The Wedding Agreement (7 page)

Which was why Cass had called Alex and told him to come over after Tessa had picked up Nina Sunday afternoon. He'd texted her about twenty minutes ago to say he was on his way, so he should be arriving at her place any minute. She grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. They were going to need it. She placed everything on the kitchen table when the buzzer signaled his arrival. She pressed the button to let him in and opened the door. “Hey,” she said when she saw him come in.

“Hey.” Alex followed her into the kitchen, and she watched him scan the mass of books, papers, and the laptop that littered her tabletop. “Whatcha doin'?”

“Planning a wedding. Wine?”

“You know it,” he replied as he took a seat and eyed the mess on the table warily. “Looks like you've been busy.”

Cass poured both of them a glass of Cabernet and sat. She watched Alex take a sip before she spoke. “If we're going to pull this off, we're going to have to go all in. Tessa isn't stupid. If we half-ass this, she'll know you're not really serious about marrying me, and we won't accomplish what we're hoping to.”
Cass took a drink of wine to prevent herself from rambling. “The goal is to prove to Tessa that even when you get called away for work, that there will still be a responsible adult around to take care of Nina. She needs to be able to trust that I'm not some flighty head case, but someone who can actually care for a little girl. But when I can't even answer simple questions about my own wedding, I don't look very dependable.”

“Okay.” Alex drew out the word as if trying to come up with a solution in his head. “So we just pick a place and say that's where we're getting married. We do the same with the band and whatever else we'd need. Right?”

Cass shook her head. “The more lies we let build up, the easier it will be to get caught in them. We're going to need to keep this as honest as we can, which will probably be a challenge, considering it'll all be built on a lie. So we're going to need to book a real venue, hire a real band, order real flowers. We can pick a date that's a year and a half, two years down the road, so we'll have plenty of time to cancel and at least not lose everything. We'll still probably lose some though. It'll suck, and I know it's a lot of money but—”

“I'm not worried about the money. I'm worried about my daughter.”

Alex sat there for a second, Cass guessed, so he could process everything. “Why?” he finally asked.

“Why what?”

Alex gestured to the books and wedding planners spread out across the table. “Why would you go through all of this? It's going to take up a lot of your time.”

Cass let out a harsh laugh. “Because I got us into this whole thing. And because Tessa wanting to leave
Nina with her grandparents is bullshit. You're a good father. You deserve to see you daughter as often as you can. And besides, this is like a job to me now. Consider me your personal PR specialist.”

“You may have set this whole debacle in motion, but you were just trying to help. You don't owe me anything. And maybe Tessa has a point. What will I do if I have to go into work when I have Nina? I have no family nearby. I'd be stuck.” Alex scrubbed a hand over his face and then stared down at the table.

“Alex Walker, you look at me right now.” When she had his attention, Cass continued. “First of all, you
do
have family nearby. Our little band of misfits—we're a family. And I already told you that I wasn't going to disappear on you. You can always count on me if you need someone to hang out with Nina for a little while. It's not like you get called into work every time you have her. It's normally a rare occurrence.”

Alex sat quietly, seeming to try to work things out in his mind.

“Answer me this: in the past year, how many times have you had to call Tessa to pick up Nina because you had to go in to work?”

Alex thought for a few seconds before replying. “Maybe four. I usually know in advance if I'm going to have to work a weekend. It's only major breaks in big cases that call me away—and major breaks aren't as common as television would have you believe. It's just bad luck that it happened twice within the past month, but that's incredibly unusual.”

“Okay, so you may need me in a pinch here or there?”

“Yeah. It probably wouldn't be a lot.”

Cass extended her hand toward Alex.

“What are we shaking hands for?” Alex asked.

“I agree to some emergency babysitting stints, and you agree to help me plan a wedding. This handshake is as binding as a legal document.”

Alex laughed as he continued to stare at her hand. “Handshakes don't mean shit anymore.”

“Ours do,” she replied, her gaze never wavering from his.

Alex hesitated for a second before grasping Cass' hand in his. “Okay, you got a deal.”

Cass went to pull her hand away, but Alex continued to hold it. When she locked eyes with him, she saw earnestness there.

“Thanks.”

She nodded. “My pleasure.”

“Okay.” Alex dropped her hand and rubbed his together. “Where do these books say to start?”

Surveillance

“I still don't understand why we need to actually
visit
any venues,” Cass said, gesturing up at the cathedral ceilings that made the large rustic space seem even more open. “I know we're trying to keep this as realistic as possible, but we could have just booked a place over the phone.”

