So Toxic(Bad Boy Next Door Book 4)(39)
The pillow hits me in my ass when I bend to retrieve the clothes I dropped earlier.
She says, “I’m not planning the wedding.”
“Why not?” I hold the bundle close to my chest and run a hand through my hair.
“You want a big wedding? You plan it.”
“What the hell, JoJo? Why can’t you help with this?”
She sits up, crossing her arms over her beautiful breasts. “I won’t plan a fake wedding. When, and if, I ever spend my energy planning a wedding, it will be a real wedding. I’ll be in love with the groom, and he won’t be able to imagine life without me.”
I let out a growl. “This is not helpful.”
“We can always get married publicly at the JP’s office. I imagine it’s down the hall from where this judge you’re trying so hard to impress has his offices. No planning necessary.” She smiles.
That’s a fake smile if I’ve ever seen one. So why can’t she plan a fake wedding?
“Fuck it. I’ll plan the damned thing.” I storm out.
It would be so much more satisfying if there were wood floors in the hallway so she could hear me stomp.
Stupid carpet.
I trip near the end of the hall, slamming to my knees, my clothes flying out in front of me.
“Fucking hell!” I snatch up my things for the third time this morning. Only now there are two shoes.
Suddenly, my anger whooshes out of me as I remember how my other shoe ended up in the hallway last night on the way to Jo’s bed.
I stop at Terri’s desk on my way to my office.
She glances up, then to the document in front of her, but her gaze bounces to me in an instant. “What are you doing here so early on a Monday morning?”
“It’s not that early.”
She looks over the top of her reading glasses. “It’s eight oh three. For you it’s early. What’s the matter? Domestic life not agreeing with you?”
I drop the six wedding magazines in my hand on the middle of her desk. “It’s fine. Thanks. I need a wedding. Please have everything ready by June third.”
She pushes away from the desk, her curls bouncing. “June third? Wait. You want me to plan your wedding?”
“You will plan my wedding. Don’t worry; you can do it on the clock.”
“The June third that will be here in, oh…three weeks?”
I walk away. “That’s the one. Oh, and not in a church.”
After I left JoJo in a panic induced state I ran to the bookstore, looking for some sort of wedding planner. I ended up buying all those magazines—which Jake pointed out to me later, I could’ve found online.
And all those magazines, with their articles on everything from the perfect wedding attire for each and any time of day to the meanings of every freaking flower God ever created and how to pick the right ones for your special day, gave me a fucking headache.
Terri’s muttering only makes me smile.
It’s her headache now. Problem solved.
Stevie whips into the parking space. The car is catawampus between the lines, but at least she didn’t kill me on the drive over.
She hooks her elbow around mine and leans in as she leads me up the walk to the bridal shop. “Let’s pick out the most expensive dress in this joint.”
“I’d be happier if he wore jeans and his Captain America t-shirt, and I could don my pink pantsuit.”
“Well, if this is how it’s got to be…”
A bell tinkles when we push through the double doors.
Stevie leans close. “It’s like a taffeta plant collided with the BeDazzler factory.”
A nicely dressed woman with a riot of salt and pepper curls pops out from behind a rack of gowns. “You must be JoJo.”
Stevie stumbles, dragging me backward and then stopping to stamp her foot. “Jeez. A little warning would be good.”
“Sorry, she doesn’t handle being startled very well.” I step between the two and extend my hand. “Jo Jordan. Nice to meet you. Terri?”
Terri smiles. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you. If you’ll come with me, I’ve got a room reserved. You can tell me what you like, and I’ll have the staff bring us a selection for you to try on.”
I want to run the opposite direction.
But this is part of my penance.
Damn it.
I fiddle with the gold chain around my neck. “I honestly have no idea what I like. I’ve never been to a formal wedding, or any wedding, for that matter.”
The corners of her eyes crinkle. “Well then, I guess you’ll have to try on lots of dresses to decide.”
Terri and Stevie chatter on as if they’ve known each other for ages. The two and a half bottles of wine they’ve consumed probably helped with the bonding.