“You’re right.” Lacey reached for my hand. “I’m sorry. The bed rest thing is stressing me out. I don’t know what I’d do without your help.”
“Relax. Alex and I have this all under control.” I smiled up at Alex.
“Speaking of control, I’d better finish laying out the perimeter of the tents before she gets back.”
I reluctantly let him go. It had been a long time since I felt like part of a team, working toward a common goal. Granted, throwing the wedding of the century wasn’t a common goal Iwould have picked if given the chance, but I’d missed that feeling of support I had when I’d been serving overseas. Like I was part of something bigger than myself and that everyone was just as committed to seeing it through.
By the time Alex had created a layout of where the tents would go, Chyna had pulled her rental car into the parking lot again.
“Let me handle this.” Lacey ran a palm over her shirt. I noticed the tender way she curved it over her stomach. There was just the slightest hint of her pregnancy, but it was only a matter of time before baby Phillips would be bumping out that belly.
Alex and I hung back as Lacey met Chyna at her car. They exchanged a few words and then Chyna moved toward us, Lacey hot on her heels.
“Show me what you have in mind.” It was more command than request.
Alex pointed to where the twine outlined the perimeter of the tent. “We’ll set up a tent for the ceremony here. The wedding party will walk down the aisle, followed by the penguins. Then the bride will make her entrance.”
“How many guests are you expecting?” Lacey held a pen poised over her notebook. “I want to make sure we have enough chairs.”
Chyna barely glanced at her. “The penguins. Where will they be during the ceremony?”
“I, uh”—Alex shot a look to me, and I shrugged—“Munyon just said he wanted them to waddle down the aisle. I figured I’d usher them out the back during the actual wedding.”
“They need to be present.” Chyna tapped a hot-pink talon against her lips. “We want them to lead the bride and groom back down the aisle after they exchange their vows as well.”
Alex’s mouth twisted like he was about to say something that would threaten the wedding.
“We’ll be happy to make an adjustment to the procession,” Lacey said.
“Can one of them hold a tiny basket?” Chyna walked the center of where the tent would be. “And sprinkle flower petals or maybe ice shavings down the aisle?”
Alex’s eyes widened. “Penguins have flippers, not hands.”
“I’m well aware of that. But seeing as how you’re a penguin trainer, I’m assuming you can make some sort of accommodation.”
I nodded. “We’ll figure something out.”
Apparently appeased, Chyna picked her way across the grass to the other wall of the imaginary tent. “Let’s run through the ceremony. I’d like to see the flow.”
“How exactly do you plan to do that?” Alex’s gaze bounced between the three of us. “We don’t have the bride and groom. We don’t have a wedding party . . .”
Chyna let out a huff and checked her watch. “I have two hours before I have to leave for the airport. Rustle up some friends and make it happen.”
A stifling silence settled between us, like even the crickets decided not to chirp for fear of angering the tiny dictator with the pink hair.
“Of course we will.” Lacey scribbled something in her notebook. “Why don’t you go grab a sweet tea from the house and we’ll pull it together. Morty? Would you be so kind as to take our guest to the house for some tea?”
“I’d be happy to. Miss?” He held out an arm for Chyna. She tossed him a look, then proceeded across the lawn without him, her heels sinking into the grass with each step.
“Just do your best to keep her away until we’re ready, will you?” Alex put a hand on his grandfather’s shoulder.
“I’ll do my best, but if you ask me, that woman’s got a lot of nerve showing up here and trying to take control of?—”
“Good thing no one’s asking you then, Gramps.” Alex smiled.
I watched Morty hobble after the wedding planner as I struggled to come up with some sort of plan. How would we find enough people on such short notice to orchestrate a wedding walk-through? I’d been quick to come up with the idea of using tents, but that must have used up all of my spontaneous-thinking power. At a complete loss, I turned toward Lacey.
Lacey, who had that certain blend of cat-ate-the-canary mixed with about-to-burst expression. I’d seen that look before. Not often, but often enough to know that Lacey had one heck of an implausible plan up her sleeve. And that I wasn’t going to like it. Not one tiny bit.
