Page 7

Bailey

“I think the roses go best with the peonies.” Tamara King, of King’s Floral Boutique holds both options up for Andi and I to look at. Then she places a couple together, mimicking a bouquet.

“I don’t know,” Andi says, looking to me. “Don’t you think it’s too much?”

I nod. It is too much. Too . . . round.

I can tell Tamara is getting tired of us. We’ve been in her store for over an hour and we’ve yet to make a final decision.

I look through the flowers around us, plucking one of the pale pink roses from the vase behind Tamara. Andi launches into another string of questions, second guessing her colors for the fifth time this afternoon. I step around the women and hold my single rose up to other flowers, testing.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m not cut out to plan a wedding,” Andi complains.

“Andi,” I call, holding up my match to her.

She spins, her eyes zeroing in on the white lily and pink rose combo, before her eyes start to water.

“Well, don’t cry about it,” I wince. “If you don’t like it, I’ll keep looking.”

She shakes her head vehemently, stepping up in front of me. “Mom loved lilies. Why didn’t I think of this before?”

I smile softly, holding the combo out for her. Over Andi’s shoulder, I can see Tamara relax visibly and look at me as if to tell me crying Andi was all my problem.

“Do we have a winner?” Tamara asks, hopeful.

Andi turns to her, holding out the two flowers. “We do. White lilies and light pink roses — the blush, not the pink lemonade.”

I hadn’t seen the difference in the two, but Tamara and Andi both swore it was huge.

My phone buzzes in my purse and I pull it out, anxiety pooling in my stomach. Savannah never calls me. In fact, Savannah never calls anyone.

Andi and Tamara are in the middle of ironing out wedding details, so I take the opportunity to step out onto the hot sidewalk and answer my phone.

“Hello?”

“Oh my God,” she squeals. “You should have seen Mom flip her shit.” I’ve never seen anything make Savannah veer from her aloof and icy exterior, except for pissing Mom off, which is ironic, considering she gets away with everything.

I chuckle and lean back against the brick building of the florist.

“She was pissed. She tried to send Christian down here. Like I need him following me around,” I scoff, picking at a loose thread on my shorts.

“How did you talk her out of it?”

I let out a deep breath. “Well, I told her I’m staying next to Charlie, so I’ll be safe.”

“Isn’t that the big, hot asshole?” Savannah asks, popping her gum into the receiver. I absolutely hate that sound and she knows it.

I roll my eyes. “Yes, though, he knows he’s hot, so it makes it worse.”

“Those are the best kind. They put out and you don’t have to deal with them after.”

I chuckle, my cheeks warming. “Trust me. He put out enough last night. I don’t need to fall in line behind whatever girl was screaming loud enough to break the fourth wall.”

Savannah snickers. “Tell me more. Did you get a look at her?”

“Gah . . . No. I wasn’t stalking them from my bedroom window.”

She lets out a dreamy sigh. “I would have. I like to know all the gory details. Plus, if you’re going to keep me up by shaking my walls, at least let me get a good look at the girl, first.”

“Trust me, I’m sure there will be another victim, tonight.”

“Could be you,” Savannah sing-songs.

“No. I’m here to plan a wedding. That’s it. Hot brothers are strictly off-limits.”

“Does that mean I can have him?”

Jealousy, but also protectiveness pangs me right in the chest. “No.” I’m not sure who I’m feeling protective over. It should be my sister, but I know better than anyone that she will tear you limb from limb and not think twice. She’s like a praying mantis.

Savannah laughs. “You were awfully quick to shut that down.” She pauses for a moment. “How is the wedding planning going, all jokes aside?”

“Good. We’re at the florist.”

“Mmm . . . I love the smell of flower shops. They remind me of Dad’s garden.”

Dad always had the most extravagant garden. He would spend days planting, then weeding.

I smile at an old memory. “Do you remember when he found those marigold seeds at a thrift shop? He brought them home and didn’t think they would grow.”

“And they grew to be two feet tall? God, they came up to my thighs.”

We fall silent and a sense of loneliness I can’t shake falls over me. It’s not often I miss Dad this much, but remembering him, the funny things he used to do . . . sometimes it just hits me in a wave of anguish.

“How are things there?” I ask, clutching my locket and hoping to change the subject. “You know, besides Mom’s meltdown.”

“Okay, I guess. Nowhere near as exciting as what you’re doing.”

Yeah, shopping for flowers and listening to my hot neighbor screw some unsuspecting girl all night are at the top of my lists for fun.

