Callie startles, as if she’d been lost in thought. “Oh, sure. Tonight, there’s a welcome party. Tomorrow is packed, with a morning yoga session?—”
I chuckle at this, knowing Miles will be attending.
“…an outing at a nearby roller rink where Sadie and Adam had their first date, and a pool party at night. Then, Friday, the women are going to the spa while the men do some sort of activity, I can’t remember what. Friday night, there’s the rehearsal and dinner—I don’t think you’ll need to go to the rehearsal itself, but my mom will expect you at the dinner.”
“Of course, glad to.”
With a sigh, she continues. “Then finally, the wedding on Saturday, the reception, and an afterparty at the resort’s club. Sunday, there’s a sendoff brunch, but you can always make an excuse that you need to leave by then.”
I offer a smile. “I’m in no rush, Callie.”
“It’s a lot. You may be ready to bolt long before Sunday.”
“I won’t. Stop worrying. We’ll have a good time.” Without thinking about it, I reach over and squeeze her knee. My intention is to be reassuring, but as soon as my hand touches her bare skin, warmth spreads up to my chest. She must feel something too, because her cheeks go pink and her lashes flutter shyly downward.
I want to keep my hand on her leg, but I force myself to pull back.
Her voice is thicker the next time she speaks. “Do you think we should review things, so we’ll have our stories straight?”
“I’m feeling confident. Is there anything you’re not sure about?”
She’s quiet for a moment, thinking. “I guess not.”
“It’ll all be fine. Our relationship is new, so we won’t be expected to know everything about each other.”
Callie nods and turns her gaze toward the horizon.
“How long has your sister been with her fiancé?”
“About two and a half years. They used to work together, but Adam moved to a different company so there wouldn’t be any conflicts if either of them got a promotion.”
“Oh, he doesn’t work in his family business? I looked up the Hargroves, since the name was familiar.”
“Do you know them?”
I shake my head. “No, different Hargrove, but I saw Adam’s father’s shipping business. It looks like a big operation.”
Callie shrugs. “I don’t know why Adam doesn’t work with him. Maybe he just had different career aspirations.”
Good thing for Adam.
CHAPTER 19
CALLIE
Sadie told me the resort was fancy, and she wasn’t kidding. A valet opens my car door when we pull up to the entrance. He takes Max’s keys, and assures us our luggage will be delivered to our room shortly after we check in.
The lobby dazzles in soft shades of gold, from the marbled tile, to the oversized pots holding exotic flower arrangements, to the slowly spinning fans that hang from the vaulted ceiling. A fresh, vaguely floral scent draws me in when I might otherwise be intimidated.
After checking in, Max and I make our way up to the second floor and down an understatedly elegant hallway to our room. I tap the keycard and open the door when it clicks, and that’s when the flutters hit.
I’ve been to the men’s house a couple of times now, but only in their living room, kitchen, and bathroom. I never even caught sight of their bedrooms, but now, here are Max and I, all alone in a room dominated by an imposing king-size bed.
I wander around the space, taking in the upscale Caribbean-style furniture, the framed abstract watercolor prints in greens and blues, and the view from the balcony, but my eyes keep returning to the bed.
It shouldn’t be a concern, because we’ve already discussed the issue. Max and Miles said they’ll sleep on the floor, but I feel guilty taking the bed when there’s only one of me and two of them. We talked about asking the hotel for a rollaway, but our rooms are part of the group billing for the wedding, and I don't want the bed request to somehow come to my mother's attention.
Max doesn’t seem to be bothered by the bed’s presence. He heads out to the balcony and takes in the view of the resort’s courtyard until the porter arrives with our bags. Max helps the man unload the luggage and then hands him some folded bills as a tip.
