Back Check (Aces Hockey #4)(15)
"Man, that labor was exhausting," Rupper said.
"Dude. You didn't do anything."
"Like hell I didn't. I was there for her, coaching her, holding her hand, rubbing her back."
"Did she yell and swear at you?"
"No." He frowned. "Sidney wouldn't do that. She did get kind of loopy, though. She asked the nurse to call Lulu for her and started crying because she had to talk to her. The nurse had Sid's cellphone and was trying to find Lulu's number in her phone contacts when I came back into the room. She asked me to help find Lulu's number, and I cracked up laughing so hard I damn near pissed myself."
They all cracked up too, knowing Lulu was Sidney's dog.
"Anyway, I know it was way rougher for her," he continued. "Holy shit, women are amazing."
Tanner looked around at the other guys, and it was clear on their faces that even though none of them had kids, they were in full agreement about the women-are-amazing thing.
He felt a weird sense of missing out on something. Army, Duper, Rosser, and Rupper all had girlfriends. Duper and Rupper were getting married, and Rupper had a baby, for fuck's sake. Probably it wouldn't be long before Army and Amber got married, and Rosser and Jenna.
He liked his lifestyle, with lots of different women, not just one. That worked way better. Yet once more he found himself picturing the face of the girl he'd left behind. Who, he had to admit, was pretty amazing.
-
Katelyn's Saturday was spent at a clients' wedding at the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier. It was a lovely venue, one she'd worked at several times. Despite her extreme attention to detail and control-freak tendencies when it came to weddings, it never failed that something went wrong. This day it was the missing name cards for the tables, which the bride had wanted to do herself with her new calligraphy skills. Unfortunately, she forgot them at home, meaning Katelyn was frantically writing out one hundred guest names on hastily improvised cards just before the reception. Then it was helping the maid of honor get to the bathroom-where the woman proceeded to be violently ill-making sure her dress wasn't ruined in the process, followed by cutting up and plating all the desserts because the venue staff was too busy to do so.
Sunday all she wanted to do was sit in her apartment with her feet up and binge-watch some Netflix, but she'd agreed to meet Lovey Armstrong to try on wedding dresses. She arrived at Malvina a little before the agreed-upon time.
"Katelyn." Malvina, the owner of the exclusive bridal salon, greeted her, taking both her hands in hers and kissing her on each cheek. "So lovely to see you again."
"You too." She smiled at the Czech woman who was only a few years older than her. "How is business?"
"Excellent. And you bring me more, yes?"
"Yes, I hope so."
"Come." Malvina led her past a few private rooms that were occupied, Malvina's sales associates helping those women, as well as other potential customers in the front salon. She showed Katelyn into another room furnished all in white, with armchairs and small brass-and-glass tables, one holding a crystal vase full of peach roses. A silver tray with flute glasses sat on another table. "We will be here. I have some dresses I chose based on the information you sent me."
"Wonderful. The bride should be here soon. Can I see what you've selected?"
"Of course."
They approached the wall of white open closets and shelves, about a dozen gowns hanging on padded white satin hangers.
"You said ball gown style but not too big, very fitted bodice with a sweetheart neckline or V-neck, ivory, not white. Sexy but not skanky."
Katelyn grinned. "Yes." She perused the gowns, knowing how difficult it was to tell what each looked like until it was being worn. "These all look gorgeous."
"Of course." Malvina's matte red lips curved into a smile.
Female voices approached and Katelyn recognized Lovey's. She turned toward the door to greet her client. Lovey breezed in, followed by an older woman who was clearly her mother, with similar features and build-although her shoulder-length hair was a soft brown rather than red-and another woman, with gorgeous straight blond hair to her waist.
"Hi, Katelyn!" Lovey strode toward her with arms outstretched and they hugged. Lovey introduced her mom, Debbie, and her matron of honor, Randi. Katelyn in turn introduced them all to Malvina.
"We have champagne," Malvina said. "One moment." She disappeared.
The others watched her walk away in five-inch-high Louboutin pumps and a black sheath dress that hugged her knockout figure.