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“She’ll be back for your wedding at Christmas.” He pointed out, siphoning his last sip of wine and taking up the full glass of champagne the bartender set in front of him.

“Oh. Shit. Right.” If he caused a scene at the wedding, neither Miriam nor Chelsea would forgive him.

“I’m going to apologize right now, buddy, because I might not be there. I can’t watch Maisy be there with this guy at the wedding. Tell your mom there’ll be two extra places at the table without me.”

“Goddammit, you’re not messing with the head count and the seating arrangement. Not only did you agree to do a bible reading during the ceremony, Mom’s formal dining room is starting to look like a war room with charts on the wall and schematics for guest seating. She’ll have a fit if you pull out. We counted you in for two, you and a plus one, so you’re coming to the wedding, and that’s final.”

“There’s not a single soul I’d bring to the wedding as a plus one if it’s not Maisy.”

“Bring the plus one. I don’t care who it is. It’ll either help keep your mind off of Maisy, or make her jealous you’re there with someone else.” The wedding suddenly had redflags all over it where Brooks was concerned. I could see this ending badly for him.

“Okay, sure. I’ll start looking at other women again. Because I haven’t been able to since she left.”

A waitress stopped by with a tray of hors d’oeuvres, a pretty woman with her light brown hair in a bun. “Can I interest you in anything?”

“Yes, I’d like your phone number. I need a date for a Christmas wedding. Are you available?” Brooks hardly looked at her, and took out his phone and opened his calendar, like scheduling a business meeting.

“Ignore him, and I think we’ve had enough champagne.” I put our glasses on her nearly empty tray and turned to the man on my right with my ring to say goodbye, but he’d already left, taking my ring with him.

“Shit.” I would like to have stayed in touch with him. Sent him and his new wife a wedding gift. Maybe even invited him to our wedding.

I thought of the ring he held now, and how strange the entire situation was, how I threw away something so valuable. But what I ended up with was something priceless in my love and future with Chelsea.

“Come on, Brooks. Let me take you home.” I slapped his back.

“I’m not ready yet.”

“Oh yes, you are. You’re drunk off your ass.”

“One more drink,” the heavy lug begged, but I managed to shift him off the stool and held onto him as we shuffled outthe door.

“Gotta get your act together, man. Get over Maisy,” I tried to talk sense into him, but he probably wouldn’t remember it by the morning. Besides, I knew all too well what it was like loving one of the Calhoun sisters. They were hard to forget.

49

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

CHELSEA

We wrappedup filming our wedding segments, and ever since they began airing in a coveted time slot of the morning show, I’d gained loyal viewers and fans. They emailed, begging for more and more wedding content.

India seemed pleased gaining accolades as the producer, and suddenly I was the TV station manager’s pet around the studio, like I could do no wrong. Admittedly, I enjoyed being in this position, and I even had a new idea or two to pitch the next time I could bend the manager’s ear.

On the production board in the staff room, I noticed India was still editing the final segment that was scheduled to air next week. Since I needed to talk to her about the schedule for filming at the Plaza on our wedding day, I headed toward the editing bay on the floor below me.

It was nearing five o’clock, so most people had gone home for the day. Off the elevator, I turnedand walked down the hall, lost in thoughts, until I neared the editing studio, only to stop before her door when I heard my voice.

“I wasn’t excited about our wedding,”the clip of my voice said.

“A world of riches where I can spend, spend, spend like money has no end.”That was another soundbite from something I’d said to Maisy and Sophie while we tried on gowns.

“The Buchanan’s are obscenely rich.”Suddenly, my stomach roiled.

“It must be nice to be so loaded.”

“I could think of better ways to spend the money and not waste it on a wedding.”

What was she doing in these edits? All my words caught on camera sounded twisted, taken out of context, as if making me out to be a gold digger. I carefully peeked around the doorjamb, watching her with horror, as she edited the pieces together.