Page 79 of Unpredictable
“What on earth are you doing here?”
“Helping. Now, put me to work.”
“Put you to—” She shook her head. “Absolutely not. Though I appreciate the offer. Come on,” she said, trying to pull me toward the exit. “You shouldn’t be doing that.”
“Why?” I turned to her. She was exhausted—running all the time, trying to make everyone’s dreams a reality.
She leaned closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Because you’re Harrison freaking Hayes. You don’t—” she waved a hand through the air “—bus dishes. People do this kind of thing for you.”
I stilled, placing my hands on her shoulders. “Juliana. When have you ever seen someone do this for me? I don’t have household staff. I have someone who comes in and cleans once a week. And a guy who mows the grass and maintains the pool.”
“Yeah, but—”
I shook my head. “I’m here. I’m happy to help. And the sooner we finish, the quicker we get to go home and get in bed.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and I sensed I was going to win this argument. “Aren’t you concerned someone will recognize you?”
“Nah.” I gave her shoulders a squeeze then grabbed the tray. “No one would ever believe I was a waiter.”
“Thank you.” She pressed her lips to my cheek. “I’m sorry I missed dinner. I really wanted to be there.”
“I know. It’s okay. We’ll tell her another time.”
Her face fell, but she quickly recovered. She shook her head, forcing a smile. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“One more thing,” I said, not ready for her to walk away. Not when I sensed her sadness.
I leaned in, my lips close to her ear. “I love you, and we’re in this together.”
“I know. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you showed up.” She gave me a watery smile.
It was then I knew I’d made the right decision. And I vowed that I would show up time and again for this woman. I would put in the effort, and I wouldn’t let our relationship fail.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Please make sure the peonies are over there. I want fresh vases in the bathrooms, and we need to double-check the list of guests with food allergies.” Landon and the rest of the staff nodded as I went through my checklist for the rehearsal dinner.
Olivia and Connor were getting married tomorrow, and Harrison and I still hadn’t told her we were dating. Not just dating—living together. There simply hadn’t been time. Our schedules hadn’t matched up, and now, it was time for the wedding.
I’d arrived at the venue early in the morning to oversee setup for the rehearsal dinner. Landon and I had been running around all day, making sure welcome baskets were in place and everything was perfect, even the weather. It was a gorgeous sunny day with a light breeze.
Most of the guests were lounging by the pool or enjoying the local attractions, and I envied them. I wanted to relax poolside with Harrison, even go for a hike. But that would have to wait for another weekend. With one last glance at the dining room, I confirmed that everything was in place.
“Hey, boss,” Landon said, joining me in the back area where I was checking the desserts. Landon had already done it, but I felt the need to busy myself.
“Hey,” I said, glancing up at him. He looked sharp—like always. And the past few months, he’d really flourished in his new role.
“Everything looks great. Just verified the allergy list again myself.”
“Great. Thanks.” I didn’t meet his eyes, couldn’t.
He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Of course. I just want to make sure everything is perfect.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder, forcing me to look at him. “Juliana—it’s more than perfect. It always is. What’s really going on? Does this have something to do with Harrison?”
I wanted to say no, but a bigger part of me wanted to say yes. I was afraid if I didn’t talk to someone before the weekend started, I’d go insane.
