I needed to give Sarah a raise; she really was invaluable.
So, when she told me I was needed in Lancastle next week, I knew it wasn’t negotiable.
Still, I tried.
“Can’t it be a Zoom?” I asked sheepishly. “I’m uh—getting married.”
I heard her coughing on the other end.
“What did you say? We must not have a very good connection—it sounded like you said you’re getting married?”
“I am, in two weeks from today.”
I heard her let out a breath on the other end. “Wow. I didn’t even know you were dating someone.”
“It’s a long story.”
“Congratulations. I can’t wait to meet her. But to answer your question—no, it can’t. We’ve got the State coming to do a site inspection and sign off on the plats. You can’t make Angela deal with that during her first week.”
“Why not? It’ll be a good test to see what she’s made of.”
I was only half-joking.
Sarah’s voice was stern. “Alan… you’re the owner. You’re not out of the country; I can’t make an excuse for why you can’t be there.”
While I’d never come out and told Sarah where I was when I was “consulting,” she was a smart girl. I was pretty sure she’d figured it out.
“I think getting married is a good excuse.”
“You’re not getting married for two weeks. You can spare a few days and come back to Lancastle. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour flight.”
“Plus, an hour drive, each way,” I pointed out.
“You’re not making the case that you think you are.”
“Fine,” I said with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll be there.”
“I’ll book you on the earliest Monday flight.”
****
Jessica
I was exhausted when I rang the doorbell at Brian’s house around five o’clock. Who knew trying on dresses all afternoon would be so much work?
Alan was barefoot, in jeans and an olive-green vintage t-shirt of The Clash when he opened the door with a smile. I tried not to swoon when I looked up at him.
Easier said than done. He was flipping gorgeous.
“You can just come in—you don’t have to knock or ring the bell,” he said as he reached for the handle of Ruthie’s car seat.
“I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”
With his free hand, he reached for my left hand—the one sporting the diamond I was still getting used to—and brought my knuckles to his lips.
“You’re going to be my wife, babe. Presume away.”
A smile escaped my lips, and I murmured, “Okay,” as we walked inside.
