“But you’re already helping plan, at least until the engagement party.”
“That’s what I said!” She pointed her taco at me. “But Mr. ‘I’m the one with the money’ insisted that they still don’t have enough proof. Doesn’t matter that I have three other weddings that signed.”
“He’ll come around.”
“He better. Otherwise, I can find out where he lives, and?—”
“For the sake of plausible deniability, I suggest you stop talking.”
“Asshole.”
“Me or the bank guy.”
“Yes.”
I chuckled, taking a bite of the taco. We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, and I started relaxing for the first time all day.
“So,” Mari said, wiping her hands on a napkin. “About this Modern Wedding feature.”
And just like that, the tension was back. “What about it?”
“When’s the interview? Is there going to be a photoshoot?” She leaned forward. “Are they coming to the office? Because if so, we need to upgrade the sitting area. That couch has seen better decades.”
“It’s still in the early stages,” I hedged. “But yes, they’ll probably want photos, eventually.” I took a long drink of beer. “So, why wedding planning?”
“Subtle topic change.” She shrugged, tossing the wrapper from her taco into the trashcan next to me. “Anica wanted to do it while we were in college together, and when I told my parents, they flipped out and told me it was a stupid idea. So I did it.”
I frowned. “Your parents didn’t want you to be a wedding planner?”
“Nope. A lawyer or a doctor would’ve sufficed.” She reached for another taco. “But no daughter of theirs would work a job as frivolous as picking out pretty dresses and flowers and cakes.” She mimicked a man’s low voice, shaking her head with an exaggerated frown.
“I thought Knot Your Average Wedding was doing well in Manhattan.”
“It is. It’s one of the most notable wedding planning businesses there. Ani’s done an amazing job.”
“I’m sure you helped too.”
She tilted her head. “Was that a compliment?”
“An observation. You’re not completely useless.”
“Gee, thanks.” She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’ve helped. Between Ani, her assistant Devonna, and me, we make a pretty badass team. And Cal’s helped some.”
“Your friend’s husband?” I remembered the tall man from the dreaded wedding expo. He could’ve been intimidating had he not clearly been amused by the fire Mari had started and the wrestling match afterwards.
“Yeah. The model wannabe. Actually,” she paused, biting her bottom lip. “I think he actually has done some modeling. Anyways, he’s been helpful the last year on the business side of things. Ani won’t let him give us any handouts, though. She calls it cheating.” Mari gave me a once over and then snorted. “You and Anica are a lot alike, now that I think about it.”
“She seemed very professional.”
“She is. In fact, that’s probably what would be on her tombstone.Anica Burkhardt, wife, friend, and professional genius.” Mari moved her hand out in front of her as if she were reading the words in the sky.
“And what would yours say?”
“Mari Landry: She set fire to a wedding expo booth and lived to tell the tale.” She grinned, unapologetic. “So what about you? Why wedding planning? I’ve been wondering how Mr. Gable, son of Gable & Gable Weddings, ended up in the trenches with the rest of us flower-arranging peasants rather than working with your parents.”
I nearly choked on my beer. “You know about them?”
“Of course I know about them,” she said, like I’d asked if she knew what a bouquet was. “Every wedding planner in the country knows about Gable & Gable. They did that insane wedding with the horses in the ballroom.” She tilted her head. “If it makes you feel any better, I just made the connection a few days ago.”
