Chapter 2 is dedicated to Limelight_stealer❤
What a selfless soul. One of the very first readers of this story. She created the beautiful cover and I couldn't be more thankful. Thank you!
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"I thought your sister already decided on the floral arrangements?" Savannah huffed as we walked up and down the rows of flowers, appalled at the idea of doing this all over again. It wasn't that we were re-doing the order, just "fine tuning" at Anna's request. I have spent so much time in this room over the years, I knew the assortments with my eyes closed. Poppy was the owner of the flower shop, Poppy's Petals, and I did all my business with her. We went to the same high school, but she was a few years younger than me. After her father retired a few years back, she took it over. We had built a friendship over the last few years and she was the only florist I trusted.
"She did." I stuck my nose into an assortment of roses and inhaled the floral scent. "She just wants me to double check the peonies that came in today." I walked over to them, taking a closer look. They looked the same as they always did, each petal bloomed to perfection in a gorgeous shade of pink.
"Isn't there a rule in the Wedding Planner Handbook that says clients who are family are supposed to go easy on you?" She put her hand on her hip. "She already made the order, twice. It's time to move on."
Savannah was my sidekick but never handled the planning aspect of the weddings. She showed up to do the hair and makeup for the bridal party. After graduating from beauty school, she took a job at an upscale salon in Wilmington, where she built up quite the clientele. Throughout the years, she had been featured in countless bridal magazines and my clients are always eager for me to hire her for their big day. Since she is my best friend, it's an unwritten rule that she must always say yes.
"It's what she wants, Sav." I walked away, ignoring the evil glare she was giving me.
"Can we get out of here soon? This place smells like a funeral home." She scrunched her nose.
"We're almost done."
"Ugh, you are in desperate need of some highlights." She came up behind me, grabbing a lock of my blonde hair. "My place tonight? We can watch a movie and I can throw some lightener on it."
"I can't." I waved to Poppy as we headed out the door and onto the boardwalk. A couple of kids flew by on skateboards and almost knocked me over. I put my hand on Savannah's shoulder to steady myself. "I have the seating chart to do with Anna and my mom. Maybe sometime this weekend?" I threw my purse over my shoulder and headed in the direction of my office. I turned over my shoulder and blew her a kiss. Savannah used her drama queen antics to make me see the absurdity of some of Anna's requests.
She yelled after me. "Let me know when you can make some time for me. Preferably when we're not working." I waved my hand over my head, walking in the opposite direction.
Savannah has been my best friend since the summer before second grade. Her family moved in across the street and we spent every waking hour with each other. We stayed a package deal until college. I went off to the University of North Carolina while she stayed in Bridgeport and commuted to cosmetology school in Wilmington.
We talked on the phone every day and she visited most weekends. When I moved back to Bridgeport, she already had built up her clientele. I was just starting my business and with our busy schedules, it made sense for us to work together. We collaborated on pretty much every wedding, giving us time to spend together.
Anna's wedding was another story. She took up most of my days which gave me no free time of my own. She has been high maintenance since she came out of the womb. I was so used to Anna's ways that I never thought twice about it. She was my sister, and I was going to do whatever I had to do for her. Even if it costs me my entire summer.
I lay the poster board out on my mother's dining room table. The three of us were to do the seating arrangements again. My sister had invited fifty more guests last minute, which completely threw off the entire set up. She talks to everyone she meets, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they were random people she met in line at the grocery store.
"While we're at it, seat me at a different table than your father." My mother picked up the pin with her name and set it down at table two.
Anna moved it back. "Immediate family has to be at table one, Mom." She said sternly.
"Tina can move then." My mother went to grab Tina's pin, but I grabbed her wrist.
"Immediate family stays put." I barked. "I need to figure out a way to talk the boathouse into adding a few more tables. We're already over maximum capacity." I bit my lip as I stared at the layout of the room. If only my sister avoided people in public like the rest of the world does, we wouldn't have this problem.
"I hadn't realized we had so many guests. My bad." Anna shrugged her shoulders. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to avoid a fight.
