The Professional Bridesmaid Page 3

“Two weddings down, one to go. Then most of the eligible women in the office will be taken. That is, except for me, of course.” Skye sat on the bench, peeled off her sandal, and rubbed the arch of her foot. “Why do they make wedding shoes so uncomfortable?”

  “I can bet that guys don’t understand the pain of high heels, but what I do know is that you look beautiful tonight.” That was an understatement. She looked amazing. The sleek, teal blue fabric accentuated the curves of her figure. Much better than the fluffy pink dress she’d worn before. He sat across from her and tried not to stare, as he imagined kissing her perfect mouth.

  Chasen snapped out of his daydream and cleared his throat. “Is this wedding going a little smoother for the wedding planner...which I assume is you again?”

  “Yes, it’s going much better. I’m getting the hang of it.” She stretched out her legs and wiggled her toes. A breeze blew the ringed curls of her hair and the sun glinted off the streaks of blonde. “At least there are no walkie-talkies for this one.”

  “How can they possibly track everyone down?”

  She pulled out a piece of paper. “Helen’s doing it the old-fashioned way, she has a timeline written in ink.” She looked at the paper and frowned. “I hope that they can get all the photographs in so the ceremony isn’t delayed. It’s a large wedding party. The mother of the groom is helping this time. It makes things slightly easier.”

  “What about the mother of the bride?”

  She looked around to see if anyone was within hearing range and then said in a loud whisper, “Well...they are an interesting bunch. Two of Helen’s sisters have a half-gallon of tequila in the dressing room. I had one shot with them so I wouldn’t look like a prude, but come on. They are already blasted. I hope the two of them can walk a straight line down the aisle.”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time someone in a wedding was tipsy, but it’s usually the groomsmen.” He laughed.

  “I guess girls are guilty of indulging too much at weddings just as much as the men.” She slipped her shoes back on. “Well, I’d best get back. Will I see you at the reception?”

  “Yep.” He nodded. “I’m here for the long haul. I can’t leave early, or I’d miss out on the possibility of you bringing me another piece of cake.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Do you have a few more minutes?” He opened the front door of the limo and brought out a thermos. “I hoped that I could still talk you into having coffee with me.” He poured a cup and handed it to her.

  “How did you know I needed some caffeine?” She took a sip and added, “I kept your card and I wanted to call, but between work and Helen, I haven’t felt like I’ve a second of time for myself.”

  “It’s the peak of wedding season, I know how you feel. That’s why I brought the coffee for us. It would give me and you a few more minutes of fresh air.”

  She finished her coffee and handed him the cup. “Thanks. That was just what I needed. I’ll see you in a bit?”

  “You know where to find me.”

  Chasen watched her disappear into the house. This night wasn’t going to be nearly as long as he expected. Next time he saw her, he’d get her phone number.

  BY NINE O’CLOCK, THE DJ had the music blasting and the party after the ceremony was in full swing. Chasen tapped his foot to the beat and looked out over the perfectly manicured grounds. The Lodge was a beautiful place for a fairy tale wedding. He inhaled the fragrance from the hundreds of Amina bushes planted in a semi-circle around the dark green grass.

  The announcement for the cake cutting happened about fifteen minutes earlier, and right on cue, Skye arrived with two slices.

  “Ahhh...you didn’t forget about me. More cake smuggled out to the hired help.”

  “Again, there is enough cake left in there to feed an army. This time it’s red velvet with cream cheese frosting.” She handed him one of the plates. When she sat on the bench, he sat beside her. “I offered to help cut the cake and hand it out to the guests. It was fun.”

  “That explains why there’s frosting in your hair.” He reached over and plucked out a small chunk of icing.

  “Thanks. I’m surprised there isn’t more stuck there.” Her cheeks turned a cute shade of pink as she brushed at her blonde bangs. “There must be two-hundred guests in there.”

  “Still no one you know?”

  “Not really. I work with some of the girls, but I don’t know them well. I’m not the first one they pick to hang out with. I’ve never been in their ‘cool club.’”

