Page 7 of Broken Vows

Sydney pushes her dark frames back up her nose and clears her throat. “Why don’t we regroup on the venue once you’ve had a chance to discuss? We’ll also need a rough guest-count estimate. From there, we can move on to the more decorative elements, like reviewing designs, themes, the type of celebration—traditional, formal, rustic. I imagine your families would appreciate something a bit more elegant. Perhaps a black-tie event?”

“I’ll take any excuse to see my lady dressed up.”

I mutter under my breath sarcastically, “Does he ever stop?”

Theo casually plucks a grape from the tray and brings it to his mouth, only to ask, “Did you have something to say, Lexie?”

Shit. There’s no way he heard me. And yet the gleam in his eyes tells me he knows something. That this is deliberate. Another move in whatever game he’s playing.

The moment this meeting ends, he’ll probably drop the company and pin it on my incompetence.

“No.” Too much awkward silence passes and I pray the sweat beads brewing below the skin at my temple stay put.

Sydney tries to get the conversation back on track when Theo cuts in. “You’re awfully quiet, Lexie. If you’re uncomfortable sharing your ideas since you’re just an assistant, please let me know and I’ll keep referring to your boss.”

Just an assistant. Heat floods my cheeks. God, I seriously—seriously—hate this man. Of course, he says it in a way so that no one else would catch the insult wrapped in fake kindness.

But I do.

The urge to stay silent loses out to something sharper.

“I’d be happy to offer ideas where needed,” I say evenly. “But my professional advice would be this: regardless of your family’s expectations—or anyone else’s—you should choose what feels right for you. Not for them.” A long pause follows, and I grind my feet into the floor to keep from wiggling in my seat.

“Well, that’s great to hear,” Theo says. “People like us live in the spotlight and it’s easy to forget it’s okay to be our own people.”

Annabelle reaches for a cookie. “With my parents being, well, who they are, there’s going to be a lot of eyes on this event.”

My ears perk at the heavy-hearted tone.

“Yes, there will be. And we’re ready to handle this,” Sydney says, firmly. “Lexie is an incredible assistant, and we have a full staff ready to cater to your needs.”

Annabelle looks at Theo. The silence builds as whatever secret language they share passes between them. He gives Annabelle an almost microscopic nod, then turns to me. “And you’re available to take this on with such short notice? Full commitment, no distractions.”

“Of course,” I lie. The second they leave, I’m marching my ass into Sydney’s office and demanding Justin switches with me. “I live to serve.”

“I have no doubt.” Theo strums his fingers on the table, then slides the chair back. “Would you two excuse us for a moment.”

“Of course,” Sydney says, and watches them step into the hall. The second the door closes, I brace myself for her wrath.

“This feels promising,” she whispers. “But six months is tight. We need all hands on deck. Overtime, weekends, everything. But we got this, Lexie. This is huge.”

This is not lost on me. The opportunity for the company, for Sydney, for the team is incredible. But I absolutely will not be part of it. I can’t. I’ve been around Theo for less than an hour, and my skin is itchy, my throat is dry, and if I have to do this for six months, I’m pretty sure my entire physiological system will crash.

I wish I were joking.

A few moments later, the door creaks open and Annabelle and Theo walk back in. “Anna and I chatted and we’ve decided on a change of plans,” Theo says, as they take their seats. “Sydney. Thank you so much for your time. But Anna and I would like Lexie to be our lead wedding planner.”

4 Lexie

What? No chance in hell did I hear that right. Theo wants me as lead? No… no this doesn’t make any sense. A two-million-dollar budget and Theodore Astor is handing it to me on a silver platter? I’ve done nothing to show them that I’m capable of leading a wedding. I’ve been waiting for a chance like this, the break I need to show I have what it takes to rise in my career and hoped this big new client would push me up the corporate ladder.

But not him.

The silence is so thick in the room that I’m sure everyone can hear my unsteady, galloping heartbeat.

“Oh, wow,” Sydney says, breaking the unbearable tension. “Lexie is a talented member of our team, but she’s an assistant wedding planner.” This is the only time in my life I’ve been grateful for her subtle reminder of my position. They’re going to listen to her, right? They have to. I absolutely cannot plan Theo’s wedding. “For an event this high profile, I’d feel more comfortable with me as the lead.”

“The decision is final.” Theo’s voice is filled with the conviction of a man who doesn’t get told no. He smiles through the words and his eyes twinkle with the Astor family charisma. But the energy in the room shifts, like the way pressure builds when gray clouds roll in midday and overpower the sun.