"I want to order flower crowns for the flower girls." Anna changed the subject. "What's that cute online app called?"
"Etsy," I replied. "Those might take a while, so we need to get an order in now."
"I want to measure the girls' heads first. Some kids can have enormous heads." As she threw her hands up in the air next to her head, fingers straight up, to emphasize her point about the size of some children's heads, I gave her a look. "What?" Anna shrugged her shoulders. "I want to make sure they fit."
I took out my planner and added in the flower crowns under the To Do list. For a wedding a month away, there was still so much to do. We've already been planning this wedding for over a year. I put my head in my hands and squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that somehow the stress would magically disappear.
"If you start doing yoga like I told you, you would be less stressed." My mother proposed from across the table.
"She's fine, Mom." Anna insisted. "She took on too many weddings this summer. Right, Nora?"
"Mhm," I muttered, not wanting to say what was really on my mind.
After we finished with the seating arrangements, for the second time, I texted Savannah to meet me at the bar. The stress of Anna and my mom had sent me over the edge and I needed to blow off some steam.
The bar was packed. During the summer months, Bridgeport was comparable to a spring break hotspot. I spotted Savannah at a booth in the back corner. She was on her phone, ignoring the three men that were drooling over her from the next table over. I knew she wasn't interested or else she would be flirting up a storm. Savannah loved the newbies.
They were what we called the tourists that stayed for the summer. There were several vacation rentals on the island and most of their occupants were wealthy. Savannah has had her fair share of newbies. She was always hanging out with them, not wanting anything further than a summer fling. This summer, though, she seemed to be over that phase of her life.
"Thank God you're here!" She grabbed both my hands as I sat down on the opposite side of the booth. "Pretend you're my girlfriend." She smiled at me as she rubbed the back of my hands with her thumb.
"Who is it this time?" I turned my head and scanned the crowded room.
"Ronnie," She declared. "summer after senior year."
"Grabby hands guy?" I reenacted the motion he used to do with his hands.
Savannah threw her head back and laughed. "I see a wedding band. Ugh, I'm even more repulsed by him now than I ever was." Her body shook like she had a shiver down her spine.
"You dodged that bullet." I grabbed the drink menu and scanned my options. "What doesn't taste like alcohol but can dull a headache that is my family?" I rubbed in between my eyes. Savannah drank like it was going out of style while I rarely enjoyed nothing more than a glass of wine, as I couldn't bear to not be in complete control.
"Vodka has never been your friend." She raised her eyebrows. "Just stick to a margarita. That's your safest bet." I nodded and set the menu down.
"So, what's new with the Brady Bunch?" That is what Savannah called my family. There was always some kind of drama going on in my family. Sibling fights, parents who refuse to speak to each other. You name it, we've done it.
"Ugh, don't get me started." I hung my head down and ran my hands through my hair.
Savannah was an only child and came from a quiet family. Her mother and father were both professors at the local community college. They were very different from Savannah, who was loud and outgoing. Every time I went over Savannah's house, the two of them sat in recliners in their study with books in their hands and reading glasses perched on their noses. From the moment I met the Wilson's, I fell in love with them. They were quiet and reserved, something I was not used to. To be honest, I probably fit into Savannah's family more than she did.
Even though Savannah mocked the sitcom that was my family, she loved every moment of it. She went from being the only child to practically gaining three sisters.
"You know I love you, but you've got to push back when it comes to Anna. She consumes your life."
I waved her off. "She does not."
Savannah rolled her eyes and said, "Nor, she's putting you through things that no other client ever has but whatever, if you're fine with it."
"I'm her wedding planner and maid of honor. It's literally my job."
"I'm not talking about just the wedding planning, Nora. Your mom is back in Bridgeport, let her pick up the slack." The bartender came over for our drink orders. I was thankful for the interruption, hoping the subject would drop, but it didn't.
"You need to live your life." She continued. "Come out with me more often, fall in love, something!" This wasn't the first time Savannah stressed this. It was the only thing she talked about around me. I know she wants the best for me, but, in all honesty, I liked the way my life was.
