Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 27438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
“True. It would suck if you hated this.”
“Exactly. I guess I love that it feels like a fresh start. A new chapter. I know it sounds trite, but it’s true. Anything is possible after that day for these two people.”
“And the wedding itself is an expression of them.”
“You mean the bride,” Brody says with a smirk. “Because I don’t believe that men have much say.”
“I disagree. You’d be shocked how many men have very specific ideas about what they would like to see at their wedding. Granted, some of them might get vetoed by their bride if it doesn’t jibe with her vision, but they usually want to have a say.”
“Interesting.”
I nod. “So whether it’s a big, lavish event like the one we’re working on today, or something simple and intimate, I enjoy it.”
We continue in silence for the next two hours, perfecting the last of the bouquets. Micah has moved on to the centerpieces. When we’re all finished, I toss the moving truck keys to Micah, who runs out to drive it around to the front of my shop.
“We’re not taking your car?” Brody asks.
“No, I rent a refrigerated truck for weddings,” I reply. “I have too much to haul, and the flowers have to sit for a while as I move them. It’s better if they’re cold.”
“You should buy a truck.”
I laugh as Micah comes inside, ready to start loading the flowers.
“That’s on my list of things, but I’m a small business, Brody.”
He just nods, and the three of us work quickly to move the flowers in the summer heat to their cool reprieve in the truck.
Once everything is loaded, Micah drives the truck and Brody and I follow him in my car.
“You let him drive the moving truck?”
“He’s a good kid,” I reply. “He’s been driving it for me for a year, and I’ve never had a problem. He’s never been late for a shift, and he’s never called out sick.”
“Wow,” he says in surprise. “That’s more than I can say about some of my engineers.”
“His work ethic is incredible, and he’s a great kid.”
He also needs this job so he can help support his mother because his dad is a piece of shit.
But I don’t say that to Brody. That’s not my story to tell.
I pull in behind the truck at the wedding venue. It’s an old barn at the base of the mountain with a killer view of the lake and the nearby mountains.
If I ever get married, it’ll be here.
I’m pleased to see the tables are set up inside the barn, already covered in linens, so we can set up centerpieces.
“Hey, Brooke,” Dean Hernandez says with a wave.
“Hi, Dean.” I smile brightly and offer the man a hug, then turn to introduce him to Brody. “This is—”
“Brody Chabot,” Dean says with a grin, shaking Brody’s hand. “Man, I haven’t seen you in a long-ass time. How have you been, Brody?”
“Great, thanks. How about you? What are you doing out here?”
“I own this place,” Dean says, holding his hands out at his sides and looking around. “I don’t raise cattle, so I decided to make it an event space.”
“It’s the perfect place,” I add with a grin. “And Dean’s a dream to work with.”
“I have the fridge cleared out for the flowers that’ll go outside tomorrow,” Dean says. “Feel free to load it up.”
“I will, thanks.”
Dean nods, then shakes Brody’s hand again. “It sure was great to see you, Brody. I hope I’ll be seeing you around.”
Brody doesn’t reply as Dean walks off, probably headed out to see to more wedding chores for tomorrow.
“Okay, Micah, go ahead and put as many of the outdoor flowers as you can in the fridge. It’s air conditioned in here, so the centerpieces will be fine overnight.”
With his marching orders, Micah takes off to get his work done, and I do the same. “Come on, Brody. This is going to be fun.”
* * * *
“I don’t remember the last time I was this exhausted,” Brody says as he follows me into my house and collapses on the couch, staring at me with glassy eyes. “You do this every week?”
“You get used to it,” I assure him.
“I won’t,” he says with a small smile. “And with all due respect, thank God for it because while I enjoy helping for a bit here and there, I don’t think weddings are my thing.”
“It’s not for everyone,” I reply and sit next to him. We’re not touching, but the electricity has been humming between us all damn day. He would steal a touch here or there as he’d pass by me.
I’d send him coy smiles.
It’s been a full day of foreplay.
And now we’re both too exhausted to do anything about it.
Damn it.
I’ve thought of little else besides that kiss in this living room the other day. I’d like a repeat with far less clothing.