But this was Lucas. My Lucas.
“I’ll do it,” I heard myself say. “I’ll make sure I have an opening.”
“Oh, thank God,” Lucas breathed out, relief flooding his voice. “I know you’re busy and it’s a lot to ask, Xavier. I really do. But it would mean the world to both of us.”
“How long would I need to be there?” I asked, already dreading the answer.
“Well... ideally, you’d come down a few weeks before to finalize everything on site. Maybe stay at the ranch? We have plenty of room now with the new cabins.”
A few weeks. In Texas. On a ranch.
I walked to the kitchen as Lucas spoke, grabbing a bottle from the fridge. Then I poured myself a glass of wine—a veryfullglass—and collapsed onto my velvet sofa. “Okay. Okay, I can do this. Send me dates and I’ll clear my schedule.”
“You’re the best, X. Seriously.”
“I know I am,” I said, taking a long sip. “Now tell me—do you at least have a vision? Colors? Themes? Please tell me you have something to work with.”
Lucas laughed. “I was thinking rustic elegance? Like, embrace the ranch setting but make it sophisticated. Beau wants it outdoors if possible.”
“Of course he does,” I muttered, but I was already sketching ideas in my head. String lights, maybe draped fabric to soften the barn aesthetic, wildflowers mixed with something more refined like roses or peonies. “I can work with that. What about the guest list?”
“Around a hundred and fifty people. Mix of family and friends, mostly from around here but some flying in from the city.”
I grabbed my laptop and started a new file. This was happening. I was planning my best friend’s wedding in the middle of nowhere. “Alright, cowboy. Let’s make this the wedding of the century, even if it is in a pasture.”
“It’s not a pasture,” Lucas protested, though he was still laughing. “We have a gorgeous clearing near the creek with cottonwood trees. It’s actually really beautiful.”
“Uh-huh. I’m sure the cows think so too.”
“Xavier.”
“Lucas.” I sighed and set down my wine glass. “I’m kidding. Mostly. I promise I’ll make it amazing. When do you want me to come down for the initial site visit?”
“How’s November looking for you?”
I pulled up my calendar, scrolling through the entries with a growing sense of doom. November was only a few weeks away. “I’ve got the Rothstein wedding on the tenth, and then the venue walk-through for the Chen-Martinez ceremony on the seventeenth. I could probably swing the first week of December? It’ll have to be a quick trip though. I’ve got three weddings in December.”
“Perfect! We’ll make sure there’s a cabin open for you. Though I wish you could stay longer…”
“I’ll be there plenty long enough in the spring,” I nodded, already dreading country life. “Is there at least a Starbucks in town or something?”
“There’s a coffee shop,” Lucas said carefully. “It’s... also a diner.”
“Oh god, it’s one of those places that only serves drip coffee and calls espresso ‘fancy,’ isn’t it?”
“They have a cappuccino machine!”
“From what decade?” I groaned, draining the rest of my wine. “Never mind, don’t answer that. I’ll bring my own beans. Do you at least have a decent kitchen I can use?”
“The ranch house has a full kitchen, yeah. And the cabins all have kitchenettes with coffee makers.”
“Coffee makers,” I repeated flatly. “Lucas, I have a La Marzocco Linea Mini. I’m not brewing my morning salvation in a Mr. Coffee.”
He was laughing again, that warm sound that made me miss him even more. “I forgot how high-maintenance you are.”
“I prefer ‘discerning,’” I corrected, already making a mental list of what I’d need to pack for my December visit. “So, tellme about the rest of the wedding party. Who’s standing up with you?”
“Well, I was hoping you’d be my best man, actually.”