"I'm content," I stated, crossing my arms in defense.
"My point exactly." She threw her hands up. "Who wants to live a content life. You deserve more than you allow yourself to have." The bartender brought the drinks over and I wasted no time, sipping until it was half empty. "Careful," Savannah reached across the table to push the drink down. I waved her off and continued to sip.
"I understand that it's your life, Nora, and I love you the way you are. I just want you to know there is more to life than hiding in the shadows of your sisters. Someone needs to take care of you." She pointed her finger at me and winked.
"Sometimes I wish I could turn you over to the Best Friend Protective Services," I said to her and she threw her head back and laughed. "Maybe they'll get me one who doesn't talk as much."
The bartender set another drink down next to me. "I'm sorry, I didn't order this." My eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.
"The guy over there did." He pointed in the direction of the bar and my eyes followed until they landed on Liam Eastwood.
"Ugh, I see him everywhere I go." I made a face.
He pushed off the bar and walked over to our booth. I tried my best to keep my gaze straight ahead, but my eyes kept slipping back over towards him.
"I can pay for my own drinks, thank you." I pushed the drink to the end of the table as he approached.
"I know you can, James." He said. "just looked like you've had one heck of a day." His smile was back. It was a genuine smile, that kind that reached his eyes.
Savannah cleared her throat. "I'm going to go have a cigarette." She scooted out of the booth and out of sight. Liam took her place across from me.
"Sorry to cut it short but I have to meet with a client early in the morning." I lied.
He reached over and playfully touched my wrist. "You're running from me." He accused. "And I can't understand why."
"Listen, I'm used to you Casanovas coming through here every summer. News flash, I've learned not to get involved." I crossed my arms and leaned my back against the booth.
"Look, Andrew is like a brother to me and I want to make sure it's the best day for him just like you are for Anna." He asserted. "I guess what I'm saying is, I want to help with some of the planning."
"I'm the wedding planner." I suddenly felt offended.
"I know," He began. "From that you let out in the parking lot last week, it's not hard to tell that you've got your plate full. Please, let me help." He leaned forward in his chair, with elbows resting on his knees and said with a smile, "I'm here for an extended stay. Andrew is always working, and I can only do so much sunbathing and shopping. I mean, I am still in touch with my office and have been working on a few things remotely, but I need more to do. I would like to do whatever I can for Andrew and Anna's wedding." I looked at him and I'm sure my eyes were full of questions.
He smiled, seemingly amused and gave me those puppy dog eyes. "I am the best man. Come on, James, what do you say? Will you let me help?"
"I think I got this." I challenged.
"I have no doubt. But whatever the case is, I want to help." He offered. "Please, it would mean a lot."
"You know that the wedding planning started well over a year ago?" I questioned and raised my brow. "If you were so keen on helping, wouldn't I have heard from you by now?"
Looking slightly deflated, he said, "I've just been so busy with work."
I stifled a laugh. "Haven't we all?"
"I didn't offer up my time only to be condemned by you." He pushed back. "Maybe I should have touched base sooner, honestly, I guess I was so caught up in my work that I wasn't even thinking about Andrew's wedding." He said apologetically. "But I'm here now and I just want to jump in and help whatever way I can."
I looked down at my ever growing To Do list, and then back up at Liam. His face was serious, and I could tell that he was growing impatient with my rebuff. He clearly meant a lot to Andrew and perhaps I should respect that.
"Fine," I breathed. "I guess for Andrew's sake, I can find something for you to do." I rarely let anyone help me, other than Savannah. I pretty much flew solo.
"Thank you." He said with a smile. "Now that wasn't that hard, was it James?"
Before I could shoot back a quick retort, "Be careful now James, you might fall in love with me if you're not careful." He said with a wink and strolled over to his friends at the bar.
"The gall." I said under my breath. I slammed a twenty on the table and stormed out of the bar.
Savannah was leaning against the brick wall with a smirk on her face. I grabbed her hand and she threw her head back and laughed.
"Never leave me alone with him again." I pulled her down the boardwalk. "You don't even smoke.