Chapter 12
Winnie Esposito had wispy bleach blonde hair and pretty dark eyes. Jay imagined she could put on a perfect pout and get just about anything she wanted. Rebecca had told him more about her on the drive back to the office. He knew her father was a movie producer, that she was an only child, and that she could act deeply mature one day and completely childish the next. Her moods changed with whether or not she could manipulate a situation.
He led them into his and Rebecca’s office and fetched cold water bottles for Winnie and Rebecca’s grandmother, or Mrs. Scott, as he’d now be calling her. Mrs. Scott pulled out a notebook and a fountain pen, scrutinizing him as if he were the key witness testifying under oath. Rebecca she completely ignored, which he found strange.
Mrs. Scott leaned forward in her chair. “Tell me about the different venues you have. I’d like to see the floor plans and photos. We need a beautiful space for both the ceremony and for entertaining our guests afterward. And I don’t want to hear about the barn. She can’t get married in a barn, no matter how beautifully decorated it may be.”
She was already talking logistics, but Jay needed to backtrack. He didn’t like mute brides who let their mother, future mother-in-law, or in this case, grandmother-in-law, do all the talking. They always ended up sobbing in the end, after holding all their opinions in for so long. And the sobbing usually happened the morning of the wedding when they realized it was not how they wanted and it was too late to change it.
“Hold on, Mrs. Scott. I have some questions for Winnie before we get started.” He turned to Winnie, ignoring Mrs. Scott’s shocked expression. “Tell me how you and Ian met.”
Winnie smiled coyly. “At a party. We started talking, and he got my number.”
“And what do the two of you like to do together? What’s a typical night out?” He could see Mrs. Scott pursing her lips in his peripheral. He didn’t dare look at her directly.
“We like to go dancing. Ian’s a great dancer.”
“What kind of dance? Latin, swing?”
“Oh, definitely Latin dancing. Salsa, merengue, cumbia.”
Jay nodded. “I know some great Latin bands you could probably book for a Monday night. You’d want to decide right away, though. They schedule months in advance.”
Winnie clapped her hands. “That would be epic. And some professional dancers to work the crowd. The reception would be one huge party. Do you have a venue with fun lighting where we could make it look like a nightclub?”
“No, no nightclub weddings.” Mrs. Scott stood up. “I don’t think this is going to work.” She motioned for Winnie to follow her out, which Winnie did, reluctantly.
Rebecca let out a huge sigh and tiptoed to the door to check and see if they’d really left. She turned to Jay with wide eyes. “That was amazing. You’re amazing.”
He shrugged, embarrassed at the way he’d made her eyes light up. “If Winnie is as strong-willed as you said she is, this would have turned south sooner or later. I just made sure it happened today.” He eyed her curiously. “Would Ian like something like that? A Latin dance club reception?”
Rebecca laughed. “Oh, definitely. Me too. I think I’d dread the day a little less if I knew I’d get to enjoy the reception. And maybe a little of that is knowing Grandma would hate it.”
The bell over the front door rang out, and she peeked out. Her shoulders dropped, and he knew Mrs. Scott and Winnie were coming back. He thought that might happen, though he hadn’t wanted to mention it to Rebecca and dampen her joy. A dramatic walk-out was often followed by a less dramatic walk back in.
“Winnie worked her magic,” she whispered.
Moments later, Mrs. Scott regally strode back in and sat down, crossing her ankles. Winnie followed, looking demure.
“We’ve discussed things, and as long as Winnie and Ian have a respectable and traditional ceremony, I don’t have a problem with them celebrating that night the way they’d like to.”
Jay glanced at Rebecca but forced his eyes back to her grandmother. It wouldn’t do to let on he was concerned about Rebecca’s feelings in front of the woman that probably liked to suck them out of her. It was obviously a complicated relationship, one he wasn’t sure he yet understood.
“Well then, let’s talk venues and come up with a contract we’re all happy with.”
***
Grandma closed her notebook and tucked her pen away. “Rebecca, may I speak with you privately before we go?”
Just when Rebecca thought the appointment was finally over, Grandma had to pull a stunt like this. Rebecca glanced at Jay, trying not to allow any panic to show. He followed Winnie out of the office and shut the door, sealing her in with the enemy. Okay, maybe she was being a wee bit melodramatic.
“What is it, Grandma? Do you have more questions about the contract?”
“No, I’m concerned that your skills aren’t being utilized. Jay didn’t even invite you into the conversation. You must advocate for yourself if you want to succeed here.”
Rebecca swallowed and took a moment to allow the screaming in her mind to subside. “Grandma, I was letting Jay get to know you and Winnie. I already have a good idea of what the two of you would like.”
“But how will he know that if you don’t add anything to the discussion? Be assertive and intelligent. In business, it’s not appropriate to zone out, like I see you do sometimes.”
