He shook his head. “You’re not getting rid of me so easily. I may not have an artistic eye, but I’m helping you and that’s final.”
Gretchen nodded and placed her napkin on the table. “It’s been over an hour. Do you think the photographers have given up or are they still sitting outside the jewelry store?”
Julian shrugged and got up from the table. “It doesn’t matter. I’m happy we had the hour alone that we had.” He took her hand and led her out of the café. The cameramen had given up, and their vehicle was waiting patiently for them down the block.
The return to the chapel was uneventful, yet awkwardly silent. Not since their first night together had there been this weird energy between them. It continued until they were back in the ballroom and the work began. They lost themselves in tying a black organza bow around the back of each chair. Julian was quickly removed from that task—apparently he didn’t tie bows, just knots—and he was given the job of folding all the linen napkins. Thank goodness there wasn’t some fancy fabric origami going on, just a simple fold that created a rectangle with a pocket.
When the bows were finished, Gretchen laid a glass charger with silver beaded accents at each place setting. Julian followed behind her, draping the napkin across the charger and slipping the menu into the pocket. He helped her carry in about forty of the decorated hurricane vases, placing them on the stage along with some large silver vases and candelabras.
“What next?” he asked. “Do these need to go on the tables?”
Gretchen sat down on the edge of the stage and shook her head. “Not tonight.” She glanced at her cell phone. “It’s getting late. I’ll do that tomorrow.”
Julian sat beside her and eyed the room. They had gotten a lot done, but if he knew Gretchen, there was a lot more in store for the decor. “Are you sure? I can stay as late as you need me to.”
“Aren’t you here for Murray? Shouldn’t you guys be hanging out and playing poker or something? Guy bonding?”
He shrugged. “Not really. We golfed and ate barbecue today before I came over. Tomorrow, there’s just the rehearsal, the dinner and the bachelor party.”
Gretchen gave him a knowing smile. “Whatcha got planned? Strippers and beer?”
“No,” he said with an offended tone to his voice. “It’s going to be classy! I’ve rented out an old piano bar downtown. I’ve also got a Cuban guy coming in to roll authentic cigars and a local microbrewery doing flights of all their best beers. A few ladies from the burlesque show will be performing.” He tried to say it all with a straight face, but it didn’t last long. She had him pegged the first time. “Okay, yeah,” he laughed. “Strippers and beer. But they’re expensive strippers and beer.”
“I’m sure that makes it a much classier affair,” she said with a smile.
“I thought so.”
“We’d better get you home, then. You’ll need your rest for a long night of debauchery.” Gretchen stood up and dusted her hands off on her jeans.
Julian followed her out of the ballroom, waiting as she switched off lights and locked doors behind her. When they stepped outside into the parking lot, he noticed the temperature had really dropped since they went inside. In just a few short hours, it had gone from a California November day to a November day anywhere else. He snuggled into his leather jacket, but all it really did was keep the wind from cutting through him.
Gretchen seemed more prepared. She stepped outside in a dark burgundy peacoat and a scarf. He walked her over to her tiny sedan, hesitant to say good-night and hesitant to say what he needed to say to make the night last. He moved close to tell her goodbye, her back pressed to the car as she looked up at him with the overhead lights twinkling in her eyes.
“Do you have a real coat?” she asked when she noticed him start to shiver.
“Not with me. I have one I wear when I go skiing in Aspen, but I didn’t think I’d need it here.” Looking at the space between them, he realized he could see his breath. It was darn cold. He should’ve looked more closely at the forecast before he packed.
“Well, maybe tomorrow you should take a trip to the store and pick up a nice wool coat. We can’t let the best man catch cold the day before the wedding.”
“That’s a good idea. Perhaps you can just help me stay warm in the meantime.”
With a smile, Gretchen wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Her lips mere centimeters from his, she asked, “How’s this?”