Rose blinked, looking suddenly overwhelmed, like a deer caught in high beams. “Oh, it’s a... it’s a smaller boutique firm. Very specialized. They handle mostly indie talent and... digital rights.” She stammered for a second, her confidence wavering for the first time.
Before Trina could press her for a name, her phone rang. “Shit. I have to take this.” She stepped away, her voice rising as she talked about a crisis at the studio.
When she came back, she was already reaching for her keys. “I have to go. There’s an emergency with the mix on the new single. Lizanne, I’m sorry, but if I don’t get there, they’re going to ruin the track. You’ll catch a ride with Rose, right?”
Trina leaned in and kissed Lizanne deeply—a performance of affection that felt a little too timed for the benefit of the wedding planner. Out of the corner of her eye, Lizanne noticed Rose looking away, her gaze fixed intently on a row of grapevines as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.
A cold, uncomfortable thought struck Lizanne:Is she one of those people?She wondered if Rose’s “traditional” wedding and attorney fiancé meant she wasn’t actually comfortable with a lesbian wedding. It would be an irony she didn’t have the energy to deal with.
After Trina sped off in a cloud of gravel dust, the owner of the vineyard offered them wine to try.
“I shouldn’t,” Rose said, her eyes lingering on the bottle. “I’m driving.”
“A glass or two won’t hurt,” Lizanne said, sliding into a seat. “And if we get pulled over, I’ll just pull the celebrity card. It’s one of the few perks of the job.”
They tried a couple of different reds, the silence of the valley stretching between them. Lizanne used the time to interrogate her, watching Rose closely over the rim of her glass. She needed to know who she was working with. “So, Rose. Be honest. What are your actual thoughts on the ‘Gay Wedding of the Year’?”
Rose took a sip of the wine, the alcohol seemingly loosening her guard. She let out a soft laugh. “If I’m being honest? My first romantic partner was a woman. My thoughts are that you both deserve a day that’s better than any movie set. I’m not here for the ‘gay’ part, Lizanne. I’m here for the ‘wedding’ part.”
Lizanne felt a wave of relief, followed by a strange, warm curiosity. “I didn’t expect that. Does Derek know you were with women?”
“Of course,” Rose said, though she quickly turned the conversation back to the paperwork. “We tell each other everything.”
“Is Derek very involved in your preparations?” Lizanne asked, swirling her wine. “Does he help with the birch trees and the candles?”
“No,” Rose said. “He’s a lot like Trina, honestly. He lets me handle the details. He’s just... along for the ride.”
The words hit Lizanne harder than they should have. She looked at the empty seat where Trina was meant to be sitting. She hadn’t realized it was that obvious—that she was the one doing the heavy lifting while Trina just showed up for the photo ops.
“Along for the ride,” Lizanne repeated, staring at the purple stain the wine left on her glass. “Yeah. I know exactly how that feels. I was looking for you two on Instagram, you know. I couldn’t find a single photo.”
Rose’s grip tightened on her glass. “I mostly use my social media for business. Plus, Derek is a corporate attorney. He’s very careful with what he puts online.”
Lizanne tilted her head. “I thought you said he was in entertainment law.”
Rose gripped her glass. “He’s... he used to be in corporate law. He switched to entertainment because it’s less high-pressure. But the corporate law background still is in his bones.”
“Ah, I see,” Lizanne noted. “Where did you meet?”
“Coachella,” Rose said. “We’re both huge fans of Harry Styles.”
Lizanne smiled. “Harry Styles? At Coachella?”
Rose gulped. “What about you? You and Trina?”
“I met Trina on a movie set,” Lizanne said. She didn’t want to talk about herself and Trina right now. She needed to talk about Rose. This was her chance to find out more about her. Because, there was something off about her. She just couldn’t tell what it was. Whenever she brought up Derek, she seemed to freeze for a second before thawing again. And the mix up about what type of lawyer he was? It was…odd. “What about Daisy? Is she a Harry fan too?”
Rose went still.
Quickly, Lizanne leaned forward. “I saw her picture on your socials. Is she Derek’s?”
“No,” Rose said. “I was with her father in high school. We broke up after a while, and then got back together after college. He hasn’t been in the picture since she was born. I only hear from him through court papers.” She didn’t look at her directly.
Lizanne softened, then her lips curled upward. “Rose. Daisy. Is your mother named Petunia?”
“Actually... it’s Marigold.”
Lizanne burst into laughter. “It really is a full bouquet! A florist’s dream!”
