notes as we discussed the main issues at hand.

Traditionally, the bride’s parents threw the engagement party. But nowadays, it’s more often for the couple getting married to host the party. Unfortunately for me, that meant I had to plan it all. Laura was so terribly
busy
with other things (such as her wedding gift registration) that it was up to me to plan everything else. So, after handing over the guest list, she basically bailed and left me to fend for myself. Everything was admittedly a bit rushed, seeing as we had less than a month to plan it all. According to my experience, it was best to send the invitations at least four weeks before the event.

We’d completely missed that deadline.

This was what we had so far:

We only had a few things pending.

1. Go shopping for wine and alcohol.
   Josh told me he could do this with Edward so
   Eddie’s
   budget
   was respected.
   
2. Prepare the venue.
   The day of the event, we needed to check that everything was prepared as planned. All our friends had sworn they’ll be there early that day to make sure everything went as expected.
   
3. Line up to help.
   Basically, be there and be ready to aid as necessary.
   

I had very little left to sort out with Laura (and I basically knew which way she’d go on most decisions, anyways). The rest was mostly already resolved.

Josh came back out of my bedroom. “I’m really sorry, but I need to get going, Kass. I forgot I had an appointment this afternoon.”

“No worries. I think we got everything figured out,” I said. “Thanks for all your help.” I stood up and walked him to the door.

Before he could leave, Natalie stopped us. “And thanks for the food as well,” she pitched in. She’d mentioned after her normal lunch time that she was hungry, and Josh had run to get us what Nat craved for the day: cheeseburger and fries.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he said. “Kass allowed me to join you girls today, so I was given the pleasure of providing you with your meal.”

Natalie smiled at him. This time, her smile was different. The sweet smile she always carried had a pixie-ish air as she looked from Josh back to me.

“I’ll see you soon, babe,” Josh said, placing a kiss on the corner of my mouth.

As I closed the door behind him, I smiled.

“He’s hot,” said my best friend.

“I know,” I replied. “But he’s trouble, too.”

“Some trouble is worth it,” Natalie sang.

I went back to my seat and back to work. I was pleased with everything we’d done today—and even more pleased with the idea of not doing it alone.

N
o, no, no.

This couldn’t be happening.

As soon as I entered the elegant country garden we’d selected for Laura’s engagement party, I was about ready to have a heart attack.

The place wasn’t ready. It wasn’t organized. It was a complete disaster.

I walked around the place, looked at every corner, and identified every single detail unready or out of place.

I couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t right.

I arrived a couple hours before the event started to check that everything was as expected and hoping to sort a few things out, since I’d foreseen that the place might need some arrangements. But not this many. Never this many.

After I finished my short haul around the place, I stepped outside. I needed to breathe. I needed to get my head in order.

There were so many things that needed changing that I couldn’t place them in order in my head.

I wrote my friends a quick text:

Me:
S.O.S. Help guys! Place not ready yet. I need your help a.s.a.p.

As I waited for my friends to reply, I made a mental list of all the things that needed correction:


    
Tablecloths were not the ones we asked for


    
Center pieces weren’t ready yet. Were those even the vases that we asked for?


    
The menu stations weren’t in the right place

That reminded me:


    
Check on hors d'oeuvres


    
The band wasn’t there yet….

Oh my god! There were so many things, my head wasn’t functioning right. None of my friends had replied yet and I really needed someone to help me.

Who could I call?

The answer was simple, really. The only other person who’d been there for me throughout all this was Josh.

Me:
Josh, sorry to bother you. I’m @ the Garden & everything’s a mess. I need help. I can’t get all these done on my own.

Josh:
No worries. What can I help you with?

Me:
Everything’s a mess: tablecloths, flowers, the buffet, the band isn’t here. Please, come & help me.

Josh:
Calm down. OMW. I’ll b there as soon as I can. While I get there call the band. I’ll send you the deets.

Me:
Thanks!

As soon as he sent me the band’s details, I gave them a call. Josh had hired them as his engagement present for Edward and Laura. Apparently, the band was on their way and stuck in traffic, but they assured me they’d get here fast and they only needed an hour to set up.

