Page 68 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
Epilogue
The past month of living with Zach had been nothing short of amazing. She was crazy in love. Her family loved him. Her friends thought he was awesome. Probably because he invited them over for a gourmet dinner, which he prepared. He’d lived up to his promise of total honesty, even when that meant telling her that her chicken was way overcooked or that she had a real cover hog problem (stealing his as well as hers). And his word was something she could count on. Her heart was so full.
Zach parked in the lot behind Garner’s and they walked inside, hand in hand, for Hailey’s special night. It was the pinnacle of a wedding planner’s career to be featured inBride Special, a national magazine catering to upscale weddings. Hailey had an interview and photo shoot going on right now at Ludbury House, the mansion in town where weddings were held, and had invited all of their friends to Garner’s afterward, where she planned to take the reporter and photographer to dinner and cocktails in a carefully controlled environment. Hailey wanted to make sureBride Specialreaders would know how easily they could feel right at home in the warm and friendly Clover Park community. Hailey had even arranged for Logan Campbell to meet her here in the role of “boyfriend.” It was, of course, a fake boyfriend, but what else was a single wedding planner to do? Hailey chose Logan because she deemed him to be the last single Campbell and had specifically wanted a Campbell because of their large close-knit family. Never mind that Josh Campbell was also single. He wasn’t “eligible” on account of being a scoundrel. Ha!
Zach rested his hand on the small of her back and guided her to one of several high-topped tables set in the open area of the bar for a predinner cocktail hour. He leaned down to her ear. “I love you in this dress.” She wore a sleeveless pink dress that emphasized her cleavage. Zach was a big fan of her cleavage. Hailey had suggested they all dress up in case the photographer decided to include some impromptu casual shots.
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you.” She took in his still-not-long-enough beard and focused on his navy blue tie. “And you look very handsome.”
He grinned and tipped her chin up. “I promise it’ll grow back.”
“I know,” she said forlornly. She dearly missed his full beard—the way it rubbed so deliciously against her and how wild it made him look.
“They’re serving champagne at the bar,” Zach said. “Want some?”
That was odd. She thought it’d be the usual full bar. Maybe Hailey wanted to give it an extra special wedding reception feel. “Sure, why not?”
“I love that attitude,” he said, gazing into her eyes in that deep loving way he had that brought shivers of happiness all the way to her toes. “Why notis a great way to live.”
“It’s new for me, but I like it too.”
They smiled at each other in their newfound giddy love state before he slowly backed away. “Be right back,” he said and went to fetch the champagne.
She looked around and spotted Ally with their friends. Nearly all of the Campbells and their honorary brothers were here, except their dad, who was likely babysitting his granddaughter, Viv, so Alex and Lauren could be here. She glanced to the dining area, where a few families were eating and a table was waiting with reserved signs on it for Hailey and the magazine people. An older woman with white blond hair smiled and waved at her.
She squinted. Wait. Was that her mom? What was her mom doing here? She didn’t think Hailey knew her parents. She leaned forward. Yup. That was definitely the back of her dad’s head. He turned and waved.
She lifted her hand in a small wave but didn’t join them since Zach was heading toward her with two glasses of champagne.
He handed over her glass and then clinked his glass against hers. “To the value of tradition.”
She cocked her head, studying him. “Dr. Harrison, why are we drinking to tradition?” She used the formal address whenever he sounded overly academic.
He winked. “Nothing more traditional than planning a wedding.”
She supposed that was true and they were here to celebrate Hailey, the ultimate wedding planner. She took a sip of champagne and glanced over to her parents, where her…brother? Yes, that was definitely her brother setting two glasses of champagne in front of her parents. He then quickly returned to another table, where he sat with his wife and two daughters.
She slowly turned to Zach. “Did you invite my whole family to Hailey’s big night?”
“You remember how I told you it’s important to get to know the family and community of the woman you’re serious about?”
“Yeah?”
He lifted his glass and spoke around it. “There’s your answer.” His eyes sparkled with good humor and she wondered if he was playing a joke on her, but, honestly, he wasn’t much for elaborate jokes. He had more of a quick-witted, on-the-spot kind of humor.
“Okay.” She drank some more champagne when Zach stopped her, his hand over hers. “What?”
“Now don’t get pissed off—”
“Why would I get pissed off?”
“Because you can’t hold your liquor and I’m going to ask you to please save the rest for a toast when Hailey arrives.”
She stared at him blankly. “It’s one glass. Can’t I just get a second glass for the toast?”
He merely watched her through hooded eyes. It was both sexy and effective.
“Fine,” she muttered. “Geez, pick up one random guy in a bar, hand him your sex list, and suddenly you can’t get liquored up anymore.”
