Oh, boy.
Chapter Two
“Can we swing by the B andB before we go to HQ?” Jessica James asked as Baz reached the Coyote Ridge town limits.
With their week 33 doctor’s appointment out of the way, she wanted to squeeze in a check-in before they went to work.
“I thought for sure you were gonna ask for breakfast,” he grumbled, turning the truck toward downtown.
“It’s too late for breakfast.”
“Lunch then.”
“Too early for lunch.”
Baz glanced at her quickly, his eyes reflecting his exasperation. “Brunch.”
She flashed a smile. “That comes after. If you’re nice.”
“I’m always nice.”
JJ grinned. “Unless you’re givin’ me a hard time about keepin’ on top of my wedding checklist.”
“I’m fairly certain they’re capable of handling their reservations without your input,” Baz said as he pulled into the Double R Retreat parking lot.
JJ had heard this same tired speech for the past few days.
I’m sure the bakery can handle the cake without your wealth of baking skills.
I’m sure the diner can handle the catering without your dishwashing knowledge.
I’m sure Moonshiners can handle serving beer without your years of waitressing experience.
Perhaps he had a point. JJ had to give Baz credit for not belittling her with his comments. He’d been teasing, and she knew it, but still.
And maybe they could handle things without her hovering, but JJ needed to dosomething. And since it was her job as Brantley’s best woman to ensure this wedding went off without a hitch, she was seeing to every detail. No matter how small.
Of course, she had the help of Iris Walker and Cindy Tavoularis, Brantley’s and Reese’s mothers. Since Brantley’s mom had more time than the rest of them, she’d taken charge of ensuring the wedding setup was taken care of—hiring and scheduling vendors for furniture and decorations, dealing with the registry, etc. Iris was also working with Cindy on the catering aspect. And Reese’s mother was taking care of the guest list, following up on RSVPs, and ensuring everyone had a room. Plus she was taking care of the gift bags for guests.
That left JJ to oversee everything else. Namely, setting up a bachelor party to beat all bachelor parties, along with ensuring both grooms made it to the altar without a hitch. And because she had some free time, she was following up with everyone to ensure they’d done their parts. And yes, that included checking in with Ramona Weber at Batter & Bliss to confirm the cake would be ready and checking in with Rafe Sharpe, the new owner of Moonshiners, to make sure he was prepared for the mini bachelor party—which, as of right now, Brantley and Reese believed was theonlyone they were getting. Last but not least, she had to check with Bailey Weber, the woman now in charge of running the B and B, to make sure they were ready for the guests.
“We’ll let Bailey determine that,” she said, reaching for the door handle.
Baz sighed, but he got out of the truck and walked around, joining her as they walked up to the old farmhouse that had been converted into a bed and breakfast years ago.
She waited until Baz opened the door before leading the way inside, taking in the beautiful space. Coming here never got old. JJ loved the open, homey atmosphere, especially when it was empty, and she could admire the decor without worrying about invading the privacy of their guests.
“Good mornin’. I’ll be right with you,” Bailey called from the kitchen.
“She’s makin’ cookies,” JJ murmured, sniffing the air.
“We’re about to have lunch,” Baz reminded her.
“Brunch,” she corrected.
“I’m havin’ a burger. I’ll call it lunch. If you eat now, you won’t be hungry—”
“Hey.” She smacked Baz on the arm. “I’m eatin’ for three. I don’t think a cookie’s gonna ruin my appetite.”
