Lainey’s mouth dropped open like she was offended. “I would never!”
Both Kristy and Jade looked at her with raised brows, so she conceded, “Okay,maybe.But you’re my only sister!”
“Which is why Brian didn’t ask for your help. And as far as the open flame—you’re right, probably not the safest, but the candles weren’t burned down very far, so I don’t think they were unattended for very long.”
Kristy came to Jade’s defense. “And the place didn’t burn down, so it all worked out.”
Lainey’s only response to that was, “Hmph.”
I asked Jade, “Did you pick a date?”
“Probably New Year’s Eve. He mentioned once that he wanted to get married then—something about it being better for taxes.” She rolled her eyes. “Ya know, because my guy’s such a romantic. After seeing how frazzled you are with this last-minute wedding planning—no offense—I told him last weekend that if he ever wanted to marry me, I was going to need at least six months to plan the thing. I knew that’d light a fire under him. If he wanted his tax advantage on this year’s taxes, he’d have to act fast. I just didn’t expect him to actthatfast.”
Lainey reminded her, “He told you that you’d never see the proposal coming.”
“I’ll give him credit, I was surprised. Although, I should have known something was up when he limped into the restaurant.”
Kristy asked, “So, I take it he didn’t get down on one knee?”
Jade grinned. “No. But he made up for it later.”
Chapter Sixty-Three
Alan
I definitely paid a premium, but we were able to book one of the banquet rooms at Maxfield’s on Friday night for the rehearsal dinner.
Jess had said since we weren’t having attendants, she didn’t think we needed one, but I’d insisted. Her three brothers and their wives had gotten into town that afternoon, and I thought it would be nice for our families to spend a little more time together before the wedding. Plus, everyone who came to the rehearsal helped set up for the ceremony the next day in the backyard at the farmhouse.
And Jessica and I got to meet the Justice of the Peace who we’d hired to marry us. Reverend Sutherland gave off grandfatherly vibes and asked a lot of questions about the service I hadn’t even considered, so I was happy with our choice. Not to mention he and his wife of forty years were absolutely adorable at dinner. He doted on her, and she looked at him like he hung the moon.
That was exactly the energy I wanted in the man who was going to marry Jess and me.
After dinner, Ed, Andruw, Dale, and Aaron all shook my hand on their way out the door, and Carol actually hugged me, along with Jessica’s sisters-in-law.
Lainey and Adam invited the remaining group back to their house to finish the centerpieces for the reception.
My parents declined, but offered to watch Ruthie, so we sent them home in the minivan that accommodated her car seat.
Walking through the restaurant parking lot to Adam’s Bronco, Lainey looked at her phone and said, “Kristy’s date was a dud, so she’ll be there to help, too.”
“Is it okay if I invite my assistant, Sarah, and her boyfriend, Greg? They should be getting into Haven Springs any time now.”
Adam asked, “Where are they staying?”
“On the floor in our guest room. There aren’t many options around here.”
“You arenotmaking your assistant sleep on the floor, Alan,” Lainey reprimanded. “They can stay at our place. Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“Honestly? I kind of forgot that we had the realtor take the bed out so we could turn it into an office until I went in there this afternoon.”
“So, you were just going to spring, ‘Oh, hey, guess what? You’re sleeping on the floor?’ on them when they got here?”
I shrugged. “I mean; I guess there’s the couch?”
Lainey was incensed. “Oh my god! They are staying with us!”
After we helped the ladies into his SUV, Adam and I walked around the back of his Bronco, and my little brother murmured, “Well played.”