“Marcus should be coming back tonight.” I can practically hear the malice in Savannah’s voice. She’s never liked Marcus, even though she was so young when he and Mom married. She refused to be in the wedding until I bribed her with chocolate I stole from the hotel lobby.

“All done,” Andi beams, joining me on the sidewalk.

“I’ve got to go Sav,” I say into my phone. “If you need me, call me. I’ll try to always have my phone on.”

Savannah chuckles, humorlessly. “Go. Have fun with your friends and your hot asshole neighbor. I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s only five weeks.”

“A lot can happen in five weeks.”

“Shut up. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” I hang up the phone and drop it back in my bag. “Sorry,” I tell Andi. “Savannah never calls me. I thought someone had died.”

Andi laughs and wraps her arm through mine.

“Of course, I don’t care. Good call on the lilies. I think Tamara was ready to fight me.”

We walk down the busy streets of New Orleans, making our way back to Bourbon Street.

“I’m starving.” My stomach growls right as I say that.

“Let’s go see Dad,” Andi beckons, pulling me across the street. We quickly avoid a passing car and merge with the flow of people walking on the other side.

“I don’t want to see your brother,” I groan, remembering last night. I just know he’s going to say something that will have me blushing. Then, he’ll know that I’d eavesdropped. Not that I really had a choice, but still.

“What did he do?” Andi snaps, stopping at the back gate to the Voodoo Barbeque. “Was he mean to you? ”

Always. I shake my head. “No, I just heard him, you know, with a girl last night and I’m embarrassed.”

Her eyes narrow. “Was she loud?”

“Yes,” I blush, brushing my hair behind my ear.

“Practically a banshee?”

“Yes.”

“Fucking hell,” Andi groans. She tugs me through the back gate and into a small courtyard behind the restaurant. A tall, bald man is smoking a cigarette and he eyes me up and down as we approach him.

“What up, Lionel?” Andi raises her hand up for a high-five and the man reciprocates, his eyes on me. The shimmery blue of his eyeshadow pops against his dark skin. He’s applied false lashes better than I ever have and the fingers holding his cigarette are tipped in purple.

“And just who is this lil mama?”

“Oh my God,” I scoff as he steps to the side to check out my rear.

“This is Bailey. She’s my best friend from California. She came to help me plan the wedding,” she reaches back and tugs me forward. “Bailey, this is Lionel. And don’t worry. He cares more about my brother’s ass than he ever will yours.”

I let out a sigh of relief and Lionel holds out his hand, shaking mine.

“Pleased to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, baby girl.”

Andi rolls her eyes. “Is my brother in?”

Lionel nods toward the back door. “Step inside my office, sweet cheeks. ”

I follow Andi and Lionel, who leads us through a large and busy kitchen, full of delicious-smelling food and cooks to a shut door to the right.

Andi tries the handle, but when it’s locked, she pounds her manicured fist hard on the wood.

While I wait, a man at the far side of the kitchen turns around and smiles deviously at me. The way his dark eyes flash creeps me out, but I know I’m probably just overreacting because I haven’t ventured out of my doomsday shelter of a room at home in what seems like fifteen years.

“Let me in!” Andi snaps, pounding the door harder.

The door pops open and Charlie stands there, his face red from the heat of the kitchen. His eyes fall on her, dark and pissed off, then, to my dismay, on me. I look away.

“In. Family meeting. Bailey, you too,” Andi snaps when I try to sneak back toward the back door.

I step back to the office, having to hunch underneath Charlie’s arm who makes no attempt to move out of my way. The office is small, and filled with the three of us, it’s even smaller. Charlie takes up the majority of the room, sinking into a chair behind the desk and leaning back, his boots resting on the table.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” he smirks.

“Are you back with Priscilla?” Andi demands, placing her palm flat on the desk in front of him and the other on her hip.

Charlie looks past Andi to me and he runs his tongue over his teeth.

“So, my new neighbor’s been spreading rumors about me, then? ”

I shake my head, opening my mouth, but Andi cuts me off.

“Don’t blame her. She didn’t know.”

“Remind me to never tell you where I keep my valuables,” Charlie says darkly, his eyes burning through mine. A bead of sweat rolls down his cheek and I don’t know if it’s the heat getting to me or the tension in the room, but something stirs in my core.

“Stay away from her,” Andi demands. “She’s nothing but a stuck-up brat and she will ruin you.”

“You brought her here.”

Andi smacks Charlie’s arm, huffing. “I mean it, Charlie. No Priscilla. I’m not bailing you out of jail when you catch her cheating on you, again.”

