Strip Search (Tap That)

“It’s not because you’re late. Though I think that gave Todd a few more minutes to cement his decision. He doesn’t want to be on TV. He says our wedding isn’t a circus. That it’s private, not an invitation to be trolled by haters.”

She couldn’t really argue with that. They were outside an ice cream shop shaped like a gigantic soft serve cone. Winnie’s fiancé had left, which was a dick move in Leighton’s opinion. He didn’t want to do the show? He could be man enough to stay and tell her, not let Winnie deal with it. “I’m sorry he feels that way. Are you sure he isn’t just having cold feet about the cameras? Maybe he’ll change his mind.”

Leighton’s palms were damp and she rested them in her lap, trying not to panic. The show’s producer would be pissed if they had wasted this trip to Minnesota and she would have to scramble to find a replacement couple in five days. Most likely they would lose next weekend for shooting and would have to push out to the following week, which would throw off their production schedule. All in all, a disaster.

This was so the total opposite of what Sadie had commanded her to achieve.

She was supposed to create a dramatic moment, not kill the show.

“Can I just talk to Todd?” she asked Winnie. She would beg him to do the show.

“No. He is seriously done. It’s not happening.” Winnie licked a twist cone and used her free hand to wipe her tears. “I really wanted to do this. I mean, we don’t have a huge budget. I’m sure whatever you and the show were going to do would be amazing.”

Leighton was torn between sympathy and wanting to dangle a carrot. Ultimately, she was too nice to try to twist the screws on Winnie. This was her wedding and it was hugely important to Winnie, obviously. “Everything you had planned is still in place. Nothing has been canceled because that’s not how we operate. We pay the original vendors in full when we make our changes so that they don’t lose their profit. You can still have the wedding you had planned before you ever even applied to the show.”

“Yeah. A lame one.”

“Hey, Winnie, it’s okay.” Leighton had a pit in her gut but she did not want Winnie to be disappointed in her day. “You have to think of your fiancé. What good is an over-the-top wedding if he’s totally uncomfortable? The day becomes about the cameras then instead of you. It should be about the two of you. About starting a life together.”

Winnie sniffled and took another lick. She was wearing full makeup and had done her hair since they were supposed to be filming the couple’s requests for the Wedding Crashers wedding. “I get it.” She sighed. “But I wanted both. I guess that makes me greedy.”

“It makes you a girl. Who doesn’t want an amazing fairytale wedding?” Leighton reached out and squeezed her arm. “But it will still be amazing.”

“Thanks, Leighton. You’re a pretty cool chick, you know that? Are you married? I can’t believe I didn’t ask you that before now. God, I guess I’ve been kind of self-absorbed.”

“I’m not married. I’m single.” Mostly always single. She was not about to date an aspiring actor/musician/model. Her last meaningful relationship had been with the guy who made her coffee every morning. That itself was meaningful enough to her but he had asked her out and they’d dated for six months before he had moved back to Iowa. He’d been a sweet enough guy, a little shy, and it had been a nice few months. But she hadn’t even thought about marrying him.

Winnie’s eyes lit up. “We should set you up with someone here.”

Axl Moore popped into her head. That kiss. What the heck had that been about?

She had basically melted against his hard chest, her thoughts scattered and confused. It had been a delicious kiss. Solid, easy, teasing, arousing. She glanced back to the window where the teen girls were working behind the counter making cones. She really wanted one suddenly.

She needed to cool down.

“No, that’s okay. Thanks, but that’s not a great idea. I’m only here a week.”

Winnie eyed her. “Are you blushing? Or are you just hot? It’s humid today.”

“It’s the humidity. We don’t have it like this in California.” That was true. But it was not the weather causing her to heat up from the inside out.

Winnie picked up her phone, her tears dried up. “I should text Todd and let him know everything is okay.” But then she studied her screen. “What is this?” She tapped her screen. “Leighton, are you making out with Axl Moore?”

Her stomach dropped. “What?” Sure, the feed had been live, but it went to the staff at Wedding Crashers, not out into the world. She didn’t think. It never had before. It was meant to capture clips for editing into the show. “What are you talking about?”

Winnie turned her phone. “That is you. That is the dress you’re wearing right now!”

It was bizarre to see herself on camera. She was leaning against the car, which was unfortunate because she was taking up the majority of the screen. Axl towered over her, and his left arm was clearly visible, a lot of biceps on display. His hand was buried in her hair and yep, they were making out. She swallowed. It looked as good as it had felt.

“Well. Yes. That is me. And Axl.” She wasn’t sure what else to say beyond that. There was no denying it. She studied Axl. Damn, he was sexy. That dark hair, those strong cheekbones. All those muscles. That massive height. “I need an ice cream cone.”

She swung her leg over the picnic table they were seated at and was about to stand up when her phone rang. It was Sadie. Dang it. Terrified, she answered the call. “Hello?”

“What is going on in Minnesota? Jill just got a call from the fiancé who said he is not doing the show.”

“I’m on the call too,” Jill, the show’s producer, said. “Leighton, this is not good. We need to regroup and find someone else in Beaver Bend who wants to take the spot.”

“Jill, this is a very small town. I doubt we can find someone.”