Page 28 of My Fiancé's Brother

“If you can make me a coffee, I'll make you breakfast.”

“Deal.”

We worked together in silence.

“What are your plans today?” I asked.

“Just work out. You?”

“I need to run some errands,” I said. Then I paused. My car was in pieces.

“Let me take you.”

I avoided his glance. “I can take a cab.”

“Let me take you.”

I chewed on my lip. Thinking about how Matt asked me to keep him busy. “I have to do wedding stuff. Trust me. You’re going to hate this.”

“I think I can handle it.”

We stopped firstat the Paper Pelican. Jackson nosed around the small shop. I stood at the counter, a shaky hand on my forehead, while the clerk droned on about grades of paper, type of font and messages. I stared unseeing at the dozens of examples before me. A familiar sense of panic washed over me. I don’t know why I had thought it was a good idea to bring a witness to my meltdown. I still had no clue on how to proceed.

“You okay?” Jackson asked from just over my shoulder.

I shook my head. “I can’t seem to make a decision which just makes me even more anxious.”

I glanced over at the door and debated just dropping everything again and running.

He moved beside me. “You want some help?”

“Suggestions are welcome.”

He looked up at the clerk. “What do you suggest we focus on first?”

“Pick your paper first. Then your design,” she said.

“Are these all your paper samples?”

“Yes.”

He spread them out on the counter.

“Okay, Emily. Focus just on the color. Anything you don’t like?”

I pointed at four. “I don’t like these.”

“Good,” he pushed those away. “What about texture?”

I bit my lip. “I like this texture.”

The clerk said, “That’s the linen. It comes in these four colors.”

She pointed at four sheets of paper.

“Anything jumping out at you?” His voice sounded so calm and soothing.

I sighed. “I don’t like the green or the blue.”

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