“I know, I know. It’s a big ask. And maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. I mean, we’ve only been working together for a few months, and the other thing—” I gestured vaguely between us “—is even newer. So if you think it’s too soon or too complicated, I totally get it.”
“It’s not that.” His voice had gone tight, his gaze darting around the room as if searching for an escape. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
My stomach dropped. He was going to turn me down. Of course he was. Hudson came from a legacy wedding planner family. He didn’t need to hitch his wagon to my star. What had I been thinking? God, I was an idiot.
“Hey, no big deal.” I forced a laugh, trying to salvage my pride before he could reject me outright. “It was just an idea. Maybe not even a serious one. We can forget I ever mentioned it.”
“Mari—”
“Hudson! There you are!”
We both turned toward the voice, and if possible, Hudson went even more rigid beside me. An older couple approached us, arms interlaced. The woman wore an elegant silver gown, and the man wore a perfectly tailored tuxedo that screamed old money. I didn’t need an introduction to know exactly who they were.
“Mother, Father.” Hudson’s voice had shifted into something more formal. Less relaxed. “I was just about to look for you.”
Liar, I thought, noting how his fingers had tightened around his champagne flute.
“We’ve been watching the festivities,” the woman said, her gaze sliding over me before returning to her son. “Quite... contemporary.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from snorting. Contemporary. In Mrs. Gable’s vocabulary, that was probably one step above “tacky.”
“Mari,” Hudson said, his hand coming to rest at the small of my back, “these are my parents, Arthur and Jemma Gable. Mother, Father, this is Mari Landry, my partner for the Kussikov-Martin wedding.”
I extended my hand, professional smile firmly in place. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both. Hudson speaks highly of you.”
If Hudson was going to do it, I was going to as well.
“Does he?” Jemma’s handshake was brief, her smile not reaching her eyes. “How interesting. He’s told us very little about you beyond your... previous association.”
The emphasis on “previous” couldn’t have been clearer if she’d used air quotes.
“You mean the video,” I said, offering a too-sweet smile. “Yes, that was quite the weekend, wasn’t it, Hudson?”
Next to me, Hudson cleared his throat. “Yes. Certainly was.”
Arthur Gable didn’t even bother with a handshake, merely nodding in my direction. “Ms. Landry, I understand you play some role in a small wedding planning service in New York, correct?”
The dismissal in his tone made my teeth clench. Years building Knot Your Average Wedding into a profitable, well-known business reduced to “a small wedding planning service”—as if I spent my days posting cat memes instead of orchestrating six-figure events.
“Among other things,” I replied, downing the rest of my champagne. “Knot Your Average Wedding offers full-service planning with a focus on personalized experiences. Our approach integrates traditional elements with modern innovations to create weddings that feel both timeless and contemporary.”
I’d slipped into my pitch voice without even realizing it. Jemma’s eyebrow arched, while Arthur’s expression remained impassive.
“Hmm,” was all he said.
Hudson’s hand pressed more firmly against my back. I couldn’t tell if it was in support or warning. I hoped for the former, but expected the latter. Probably a good reminder that his parents were not mine. I could give them respect, even if they didn’t deserve it. My smile widened.
“Mari is being modest,” Hudson said. “She’s built an impressive client roster here in Chicago to expand their business. The Kussikov-Martin wedding is just the first in a series of high-profile events she’s orchestrated.”
I glanced at him, pleased with the defense. His gaze remained fixed on his parents.
“Well,” Jemma said, her smile thinning, “it’s certainly... colorful. The ceremony arrangements were quite expressive.”
“Thank you,” I said, as if she’d paid me a genuine compliment. “Lia and Manny wanted something that reflected their love story while honoring their unique personalities and traditions. The fusion approach allowed us to?—”
“Hudson!”
We all turned to see a striking silver-haired woman in statement glasses approaching our little group. Hudson’s hand trembled on my back.
