You Say It First
Page 22
She’d already spoken to Nova twice. The bride-to-be was excited and so grateful. The latter made Pallas happy she’d accepted the job. So did the huge retainer check. Nova had meant what she said about there being no limit on spending. If the wedding went well, it would go a long way toward filling the business’s sad, empty checking account.
Pallas also appreciated the chance to figure out if this was a direction she wanted to go. She’d spent so much of her life trying to please her mother—and failing badly at every attempt—that she wasn’t sure about her own hopes and dreams. Was she more comfortable just doing the same type of wedding over and over, or did she want to expand into the great unknown? Did she want to keep Weddings in a Box at all or sell? She had a feeling that by the time Nova walked down the aisle, Pallas would have most of her answers.
Wynn and her son, Hunter, were the first to arrive. The ten-year-old went directly to the first TV, grabbed a controller and started to play.
“You forgot to say hello,” Wynn said, her voice filled with affection and exasperation.
“Hi, Pallas,” the boy said without glancing away from the screen. “Thank you for having me over tonight.”
Pallas hugged her friend. “See? He has potential.”
“I keep telling myself that.” Wynn set a plate of brownies on the kitchen table. “Easily grabbed dessert that shouldn’t be sticky. I believe that’s what you requested.”
“It is. Thanks for coming by. Are you going to play?”
Wynn grimaced. “I can get my video game butt kicked at home. I don’t need more witnesses. I can’t figure out if I’m just too old to get it or if I don’t have the right gene pool. What about you?”
“I’m observing and collecting ideas.”
“Good. I’ll keep you company.”
More friends arrived. By six, her small living room was full. People found places to sit on the floor. All three TVs were on and blasting out the music along with fiery kill shots. A few people were going to have to wait to play, but Pallas figured that couldn’t be helped. Eventually a player would run out of lives or turns or whatever it was and have to give up his or her seat.
Nick was next to Hunter. They were both staring intensely at the screen. She couldn’t tell if they were working together or trying to destroy each other, then decided it didn’t matter. As long as everyone was having fun.
“Someone told me there was a party here.”
Pallas turned and saw her grandfather walking into her house.
“Grandpa Frank.” She hugged him. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled at her. “Like I said—I heard there was a party.”
“We’re playing video games.”
While her grandfather was a great old guy with a zest for life, he was pushing ninety.
He winked at her. “Prepare to be amazed.”
“I always am.”
He walked into the living room and stared at the crowd. “Where’s the line to get a turn?”
Silver held up a small dry-erase board. “I’m taking names.” She smiled at Grandpa Frank. “I’ll move you to the top of the list because you’re so handsome.”
“You’ve always been my favorite of Pallas’s friends,” he told her.
“I know.”
Grandpa Frank turned back to Pallas. “Is there anything to eat at this shindig?”
“In the kitchen.”
There were only a couple of people getting food there and it was quieter away from the game. Grandpa Frank took a paper plate, then started to fill it. Despite his years, he stood with perfect posture. His hair was white, his skin tanned. He looked much younger than his actual age, which Pallas guessed had a lot to do with the ever-present twinkle in his eye.
“I heard this was for a wedding you’re throwing,” he said as he took a couple of Wynn’s brownies.
Word certainly traveled in their small town, she thought. “It is. Nova and her fiancé developed the game. They want to use the world as a backdrop. It’s going to be original—that’s for sure.”
He took a bite of a small wrap and chewed. “You always did have a knack for finding your way, Pallas. You make me proud. You and your brother, both, striking out on your own.”
“Thank you,” she said, a little surprised at the compliment. She’d never seen herself as someone who found her way. Most of the time she felt as if she were fumbling and failing. It was nice to know things looked different from his point of view.
“You have a lot of your father in you,” he continued. “You’re ambitious, willing to do the work. Libby is a company girl, but you’ll never be that.”
Pallas’s eyes widened in surprise. Her father? How could she be like him? She barely remembered him. He’d died when she was ten, but for her it seemed like he’d never been around at all. She had vague memories, but nothing that wasn’t mentally blurry.
