“I don’t know,” Mark said. “It is unethical and would make our family seem trashy.”
“He’s rich and good-looking,” Carter countered.
“And I have a puppy,” Grant added.
“And the man has a puppy!” Carter exclaimed. “There must be something else.”
“Maybe she’s stressed from work?”
“That could be it,” Carter said thoughtfully. “Here’s what you do: After the reception, make some sort of declaration to her. She’ll be tipsy and high on endorphins. Women love weddings. They get wrapped up in the whole shebang and are super jealous of their married friends. That’s the ideal time. She won’t be able to resist you.”
“Are you sure?” Grant asked him.
“Absolutely! You are looking at the best wingman on the eastern seaboard!” Carter boasted.
Mark choked on his whiskey.
Grant smacked him on the back and said, “What have I got to lose?”
Chapter 57
Kate
Since Kate was in the wedding, she had to be up bright and early. She had a hard time falling asleep that night and was still groggy and disoriented when the alarm went off at four in the morning.
At least she had her dress all ready to go. Instead of making all the girls buy matching dresses, Ginny had simply picked a color family and told her bridesmaids to buy whatever they liked. Ginny liked the dress Kate had pulled when they went shopping in London.She is the polar opposite of Brandy,Kate thought then grumbled to herself, remembering how Brandy fawned over Grant.
The only good thing about being a bridesmaid was that she had an excuse to avoid Grant. She suddenly had a sinking feeling. What if she had to be a bridesmaid at Brandy and Grant’s wedding?
I’ll drown myself in the Hudson River first,she decided.
She watched the sun rise from the large window in the suite where Ginny and the other sixteen bridesmaids were doing hair and makeup.
“It’s too many,” Ginny confided in Kate while she drank champagne and watched Kate have her hair fixed in a messy, couture updo. The bride was going last so she would be freshest. “But I couldn’tnothave them all.”
“It’s fine,” Kate assured her. “You have over three hundred people at your wedding. I think you need a big wedding party for that.”
Privately, Kate thought it was too many people. Apparently, Eric had had a hard time getting enough groomsmen together. She wondered whom she would be paired with. It better not be Carter. He would try to make her laugh.
The bride was finally ready, just in time to walk down the aisle. The small chapel on the estate’s property was packed. The Davenports didn’t want to insult anyone, and practically the whole town had gotten an invitation.
Kate waited outside with the rest of the bridesmaids. They were actually there before the groomsmen.
“Of course the boys are late,” Brandy said loudly as the men came down the path from the pool house where they were getting ready.
“Get in line,” the wedding planner snapped, pushing them all in order.
“I want you three marines in the front after the groom and best man,” she commanded.
Three Marines? Kate started and looked over. There was Carter, Mark and… oh no.
“Surprise!” Grant whispered to her as the wedding planner pushed him in line next to Kate. The brim of his hat cast a shadow over his eyes, but she could see him trying not to smile.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed as the doors to the chapel opened and the guitar quartet started the processional music.
Grant, Carter, and Mark removed their hats and gloves as they prepared to enter the chapel.
“You aren’t even friends with Eric,” she said, placing her hand in the crook of the arm that he offered.
