This was what gave her satisfaction-pulling things together and creating something beautiful and making people happy.
"Okay," she said when Randi had approved the dress. "We need to sit down and talk about some of the details I've been working on. Where should we go to do that?"
She was thinking a nearby restaurant or coffee shop, but Lovey said, "How about my place? Randi and Mom are staying with us. We can go back there and kick our shoes off and have more wine. And it's not far."
"Of course." Katelyn smiled. "Let's do that."
Chapter 5
Sundays were a day off, usually, unless there happened to be a game, which there was not this week. They'd played last night against the Capitals and after the game, Tanner had gone out with some of the guys to Indigo, a hot new club. They'd partied until four in the morning, kicked out of the club when they closed. Lots of booze, lots of women, lots of recreational drugs (which he'd passed on). Lots of fun, until this morning, or should he say this afternoon, when he'd awoken with a faint pulsing headache.
Sadly for him, he'd agreed to go racing with Army, Duper, and Rosser at Speed City Go-Karts. It was going to take a few Advil for him to be able to handle that kind of noise, though they did wear hearing protection.
They raced a few rounds, then grabbed drinks and trash-talked Rosser for ending up in the other team's bench last night when he'd been bulldozed over the boards by their two hundred sixty pound D-man. The guys on the other team had to help him back over the boards and onto the ice. That clip was making the rounds of the highlight reels and it was fucking hilarious.
"You guys hungry?" Duper asked. "Let's go back to my place and see if Lovey will make us dinner."
"Don't be an asshole," Rosser said. "You can't show up with three other guys and no notice."
"You're right. Okay, we'll order pizza or something."
"You got beer?"
Duper gave him a look and Rosser laughed. "Okay, then."
"I don't know," Tanner said. "I'm not feeling great." All three guys stared him down. "Okay, okay." He raised his hands.
"Call Amber and Jenna," Duper said. "Pick them up and bring them too. I'm sure we have lots of Moscato."
"Blech," Tanner said.
"It's not for you, idiot."
"Thank Christ."
When he got to Duper's place, the doorman knew him and sent him up. He was there first, since the other guys had gone to pick up their girlfriends. Duper opened the door. "Come on in. Turns out they're having a little meeting here." He nodded his head toward the living room.
Tanner toed off his snowy boots and left them on the mat at the front door. As he padded across the hardwood floor, he saw Lovey on the couch with a pretty blonde. His gaze shifted to a woman in a chair-Katelyn.
His heart bumped. Aw fuck, not again.
"Oh, hi, Tanner!" Lovey smiled at him. "Good timing. You can meet my matron of honor, Randi."
The blonde stood and stretched out a hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise." He saw the diamonds flashing on her left hand. Not that that was the first thing he checked out on a girl. He just happened to notice. And besides, he'd already figured out she was married, since she was the matron of honor.
"And my mom," Lovey said, and Tanner turned his attention to the other woman there. Lovey tipped her head. "Have you two ever met?"
"No, we haven't." Mrs. Armstrong stood and gave him a smile just like Lovey's … warm and open. "Hi, Tanner."
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Armstrong. Duncan's on his way here, he went to pick up Amber."
"Oh nice! We went to the game last night and I saw him for a bit afterward, but it'll be good to see him again."
"A little family reunion ," Duper said. "Beer, Benny?"
"Yeah, thanks. I'll let you ladies continue your meeting." He tried not to look at Katelyn and followed Duper to the kitchen.
"What did you say?" Duper frowned as he opened the fridge.
Apparently he'd been muttering curse words like a psych patient off his meds. "Nothing."
Duncan and Amber arrived then, and Duper let them in.
"Mom." Duncan gave his mother a hug. "Hi, Randi." More introductions ensued between Amber and Randi and Katelyn.