Page 2 of Rules of Engagement
Eliza stared out at the large area scattered with creamy lounges and love seats carefully placed in front of flowered backdrops. Outside, tulle billowed in the breeze, looped across the custom arch and decorated with gigantic flower arrangements. All of which had been ordered months in advance and carefully tracked.
Like Amelia, so many wanted the picture-perfect wedding but had no clue of the effort it took to make such things happen. The venue, lighting, seating, props, gowns, catering, band, staff, fittings, setup and take-down labor. The list was nearly endless, and no matter how simple a bridesaidthey wanted a wedding to be, it always,alwaysturned into more.
Weddings were a production, and depending on how deep the pockets the bride and groom—or their parents—had, the bigger and more elaborate things tended to get. But Eliza had yet to fail her clients. Whatever they wanted, they got, especially now when she worked so hard to showcase her talents over her competitors'.
After all, happy customers fueled her bank account and the safety those numbers gave her state of mind. Facing bankruptcy tended to make a person need that safety.
"Eliza?" Marsali gently nudged her arm. "I'll help however I can. I know it's late notice but… I'd consider it a personal favor. They've got agreatstory, and it deserves a celebration the likes of which only you can pull off. Please?"
Eliza shot both women a glance before she inhaled and opened the book she carried everywhere with her. She had copies of her copies, because when she couldn't find something digitally, she always fell back on her trusty paper bible of wedding information. "Two weeks," she murmured. "What day?"
"A weekend would be best but… any evening. You make it work," Amelia said. "And we'll make it work, too."
Wow. Now that was an unusual statement. Usually the bride had one date in mind and refused to budge from it, demanding the world stop whirling and shift around her date accordingly. But due to her change in business status… "You're in luck," she said, staring at the date that had brought her so much pain. "I have that Saturday open two weeks from now."
Because the very elaborate, very lucrative, very posh wedding she'd planned inside of Landfall had gone to James and his bimbo after James had finagled a golf game with the bride's father.
"Ink us in," Amelia said with a happy smile, her hands clasped in front of her like she wanted to dance and was trying to contain her excitement.
"Ink, huh? We haven't discussed my fees," Eliza murmured.
"If you can do something like this on a small scale in that time frame? Ink," Amelia said, nodding her head to confirm her words while giving Eliza a steady look.
Yeah. This had taken fourteen months to plan. Two weeks? Sure, no problem. "Do you have your gown?"
"No."
"Venue?"
"Not yet."
"Color scheme?"
Eliza glanced up and found Amelia beginning to look a bit wild-eyed and panicked. A soft laugh left her chest, and Eliza shook her head and snapped the book closed. She really needed to investigate panicked-bride hazard pay. "Can you meet me after the reception is over to give me an idea of what you'd like?"
"Absolutely. Does that mean you'll do it?" Amelia said.
Eliza agreed with a nod, rattled off the Saturday date just to confirm it, and Amelia gave Eliza a quick hug in response.
"Thank you. Thank yousomuch. Oh, I see someone I know and I have to go share the news. I'm so excited! Excuse me."
Marsali remained after Amelia hurried away, and once the woman was out of hearing range, Eliza stared up at her taller friend and lifted a single eyebrow high. "Are you trying to put me in an early grave?"
Marsali laughed and wrapped an arm around Eliza's shoulders, squeezing.
"I'm trying to show you that there are actually special couples out there who have the forever kind of love and Amelia and Lincoln are one of them."
"Uh-huh."
Marsali released Eliza and stepped in front of her to get her full attention.
"You amaze me.Howdo you make a living planning weddings that look like something out of a fairy tale or catalog shoot when you say you don't believe in love?"
"Easy. It's called a creative mind and financial security."
"Lizzie, you sound so jaded."
"And you know why."