  “Why’s that?” he asked as he took a bite of cake. If he had a club, she would be the first one he’d ask.

  “I prefer to go hiking or bike riding over going to the mall to pick out the perfect shade of lipstick. I don’t fit in.” Skye shrugged. “I guess I’ve never been a girly-girl.”

  “If you choose hiking over the mall, then you’re my kind of girl.”

  “Am I? I find that hard to believe with a good-looking guy like you.” She paused, adding, “Oh, you mean hiking.” She looked flustered and blushed again. Damn, she was cute. “As a bridesmaid, we were all in charge of picking out our own shoes. I went with flats and bought Toms. They made me take them back. I didn’t, I just told them I had. I thought they were really cute. Now I have heels again.”

  “And they told you to buy these torture devices? Looks to me like you were the smart one in keeping the comfy shoes.” He laid his empty plate on the railing and took a deep breath. “I don’t want this to come across wrong, but I was wondering if I could get your phone number?”

  She pulled the a yellow ribbon free from her purse. “This was tied around my flowers, and something to remember me by. I can write my phone number on it.” Skye’s smile lit her eyes, but it was short-lived as one of the bridesmaids staggered out the French doors yelling, “And another thing, this party sucks!”

  “Oh, geez.” Skye jumped to her feet and hurried toward the girl. “Joan. Hey, is there a problem?”

  Joan swayed a few times and then looked like she was fighting to focus her eyes. “What’s your name again?”

  “Skye.”

  “Are you one of the bridesmaids?”

  “Yeesss,” Skye replied slowly. Gessh, she’d just spent the day with this woman. “That is why we are wearing matching dresses. How about we walk back to the room? I think that might be the best plan for the night.”

  “That is a plan. I’ll just walk over and change my shoes. These shoes suck too!” Joan cried, yanked off one of the offending shoes and threw one back toward the Lodge. The first one stuck in a bush, as she pulled off the other and dropped it in the driveway before staggering off barefoot.

  Skye looked back at the party and then at the building where Chasen assumed the family and wedding party were staying. “Come on, Joan. Let’s get you to bed.”

  Joan was at least five inches taller than Skye and outweighed her by probably seventy-five pounds. Skye and Joan took an unsteady step before Joan dropped, pulling both women to their knees.

  Chasen jumped up and ran to help. He got to Skye first who was back on her feet and brushing dirt off the front of her dress.

  “I think wherever you’re going, I’d better come along and help, or you’ll both end up falling into the Lodge’s bushes,” he said.

  Joan laughed and then burped. As Chasen bent down to haul the other woman to her feet, she ran her hands through his hair. “Hey, you’re kinda cute.” Her breath could light a kerosene lamp. “You wanna come back to my room Mr. Hottie-McTottie Limo Driver?”

  “Thanks for the offer, but no. I’m not into necrophilia,” he muttered under his breath, Wow. This was the reason he made the “no fraternizing at weddings” policy. Joan would be passed out in a very short time and God knows what story she’d make up in the morning. Chasen was happy he didn’t have to drive Joan in his car, he’d probably be cleaning the carpet and seats after she got sick. Pulling Joan to her feet, he draped her nearly limp arm across his shoulders. “Come
on, let’s get you to some safer ground.”

  He ignored the fact that Joan dropped her hand off his shoulder and squeezed his butt.

  Between the two of them, he and Skye managed to get the wobbling girl across the grass and into her room.

  “You were right. We would have never made it without you,” Skye said. “I’ll take it from here. I’ll bring out the bride’s suitcase when I get back to the wedding, and then I’ll give you my number.”

  . He felt for the piece of yellow ribbon which was still in his pants pocket. With all the commotion, he’d forgotten all about it

  Good thing she hadn’t.

  CHASEN WAITED BY HIS car. He’d seen Skye arrive back at the party, but she hadn’t come out. That was when he heard a commotion coming from the service kitchen. He paused for a beat to listen. It wasn’t the catering staff, there was someone in the kitchen making a fuss. He strode across the grass and pushed the kitchen door open to see what was going on.