Thank goodness.

I finished rearranging my brain and everything needing to be fixed when my so-called friends texted me back.

Natalie:
I’m @ the salon getting ready. I’ll be there as soon as I can.

Marisol:
Leaving child with in-laws. Might take a while…. I’ll try to hurry.

Denise:
Waiting for hubby to come back from an interview. He took the car. I might not make it on time to help. Sorry!

Great, just great.

They were all getting ready for the party while I was freaking out—wearing sweatpants.

I lived close to The Garden, so I decided to do a little exercise before the event. The plan was to run for a bit on the treadmill, come by the place to check on things (I expected most things to be right on track), and then go back to my place to get ready. Guess that would have to wait.

I was about to go back inside and talk to the person in charge of setting this place up when Josh arrived.

“I’m here. What do you need help with?”

“I was going to talk to the person in charge to get things fixed.”

“Great, let’s get going,” he said, taking my hand, and directed us to the site’s office.

After having a not-so-long conversation with the manager of the place, he reviewed everything we’d asked for and gave us his apologies for the inconvenience. Josh basically threatened him to death for not following up on my directions. He told the manager to forget the hell about whatever was written down or not, and I was pretty sure that convinced the man. Immediately, the staff working at the event started rearranging everything around us.

Josh was incredibly helpful.

He supported me in every decision I made and every word I said. If anyone dared to make a face my way or answer with anything less than an apologetic smile, they got hell from him. Plus, once more, he looked like a dream. He was dressed rather informally, but he gave the impression that he’d just stepped out of the cover of a magazine. His wardrobe was really simple, and at the same time, it emphasized all the right places. He wore a white cotton t-shirt with some black and gray female silhouettes printed on the front, black denim pants, and a black blazer. He looked as hot as a rockstar.

I, on the other hand, wore black yoga pants, a neon orange sports bra, and a white tank top. Not exactly the way I planned on looking during the engagement party starting so soon. However, my pants had been really convenient. I was constantly bending over the tables to reach and rearrange the centerpieces. The dress I planned on wearing to the party wasn’t made for this kind of practice. So, in a way, my clothes worked out.

“If you keep bending over like this,” Josh said as he placed himself behind me while I reached the next-to-last of the floral designs, “I’m going to have to drag you to a dark corner and take care of your teasing little ass.”

My pants were so thin, I had no problem envisioning exactly what his body looked like as it pressed up against me. “You wouldn’t dare,” I said.

“Try me,” he challenged me.

“We don’t have time for this,” I said as I turned around and faced him. The space between us was practically non-existent. He was all over me, and I liked it—to be really honest. But I couldn’t do it. Even if Josh proved again and again how he was a pretty cool guy, I knew he was a complication I didn’t need. He was interested, all right, but was he interested enough to stop fooling around with whatever woman caught his eye? It was difficult for me to trust him. I wasn’t sure my heart could take it again. Edward had been enough. “We have to finish setting the place up.” I continued. Besides, we didn’t have time for it. We had a wedding to plan.

“Like I fucking care,” was his final answer.

What could I say to something like that?

We stared at each other for a few seconds. I found certitude and decision in his eyes. Then he grabbed my butt, and as he squeezed it, he kissed me.

Hard.

I was startled for a second, but I gave in and kissed him back. My body responded completely to the small display of affection. As his hands groped my derriere, I could feel my breasts’ need for attention, and in nothing less than a neon bra.

The kiss was quick. Josh ended it by biting my bottom lip. “Go get that beautiful ass somewhere else before I act on my instincts,” he said with a slap on my behind.

I didn’t even think, I simply followed his instructions as I tried to compose myself. That kiss had meant more that I was willing to admit at the moment.

~*~

About an hour  before the party started, the place looked as expected. We were a little bit behind schedule, but nothing too noticeable.

Natalie was the first of our friends to arrive. Why had it taken her so long? She’d had an appointment at the salon. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Then again, she always looked nothing less than awesome.

