The Girl Who Read The Dating Manual

rule six: never look back

            Ava, with a look of bracing determination on her face, flipped through the binder, riffling past wedding cake places, jewelry sellers, wedding ring styles and three-tiered monstrosities with icing until she reached the place she was after. “Now, I’ve narrowed it down to three possible locations. The others seemed nice, but looked like a nightmare. You know, rotting trellises, simple menus and the like.”

            As she chattered on about the first place and its gazebo, to the second place with its waterfall and the third place with its ‘menu to die for’, Will and I traded a knowing look and tried to hold back our chuckles. At least we could sleep safely at night knowing our own personal wedding planner had everything covered—and she said she’d do it for free, as long as she earned the coveted place of maid of honor.

            “So, I’m thinking,” Ava said again, pulling our attention away from each other and back to her. “Sunset ceremony, one maid of honor—me, of course—two bridesmaids, all walk down a red carpet surrounded by loved ones on both sides. The flowers should be lilies—orange ones, to match the sky—and the menu should consist of scotch fillets, salmon and expensive cheese. Champagne and beer at the bar as well, of course. And for dessert possibly something flambéed, because it combines my three favorite things: chocolate, alcohol, and setting things on fire.”

            “Well, I can cook the dinner,” Will offered.

            “And I can cook the dessert and the cake,” I said, trying not to seem mildly worried by Ava’s joking admission.

            Ava looked like we’d just announced we were planning to have our wedding in a trailer park with ol’ Bob and Betty as our bridal party. “No way. I wouldn’t dream of it. This is your night, guys. And you will not spend your wedding night slaving away for everyone else.”

            Though I knew she’d probably take over the job as bridezilla for me, I was still grateful for Ava helping us out. It meant saving money on an actual wedding planner, and although Will was still privy to the Winchester platinum card, I still wanted to cut down on pricing wherever we could.

            “So have you guys thought about vows?” Ava asked, penciling something down on the notepad.

            We exchanged glances, and I shook my head. “No, Ave. Not yet.”

            “Well, I’m thinking a declaration of love under the sunset. How you met, how it was love at first sight, how you knew when you saw each other that you were destined to be together…”

            Before I could respond to her statement, Chance abruptly stood up and stormed out, slamming the door behind him hard enough to shake the whole apartment. Jamie was staring in wild eyes at his direction, but said nothing about it.

            Will looked down, and his jaw clenched as he stared at the tabletop. I wondered what was going on there.

            Ava looked up at us with wide forest-green eyes, and nibbled contemplatively on her lower lip. “Something I said?”