  Skye stood in front of Joan with the baffled catering staff off to the side. The loud party music thumped outside the door which explained why no one else at the party had heard the commotion.

  “Come on, Joan,” Skye pleaded. “You shouldn’t have walked back here. You need to go back to your room.”

  “My daddy is paying for this part-ee. You have no right to tell me anything! And another thing, I want a drink and you’re going to—”

  The caterer interrupted, “Except that this is our kitchen and we don’t have anything to do with the bar. We don’t have any liquor back here and we can’t help you. The bar staff are the ones who cut you off, not us. We can’t have the two of you back here, it’s in violation of the Lodge’s health code policies.”

  Joan waved her hand and staggered to the side. “As I said, my daddy’s paying for all of this part-ee for my sister’s big fan-see wedding. So, you are all workers and need to do what I say. And, I say one of you needs to go out to the bar and get me another bottle of vodka.”

  “You’ve had way too much to drink and you need to let me take you back to the room.” Skye tried to take her arm, but Joan yanked it away.

  “Get off me!” Joan shouted and sidestepped Skye doing a drunken dance move that looked more like something out of the Michael Jackson Thriller video. “This party isn’t over until I say it’s over. The part-ee’s just started, and I need a drink, now!” Joan reached across the kitchen counter, scooped up a bowl of potato salad in a large cut glass bowl and threw it toward the floor. Chasen tried to jump to Skye’s aid, but it was like everything happened in slow motion. Skye wasn’t quick enough, and the bowl hit her first, and then the floor with a deafening crash. Shards of glass and sticky yellow salad flew everywhere with a splat.

  Skye cried out in pain.

  Not sure what else to do, Chasen scooped Skye up and into his arms heading out the back door. He set her on the bench and dropped to his knees. “Skye, are you okay?”

  “I don’t know.” She shook her head, as she bit her lower lip. “The bowl hit my leg and my foot.”

  He lifted the satin of her skirt and assessed the damage. A chunk of the glass had cut Skyeʼs leg, and dark red blood ran down her calf, staining her shoe. The cut wasn’t deep, but it was bad enough that she would probably need a few stitches. Gently, he wiggled her ankle. “I don’t think your foot’s broken.”

  “It hurts.” A tear broke free and skittered down her cheek. She wiped at it with the back of her hand. “I guess I am a girly-girl after all and I’m crying when I get hurt.”

  “That bowl looked heavy. I’d probably cry too if it hit me.” He wanted hug her close and protect he but settled for touching her cheek. “You’ll be all right. I’m here.” Chasen gently slipped the strappy sandal off her foot and dropped it. He squeezed her ankle and then manipulated it, making sure not to do any more damage. “My friends and I have broken a few things snowboarding in the past, so I can usually tell. As I said, I don’t think your foot’s broken, but you need to go the hospital and have x-rays.”

  “I don’t know if I can drive.”

  “That’s the last thing you have to worry about.” He rocked forward and then stood. “You aren’t driving, I am.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” She sniffed again. “I can maybe find someone from the wedding.”

  “I think this nutty family’s done enough tonight. And, not that you are going anywhere, but stay right here and I promise I’ll be right back”

  Chasen sprinted across the lawn toward the kitchen. The caterers were cleaning the potato salad and glass off of the floor with a large push broom and mop.

  “Is that poor bridesmaid all right?” one of the ladies asked as concern etched her brow.

  “I think so, but can one of you get me a bag of ice for her foot? And, do you have a clean white towel? What happened to the drunk bridesmaid?”

  “I called Amina. She just arrived and told the family that Joan needed to be out of this party, now, or she would tack on a hefty damage fee. That got rid of her.”

  “Good,” Chasen said. “I was coming to say either she needed to leave or the police would escort her out.”

  “That’s pretty much what Amina told the family too. She has put too much work into this place to have it trashed by an intoxicated idiot.” The woman handed the bag of ice to Chasen with a clean towel.

