Ain't She Sweet (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers #2) - Whitney Dineen Page 0,88
market.
She totally ignores me and the fact that I’m squashed into the corner and tells one of her companions, “Make sure all of my clothes are hung and steamed before you go to bed tonight. Carlos and Jennifer, I’ll need you to come to my suite no later than eight a.m. to get my hair and makeup ready for the day.”
A growling sound emanates from under the cart. Cash turns to give me a dirty look. “Sorry,” I tell her. “I’m really hungry.” I pat my stomach for show.
Tara growls again, while I’m talking, so I try to cover it up by groaning. I look like a total idiot.
When Tara’s nemesis dismissively turns her back on me, I see Tara’s hand reach out from under the cart. She grabs the hem on Cash’s coat and yanks it hard.
Cash stumbles backward and yells at me, “What’s your problem?”
I try my best to look innocent while saying, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You just pulled my coat,” she accuses.
I hold my hands up and answer, “I don’t know how I could have done that without bending over.” I look at her companions and ask, “Did any of you see me bend over?” A quartet of heads shakes in the negative. “Sorry, it wasn’t me,” I tell her.
Cash looks fit to be tied. This elevator ride feels like it’s taking hours. I finally breathe a sigh of relief when it stops on the third floor and they get out.
When the doors close again, I squawk at Tara, “Why did you do that?”
“I was hoping she’d get close enough that I could lean out and bite her.” She sounds like she means it.
That’s all we would have needed. “We need to get over to my place to meet with Rachel,” I say.
“I can’t imagine why she wants to talk to us. But I’m willing to bet she’s going to try to get a quote from us about this wedding.”
“You’re going to have to pull yourself together then,” I tell her. “You don’t want to sound as jealous and angry as you do right now or she’s going to think you wish you were the one marrying Romaine.”
“I’m not jealous,” she says. “I’m pissed they had the nerve to come here.”
“Whatever you need to tell yourself.” I know I sound like the injured party, but I feel like it. I’ve been telling Tara that I want to date her for real and she’s been holding me off, claiming she doesn’t want to start anything until this whole media circus blows over. I can’t help but think she’s using that as an excuse. Maybe she does want to get back together with Romaine.
I push the cart off the elevator and head toward the kitchen without saying anything else. As we pass reception, Chris calls out, “Your mom is keeping Penny tonight, so you don’t have to worry about her.”
“Thanks, Chris,” I reply without slowing my pace. Once we get into the kitchen, I tell Tara, “We’re here.” I don’t wait until she gets out. I just say, “I’ll be in my truck.” Then I walk straight out the back door after throwing my chef coat and hat into the laundry sack.
I hate how I feel. Right now, I’m so mad I want to drive my fist through a wall. After tomorrow, the press is going to be hounding me just as much as Tara. Thanksgiving has traditionally been my favorite day of the year, but that’s about to change. I wish I’d never signed up for this farce.
Once I get to my truck, I turn the engine over and blast the heat to warm up the cab. Tara isn’t far behind me. She opens the passenger door and demands, “What are you so mad about?”
I don’t answer her. Instead, I say, “What happens after tomorrow is totally up to you. You can come out of this shitshow looking like a queen, but you have got to stop feeling sorry for yourself and take control of the situation already.”
“I thought I was taking control,” she snaps back.
“All you’ve done since Rachel arrived is complain about how poorly you’ve been treated. Your instinct was to run. You need to put on your big girl britches, Tara. It’s past time.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Gwen
After a wonderful dinner, Billy tells Gwen, “I’m not sure if I should stay up at the lodge or not.”
“If the kids had planned on coming back, I’m guessing they’d be here by now.”