Page 101 of Love You, Mean It
I’d invited my father over to see the place, but he declined because he felt obligated to follow his wife around while she barked orders at everyone she encountered.
A tinge of something crossed through me when he showed no interest in seeing my first home. The one I’d purchased all on my own. The one I’d renovated to make it everything that I wanted.
But that tinge left as quickly as it had arrived.
I’d come to realize that people show you who they are. I’d just chosen not to believe my father.
He may be a giant asshole, but he is a consistent asshole.
I didn’t need to wonder what he’d do anymore, because I already had the answers.
He’d shown me over and over again.
And just like Harper’s mother was a stranger to her—my father had always been a stranger to me.
Of course my siblings had all gushed about the place, and I didn’t mind hearing them go on and on about it at the rehearsal dinner last night. My dad had congratulated me, and per usual, he shot me the same old guilty look he always did when he was around me.
But that was his burden to carry, not mine.
And now that I didn’t have to try to fix things, it was a hell of a lot easier.
I’d been over at the venue all day, while my siblings went and explored downtown Blushing before heading back over here to get ready.
The Blushing Inn was a charming wedding venue that we’d designed to fit our needs. The outdoor space was unbelievable, with views of the water and plenty of space to accommodate weddings of up to three hundred people.
We had an area for the bride and her wedding party to get their hair and makeup done, as well as a very cool room for the groom and his groomsmen to get dressed and have cocktails while they waited for the ceremony to start.
Velveteen hadn’t asked me to be in her wedding party, which didn’t surprise me. I was the wedding planner, after all, so I’d be busy making sure everything went off without a hitch. But the truth was, we weren’t close, so I wouldn’t have expected it.
Paris had been furious about it, thinking she at least should have extended the offer, and if I was too busy with planning the event, I could have backed out.
But I was exactly where I wanted to be today.
Busy overseeing the chaos.
Because I’d stopped in the room with Velveteen and her mother, and the tension was so thick I couldn’t get out of there quick enough.
“Take me with you,” Paris pleaded as she followed me into the hallway, laughing.
“Get back in there and do your job.” I pointed at the door, making no attempt to hide my smile.
“Ugh. I can’t wait until you are off duty and can have a cocktail with me. You promise you’re going to be off the clock at the reception?”
“I promise.”
“And Charlie and Harper will be here too, right?” she asked.
“Yes. They’ll be here.” I blew her a kiss just as Missy whipped the door open and growled at Paris to get back in there.
The rest of the bridesmaids sat silently on the pink velvet sofas and sipped their champagne.
That room was not giving off good wedding vibes, but I couldn’t control what went on in there.
I came around the corner and found Montana’s father, Daniel, in the kitchen with his crew, getting everything prepped and ready. He was the best chef in town, and he catered most of our weddings.
“Smells delicious,” I said, snatching a carrot stick from the trays he had out on the enormous kitchen island.
“Yep. It’s going to be damn good.” He leaned forward, keeping his voice low as he said the next statement. “Man, that stepmother of yours makes me want to dip my work boot in her soup.”
