Leanna walked over and gave her a hug. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling.” When she pulled away, she grabbed one of the other stools and sat down beside her. “I think once the ceremony starts, you should go. I can handle things. I’ve got a change of clothes with me and I can walk around and make sure everything’s under control. My assistants can handle setting up the cake and desserts.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. I’m a grown woman and I’ve accepted the fact that Elliott is getting married.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you should have to stay and watch it happen. Seriously, Skye, don’t torture yourself. If it were me, I would have called in sick or taken advantage of hiring someone else to oversee this event like Josie suggested.”
“Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment and figured by being here and seeing it all happen that I’d force myself to get over him.”
They sat in silence for several minutes before Leanna stood. “I have to finish getting the flowers on this cake. Eat your frosting.”
With a small laugh, Skye looked down at the bowl and smiled. “Is it buttercream or whipped?”
“I find it insulting that you even ask,” Leanna murmured as she focused on another edible sunflower.
Taking a small spoonful of the decadent frosting, Skye licked it and hummed with appreciation. “Any chance you have a bucket of this to send home with me? I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
“There’s definitely some extra, but not a bucketful. And if anything, I’d rather send it home with you than with me. Lord knows if it’s sitting around, I’ll eat it and then where will I be?”
“Oh, stop. I can’t believe you don’t eat more of this stuff. I know I would if it was around me all day.”
“Yeah, but you have a great metabolism and could probably eat a bucketful of icing and not gain a pound. I’m gaining weight as we speak just talking about the icing.”
Skye shook her head and took another spoonful of frosting. “That’s ridiculous and you know it. You’re beautiful and there’s nothing wrong with you.”
“Tell that to my pants that are feeling mighty squeezy right now.”
It was an argument she would never win. Leanna struggled with her weight for years and it didn’t seem to matter what anyone said to her or how beautiful they all told her she was—she never believed it.
“Whatever icing is left, I’ll take it,” she said around yet another spoonful of chocolate. “And between this, some wine, and the yoga pants and hoodie I plan on putting on when I get home, my pathetic look should be complete.”
“You’re not pathetic, Skye. You’re just sad and there’s nothing wrong with that.” She put her tools down and faced her. “You should crash at my place tonight. We can be sad together.”
Her eyes went wide. “What are you sad about? I thought things were going well.”
She shrugged. “My sister’s baby shower is in two weeks. You know what that’s going to be like, right?”
Sadly, she did.
“Your family is awesome and everyone loves you and if they want to give you any grief about being single, simply pop a cupcake in their mouth and tell them to go…”
“I get what you’re saying,” Leanne quickly interrupted. “No need to break out the potty mouth.”
Unable to help herself, she laughed. Leanne was incredibly sweet and sometimes it was fun to just mess with her by threatening a swear word. “Okay, then. No feeling sorry for yourself.”
“Skye…”
“And hey, there’s still a couple of weeks so maybe you’ll meet a great guy and you’ll tell everyone about him and how happy you are!”
“Right,” she replied dryly. “Because things like that happen to me all the time. You’d think on one of these jobs–a wedding, an engagement party, any of them–that I’d meet a cute, eligible single guy. But do I? No.”
“Right there with you.”
“Elliott’s got some cute friends. Maybe…”
“Don’t you dare even say it! There is no way I’d even consider hooking up with one of his friends! Cute, eligible, or otherwise!” Groaning, she put the near-empty bowl of frosting down. “Maybe I should go. If I’m this much of a mess before the ceremony, I can’t even imagine what I’ll be like after it.”
“Good plan. I’ve got this covered.”
“Thanks, Lea. I appreciate it.” Standing, she looked around. “I’m just going to do one last walk-through of the room, but I’ll let you know when I’m definitely on my way out.” They hugged before Leanna went back to putting flowers on the cake.
Resigning herself to being a coward, Skye walked back out to the banquet room and did a final check on everything. She spotted two servers lingering near the hall of the groom’s suite and her curiosity was piqued. When she got closer, she whispered, “What’s going on?” They both jumped and she could tell they were afraid of getting in trouble, so she put their minds at ease. “Everything okay back there?”
Dot, who had been with Meet Me at the Altar since the beginning, gave her a nervous smile. “It sounds like the groom and best man are arguing, and we sort of got sucked in while trying to hear what they’re saying.”
Elliott and Tyler were arguing? That didn’t seem like a thing.
And now she had to stop and try to listen too.
“Um…if you need us to go and finish straightening chairs…”
Raised voices hit Skye and all she could do was shush Dot and step a little farther into the hallway and pray no one else caught what they were doing.
Within minutes, the girls were gone and Skye was holding her breath outside the door of the groom’s suite.
“Look, all I’m saying, El, is that I want you to be sure.”
Straightening his tie and staring at his reflection in the mirror in the tiny groom’s suite, Elliott gave his best friend Tyler an easy smile. “We’ve been over this before. I’m sure.”
“You were sure three other times…”
“Those were nothing like this.”
“Okay, fine. This is the first time you’re walking down the aisle. It’s just that…”
“Is this really the conversation we should be having right now? The wedding is about to start,” he said with a huff. Running a hand through his hair, he cursed the fact that no matter how hard he tried, it never looked completely neat.
Maybe I should have gotten it cut yesterday instead of last week…
Stepping in front of him and blocking his reflection, Tyler’s smile was more than a little forced. “How long have we known each other?”
“I don’t know. Pre-school or something,” Elliott replied as he took a step back to try to put some space between them. He loved Tyler like a brother, but close-talking was definitely not something he enjoyed.
“Exactly. Since forever. I know you and I know what you’re doing.”
“Um…trying not to be late for my own wedding? Yeah.” But when he went to move, Tyler stopped him.