“Fifteen minutes. Don’t be late,” Manny added with a wink.
As the couple moved back to mingling with their guests, I turned to Hudson.
“Well, that sounded menacing.”
“It certainly did.”
“I’m thinking one of us is about to become the wedding planner to the hottest celebrity couple in Chicago, and the other is going to slink away in shame.” I drained the rest of my champagne.
“No one’s slinking anywhere. Whatever happens, we both did excellent work here.”
I blinked at him. “That’s... surprisingly gracious of you.”
“I can be gracious when the situation calls for it.”
“I guess so.”
He just gave me that almost-smile again and checked his watch. “We should head to the balcony.”
I followed him through the crowd, pausing only to grab another glass of champagne from a passing server. Hudson gave me a look but said nothing. The east balcony was smaller than the main terrace, offering a more intimate space with a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan.
Lia and Manny were already waiting, champagne glasses in hand and matching smiles on their faces.
“There you are!” Lia exclaimed, coming forward to air-kiss my cheeks. “The party is absolutely magical. You two outdid yourselves.”
“We’re so pleased you’re happy with it,” Hudson said.
“Happy doesn’t begin to cover it,” Manny added, clapping Hudson on the shoulder. “Everyone’s talking about how our wedding is going to be the event of the season if this party has anything to say about it.”
“Well, that’s what we aim for,” I said, feeling a pleasant buzz from both the champagne and the praise. “Event of the season, minimum. Celestial event would be better.”
Lia laughed. “Love the energy, Mari. And Hudson, your attention to detail is unmatched. Which brings us to why we asked you here.”
I held my breath, my heart racing in my chest. Hudson stood beside me, annoyingly calm.
“After watching you both work these past two months,” Manny began, “we’ve made our decision about who will plan our wedding.”
Lia beamed. “We want you both.”
There was a moment of silence as the words sank in.
“I’m sorry, what?” I finally managed.
“Both of us?” Hudson asked at the same time.
“Yes!” Lia clapped her hands together. “We’ve seen how amazing the results are when you collaborate. This party is proof. Hudson, you bring structure and strategy, and Mari, you bring creativity and spontaneity. Together, you’re the perfect team.”
“We don’t want to choose between you. We want the best of both worlds,” Manny added.
I blinked rapidly, trying to process through my tipsy brain. I looked at Hudson, who appeared equally stunned.
“But we’re competitors,” I pointed out. “We work for different companies.”
“We understand that,” Lia said. “But we’re hoping you can put that aside for our wedding. Create a collaboration agreement or whatever you need to make it work. We’ll pay you both your full rates.”
“Full rates? As in, neither of us has to discount?”
“Money isn’t our concern,” Manny said with a wave of his hand. “Creating our dream wedding is. And we believe that requires both of you.”