I bite my tongue. Andi hadn’t told me about that. It seems Mr. Coulter has more than one demon in his closet.

“Get out,” Charlie replies, his voice suddenly icy cold.

“With pleasure.”

She turns to leave as the door opens again, and Andi’s Dad walks though. His eyes light up when he sees me. “Bailey! I’m glad you’re here.” He pulls me into a tight, dad-hug and I think one of my lungs might pop out. “How is the house? Is everything up to par.”

I nod. “It’s perfect. Thank you for letting me stay.”

He waves a hand. “Nonsense. Andi could use some help with the planning. It’s hard to believe it’s just over a month away.”

Charlie stands from the desk, stalking past us and out the door. He doesn’t look at me, but I can tell he’s pissed. I wouldn’t be surprised if he brought a dozen women home tonight, just to get back at me.

One of these days, I’ll learn to think before I speak.

“Did you know Charlie’s hanging around Priscilla, again?” Andi asks, crossing her arms over her chest once Charlie is out of the room.

Charles Senior sits down in the chair Charlie just vacated and wipes his brow with a handkerchief.

“That’s not our business.”

“Oh, yes, it is. She’s a skank.”

“Andrea Coulter,” Charles scolds, but Andi doesn’t miss a beat.

“She’s not good for him. She’ll have him drinking again in no time.”

Charles lets out a deep sigh, staring at the monitor in front of him without really seeing it. I feel like I shouldn’t be a part of this conversation.

“He’s twenty-eight. He’s old enough to make his own choices. Now, if you’ll stop arguing, I need you to help tonight. Dreama called out sick and we’re already slammed.”

Andi groans loudly, shaking her head. “I have to go meet Tom’s mom to pick out her dress.”

“Shit,” Charles sighs.

“I can help,” I volunteer. “I’m not doing anything tonight.”

Charles’ face lights up, but Andi cuts him off.

“You aren’t coming with me?” she pouts.

“I’m here to help. Whether that be picking out flowers or helping here, I’ll do whatever.”

“Have you worked in a restaurant before?” Charles asks.

“I worked at the ice cream shack near our house in high school.” Andi winces and Charles looks speculative. “But, I’m a quick learner and I’m a willing body.”

Charles smiles, holding out his hand. “You’re hired. I’ll have Marybeth find a shirt for you. You can help her.”

He stands and leaves the room and Andi cocks her hip, arms crossed in front of her chest.

“What the hell, Bails?”

“You and I both know you’ll be worrying all night if you don’t stay and help. And . . . I’m like a clone of you right now, figuratively, so I’ll stay and help here while you go take care of your mother-in-law.”

Her lips quirk at the corners and she untangles her arms.

“You just don’t like Sarah.”

I shrug. “There’s also that.”

Andi laughs, hugging me lightly. “Okay, well I will be in classes all day tomorrow, but I’ll be over first thing Friday to collect you. We have bridesmaids’ dresses to try on.”

The last thing I want to do is sit in a stuffy dress shop and try on heavy gowns, but I’ll be happy to spend time with Andi — even if Sarah is there.

I met Sarah once, the same day I met Tom, and let me tell you, if Cruella De Ville was a real person, she wouldn’t be half as mean and nasty as Sarah Bennet.

I leave my purse in the office and follow Andi out to the kitchen. A pretty woman with fiery red hair smiles as she practically skips up to me.

“Bailey, this is Marybeth. Mary — Bailey,” Andi introduces us. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing, so go easy on her.”

Marybeth waves her hand at Andi, who waves at me as she exits through the back door. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. Most of the girls who work up front don’t have a clue what they’re doing, either.”

I smile, following her through the double doors that lead to the main part of the restaurant, barely able to keep up with what she’s saying as she chatters away. On my way, I pass the creep from earlier, who winks at me in what I think he thinks is flirty. A shiver rolls up my spine and I’m grateful when the doors close behind us, shielding me from his weird, pervy stare.

“Ew. Stay away from that one. He likes when girls pee on him.” She pauses, her hand over her mouth and her eyes wide. “I said too much. Sorry. But still, stay away from him. I mean, unless you like that sort of thing.”

I laugh, but my eyes catch on a smoldering, hateful stare from across the room and that smile instantly fades. The bar is packed, and Charles stands talking to Charlie, who’s watching me like I just declared war on baby sea turtles. I have the audacity to gulp.

Again, I should really work on thinking before I open my mouth.