"Surviving the vortex of true love and public relations?" Aspen asked, hopeful.
"You know what?" Piper took it all in—the gardens, the nauseatingly cute couple, the gorgeous setting. "Photos are happening. Tess has the post-announcement blitz planned, and she's doing it with a skeleton crew since the hockey team poached a bunch of her staff."
"I figure the Dvornakovs have the flowers well in hand, but how's everything else? Cake? Anything actively on fire?" Aspen asked.
"Zach's grandma was able to find edible glitter in the right color, so the cake is back on track." Piper let out a breath. Thank goodness for small miracles. "The location is a go, and I think we might actually pull this off."
"I had absolutely no doubt. And our favorite funeral directors? They're happy?" Aspen asked.
"Back-burnered a bit, but they are good with that. We put in the dates for the big conference, and they've given a solid lead time for me to secure great speakers who are experts on…well, you know." Piper waved her hand dismissively, even though Aspen couldn't see it. "No worries there."
"Piper?" Aspen's voice went quiet, her teasing tone gone. "I'm really proud of you."
Piper's chest did a funny little squeeze-and-release thing. "Thanks.
"Do you like the peony placement?" Diana called from beside the walkway where the whole down on one knee bit would happen.
Piper glanced that way and gave a thumbs up.
"You're busy. I'll let you go," Aspen said, finishing up the call. "You're doing great."
Piper stuck the phone in her pocket and, clipboard in hand, forced her nerves to stay calm.
This wasn't about forever; this was only about photos. About the job at hand.
"They're sweet together," Diana said, striding toward Piper. "It makes me happy."
The reality of them was undeniable. It was in the way Anna's laugh lit her eyes, in the way Drake's hand found the small of her back without thinking.
They gazed at each other, laughed with each other, even frowned at each other over a misplaced curl, and it was all so seamless. So beautiful. A quiet part of her, the part that wasn't calloused over by her history, started to believe.
"This makes me happy, too," Piper said.
"Can I say something that I probably shouldn't?" Diana asked.
"With a lead-in like that I think you have to," Piper countered.
"Zach mentioned early on that you're not a fan of weddings." She held up her hand before she could say anything else. "And I get why that might be when it's just another day at the office. But there's so much more to a love story than the wedding. So much more." She put her hand down. "I just, I can see that you want to like it. But for whatever reason, you don't."
Piper blinked. Hard.
"I'll stop now. I like to talk too much." Diana crossed her arms around herself.
"No." Piper glanced to the concrete path, then back to Diana. "Thank you for saying that. I'm really not a fan, and I guess maybe I've started to re-evaluate that position."
"You know, it's funny, we've been through three weddings already with the kids and it just never gets boring," Diana said, wistfully. "Alex and I just love this part."
Hold on. "Three weddings?"
There were four Dvornakov children, two were married and Anna was on her way there. Which meant… the math didn't add up.
"When Jase got married the first time, they never looked at each other quite that way." Diana stayed lost in a memory. "I mean, they were in love, and it was clear, but it wasn't like this."
"Jase was married. Before Heather?" Or did he and Heather sign up for the Daws style wedding plan where they tried it a few times?
Really, it was none of Piper's business and it was her turn to hush.
Diana didn't seem to mind. She nodded. "He was. But he was military, so he was gone a lot, and she wasn't good at being alone."