“Yeah, but we don't even know how much of a deposit they require. You know nice wedding venues won't give prices online or over the phone. And I didn't want to just pick some cheap place that I could reserve with a phone call. Tessa's smart enough to know I wouldn't have my wedding at some holein-the-wall.”

“By ‘smart,' you mean ‘nosy as hell'?”

Despite Alex's scolding glare, Cass knew how Alex really felt about his ex. But she respected him for usually taking the high road, especially around Nina.
So many children of divorced parents had to contend with constant bitterness and biting words flowing around them. Not that Cass knew what any of that was like. Her upbringing had rivaled that of a 1960s sitcom—a working father, a stay-at-home mom, two older sisters who now had families of their own. Cass' childhood had been the epitome of traditional family life. It made her a little sad to think that so many children wouldn't know what it was like to have that.

Kevin, the gentleman who had been showing them around the grounds, stood about fifteen feet ahead of them, letting Alex and Cass take their time until they eventually reached him near the stone bar. “So, did you folks have any particular dates in mind?”

Cass looked to Alex, and when he didn't give any indication that he was going to answer, she spoke up. “You know, we really haven't talked about it much. We're probably pretty flexible. Maybe sometime next fall? What do you think, hon?”

Alex paused for a moment before answering, as if he were truly considering Cass' question. “I've always liked the fall. And this place is probably beautiful when the leaves start to change color.” Alex leaned his shoulder against a nearby wall and gazed through the tall open window to the trees.

“It's gorgeous then,” Kevin agreed. “And it's significantly cooler than the summer, as I'm sure you would've guessed. The stone walls help keep the temperature a bit lower in the summer, but with no air conditioning it can still get somewhat uncomfortable with the humidity and a roomful of people dancing.” Kevin flipped open the iPad he'd been carrying and studied the calendar. “We have one Friday open this October and then several dates next fall if you'd rather
have a Saturday wedding. Though Fridays are less expensive if cost is a concern.”

“How much of a deposit do you require at booking for a Friday?” Alex asked.

“It's a thousand to hold the date, and the remainder is due a month prior to the wedding.”

“Is the deposit refundable?” Cass added quickly. “You know, if something . . . happened and we didn't end up getting married?”

Alex furrowed a brow in what Cass knew to be feigned worry. “It'll be fine, sweetie. My mom likes you. She was just overreacting when she told you she'd never let her son marry a stripper.”

“We prefer the term ‘dancer,'” Cass said, pouting.

“Right.
I
know that.” Alex moved from the window, strolling confidently over toward her. “And one day my mom will too. Anyway,” Alex said, directing his attention toward Kevin, “there's no harm in answering the question. Is the deposit refundable? You know . . . just in case.”

“As long as you let us know at least two months ahead of time and we're able to fill the date with another event. It's actually easier to fill Fridays, believe it or not, because schools and charities tend to book them because they're a bit less expensive. And they usually don't book them as far in advance,” Kevin said. “By the way, how many guests were you thinking of having?”

“It would be small,” Alex answered with surprising certainty. “Just close friends and family. What do you think, babe—probably no more than seventy people or so, right?”

Cass felt Alex's hand move gently across her shoulder blades and skim lightly down her back until it
came to rest on her hip. She instinctively leaned into him, her head resting comfortably against the side of his chest. She gazed up at him, his dark brown eyes locked on hers as he waited patiently for her to respond. “Seventy's probably about right,” she said.

“Well, this room can seat a hundred and twenty people comfortably with a dance floor.” Kevin turned to look behind him and then back again, counting the tables quickly. “Right now it's set up for right around a hundred. But for your reception, the three tables in the center wouldn't be there, so we could actually expand the dance floor by about eighty square feet. What do you think?” Kevin looked at them expectantly.

“I think this October sounds perfect,” Cass said.

*   *   *

Cass slid into the booth but stopped halfway, forcing her two sisters to take the bench across from her. She wanted to be able to see their faces for what she had in store for them. There was almost a perverse sense of pleasure thrumming through her body as she anticipated which of her sisters would blow a gasket first. Her money was on Rachel. She was the oldest, and therefore the least tolerant of what she often called “Cass' spoiled-baby-sister ways.”

Other than quick hellos and hugs when they'd first arrived at the restaurant, they hadn't had a chance to say much else to each other. And just as Amy was opening her mouth to speak, the waiter appeared to get their drink orders.

