Page 25 of The Wedding Crush

“Unless you’re working with the dream team. With Avery as our wedding planner and you as her vineyard liaison, we’ll make it work.”

No, this won’t make things worse between us.

Oh boy.

CHAPTER FIVE

Avery

The second Morgan’sdoor closed behind me last night, I wanted to scream. For her and Dante’s sake, I’d smiledBIGsmiles. I’d geeked out over a vineyard wedding because that’s what you do for your best friend. You put all personal hang-ups and complaining aside. You get on board with a full-fledged, high society wedding in the rolling hills of Napa less than three months out, even though you’ve got no idea how you’re going to fit it into your overloaded schedule.

And you do it with a smile.

Then you arrive home and realize, in all the hustle and bustle to get away, you’ve forgotten to ask for your infuriating dream team co-member’s phone and email.

I peek out of my home office into the living room where Ace is eating his chocolate pancakes and watchingCarsfor the third time this summery morning. He’s reciting Lightning McQueen’s lines verbatim, so I take that as my cue that he’s occupied, and won’t miss me while I make this, hopefully, five-minute call to Morgan.

A text would’ve been preferable but I can’t risk the immediate and inevitable phone call that’ll follow, and alert Ace that Mommy is doing something other than preparing his next snack.

Gently, I close the door, leaving it cracked, just in case.

My heart pounds against my ribs as I trek lightly over to my desk. Once I settle back into my chair and swivel just enough to slide my legs underneath, I take a deep breath.

“Lord…” With my right hand on my phone, I allow myself a tiny prayer that my best friend—bless her hopelessly in love heart—will simply give me Stefano’s contact information without rehashing last night’s dinner. “I’m asking for your grace and mercy this beautiful Saturday morning.”

You can do this.

Morgan picks up after the first ring, her voice booming into the line.

“Ooh, you’ve caught me at the best time.”

Instinctively, I glance at my watch, and immediately kick myself.

It’s eleven o’clock.

Dammit.

“Hey!” I whisper to keep my voice down. “I’m just calling really quick to thank you and Dante for dinner.”

But then a breeze whooshes in my ear followed by her footsteps loudly crunching over gravel, underscoring what I already know. She’s on her daily trail hike through the vineyard, and she’s got all the time in the world to chat.

“Girl, of course. You know you’re welcome to grub with us anytime. But why are we whispering?”

“Ace is in there enjoying his happy little self, and I’m trying to sneak in some work.”

She hums her understanding.

“Is he still obsessed withPaw Patrol?”

“Nope, we’ve graduated to theCarsphase.” I laugh. “There is nothing cooler than this bigmouth, rookie red Corvette with decals for headlights.”

Morgan giggles like she’s about to give me the Wikipedia rundown on the movie then sideswipes me instead.

“Speaking of…” The exaggerated pause is purposeful, signaling she’s about to spill the tea.Or she wants me to.As expected, she says, “You and Stefano were really going at each other.”

It’s bait.

I know exactly what she’s doing, and which rabbit hole she’s about to drag me down. At the table, she and Dante were sitting directly across from us. Undoubtedly, they witnessed the forearms display and the LL Cool J–worthy lip-lick hypnosis. Morgan knows good and well, I’m rarely ever hot, so my sweatshirt removal will be a topic of discussion, in addition to the silver-fox comment that will not die.

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