“Of course I am.”
“I want to schedule the engagement shoot for an evening next week,” Mac told her. “I want a night shot—sexy and atmospheric. In the gardens here.”
“The gardens. That’s perfect. I have the best pals in the universe.”
“I’d like to tag along for the fitting,” Mac added. “Get some shots of you and your mom.”
“You should do it here.” Laurel sipped champagne. “We can arrange the first fitting here—and bring the headpieces, right, Parker?”
“We could.” Parker’s face lit up as she warmed to the idea. “Sure we could.”
“Then Mac could get her shots, and your mom could sit down for a first official consult, go over things you’ve decided, or where you’re leaning.”
“That’s a really good idea,” Parker decided.
“I have one now and then.”
“We could really do it up for her,” Mac added. “Your mom. The Vows’ VIP client treatment.”
“She’d love that. I’d love that. There I go again.”
Laurel passed Emma another tissue. “Think about shoes.”
“Shoes?”
“Shoes for that dress.”
“Oh. Shoes.”
“See, nobody cries over shoes. I’d go for something with just a touch of sparkle, just a hint of sexy and all-out fabulous.”
“We need to go shopping. You don’t have your wedding shoes yet, do you, Mac?”
“Not yet.”
“Wedding shoe safari!” Emma cried. “God, this is fun.”
“Wait until you start trying to pick out invitations, place cards, and all that, and start obsessing over fonts. I never thought I’d obsess over fonts.” Mac shook her head. “But I am. It’s like a drug. I see that look, McBane.” Mac wagged a finger. “That amused superiority. Like you believe you’ll never sink as I have sunk. But you will. Mark my words. One day, fonts will haunt your sleep.”
“I just don’t think so. Anyway, I’m not getting married.”
“But don’t you think you and Del ... at some point,” Emma began.
“We’ve only been dating since last month.”
“Evasive,” Mac said. “You’ve known each other forever.”
“And you’re in love with him,” Emma finished.
“I’m not thinking about that.”
“About being in love with him,” Parker asked, “or spending the rest of your life with him?”
“It’s not—I’m not projecting that far ahead.”
“Stop it,” Parker ordered.
“It’s really hard.”
“Stop what?” Emma looked from one to the other. “What’s hard?”
“Laurel saying what she’d say to us if the man wasn’t my brother. You’re insulting me.”
“No! Damn it, Parker, that’s just cheating.”
“No, it’s just making the point. Should I just leave?”
“Now you stop it.” Scowling, Laurel tossed back more champagne. “You always did fight dirty. Okay, fine. Fine.Yes, I’m in love with him. I’ve always been in love with him, which makes it unsteady because maybe
that’s projecting. But it doesn’t feel like it, especially since I’ve spent a good part of my life trying not to be in love with him. And I couldn’t pull it off. So yes, if we ever got to the point where we talked about the rest of our lives, I’d dive headfirst, jump in with both feet, name your cliche. The thing is, it takes two people to get to that point.”
“Why wouldn’t he love you?” Emma demanded.
“Of course he loves me. He loves all of us. It’s different with me now, but it’s not ...” God, it was lowering, she realized, even among her closest friends. “It’s hard loving someone more than they love you, and it’s something I have to deal with. My feelings, my responsibility.”
“I understand that.” Mac reached over, squeezed Laurel’s hand. “I let Carter feel that way. I didn’t want to be in love, I didn’t want to take that dive, that jump, so I kept holding back. I know it hurt him.”
“I’m not hurting. Or maybe a little, but that could just be pride. I’m happy where we are. I know I may not be happy later, but this is more than I expected to have.”
“I’m surprised your expectations would be so low,” Parker commented. “You’ve always aimed high.”
“When it’s something I can work for or compete at. But you can’t win love, can you? Not like an award or a game. We played at Wedding Day. Now we work at it. But when it comes to our own, it’s not a game or a job. I don’t need the dress or the ring, or the fonts,” she added with a smile for Mac. “But I guess I need to know I’m the one. I can’t work my way into being the one for him. I just have to be the one.”
“That’s really smart,” Emma murmured.
“No one else has been the one for him,” Parker told her. “I’d know.”
“Not even Cherise McConnelly?”
“Oh God.” Parker gave a mock shudder. “What was he thinking? Besides that,” she added at Laurel’s cocked brow.
“Considering Cherise, I’d say his taste has improved considerably with me.” Laurel took another slice. “So, there’s hope for the man.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EVEN AS JACK AND DEL SETTLED ON STOOLS AT THE BAR AT THE Willows, the bartender stepped over. “Looks like I hit the daily double.”
“How’s it going, Angie?”
“No complaints, which is more than I can say for half the people who plop down on those stools. What can I get you?”
“Pellegrino,” Del ordered.
“I’ll have a Sam Adams.”
“Gotcha covered. Just in for a drink?” she asked while she put a pint glass under the tap and added ice to a water goblet.
“I am,” Jack told him. “This one’s got a date.”
“Yeah? Who’s the lucky lady tonight?”
“I’m having dinner with Laurel.”
“McBane?” Mild surprise showed in Angie’s eyes. “A date-date?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a switch.” Knowing Del’s preferences, she added a slice of lime to the sparkling water, then put both glasses on the bar. “I heard some speculation about that, but I just put it down to talk.”
“Oh, why?”
“Because you’ve known Laurel for a couple of decades, and never dated her before. I haven’t seen her in here for a while, but I hear business is booming on her front.”
“Booming’s the word.”
“I’ve been to a couple of weddings there. First class. But that’s your sister, isn’t it?” Angle added as she wiped the bar with her white cloth. “First class all the way.We still miss Laurel around here. Best damn pastry chef we’ve ever had. So, Jack, how’s Emma—and the wedding plans?”
“She’s great. Found her dress, which is apparently the keys to the kingdom.”
“You can take that to the bank. Maybe something’s in the water over there. First Mac, then Emma.” She winked at Del, tapped the side of his glass with a finger. “Be careful what you drink.” She moved down the bar to wait on another customer as Jack laughed.
“Don’t look so surprised, bro.” Jack tipped his glass in Del’s direction. “It’s a pretty natural progression.”
“We’ve been dating what, a month, and wedding plans are a natural progression?”
Jack shrugged. “Mac to Emma to Laurel. It’s like a marriage triple play.”
“Laurel doesn’t think that way.” Hadn’t it been pointed out he’d known her for a couple decades? “Weddings are a business. She’s a businesswoman. A serious, ambitious businesswoman.”
“So are the rest of them. Serious, ambitious people get married all the time.” He studied Del over the rim of his glass. “This really never occurred to you?”
“Occurred is a wide word,” Del evaded. “We’re still adjusting to the change in our relationship. I’m not opposed to marriage. In fact, a big fan of the institution here. I just haven’t given it any serious personal thought.”