I turned to see Lia and Manny Kussikov-Martin making their fashionably late entrance.
“There they are!” Lia exclaimed, air-kissing both my cheeks. Again, I stayed utterly still. “The wedding industry’s greatest love story! I take full credit, by the way. If Manny and I hadn’t hired you both for our wedding, none of this would have happened.”
“She’s been saying that to everyone who’ll listen,” Manny added with an affectionate eye roll. “According to my wife, we’re directly responsible for at least three major industry romances, a tech innovation, and possibly world peace.”
“Just the first two,” Lia corrected, linking her arm through his. “I’m still working on world peace. Give me time.”
I laughed, genuinely happy to see them. Despite the drama their wedding had unleashed, I couldn’t deny they were a perfect couple—and technically, Lia wasn’t entirely wrong about her role in bringing Hudson and me together.
“The app looks amazing,” Manny said, gesturing to one of thedemo stations where guests were exploring the interface. “Exactly what the industry needed.”
“Oh look, there’s the producer for that show you were talking about,” Lia said, clasping Manny’s arm. “Let’s go talk to him.”
“We’ll see you two later.” Manny shook Hudson’s hand and nodded to me.
A reporter who’d been hovering nearby stepped forward, digital recorder in hand. “Would you mind if I asked a few questions? Your journey from rivals to partners fascinated our readers.”
I glanced at Hudson, who nodded.
“Sure, why not?” I said, grinning.
She looked between us. “Excellent. How did you two move past the professional rivalry—and the, ah, well-documented idea theft—to become partners?”
Straight for the jugular. I had to admire her directness, at least.
To my surprise, Hudson didn’t immediately jump in with a perfectly crafted response. Instead, he looked at me. “Mari should answer that one.”
“We learned that the best partnerships aren’t about who gets the credit,” I said, finding the words surprisingly easy. “They’re about creating something better together than either of us could alone.”
“Even after the betrayal? The public confession? That fire at the wedding expo?” the reporter pressed.
“Especially after that.” I met Hudson’s eyes, seeing the mixture of regret and hope that still sometimes flickered there. “Real partnerships aren’t built on perfection. They’re built on honesty, accountability, and the willingness to do better when you’ve screwed up spectacularly.”
“And has he?” the reporter asked. “Done better?”
I pretended to consider the question, tapping my chin thoughtfully. “Well, he still hogs the bathroom mirror in the morning and insists on organizing our shared calendar within an inch of its life, which is both annoying and relieving.”
“We’re both very busy, and I enjoy building in time to be together,” Hudson explained.
“But yes,” I continued, my voice softening despite my best efforts to maintain my sass levels. “He’s done better. We both have.”
The reporter seemed satisfied with that, jotting down a few notes before thanking us and moving on to interrogate other guests. As she walked away, Hudson leaned down to whisper in my ear.
“Organizing the calendar was your idea, not mine.”
“Details, details.” I waved a dismissive hand. “Never let the facts get in the way of a good interview narrative.”
His laugh rumbled against me. “Have I told you today that I love you?”
“Only twice. You’re slipping, Jones.”
“I love you, Mari Landry.”
“Three times. Much better.”
Throughout the evening, I caught glimpses of Devonna and Miles circulating through the crowd, her professional smile firmly in place, his charm turned up to maximum wattage. But I also noticed the way she tensed when he placed his hand on the small of her back, the slight edge to her laughter when he told what was clearly an embellished story to a group of industry professionals. Something was definitely off there, and my curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
“She’s acting weird, isn’t she?” Anica asked, startling me when she and Callan appeared out of nowhere.