He hadn't made it two steps away from their table before Rachel started in. “Okay, why did you invite us to lunch? I have to be back at work in an hour, so time's a-ticking.”

Cass pressed her hand dramatically to her chest. “Can't I just miss my sisters and want to spend some time with them?”

Rachel and Amy looked at each other briefly. “No,” they responded in unison.

“You wound me,” Cass replied as she picked up the menu.

Rachel ripped it out of her hands. “I am going to wound you for real if you don't tell me what's up. I have three children, Cassidy. My patience is all used up.”

Cass looked over at Amy. “When did she get so violent?”

“The womb,” Amy replied, as the waiter returned with their drinks.

“You ladies all set to order?”

Rachel looked up at him and grinned politely. “We're going to need a few minutes.”

He nodded and left, at which point Rachel dropped the smile and returned her attention to Cass.

“I thought you only had an hour. Shouldn't we order?” Cass asked.

“I'll get something to go. Spill.”

Cass sighed heavily as she reached into her purse and withdrew two white envelopes. She slid them across the table, one to each of her sisters.

“What's this?” Amy asked.

Cass didn't reply; she was waiting for them to open them and see for themselves. She tried to mentally catalog the gamut of emotions that crossed their faces as they pulled out the cards: confusion, understanding, disbelief, a twinge of anger, and finally—

“What the fuck?” Rachel exclaimed.

Cass took a sip of her water. “Do you kiss your beautiful progenies with that mouth?”

“Is this for real?” Amy asked, concern clear on her face and in her voice.

“Yup.” Cass let her mouth pop on the “p.”

“But these are save-the-dates.” Amy was trying really hard to understand.

Cass thought it was cute. “Yup,” she repeated, thinking back to the previous week when they'd sat in Alex's kitchen making them.

“To a wedding.”

Cass nodded.

“
Your
wedding.” Amy's brain was clearly a bit slow on processing what her eyes were showing her.

“Very good, Columbo.” Cass smiled around her straw as she took another sip of water.

“Who the hell is Alex, and why does this flimsy piece of cardstock say you're marrying him?” Rachel interjected.

“Now, that's not very nice. Those are of very high quality.”

“Cassidy,” Rachel warned.

“Rachel.” Cass couldn't resist mocking her sister. “You should probably take out your phones and program October twenty-fourth in. I know how busy you soccer moms get. Wouldn't want you to miss my big day.”

Amy dropped the save-the-date to the table and crossed her hands in front of her. “Cass, seriously. What's going on?” She spoke with the gravity of an interventionist. “Have Mom and Dad met him?”

“Of course not.”

“Of course not! You're marrying a man your own parents have never met? Have you been huffing glue? What the hell is wrong with you?” Rachel was starting to get red, a sure sign that she was close to detonation.

“Have you spoken to them yet? What did they say about your save-the-date?” Amy asked.

“Nothing, because I'm not giving them one.”

“You're not inviting Mom and Dad to your wedding?” Amy's eyes widened in alarm.

“I fully intend to invite them. If I'm ever crazy enough to get married.” Cass smiled at her sisters, who looked at each other with bewilderment. “I'm not really marrying Alex,” she explained. “It's sort of an elaborate scheme I cooked up on a whim to help him with a problem he's having with his ex-wife.” Cass relayed the story from the beginning, stopping only briefly so that they could order lunch. When she finished, both Rachel and Amy looked a little dazed.

“So you're not even
dating
this guy?” Rachel asked.

“No. I mean, we bang every now and then, but we aren't a couple.”

Both her sisters sighed heavily in what Cass guessed was probably relief. They were used to Cass' antics. And believing that she was
pretending
to get married was probably much easier than believing she actually
was
.

“Why the save-the-dates, then?” Amy asked. “Don't tell me you ordered them just to mess with us.”

Cass laughed softly. “No. Well, not entirely for that reason. I figured since you two have known me all my life, if the save-the-dates were enough to convince you of my impending nuptials, then Tessa should have no problem believing it.”

“You guys are inviting her to your pretend wedding?” Rachel seemed confused.

“Hell no. But we figured we'd send one to the house for Nina, so she'll see it then.”

Amy and Rachel seemed to settle in to the idea of
Cass planning a fake wedding. Apparently Cass' explanation of the whole thing had sufficed, and her sisters had finally calmed down. “Just one more question,” Amy said.

“Shoot.”

“Who Photoshopped the picture of you that's on the card? Your tits look phenomenal.”