Did Avery have allergies?
“No?” I guessed.
Archer glared at me. “You know, Garrett kept saying there was something fishy going on with your relationship. I told everyone he was crazy, but now I’m not so sure.”
“We’re in love!” I insisted. “Avery likes pink and cream colors. She likes...” I tried to recall what I’d read of her internet history. She had conducted a number of searches for pictures of baby animals and nature-themed weddings. “She likes woodland themes.”
“Like chipmunks?” Hazel asked warily.
“Yes, Avery loves small mammals,” I replied, thinking of Cesario. “And she likes plants and flowers.”
“Okay,” Chloe said.
Was I selling this? They didn’t seem convinced.
“Seriously, she loves those things. That’s why we’re going camping for our honeymoon.”
“That is not a romantic honeymoon,” Archer countered. “Dude, seriously, I have that new hotel opening up in Charleston. Why don’t you go there?”
“Maybe. I haven’t fully planned it out yet.”
“Wedding is in a few weeks,” Hazel reminded me. “You need to get it together.”
* * *
When I returnedto the condo, I expected Avery to be in bed, asleep. Instead, she was fully dressed and sitting on the couch, sobbing.
“Avery, what happened? Did you go out? You’re supposed to be resting.” I ran to her and stroked her hair.
“I just—” She wiped her eyes. “I had to see my father.”
“Why?”
“Nothing. I shouldn’t have gone.”
“Avery, seriously, I don’t understand. You should be in bed. Those painkillers can impair your judgment. You could have been hit by a taxi.” I knelt in front of her and took her hands. “I can’t lose you, Avery. I care about you very much. Your father couldn’t possibly give you anything I couldn’t.”
She started crying again. “You weren’t going to pay for the wedding. My father won’t pay anything, and I can’t afford a big wedding!”
“When did I say that? I always intended to pay for it,” I assured her, sitting next to her on the couch. I gently stroked her face. “I’ll pay for the wedding, the ridiculous reception, the dress, the food, and the other things that go into a wedding that I’m not a hundred percent sure about. I want you to have everything you want.”
She gave a teary sigh. “This wedding is going to be a disaster. Maybe we should elope.”
“And if you want to do that, I can arrange a very nice ceremony.”
“The wedding will be okay,” she said, carefully dabbing her nose. “We just have to survive it.”
“You’re tired. You had a rough bridal shower.”
“And now we have to suffer through a couples shower,” Avery groaned, leaning against me.
“At least Hazel is planning it,” I said. “It will be a lot classier than your bridal shower. And I’ll make sure you’re wrapped in Bubble Wrap so you aren’t harmed by any giant wandering sex toys.”
She giggled and turned her face to snuggle against my chest.
“You should rest,” I told her.
She yawned. “You’re probably right.”
