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Mackenzie taps her pen against her lips, mulling it over. “Let me check with the event coordinator for the building. They might not allow it if they consider it to be a fire hazard. Give me a sec.”
She exits the room, leaving me and Serena alone, my brain scrambling for something to say in the sudden quiet. “I heard you run an animal shelter?”
Her face lights up, and I sigh in relief at the good choice of topic. “Yes, New Beginnings. It’s my pride and joy.”
“I think I’ve passed by it before.” That’s not true. But I have looked at it obsessively on her website. “I always wanted a pet as a kid,” I confess. “But my dad was allergic, so we couldn’t have one.” And Mom wasn’t getting one on the off chance Dad then used it as an excuse not to visit.
“Mine was too,” she exclaims. “Sometimes I think he just said that so he wouldn’t have to deal with one, though.”
Yeah, that sounds like him. Not that I can tell her that. “Do you have any pets now?”
“Archer and I just adopted Petey. He’s the goofiest dog, but I love him.”
I find myself mimicking her smile, happy to be with her like this.
We chat about her shelter some more, and turn to Mackenzie as she comes back, shaking her head. “It’s a no-go on the lit candles. It violates the terms of their liability insurance.”
Serena frowns. “Well, that stinks. Can you think of any kind of alternative?”
“Would you want LED candles instead?”
“I don’t want it to look too fake.”
They both study the space, and I glance between the two of them, not sure if I should offer my opinion. “What if you put them along the far wall?” I ask, deciding to just go for it. “Line them up past the arch so people can’t see they’re fake, but they’ll still flicker like they’re real.”
Mackenzie nods as Serena says, “Oh, I like that. Can we put flowers back there too?”
They debate different options for a minute, settling on lilies as the main flower of the wedding, then Mackenzie changes the topic, reminding Serena she still needs to pick a dress. “Don’t think I’m letting you choose the first thing you try on this time again.”
“I know, I know. I’m one hundred percent invested, I promise. But there are so many choices. And since we’ve decided on a theme, that makes it even harder.”
“Shouldn’t it narrow it down?”
“No. What if my choice doesn’t match the rest of the wedding? I just—” She pauses for a moment, hugging her arms around her middle. “I want everything to be perfect. It means so much more now that it’s Archer I’m marrying.”
Mackenzie bites her lip, appearing at a loss for words, and though I’ve been minding my own business since suggesting the candle placement, dresses are the one thing I’m actually knowledgeable about.
“You’re going for this soft, romantic vibe, right?” I ask. “Then how about something long and flowing? Imagine an extended train and draping sleeves. Really boho and earthy.”
“That’s a fantastic idea,” Mackenzie says, a gleam in her eyes. “What if we added a floral crown too?”
Serena glances between the two of us, a wrinkle between her fair brows. “I’m sorry, I can’t picture it. I don’t know what it all means put together.”
Hmm, maybe I could draw it for her? “Can I borrow that?” I motion to Mackenzie’s clipboard, taking it from her as she offers it. I flip her checklist over to the blank backside and unclip the pen from the top, sketching out a quick vision of the dress I have in my head. “This is what I mean about the train. See how it would cascade behind you? And the sleeves wouldn’t be ruffly, but there’s a curve to them that adds dimension and interest, especially if you’re holding your bouquet at chest level.” I keep sketching, getting into it. “Oh, and you could embroider tiny lilies in gold thread on the skirt of the gown—”
I look up, finding them both staring at me. Crap, I did it again. “Sorry, sometimes I get too into dress design.”
“No, no,” Serena exclaims. “It’s amazing. I love it. And you just whipped that out of thin air. How’d you do that?”
I shrug, my cheeks pinkening as they both continue to stare. “I’ve made things like it before. Not all in one dress, but the different elements.”
“You made things?”
“Yeah, I sew custom clothes for people on Etsy. Mostly dresses, but sometimes other things.”
“I thought you were Connor’s assistant,” Mackenzie says.
“I am. I did the Etsy thing before this job.”