“I don’t remember Dad being a rebel,” she admitted.
“He was, in his way. He was also determined.” Grandpa Frank hesitated. “I’d like to think you get your character from me.” He winked.
“Grandpa Frank!” Silver yelled from the living room. “You’re up.”
Her grandfather handed her his plate. “Someone wiped out early. This is my lucky day.”
Pallas laughed. “I had no idea you were so ruthless.”
“You gotta be tough to make it,” he told her. “Tough and willing to take chances. That’s the secret, Pallas. You remember that.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
PALLAS WOKE EARLY the morning after the party. She’d called it a night a little after midnight, despite the fact that the games were still going strong. She’d had no idea that there were so many die-hard Concord Awaken fans in Happily Inc.
She’d put out the rest of the food, mugs for coffee and had told everyone to help themselves. She’d left extra towels, soap and toothbrushes in the guest bath, then had retreated to her bedroom. Now she showered quickly and got dressed.
Only one TV was still on in the living room and it was obviously on hold or whatever it was called when a game was paused. The picture was frozen, with a purple-clad warrior in midshot. Hunter was curled up asleep in one of her upholstered chairs. Grandpa Frank was stretched out on the sofa, with Silver draped across the other upholstered chair. Judging by the sound of water running in her guest bath, she had one more overnight guest. Good thing she’d planned ahead and had bought plenty of eggs for breakfast.
She retreated to her kitchen and collected the ingredients for a simple baked frittata. She preheated the oven, then sprayed the large casserole dish and began cracking eggs into a bowl. Yesterday she’d already prepped the veggies she would need. She added them, along with milk and cheese, then poured everything into the casserole dish. Just then Nick walked into the kitchen.
She had to admit, the man looked really good rumpled. He’d washed his face, but hadn’t shaved, so there was dark stubble along his jaw. His hair was mussed, his shirt wrinkled. He looked tired, but was smiling. It was an impossible combination of sexy and vulnerable.
“Morning,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “You’re up early.”
“I could say the same about you, only I’m not sure you’ve been to sleep at all.”
He raised one shoulder. “Hunter conked out first, around three, but Grandpa Frank and Silver hung in until nearly five.”
Pallas also appreciated the chance to figure out if this was a direction she wanted to go. She’d spent so much of her life trying to please her mother—and failing badly at every attempt—that she wasn’t sure about her own hopes and dreams. Was she more comfortable just doing the same type of wedding over and over, or did she want to expand into the great unknown? Did she want to keep Weddings in a Box at all or sell? She had a feeling that by the time Nova walked down the aisle, Pallas would have most of her answers.
Wynn and her son, Hunter, were the first to arrive. The ten-year-old went directly to the first TV, grabbed a controller and started to play.
“You forgot to say hello,” Wynn said, her voice filled with affection and exasperation.
“Hi, Pallas,” the boy said without glancing away from the screen. “Thank you for having me over tonight.”
Pallas hugged her friend. “See? He has potential.”
“I keep telling myself that.” Wynn set a plate of brownies on the kitchen table. “Easily grabbed dessert that shouldn’t be sticky. I believe that’s what you requested.”
“It is. Thanks for coming by. Are you going to play?”
Wynn grimaced. “I can get my video game butt kicked at home. I don’t need more witnesses. I can’t figure out if I’m just too old to get it or if I don’t have the right gene pool. What about you?”
“I’m observing and collecting ideas.”
“Good. I’ll keep you company.”
More friends arrived. By six, her small living room was full. People found places to sit on the floor. All three TVs were on and blasting out the music along with fiery kill shots. A few people were going to have to wait to play, but Pallas figured that couldn’t be helped. Eventually a player would run out of lives or turns or whatever it was and have to give up his or her seat.
Nick was next to Hunter. They were both staring intensely at the screen. She couldn’t tell if they were working together or trying to destroy each other, then decided it didn’t matter. As long as everyone was having fun.
“Someone told me there was a party here.”
Pallas turned and saw her grandfather walking into her house.
