“What am I supposed to do?” I threw up my hands. “You have a thousand siblings.”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed slightly. “If this is what Meg wants…”
“Meg isn’t making any decisions,” I said, turning on my computer. “The townspeople have co-opted all of her time.”
Hunter stood up. “Speaking of, I have a development meeting. Sebastian, I’m counting on you to make sure this wedding is exactly what Meg wants. I want her to be happy.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Can I count on you?”
“Sure,” I said.
“Also,” Hunter added before he left, “you need some plants in here. Amy did all the plants in the Svensson PharmaTech lobby. You should call her.”
The last thing my already-hectic month needed was Amy and her plants.
And her tits and her body and…
I slammed open my notebook on the desk.
What had gotten into me lately?
Normally, I was very organized and focused. Every day was the same routine. I got up at six, worked out, drank tea, went to work, worked, picked up my brother, went home, read, and went to bed. I didn’t go to festivals, I rarely went to town hall meetings, I didn’t attend parties, and I didn’t plan weddings at odd hours of the day. And I certainly didn’t date.
So why was Amy on my mind?
Probably because she was the source of all the instability and uncertainty around the wedding. If she and her firm would just do their jobs, I wouldn’t be so embroiled in this wedding planning nonsense.
I had a company to run, for fuck’s sake. Why was I so wrapped up in wedding planning?
But something needed to be done. The wedding was in disarray.
Besides, I did like Meg and Hunter, and I didn’t want them to be disappointed on their wedding day.
I flipped to a fresh page in my notebook and began making a list in one column and a schedule in another.
“What am I doing?” I said, slamming the notebook closed. “I should be running my company.”
I took a walk through the building, stopping periodically to ask if anyone needed anything or needed me to assist in procuring funding or materials.
The marketing people were working diligently, the lab technicians were in the middle of setting up an experiment, and the legal team was applying for patents for our latest invention. Thalian Biotech was running smoothly, as usual.
Unlike the wedding.
I finally gave in, went back to my office, sat down, and started planning.
15
Amy
“I’m so sorry this is such a disaster,” I said to Meg. “I promise we are usually much more organized.”
“It’s this town,” she said as we drove past a rather frightening papier-mâché scene of a wedding. Someone had clearly tried very hard, but it missed the mark. But I supposed it was the thought that counted.
“Everyone is very excited,” I said as Meg turned onto the country road where the industrial scions of old had built their estate houses—including the Svensson estate and the Broughton estate.
“Do you think Hunter’s looking forward to it?” she asked, chewing on her lip. “I know he has very low tolerance for small-town kookiness and disorganization in general.”
I felt guilty. Weddings in the City had not been the most organized with Meg’s wedding. I felt like part of it was on me as the client liaison and co-maid of honor. I should have been better about handling the wedding.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” I croaked.
