“How’s it going over there?”
“We’re at Nana’s house with Laurie’s cousins, talking men and relationships.”
“How very liberated of you all.” There is a teasing note in his voice.
“What are you doing?” I ask, smiling.
“Working, and thinking of you.” I sigh, and he continues. “What will you be doing all week?”
“Ah… Tomorrow we have shopping and I’m tagging along to meet the decorators. Then the next day, I’m going to be on my own, I’m meeting Michael Davis for his interview.”
“You never told me the end of that story,” Landon says. On his side, I hear a couple of quick taps, like typing on a keyboard.
“I’ll tell you when you get here. What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you googling him?”
Landon laughs. “Of course.”
I shake my head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I know.” He pauses. “He’s very…”
“…Attractive?”
“I was going to say good-looking, but I guess you know better.”
“You’re jealous,” I say, laughing.
“Of course I’m jealous,” There is a smile in his voice. “Enjoy yourself,” he says, after a short pause. “And let me know if you need anything, okay?”
I smile, “Okay.”
After dinner at Nana’s, we go back to our hotel. We’re all tired, so we don’t have any other plans apart from going straight to our suites. On the way in, the manager is in the lobby and he greets everyone politely before approaching me in particular, to let me know that he and the rest of the staff are available at any time if there’s anything I want.”
I smile and thank him graciously, even though I know that Landon probably has everything to do with the attentiveness. I tell him as much when he calls me just before I go to bed, and he doesn’t even try to deny it.
“I do have considerable clout within the hospitality industry,’ he tells me. “I’m allowed to use it to make sure you’re treated like a queen.” There’s a pause. “Do you mind?”
“No.” I’m lying in bed with the phone on my ear. “I miss you too much to care about what’s going on around me.”
“Ah,” he breathes. “I miss you too.”
I spend the next day shopping with my mom, Laurie, and aunt Jacie. We also make sure all the marriage paperwork is complete. We visit the caterers, the florists, and almost all the other vendors before Laurie and I finally beg off and take a walk through town, having an early dinner at a seafood restaurant before returning to the hotel.
The next day, everyone goes out without me. I sleep in, waking up much later than usual, but with enough time to make it for my interview. The hotel provides a complimentary car to take me to the university, where I’m meeting Michael Davis, who is even more attractive in person than he is in his pictures. The interview goes well, although I keep remembering my conversation with Landon and his admission of being jealous, and trying not to smile.
Afterward, I find the school bookstore and wander around, purchasing a few paperbacks before I return to the hotel. I’m surprised by how tired I am, and I’m almost about to nod off when Tamia calls me to talk about the all-in nuptial eve party she’s planning for Laurie and Brett.
When everybody returns in the late afternoon, I’m asleep, but Laurie comes to wake me up, and we lie in bed talking about the future until it’s time to join the rest of the family for dinner.
The next day, Brett and Dylan arrive, as well as Brett’s parents, Brett’s best man Jordan, who’s also his partner at the gym, and Christi, a bubbly redhead from Laurie’s office, who along with Tamia, Berry and me, make up Laurie’s bridesmaids.
The dads spent the afternoon golfing, while my Mom, aunt Jacie and Brett’s mom go over last minute details, like ensuring that everything Laurie needs for the wedding has been taken over to Aunt Jacie’s old room at Nana’s house, which has been remade into a bridal suite.
The party is in the evening, and somehow the suite I’m sharing with Laurie becomes the hub where we’re all dressing up.