Page 214 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 2

“What was that about?”

He dips his head under the water and rinses before cracking the glass door open. “I can’t tell you until they’re gone. I don’t want to ruin the plan.”

“What plan?”

Tapping my nose, leaving it wet, he says, “I promise to tell you later, but it’s all good news. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

So it involves Rad and Tealey, but that’s as far as I get in my deductions before he closes the door again. I have no patience, especially for good secrets. But this time, I’ll trust him and try not to think about it.

It’s only been an hour, and I can’t stop staring at Tealey. The secret that I’m not even privy to yet is burning a hole inmy pocket. Okay, the yoga pants I’m wearing today don’t have pockets. But if they did, they’d be on fire.

Natalie asks, “Has anyone finished seasoning the chicken?”

Cammie, Tealey, and I are lined up on the other side of the peninsula, each with a whole chicken on a roasting rack in front of us. Natalie adds, “We’re all done. This is fun.”

Cammie says, “This is such a great idea. I like to cook, but I wasn’t sure about roasting a whole chicken. Especially if it’s just Cade and me.”

“I’ve tried cooking one before, but it was a guessing game for me and was so dry that it was almost inedible. Rad was a good sport and never complained.”

I’m the last to wash my hands and am still drying them when I add, “Thanks, Natalie, for coming over.” I can’t say cleaning, patting dry, and seasoning a raw chicken has been a great pleasure, but I have enjoyed the bottle of wine she brought. She claims it makes cooking so much better. And I get time with my girlfriends. With so much going on in our lives right now, it’s good to spend time with them again.

She replies, “It’s so much simpler than it seems as well.” Lowering her voice, she asks, “I thought you wanted to surprise Jackson?”

“I did. I thought he’d be hanging out with Rad longer today. There is no keeping a secret in these close quarters.” Secrets. I feel like one’s written all over my face, and I don’t even have one. Well, other than knowing that there is one. I’m never going to make it.

As soon as I cover my chicken with foil and tuck it in the fridge, I leave as Cammie puts her chicken in the oven first. “I’ll be back in a moment. Make yourselves at home.”

Tiptoeing down the hall, I lean in before I knock lightly on the door to the home office.

“Come in,” Jackson says from the other side of the wood.

I open the door slowly and peek my head inside before sliding all the way through and shutting it behind me. “You need to tell me the secret. Guilt is written all over my face, and I don’t even know the secret yet.”

“You can’t wait, even knowing it’s a good secret?”

“Especially because it’s a good secret. Just tell me please, Jackson.”

Papers are scattered all over the top of the desk, a yellow legal pad with scribbles on it is near the computer monitor, which is lit up with what appears to be more numbers than words. He looks busy with something important this Sunday afternoon, but he still drops everything when I walk into the room and gives me his complete attention. I never knew what others meant by true love, but now I do.

Checking his phone as if he heard it ringing, he says, “Rad wants to surprise Tealey with a ceremony.”

My head jerks back. “What do you mean surprise her with a ceremony?”

Now staring at his monitor, he mumbles, “Exactly.”

Completely confused, I finally riddle through this. “What exactly? I don’t understand what you mean, Jackson.”

“He’s going to surprise her with the actual ceremony. He just wants to be married, but he wants her to have the wedding of her dreams.”

“Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?” Men. I shake my head. “Now we’re on the same page.”

“Same page. Great.” He flips through a pile of papers and pulls a sheet out. Looking back at me, he says, “Their schedules are so out of sync that he’s worried, or should I say, he’d rather be married to her now than try to coordinate complicated schedules for the next year. And he’s recruited us to help him make this happen. Well, specifically you.”

“Me?” I sit on the chair on the other side of the desk. “How can I help?”

“He wants you to help plan their wedding from beginning to end.”

“Tealey won’t want a surprise wedding. You know she’s a diehard romantic.”

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