It was hard to stay angry at her when she looked so adorable. The silly girl had chosen a maternity dress even though she only had a small blimp as proof of her pregnancy. She wore an off-the-shoulder gray dress, cut elegantly and demurely to her knees. It had a girly bow underneath her breasts, as if specifically to emphasize her tiny baby bump. The color of the dress complimented her light skin tone perfectly and gave her eyes a silver undertone, making them pop. Her short, platinum-blonde hair seemed carelessly styled, but I was sure there was nothing negligent about it.

“I’m here, Kassie. Sorry I’m so late,” Natalie apologized as she hugged me. “Andrik left me at the salon earlier today to get my hair done. When I got your text, I asked him to come pick me up, but he was in a meeting. He’s not letting me drive anymore on my own because of my dizzy spells.”

I gave her a not-very-nice smile. First, because I would have liked for her to arrive earlier, and second, because her beauty made me feel as big as a roach at the moment. I was so sweaty that I didn’t want her to get near me and ruin her appearance.

“Now that I’m finally here, what can I help you with?” she asked.

“There are still some floral arrangements left to get ready and place on the tables. The waiters are working on setting up the tables, and the chef is finishing the hors d'oeuvres. If you could help me with…”

“Josh! Josh! Where are you? I’m here!” Thin as a twig and tall as a tree, a very blonde young woman entered the place, running and holding a suit bag in one of her tiny hands. “I’m sorry I’m so late. The meeting kept getting longer and longer. I came as soon as I could.”

“Thanks, honey.” Josh greeted her with a smile on his face. “You’re a lifesaver.”

Twiggy-tall-blonde wore a super tight, short black dress with a pair of black pumps about as long as brand new pencils. Her hair was loose and looked silky; it reached her waist in relaxed curls.

“I’m just happy to be here for you,” Twiggy-tall-blonde said. 

“Kassie? Are you okay?” Natalie asked me when she noticed I’d tuned out whatever she was telling me. “You were giving me a brief on what was going on before you spaced out. Are the flowers the only thing missing?”

“Sorry, Nat.” I honestly didn’t know what to say at that moment. “I just… You know what?” Natalie looked at me as if I was about to give her the answer to the creation of the universe. “I really need a shower and would very much like to go home and get ready. Do you mind overseeing everything until I come back?”

“Oh, no! Of course not,” Natalie quickly replied. “I totally get it. You don’t have much time to get ready. Go home and be back as soon as you can.”

“Kassie, Natalie, I’m here. What can I do to help?” Sol had arrived at the crime scene, now. She looked beautiful, too—another good reason to make me feel like crap. Marisol looked really good for the first time in years. Since she’d had her baby, she’d left fashion aside and opted to wear mostly comfortable mommy clothes. Sol picked up a very simple dress—shirt-like, dark red and with three-quarter sleeves trimmed in black. Her crimson heels matched the chemise exactly. Her sleek brown hair was loose and framed her oval-shaped face. It was a really good look for her.

“Kassie was about to leave,” Natalie responded. “She needs to go shower and change.”

“Good. ‘Cause I don’t believe Laura’s going to let her be a part of the engagement party dressed like that.” I hadn’t seen Denise come in, and her comment surprised me.

Denise’s attire was probably the most youthful and playful of everyone’s. She’d chosen a white bodice with a flowing coral skirt, using a wide, black belt as an accent. Her hair was braided loosely at her neck in a flowery shape. I had to admit it was a really cheerful look on her, which made me happy, and I was ready to go dress up myself.

“Great, you’re all here,” I finally said. “So, I’ll go get changed, and you follow on those details I mentioned, Natalie. Josh has been here helping me, so he knows what to do too. Any doubts, just sent me a text. I’ll try to take as little time as possible.”

After some encouraging responses from my best friends, I decided to part and let them finish up with the last details. I walked to the door, but not without looking back at Josh and Twiggy-tall-blonde. She now held open the suit bag, showing him what was possibly the clothing he’d wear for the party. They talked amicably, smiling at each other, and my stomach flipped at the friendly exchange.

I needed to go.

I needed to get ready.

The party was about to start.