The Wedding Contract

Chapter 6





I shove past him and make a beeline for the elevator. Nick follows after me with his gear bag still on his shoulder and an aggravating smile across that sexy face. I’m starting to appreciate why Mrs. Getty hired him. The guy is eye candy from head to toe.

There’s an awkward moment when we both step into the elevator and I notice that I ran out of the room wearing a rather transparent shower curtain. It was better than being naked, but not by much. Nick presses his lips together like he’s trying not to laugh. A*shole.

The bell chimes and the doors open. I haul my butt across the room and shove to the front of the line at the reception desk. Spawny is still there and her eyes widen when she sees me. I slam my hand on the counter, jab my thumb back at Nick and say, “Did you seriously give a strange man a key to my room?”

“He said he was the photographer.” She doesn’t blink.

“I’M THE PHOTOGRAPHER!”

Nick is standing there behind me, and turns his charm up to levels that only magical creatures can manage, before bursting into glitter. “I think there’s been a mix up and I’m happy to purchase another room.” He puts his key card on the counter and flashes a dazzling white smile at Spawny.

The wicked witch visibly shudders and taps her computer keys, before looking up apologetically. “I’m sorry, sir, but there aren’t any other rooms available.”

Nick’s voice tightens. “None?”

She shakes her frizzy red mane. “I’m sorry, sir.”

He looks back at me. “We’ll just have to share. Thank-you, Miss. Your service is wonderful. If I can fill out a comment card, just let me know.” He winks at her and leaves.

WTF? That did not just happen. Spawny has a girlish smile on her evil face and her gaze follows after Nick. She totally ignores me for a second, then turns and shoots imaginary lava out of her eyeballs until I leave.

As I clatter across the wooden lobby floors, I hear a familiar voice. “Skylar Thompson! Is that you?”


I turn and smile at my friend. “Sophie Soon-to-be-Stevens!” I give her a little hug and then she points at my outfit.

“Uh, dinner is casual, but I think we might need to define that a little bit better. I’d hoped you’d be wearing some clothes.” Sophie looks good. Her skin has that sun-kissed look that goes with her olive complexion and rosy cheeks. The lavender dress she’s wearing has a form-fitting bodice and flares right above the knee. She looks perfect.

And I’m wearing a shower curtain. Good God, I hope my mother isn’t here yet.

“Ha ha.” I don’t want to dump extra stuff on her, but I have to tell her. “Did you know Steven’s Dad hired another photographer?”

Her smile falters. “Oh crap.” She sighs and pushes her hair out of her face, looking around the room as she does it. People are everywhere, hugging, saying hellos. Someone calls to Sophie and she waves back. “I was afraid he’d do that. I told him my friend was shooting the wedding and he said he wanted a professional. I told him that you were a professional, but I guess he didn’t believe me. He kept talking about his friend’s daughter’s wedding and green pictures. I don’t know exactly what happened, but he kept saying he didn’t want that to happen at our wedding. Is it a problem?” Worry pinches her pretty little face and I feel like a jerk for saying anything.

Smiling at her, I shake my head. “No. I’ll work it out.”

“Good, because I’m not letting someone else do the bridal boudoir pictures of me in sexy poses—especially not some old guy with a camera.” She shivers like it’d be creepy.

“I’ll still do everything we agreed on. Don’t worry about it, Sophie. We’ll work it out. Just enjoy yourself.”

She grins at me and looks through the sea of people, spying Steven. Her smile broadens as her ribcage fills with air. “I can’t believe it’s finally here.” She squees and skips away, still Sophie after all these years.

For a second, I stand there watching the two of them together. That’s when I hear her voice over my shoulder.

“What on earth are you wearing? Really, Skylar, I brought you up better than this!”

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I turn on my heel. “Hello, Mother.”

“I really think you should talk to Dr. Norman about medication dear.”

Oh, screw it. My eyes roll up and I push two fingers to my temple, attempting to ease the sudden pain. “We’ve been through this, Mom. I’m not crazy.”

“Well, did you get locked out of your room?”

“No.” Her perfect eyebrow lifts and she taps one shiny red patent leather shoe on the floor. I smile serenely and pull at the curtain. “This is my dinner dress.”

She thinks I’m serious. “Well, go change. You can’t wear that monstrosity. Sophie will be horrified.”

“Sophie already saw me, Ma.”

“Well, then she’s much too kind. You look insane. Go change.” She turns away from me and greets a stranger with more warmth than she just gave me.

Working my jaw, I pad across the polished floor to the elevator and shoot laser beams from my eyes at the doors, willing them to open.

The couple next to me looks seriously worried, so I glance over at them and smile. “Hey.” I nod, like I’m normal. “What’s up?”

The woman is older than me, maybe fortyish, and tries to smile politely, but I think I broke her face, because it twitches. The guy she’s with acts like I’m the poster child for normal. Ha. He should inform my mother, because she’s probably in the chapel looking for holy water.

The doors open and we all walk in. I turn and press the button for my floor. Looking up, I see my mother across the room and a horrified expression clouds her normally placid face. I wave the tips of my fingers and smile as the doors shut.

This week is going to suck.