She glanced at her notes. “Do we want a gift table? And if we do, should it be wrapped empty boxes or should we have actual gifts inside?”
“For the dogs?” Wynn asked. “Like toys and stuff?”
“I don’t know,” Renee admitted, then started typing. “I’ll get a list together to ask Odele.”
“Is there an officiant?” Pallas asked.
Renee scanned her notes. “I don’t see one mentioned. I’ll put that on the Ask Odele list, as well. It could really be anyone. The weddings aren’t legal.”
“It would be funny to have a cat marry them,” Wynn said. “Although that is probably asking for trouble.”
“I got the impression the wedding was supposed to be fun and charming rather than funny.” Renee glanced at Verity. “Mom, what do you think?”
“I agree. Obviously it’s not serious but it’s not comedy, either.”
“Oh, it might be,” Pallas said. “Even with a medium-sized dog wedding, it’s going to be hilarious. Or a complete disaster.”
“Nick would point out that is you, being a ray of sunshine,” Renee murmured as she typed. “It’s on the list. Anything else?”
The meeting went on for a few more minutes. Jasper listened rather than said the wrong thing—again. So he wasn’t Mr. Wedding Expert. At least he was participating.
Once they’d worked through all the items on the agenda, Renee reviewed their decisions and confirmed what she had to talk to Odele about. She excused herself and left for her office.
Verity disappeared just as quickly, leaving Jasper to walk out with Wynn.
“Do not even think about putting a dog wedding in your book,” she told him.
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“You would, in a heartbeat. You enjoy putting real life into your stories, but the tone is wrong.”
He knew she was correct, but really liked the idea of writing about dogs going crazy at a wedding.
“I couldn’t have a dog wedding and a murder at the same time,” he said. “That would be over-the-top. Still, it would be fun.”
They reached the parking lot. He saw she’d parked next to him and they headed in that direction.
“Look how far you’ve come,” she said, her voice teasing. “I remember when you would barely make eye contact when you showed up at The Boardroom. Now you’re a social butterfly.”
“That’s extreme.”
“Maybe but it’s pretty close to the truth. You’ve changed.”
They stopped by her SUV.
“Not that much,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound defensive, because he didn’t feel it. Not really. Just a little apprehensive, because Wynn seemed to have something on her mind and he had a bad feeling it was more than helping Hunter with his fastball.
“Renee is really special,” she said.
He held in a groan. “You and I shouldn’t discuss that.”
“Someone has to discuss it with you and no one else seems to be volunteering.”
“We’re doing just fine.”
“I know and that’s my point. Your relationship with her is a lot better than your relationship with me.”
He had no clue what that meant, but figured the safest course was to keep his mouth shut.
“We were never going anywhere and we both knew it,” she said.
“You set up the rules so we were bound to fail.”
He hadn’t meant to say that, but he wasn’t taking it back. It was the truth.
“I did. Absolutely. I didn’t want any more than we had and I was terrified you did.”
“Why would you think that?” He’d been very clear on not getting involved. He couldn’t.
“Because you were getting better every day. You were healing right before my eyes and I knew it wasn’t going to be very long before you wanted something more.” She offered him a sad smile. “I didn’t realize that you would want it with someone else.”
He’d gone from clueless to genuinely flummoxed. What was he supposed to say to that?
She held up a hand. “I’m not complaining. I get it. I was never going to be that important to you.”
“That’s not true.”
“You never fought for me, Jasper.” Her tone was soft, her gaze steady. “I’m not saying you should have, and I’m not complaining. I’m pointing out the fact that you never pushed back on my ridiculous rules and when I ended things, you let me go. I wasn’t the one.”
“I don’t have a ‘one.’”
“Of course you do. Don’t be silly. Like I said, when you and I were together, I could see you getting better every day, but you’re not anymore. You’re healed. Whole. Whatever you want to call it.” She touched his arm. “You’re back among the normal, however you want to define that.”