Best Man for the Wedding Planner

Adele checked her watch. It was ten minutes to five—perfect. The doors would open to the reception at five thirty, giving the ice an hour more time than initially planned. The man with the dolly seemed to have disappeared and the setup staff were clearing away the unnecessary items, so she retrieved the dolly herself and pulled it to the glass doors leading to the patio. Three sculptures. She could handle that. Better to get started now than waste time searching for someone to help. Forty pounds was nothing...or at least, normally nothing. Today she thought it might as well be a hundred, but she’d manage. So far, so good.

The air was frigid, and bit through her cashmere sweater as if it was nothing. It didn’t help that she hadn’t grabbed gloves. Her shoes squeaked as she walked across the stone, little bits of snow stuck in the mortar. Three sculptures. It wouldn’t take long and she’d be back inside, toasty and warm again.

The first icy square was manageable, but just. She grunted as she lifted it onto the dolly, and when it was secured, she stood, stretched her back and caught her breath. Her heart pounded unusually fast, disproportionate to the exertion it would normally take to heft that much weight. A shiver ran through her and she shuddered, feeling the sudden urge to cry. Why did she have to be sick, today of all days?

She was just reaching for the second block when a pair of hands appeared beside her. She looked up to see Dan, his breath frosty in the air, coming to assist. She shouldn’t let him, but the help was so welcome that she took a step back. “What are you doing out here?”

“Photos on the patio. Right now it’s just Pete and Holly, and I saw you come out.” He lifted the sculpture as if it weighed nothing and placed it on the dolly. “Are you crazy? You’re sick and you don’t even have a jacket on.”

“I know,” she admitted. “I’m in get-it-done mode, but it’s freezing.” She reached for the last sculpture, determined to show him she was fine. But she lifted, stood and everything went woozy.

“I got it.” He took the weight from her hands. “I’m guessing you don’t want to drop one of these.”

“They’re not big, but they sure do cost a lot,” she admitted. “Thank you again, Dan. You keep running to my rescue. Normally that’d make me mad, but today I’m just grateful.”

He put his hand on the handle of the dolly and started pulling it toward the doors. “You’re really sick, huh?”

She nodded. “I feel worse now than I did this morning. But we’re nearly there.” She tried a laugh as she opened the door for him. “I can manage.”

They got inside and he unloaded the ice blocks to their spot on the table. She knew she shouldn’t read too much into his actions today, but he really had gone above and beyond.

“Dan, I mean it. Thank you. I know we... That is, it’s...”

“We don’t need to talk about it,” he said, his voice sharper than before. “It’s over and done with.”

The teamwork vibe of only moments before was obliterated with his terse reply.

“Look, I’ve got to get back out there. You’ve got this. I’ll see you later.”

He spun on his heel and disappeared back out onto the cold patio, leaving frost in his wake.

CHAPTER FIVE

SHE WAS EVERYWHERE.

Dan had hoped that Adele would disappear once the reception started, but he saw her here and there, flitting about, adjusting the microphone for the emcee, switching place cards at the last minute, supervising servers.

He sat at the head table with the other members of the wedding party. The mood was celebratory and he did his best to join in and not bring it down, but it was hard with reminders of Adele all around him.

He picked at the watercress and arugula salad, barely tasted the soup. When his main came, a delicious-smelling plate of stuffed chicken and asparagus risotto, he made more of an effort. He looked over at Holly, whose face was alight with happiness. Pete leaned over and kissed the crest of her cheek. Dan reached for his glass of wine and took a sip, and then wished for something stronger.

He’d stepped in to help Adele several times, and he kept asking himself why. She certainly didn’t need rescuing, and he didn’t owe her anything. He might pass it off as simple good manners, but he knew that would be a lie. He refused to label it further, but it annoyed him just the same.

He’d nearly finished his chic

ken when Adele came forward and knelt between Pete and Holly’s chairs.

“Sorry to bother you,” she said softly, “but I was wondering if you’d like something else to drink, Holly? I noticed you haven’t touched your champagne. Is it okay?”

“Oh.” Holly was turned slightly toward Dan’s side of the table and he could see her face. Her cheeks colored and she looked to Pete, who grinned.

“I might as well tell you,” she answered quietly. Dan could barely hear her. “We were waiting until after the wedding to say anything, but since you noticed I’m not drinking... We’re expecting.”

Adele’s face paled and her knuckles whitened around the rungs of Pete’s chair. But she recovered quickly and smiled brightly. “Oh, that’s lovely news! Mum’s the word, I promise.” She laughed a little, but Dan had known her long enough to know it wasn’t quite her genuine, heartfelt laugh. “Mum’s the word. Get it?”

Awkward. That was the only way to describe the moment. He didn’t know what to do, either. He’d never noticed Holly abstaining during their other meals together, but it was easy enough to assume a mixed drink contained alcohol.

Pregnant.