Waterston a nudge. Stan’s suggestion was brilliant! Turns out, the Malibu estate wasn’t just available for rental, it was already empty following a six-week movie location shoot.”
“I know, Dottie. You’ve told me this a couple of times. The estate is wedding perfect. That’s what you said.”
“Yes, well, I’m glad you remembered.” She pointed at a page in the binder showing the estate’s interior layout. “I’ve made zones to accommodate our needs. The bride and her attendants have three suites. You get a closet.”
He sniggered because if he knew Dottie at all, she was serious.
“The wedding guests are all coming from out of town so the middle of the downstairs is for them to gather.”
Dottie was a logistics genius. Coordinating people, locations, and equipment was a useful skill she acquired during her years of government service.
If she missed something or was ignoring an important detail, he wouldn’t know. Weddings were like State dinners. Nothing could be left to chance and he just wasn’t that guy. All he focused on was making sure Summer got the wedding she wanted.
“Did you line up the catering?” His mind started ticking off the long list of wedding details in his head. “And the photographer? You booked Walt, right?”
“Easy, recruit. Don’t blow a fuse. I’ve got this. Lynda Gerry is in charge of the photographer. Her friend is chomping at the bit to get there and start taking background shots. Since they’re right there in Sherman Oaks, it’s nothing to drive out to Malibu. They’ll be the first to arrive. Tomorrow, in fact.”
“And when does everyone else arrive?”
“The NIGHTWIND jet is due to land this hour. They rented a huge house. Ten bedrooms. Avery and I have a fancy suite at Shutters in Santa Monica. He’s multitasking.” She chuckled. “Touching base with some of his Marine buddies.”
Arnie reeled back his demand to know everything. The logistics nightmare of transporting a hundred people from one coast to the other made him unnecessarily anxious. As long as he made his wishes clear and so did Summer, Dottie and his father would move heaven and earth to give them everything on their unconventional wish list.
He couldn’t help asking one more direct question. “And the music? Is that under control?”
“Ah, the music,” Dottie murmured. “I love a challenge. Lorelai weighed in. Considering what you’re asking for, her celebrity DJ suggestion was brilliant. I’m having a back and forth with Sasha and Beckett. They’re definitely interested.”
He started wide-eyed and slack-jawed. “Wait. Do you mean Sasha and Beckett from Surrender Hope?”
Surrender Hope was the latest cable series to take the TV wars by storm. When he was deciding on a Halloween costume back in October, he considered dressing as Ryland Whyffe, the half-man, half-wolf character played by English actor, Beckett.
One-name celebrities were so Hollywood.
“That would be epic,” he drawled. “Do you think the celebrity duo as our wedding DJs will make Summer happy?”
She laughed and laughed. He frowned, trying to figure out what was so damn funny.
“Well, Arnie, considering who the bridesmaids are, I wager the paparazzi targets masquerading as DJs are in for quite a surprise. Summer will either laugh with the rest of us, or she’ll question your sanity.”
She had a point. He grinned. Yep, yep. This was gearing up to be one hell of an occasion.
“Wait, wait,” Summer implored through a wheezing cackle of laughter. “He told you he had bionic balls?”
She couldn’t help the waves of hilarity crashing into her. Video chatting with the ladies of NIGHTWIND was like all the best amusement park thrill rides rolled into one with a team of comedians offering commentary. If she didn’t get control soon, there was a real likelihood of peeing her pants.
Dawn Maddison made it very clear she thoroughly enjoyed Arnie—the way a sister enjoys a brother. She found his grinning cocky charm endearing. Dawn’s partner in wifely antics done NIGHTWIND style was Lorelai Weston. Both ladies were newlywed and pregnant.
Lorelai sat forward and got closer to their laptop’s camera. She flashed her pearly whites and winked. Summer liked her mischievous vibe.
“Your fella is a shameless flirt.” Lorelai chuckled.
Dawn squawked, “Lola! Don’t tell her that. What if she believes you?”
Summer gave them a farcical grin and acted put out when she responded. “Relax, ladies. He’s adorably oblivious to his effect on the opposite sex. I didn’t get it at first, but now I do. His inner voice is an awkward geek. For reasons I’ll never understand, he doesn’t realize how hot he is.”