“I’ll take it.”
Axl doctored her coffee and handed it to her again. “Have a good day.”
“Thanks, you too.” This felt natural. So natural it veered into awkward. She did not know this man. None of this was real.
It was that thought that had her grabbing her purse and hightailing it out of there before she hovered too long expecting something.
“Look who decided to roll out of bed,” Brad, the sound guy said, wearing a shit-eating grin as she walked into the boardroom.
She sheepishly sat down and sipped her coffee to avoid having to speak.
Jackson shook his head, like he was disappointed in her. “Told you that guy wanted in your pants.”
“I thought he was your boyfriend,” Olivia said.
“Boyfriend? They met in the bar last night. He’s a stripper,” Jackson said. “Didn’t you see the video?”
Everything Jackson said annoyed her. “And what’s wrong with wanting in my pants?” she asked. “If you wanted in someone’s pants, all your friends would be all about that, telling her to go for it. But so for once in the time you’ve known me I decided to have some fun, and then you’re going to judge me?” Geez, that ticked her off. Of course, she ruined her feminist declaration by saying, “Besides, Axl and I are dating.”
“Dating?” Brad asked, eyebrows shooting up. “Is that what we’re calling it these days?”
“Can everyone just leave the woman to her love life?” Olivia asked. “Hello, harassment.”
“Whoa, whoa,” Brad said, recoiling. “Let’s not get crazy. I didn’t say anything that could be misconstrued.”
Leighton wished she were more like Olivia. Her co-worker just shut down comments. “Thanks, Olivia. Now, let’s discuss how to salvage next Saturday.”
“Can we hire a fake bride?” Olivia asked. “Because Jill is pissed.”
“I have a better idea.” Leighton took a deep breath and threw it all on the table. “How about one of our own family here at Wedding Crashers?”
They all stared at her blankly.
“What do you mean?” Brad asked.
“Me. I think we should film my relationship with Axl and run a Wedding Crashers ‘Love Behind the Scenes’ type special.” Her palms were sweating and she ran them down her dress under the table.
“But that’s not a wedding. We’re called Wedding Crashers.” Olivia’s look was skeptical. “Did you run this by Jill? What did she say?”
“I haven’t spoken to her yet.” Leighton jumped off the cliff. “But everyone loves a whirlwind romance that ends in a wedding.”
“What do you mean?” Jackson asked, taking his glasses off and cleaning them on his shirttail.
Her stomach was churning and her throat was closing. “Axl and I are getting married. Hometown police officer meets LA girl, they fall in love. Viewers will eat it up.” She was referring to this romance in third person because it was the only way she could say it without either bursting into hysterical panicked laughter or running out of the room like someone had set off a Roman candle on her ass.
No one spoke. The small boardroom was silent, save for the hum of the air conditioning. The table held Olivia’s laptop and the remnants of Brad’s breakfast pastry. Leighton was frozen in her rolling chair, hoping they were buying this.
“Are you crazy?” Olivia asked finally. “How long have you know this man? You can’t be serious about marrying him. That is not like you. Not like you at all and I don’t even know what to say now, because a hookup is your business and I have no opinion on that. But marrying a total stranger? Damn. I mean, just damn.”
“I like it,” Brad said. “Not that I have any say in anything. But I think Jill will be into it.”
“I…” Jackson shrugged, looking bewildered. His mouth worked and he put his glasses back on. “I feel like anything I say right now will be wrong or misconstrued so I’m just going to say nothing.”
“Excellent.” Leighton breathed deeply through her nose, trying to quiet her anxiety. “I’ll give Jill a ring.”
* * *
“So, I have something I need to tell you,” Axl said, grabbing an apple out of the bowl on the kitchen table at his parents’ house. He bit hard, steeling himself for his mother’s reaction.