  He thanked her and then said, “Sorry you guys got stuck cleaning up this mess. You were right, the caterers had nothing to do with the bar, but liquor talks.”

  “Good luck and stop by to let us know in the next few days how the poor girl’s doing.”

  “I will.” On the way back to Skye, he called his backup driver. “Bowen, it’s Chasen. We have a little emergency here at the Chapel in the Sky wedding. I know, I hadn’t put you on the books for tonight, but I’ll pay you double-time and a half if you can go to the garage and get the other car to finish up this wedding.”

  “Sure, boss,” Bowen answered. “Is everything okay?”

  “Not really. I’ll fill you in later. You’re more than my employee, thanks for being a friend when I need you.”

  “Whatever. We’ve known each other since high school, you know I’ll be there for you. I can be there in a half-hour.”

  “Thanks. I owe you. Your suit’s in the closet in my office.”

  “Any cute girls at the wedding?”

  Chasen laughed. “I’ve only seen one and I’m taking her to the ER.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got it taken care of.”

  WHEN HE REACHED SKYE, she was still bent over rubbing her foot. He opened the back door of his limo and then came for her. He bent and scooped her back up in his arms.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Remember before when you said that you’d never ridden in a limousine or that you would never have any reason to? Well, I guess there is no time like the present.” He laid her on the plush back seat. Chasen wrapped the towel around her ankle, crunched the ice bag, and then nestled it around her foot with the towel. He clenched his jaw when he saw the blood on her leg again. At least the bleeding slowed and was only weeping now. “This should help with the swelling. The hospital can clean your wound better than I can.”

  “I can’t take up your time and your car, and besides, what about Helen and Donald?” She stopped and grimaced as he packed the ice tighter.

  “My other driver is coming to take the bride and groom to the hotel. I wouldn’t leave them stranded, even though it was her crazy sister who caused all of this. There’s a bottle of champagne chilled in the bucket, but they might give you pain meds at the hospital, so maybe no alcohol. How about a bottle of water?” He pulled out the plastic container and unscrewed the cap before handing it to her. He wished he could take away her pain. “The hospital’s only about ten minutes away. Will you be okay for that long?”

  “This is crazy. I can’t go to the hospital in a limousine. I can’t afford this!”

  “You think that I would charge
you?” He frowned. But, really, she didn’t know anything about him. “I’m a practical kind of guy. You need a ride to the ER and I have a car...it just happens to be a limousine. I guarantee it will be much more comfortable than an aid car and cheaper since I’m not charging you.” He winked at her. “Settle back. I’m not arguing anymore. I’m a professional and tonight, it’s the only car I have.”

  “Drop me off and I’ll catch a cab home.”

  He wasn’t going to leave, but didn’t want to waste any more time arguing.

  Chapter Three

  CHASEN ANXIOUSLY WAITED in the emergency waiting room as patient after patient came and then left. It was busy. He guessed it was always busy on a Saturday night. He wrung his cap between his hands and wished Skye had let him come back with her. He barely knew her, so why would she?

  The caterer called his cell phone and told him theyʼd found Skye’s purse lying on a table after the guests left. He didn’t want her worrying about it tonight and would pick the purse up tomorrow if she wanted him to. If the ER wanted payment he’d give them one of his cards, he just wanted to make sure she was taken care of.

  He bought a candy bar from the vending machine. Maybe the sugar rush worked for a few minutes, but then he nodded off a few times against his propped hand

  “Chasen?”

  He startled awake and sat bolt upright in the hard plastic chair. “Skye. How is your foot?”

  “I...I can’t believe you’re still here.” She looked as tired as he was.

  “I told you I wouldn’t leave you here by yourself.”

  “And I said I could catch a cab.”

  “Well, that wasn’t going to happen.”

  “I don’t mean to be a burden.” She frowned. “The doctor said he doesn’t see a break in the bones of my foot, but it’s swollen. He wants me to take it easy for a few days and rest. Only do what I feel up for.”

  “It’s late, let’s get you home.”

  “You are not wasting your gas to take me home tonight. You have already done enough.”