Jamison and I slowly lowered our glasses at the same time.
"Three months!" we exclaimed.
Chapter 5
Tallulah
Jamison waved over the waiter.
"Yes, sir?"
"I'm gonna need more wine."
"Yes, sir."
As he walked away, I turned my attention to Manuel and my daughter. "September twentieth is an ambitious timeline. Why the rush?" I asked.
"We're in love. We figured, why wait?" Blossom shot a glance at Manuel.
They had no idea what they were getting themselves into. I had been overwhelmed by the complications of my wedding and its planning, even though Karl and I were engaged for over a year. Three months was not enough time unless Blossom and Manuel weren't planning a formal affair.
"Are you doing something small, like going to the courthouse?" I asked.
They both laughed, as if my suggestion was completely ridiculous.
"We want to have a regular wedding with friends and family celebrating with us," Blossom replied.
"Then you need time to plan. You have to find a venue, shop for a dress, plan the menu, send out invitations. There's so much to do, Blossom."
"We know, and we'll accelerate our timeline."
She spoke in a reasonable voice. So young. So idealistic.
"How do you plan to pay for this wedding in three months?" Jamison interjected.
Manuel responded this time. "I'm going to use the money in my brokerage account."
"Like hell you are!" Jamison said in a low, vehement voice.
Manuel's cheeks reddened. "It's my money."
"For your future," his father countered.
"Blossom is my future." Manuel's lips firmed.
Though he wasn't thinking clearly, his reply was very romantic. Jamison clearly didn't agree, because his lips flattened in annoyance.
"Weddings are expensive, and the budget would eat through the money in your account," he pointed out.
"I have plenty, and I won't use it all. Getting married is an important event. Blossom and I want to have the type of wedding that we want, but we're going to be very thoughtful about the budget."
Jamison leaned across the table. "Marriage is more than warm fuzzies and vibes. It's responsibility. It's work. It's a fifty-fifty partnership?—"
I let out an involuntary laugh. To cover, I immediately shoved a morsel of salmon in my mouth.
Jamison glared at me. "Did I say something funny?"
I considered ignoring him or lying and acting as if what he had said was not the reason for my laughter. Then I changed my mind.
