22
Nora
Waking up alone in that hotel room made me sad.
I’d told West that none of it mattered. In fact, I basically convinced him that this was all peachy. I hadn’t wanted him to think that he was like his dad. Because he wasn’t.
And still, I’d been sad when I woke up.
I’d agreed to all of this. I wanted that fun fling since I’d never done anything like this before in my life. But I wasn’t supposed to develop real feelings. I wasn’t supposed to have feelings about him being gone from my bed.
Not that I planned to tell him that. He was stressed enough with the band and now his dad. We were having fun for the few weeks before he went back to LA. This didn’t have to be complicated.
It would be better when we returned home. We lived together, so there was less sneaking. I could wake up in his bed any day of the week if I wanted. And I did most nights of the week. He spent a lot of time at the condo Campbell had purchased in town, going over stuff for the album release.
I could feel the clock ticking on our tryst.
It was easy not to think about it, considering wedding season was in full swing. Jordan and Annie’s wedding had basically kicked off my busy season. I was at work from sunup until sundown almost every night. Every Friday and Saturday night and even some Sunday afternoons, there were local weddings at Wright Vineyard. The only thing I had time for other than my job was crashing into West’s bed at night and soccer on Sunday nights.
“I’m going to be late,” I grumbled as I strode into the house on my four-inch high heels.
“We still have time,” West said. He was playing a video game in the living room but gave up as I ran into my bedroom to change into my soccer uniform.
The Tacos were playing the indoor soccer championship tonight, but my wedding had run late, and thus I was running late for the game. Fewer players played on an indoor pitch, but Annie had been called in to the ER unexpectedly, Cézanne hadn’t been able to play all season, and Eve had a house to show, so she wouldn’t make it until the second half.
Which meant, without me, they would be playing a man down. In the championship.
“Just imagine if I could work less,” I said as I tugged my shirt over my head and snatched up my bag. I threw him the keys to my truck.
“You could work less,” he said.
I almost growled at him. That was how little downtime I had. “I could, but I don’t know how not to hustle.”
“I get it. It’s hard when you’re following your dream job.” I scoffed, and he glanced over at me in surprise as we got into the truck. “What? Wright Vineyard isn’t your dream job?”
“Dream implies something I fantasize about. What person fantasizes about working a hundred hours a week from April to October?”
“Fair. What would your dream job be then?”
“If I had my pick…I’d work a handful of fabulous weddings a year. I’d get these incredible, outrageously expensive weddings, and my fee would cover my expenses for the rest of the year. Then, I could travel the world. I mean, even getting to go away during the summer would be nice.”
“That does sound like a dream.”
I sighed and kicked my feet up on the dash. “Not that it seems likely.”
“You never heard from English?”
I frowned and looked down at my clasped hands. I’d told West about that interaction in New York City. He’d been excited for the opportunity for me, but it wasn’t like she’d been serious. “No. I haven’t heard from her. She was probably in the moment.”
“Maybe.”
“Anyway, I need to tell Hollin that we need to hire someone else. We could bring Tessi on full-time and get a few more assistants since the wedding business has burgeoned so dramatically.”
“Do that,” he said automatically. “I don’t like to see you this stressed.”
“I’d be less stressed if I wasn’t going to be late to this game.”
“We’re going to make it,” Weston said. “And I called Harley earlier when you said you’d be late. She played in high school. She was excited to cover for you. She might already be there.”
I blew out a breath of relief. That did make me feel better. But I detested being late for anything.
West’s phone beeped as we turned off the loop toward the indoor complex. “That’s Harley. She said she’s there. Isaac gave her Annie’s uniform. So, you can breathe.”
“Fine. Fine. But it’s the championship game.”
He reached across the dash and took my hand. “It’ll be fine.”