“Bartender’s getting low on wine glasses,” Jay said as he passed by with a pocket poodle in his arms.
Rebecca didn’t know if anything would surprise her anymore. Jay and Marlise made good money catering to every whim, no matter how big or small, and that extended to Rebecca’s job as well. She made her excuses to Amber and went inside to inform the kitchen staff that the bar needed glassware. Before she returned outside, she peeked in the ballroom. The band had already set up, and the tables gleamed with silverware place settings and crystal centerpieces.
It was time to bring in the guests and let the married couple make their grand entrance.
She was about to turn and head back to the garden when she saw a man creep up the stairs and disappear behind the curtains that flanked the stage. All the band members were in tuxes, but this guy wore a leather jacket and ripped up faded jeans. Another disgruntled wedding guest in casual clothes? No. Only staff would go up on stage. Maybe he was with maintenance.
She went outside to see that cocktail hour was wrapping up. She and Jay gathered the stragglers who’d wandered off deeper into the garden and put out the tiki torches. Jay went off to find an aunt so-and-so, and Rebecca headed inside, only to be immediately bombarded with several last-minute seat change requests. She played musical chairs, trying to get everyone where they wanted to be without offending anyone else. Without Jay and Marlise there to tell her otherwise, she supposed it was best to do whatever kept everyone happy.
Jay finally came in, escorting a cute little old lady on his arm. He carefully led her to her seat and chatted with her for another minute.
“I’ll be claiming him for a dance later,” one of the bridesmaids said as she passed by, noticing the direction of Rebecca’s stare. “Just fair warning.”
“Oh, I wasn’t—we’re not—”
A little boy bumped into Rebecca as he ran by and grabbed up two napkin swans, waving them around, while his mother unsuccessfully chased him. He passed a microphone stand and knocked it over, causing a loud clang. See, this was the kind of thing that happened when she allowed herself to get distracted. Rebecca weaved one way, but Jay was faster. He scooped the kid up before he could make it to the swinging kitchen doors and handed him off to his mother.
Just great. Another guest to keep an eye on. She made note of where the boy would be sitting and stood nearby, checking for possible disasters about to happen. Then Betty’s youngest granddaughter needed help finding her little beaded purse she’d left in the garden, and by the time Rebecca and Jay got to stand together against a wall and take a breather, Betty and George were half-way through “Sign, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours,” and the catering staff were carrying out salads.
“I feel like my stomach is in knots. How do you relax after a night like this?”
Jay rolled his shoulders back and yawned. “Lots of weed.”
Rebecca’s eyebrows raised. That was new.
“I’m just kidding. I blast music in my car, and then go home and eat a gigantic bowl of Frosted Flakes before collapsing in bed.”
“Still eating kid’s cereal? And what do you listen to? Weezer? Jimmy Eat World?”
“Sometimes.”
“Me too.” Both bands always made her think of him. Her eyes flitted to the corner of the room, where the guy in the leather jacket was slinking along against the wall toward one of the exits with a small duffle bag.
“Hey, do you know that guy?” She pointed him out and described him, but by the time Jay knew where she was talking about, the man was gone again.
“In a leather jacket and ripped jeans? Definitely not staff.”
“Do you get a lot of wedding crashers?”
“Sometimes, though they usually try to dress up to blend in. I only know they’re crashers because they hit the buffet tables, then leave with their plates to eat outside. I hate buffet weddings. Oh no.” He moved off the wall as Betty’s son came in wrestling with the man in the leather jacket, trying his best to keep hold of the guy. Envelopes, presumably from the gift table, flew everywhere. Jay dashed forward to help, but the mystery man punched Betty’s son in the gut and took off running, clipping a table and pulling the tablecloth askew.
With the loud band playing, only the people on that side of the room caught onto what was going on. Several women screamed as the guy pulled out a switchblade and waved it at the two guests blocking the other exit. “Nobody saw me. Just let me out of here and nobody gets hurt.”
Jay stepped back, indicating with his hand for Rebecca to stay behind him. The two men in the doorway moved out of the way, but leather jacket guy never made it out. Amber, George’s daughter, tackled him to the floor and repeatedly slammed her fist into his hand until he dropped the switchblade.
She looked up and grinned at the astonished guests who had started to form a circle around her. “Couldn’t have done that in a skirt, now could I?”