“Grandpa Frank.” She hugged him. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled at her. “Like I said—I heard there was a party.”
“We’re playing video games.”
While her grandfather was a great old guy with a zest for life, he was pushing ninety.
He winked at her. “Prepare to be amazed.”
“I always am.”
He walked into the living room and stared at the crowd. “Where’s the line to get a turn?”
Silver held up a small dry-erase board. “I’m taking names.” She smiled at Grandpa Frank. “I’ll move you to the top of the list because you’re so handsome.”
“You’ve always been my favorite of Pallas’s friends,” he told her.
“I know.”
Grandpa Frank turned back to Pallas. “Is there anything to eat at this shindig?”
“In the kitchen.”
There were only a couple of people getting food there and it was quieter away from the game. Grandpa Frank took a paper plate, then started to fill it. Despite his years, he stood with perfect posture. His hair was white, his skin tanned. He looked much younger than his actual age, which Pallas guessed had a lot to do with the ever-present twinkle in his eye.
“I heard this was for a wedding you’re throwing,” he said as he took a couple of Wynn’s brownies.
Word certainly traveled in their small town, she thought. “It is. Nova and her fiancé developed the game. They want to use the world as a backdrop. It’s going to be original—that’s for sure.”
He took a bite of a small wrap and chewed. “You always did have a knack for finding your way, Pallas. You make me proud. You and your brother, both, striking out on your own.”
“Thank you,” she said, a little surprised at the compliment. She’d never seen herself as someone who found her way. Most of the time she felt as if she were fumbling and failing. It was nice to know things looked different from his point of view.
“You have a lot of your father in you,” he continued. “You’re ambitious, willing to do the work. Libby is a company girl, but you’ll never be that.”
Pallas’s eyes widened in surprise. Her father? How could she be like him? She barely remembered him. He’d died when she was ten, but for her it seemed like he’d never been around at all. She had vague memories, but nothing that wasn’t mentally blurry.
“I don’t remember Dad being a rebel,” she admitted.
“He was, in his way. He was also determined.” Grandpa Frank hesitated. “I’d like to think you get your character from me.” He winked.
“Grandpa Frank!” Silver yelled from the living room. “You’re up.”
Her grandfather handed her his plate. “Someone wiped out early. This is my lucky day.”
Pallas laughed. “I had no idea you were so ruthless.”
“You gotta be tough to make it,” he told her. “Tough and willing to take chances. That’s the secret, Pallas. You remember that.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
PALLAS WOKE EARLY the morning after the party. She’d called it a night a little after midnight, despite the fact that the games were still going strong. She’d had no idea that there were so many die-hard Concord Awaken fans in Happily Inc.
She’d put out the rest of the food, mugs for coffee and had told everyone to help themselves. She’d left extra towels, soap and toothbrushes in the guest bath, then had retreated to her bedroom. Now she showered quickly and got dressed.
Only one TV was still on in the living room and it was obviously on hold or whatever it was called when a game was paused. The picture was frozen, with a purple-clad warrior in midshot. Hunter was curled up asleep in one of her upholstered chairs. Grandpa Frank was stretched out on the sofa, with Silver draped across the other upholstered chair. Judging by the sound of water running in her guest bath, she had one more overnight guest. Good thing she’d planned ahead and had bought plenty of eggs for breakfast.
She retreated to her kitchen and collected the ingredients for a simple baked frittata. She preheated the oven, then sprayed the large casserole dish and began cracking eggs into a bowl. Yesterday she’d already prepped the veggies she would need. She added them, along with milk and cheese, then poured everything into the casserole dish. Just then Nick walked into the kitchen.
She had to admit, the man looked really good rumpled. He’d washed his face, but hadn’t shaved, so there was dark stubble along his jaw. His hair was mussed, his shirt wrinkled. He looked tired, but was smiling. It was an impossible combination of sexy and vulnerable.
“Morning,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “You’re up early.”
“I could say the same about you, only I’m not sure you’ve been to sleep at all.”
He raised one shoulder. “Hunter conked out first, around three, but Grandpa Frank and Silver hung in until nearly five.”
