“I love that,” Ally said. “What about cocktail hour?”
“We can do it outside on the sundeck so you get a nice combination of inside and out. I’d also suggest doing various appetizer stations that are a bit unique, such as martini cakes, a full raw bar, and a special cocktail named for events you and Jason experienced together. The possibilities are endless.”
“I can picture the whole thing.” Ally gave a sigh. “I’m torn on what to do about the main dinner, though.”
“Chef Gordon can customize a menu that works,” she said. “If you didn’t want a sit-down or buffet, we could do a full tasting instead, where he’d make various bites that are served throughout the evening. That would give you more of a party atmosphere if you want to avoid the formalities of a sit-down.”
Ally swung around and grabbed Carter’s hand. “It sounds perfect, but do you think it’s too weird?” she asked. “Do you think Jason’s family would question the lack of a full sit-down dinner?”
Avery held her breath and prayed Carter would be supportive, even if he disagreed. He frowned, as if seriously considering it, and nodded. “No. If the food is good and plentiful, I don’t think they’ll care how it’s served. What if you do a formal gourmet rehearsal dinner? That way, you get both, but it’s more intimate with just us, the wedding party, and Jason’s immediate family.”
Damn him. She’d been about to suggest the same idea, but opening her mouth now would make her look petty and juvenile.
She kept smiling as Ally clapped her hands. “Yes! I love that idea!”
He tipped his head in acknowledgment. Lucy popped her head up from the bag to lick his hand, and he smiled and patted her head with pure affection.
Oh, how she disliked this man.
After a productive appointment, Avery took them to their second option. The restaurant was gorgeous and intimate, with a fine menu and old-world feel. It marked all of Ally’s boxes, but Avery sensed the SeaSalt had captivated her friend. In the end, the decision was easy.
“I love the SeaSalt,” Ally said as they walked out of their second appointment. “I know Jason would feel the most comfortable there. He doesn’t like being boxed in, so having all that extra room available with the views sold it for me.”
“It’s a great choice,” Avery said, giving Ally a tight hug. “I’ll call Peter and get it booked. I also ordered the invitations you picked, so our top three critical tasks are officially done. The rest will just be fun.”
For Ally, that is.
The endless tasks to keep Ally’s wedding on track were overwhelming, but there was no way she was giving her friend a hint of the stress to bring it all together.
“Let’s celebrate,” Ally said. “Can we grab a cocktail or dinner? My treat.”
“My treat,” Carter corrected, offering a rare smile.
Avery glanced at her watch and sighed. “I’m sorry, sweets, but I’m working all night long. I have a conference call at six and a huge wedding this upcoming weekend. I’ll be swamped for the next three days.”
“But you have to eat!” Ally said. “Just one drink and a salad? Look, we can head right into Fins. You’ll be out in an hour tops and be fortified for the night.”
She hesitated, but the pleading look on her friend’s face got her. “Okay, one hour. But I’m not sure if Fins allows dogs.”
Carter dismissed this with an elegant wave of his hand. “Lucy is a certified therapy dog. It’s fine,” he said.
“You’re kidding. What’s your diagnosis?”
He didn’t look at her, just forged ahead with those long, measured strides. “Anxiety.”
Avery stumbled on her heel, and he reached out to steady her with superhero speed. His fingers burned into her upper arm, and she gasped at the contact on her bare skin.
What the hell was that about? Her arm tingled, and heat shimmered in her core. She’d never had such a reaction to a man’s touch. Is that what loathing felt like?
“You don’t have anxiety,” she said, refusing to analyze her strange response.
“How would you know?”
She snorted. “’Cause you’re like a robot.”
Ally burst into laughter. “Priceless. You know my brother too well. Lucy’s actually the one with anxiety when she’s away from him for too long. She’s also supersmart, so he pulled some strings, got her certified, and now gets to take her everywhere.”
He paused before the entrance and slipped a tiny jacket over Lucy’s body that signified her as a therapy dog. Unbelievable.
“That’s illegal,” Avery said. And surprising. She never would have imagined Carter breaking any rules—he was always respectful of authority.
“Yes, it is. And I’m sure you’ve never broken the law before.” He snapped his fingers. “Oh, wait, you’ve been to jail. Guess you can’t judge.”
Ally punched him lightly in the arm. “Are you ever going to get over that tiny mishap?”
“No. When you have to bail someone you love out of prison at three a.m., come talk to me. Then we’ll be even.”
Avery and Ally rolled their eyes and entered Fins.
They were seated immediately on the back patio. The scorching heat was fading as the sun drifted downward, and a light breeze teased and tugged at Avery’s hair, pulling some strands free. She ordered a vodka and seltzer, oysters, and a side salad, and allowed her body to relax into the chair.
“I’ll be right back. I want to hit the restroom and call Jason to let him know where we booked,” Ally said. Her hair gleamed bright red and bounced as she left, and Avery smiled at the open, beautiful joy reflected on her friend’s face.
Avery turned toward Carter, and the question popped out of her mouth. “Has she always been this happy?”
He regarded her with his usual serious expression. “She was born happy. My parents always said she had a gift of seeing the bigger picture in the world. Made it easy for her to forgive. Made it easy for her to fail because she always concentrated on the wins. She was like a light in the household.”
His words struck her hard, said so matter-of-factly about his sister. “What about you?”
He cocked his head. “What about me?”
“If she was the light, what were you?”
His stormy ultramarine gaze crashed into hers. Her chest tightened, and fire zipped through her. “The realist. What else would I be?”
The waiter interrupted, dropping their drinks and appetizers on the table, then gliding off. The serious mood broke, and her breath finally reached her lungs.
Losing their parents at such a young age must have affected both of them, but Ally was always open about her grief, and grateful to her brother for raising her. After their mother had died of cancer, their father passed shortly afterward of a heart attack. Ally said Carter rarely spoke about their father’s death, as if the tragedy of losing both parents within a few short months was too much for him to process. Curiosity stirred. Avery wished she could ask Carter many questions, but they didn’t have that type of relationship.
He fed a few pieces of bread to Lucy, who remained quiet, her head cocked and tilted up in a mix of need and adoration. “How’d you end up getting Lucy?” she asked, forking up an oyster and enjoying the mild, sweet taste mixed with a touch of salt on her tongue. It was so fresh, she skipped the cocktail sauce and enjoyed it with only a drizzle of lemon. “Breeder, pet store, or shelter?”