That Wedding (34 page)

"That's weird," Alex says, "because I think guys count every single girl, regardless of the circumstances."

"Even if she was nasty?" I question.

"Uh, yeah, I think so, guys?"

And all the guys are like, "Yeah."

"What if she was your best friend's girl?" Marcus's wife, Madison asks.

Marcus says, "Yeah, sure. I mean, I did."

Then both he and his wife get big grins on their faces, and he continues. "But then again, I married her."

I went to look at wedding dresses again yesterday. Still no luck. Lori must have been feeling my frustration all the way down in Kansas City.

While I'm driving to work, my phone rings.

"So did you find a dress last night?"

"No, I suck," I whine. "I thought the dress would be the easiest part. I may have to go naked."

"That would fit your whole XXX theme."

"Yeah," I say as further depression sets in.

"So, I have a plan. Danny plays the Jets in New York next Sunday, and I think we should tag along and do some serious shopping. I heard there's a store there that has the biggest wedding dress selection in the world. We could leave Friday, shop all day Saturday, and see the game Sunday."

"Sounds like a plan to me, although, I'm gonna have to see if my
boss
will let me off work."

"He will. He's invited too. We also invited both the Diamonds and the Macs. Are you okay with the moms helping you shop?"

"Just promise me no STD jokes."

"Deal! Oh, Jade, I'm so excited!! I know I'll be able to help you find the perfect dress!"

"I sure hope so, Lori. I sure hope so."

As soon as I get in the office, Phillip shuts his door, pushes me up against it, and kisses me. "You're late," he says. "I'm your boss. I'm probably going to have to write you up or something."

"No, you're just always early."

He grabs my ass. "Maybe you should offer to sleep with the boss, so you can get ahead."

"I'm surprised you'd want me to sleep with your dad, Phillip."

He chuckles and kisses the side of my neck just under my ear. I swear, it makes me weak in the knees. It's a good thing I'm up against the door. "I'm pretty sure I'm your boss."

"And I'm pretty sure if sleeping with you was the way to get ahead, I'd be running the company by now."

He slides his hand into the back of my hair and kisses me again. "I missed you."

"You saw me an hour ago."

"I still missed you. Do you know how sexy you looked this morning? Your hair was a wreck, and your mascara was all smeared. That's how I know it was a good night. The more smeared your mascara, the more fun we had."

"Are you suggesting we had fun last night?"

"Oh, yeah. And guess what? We're going home for lunch today."

"I'm gonna starve, huh?"

"Naw, you're just living on love."

Phillip and I are meeting with Amy, our amazing wedding planner, for some serious wedding planning. Since we hired her, wedding planning has become really fun.

We're basically planning one big long party, and I love parties!!

We've both had numerous phone conversations with Amy about what we want at the wedding. And we know, food is high on Phillip's list. We both want the food to be like good, normal food. Sorry, but don't come to my wedding if you're looking for little appetizers with caviar and cream on top.

That is not us.

We meet her at the hotel, view the ballrooms, and sit down to start our food tasting. We taste all the appetizers for the cocktail party. We're having Kobe beef sliders, hot wing bites, twice-baked baby new potatoes, bacon-wrapped scallops, barbecued shrimp, a shot glass of tomato-basil soup served with a mini grilled cheese, fruit kabobs, and crab cakes. We also want to have a cool signature cocktail, we just need to choose one.

Amy says, "They made three drinks for you to try. I wasn't sure which way you would want to go, a wintery drink, or one that matches your wedding decor."

First, we try a chocolate peppermint martini. It's really good and reminds me of hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps. Then we taste a gingerbread martini. Phillip is in love with the gingerbread one, but he thinks they both taste too much like dessert. Once they bring out the third drink, I see why. I'm pretty sure this drink was Phillip's idea. It's called the Princess Martini.

Amy tells me, "It's a combination of Chambord flavored vodka, citron vodka, and lemonade."

Phillip takes a taste. "This drink is aptly named. It's just like you. The perfect combination of sweet and sass."

"And the glass is rimmed with purple sugar. How cute is that?"

"Like I said, just like you."

I take another drink then yell out, "Sold!"

Phillip grins at me. Sorry, I have to say it.

Isn't he just adorable??!!!

I just want to take him home with me.

Like now.

But we have to do this stuff, even though all I can think about is how I'd like to rip his clothes off.

We taste everything on our dinner menu. The wedge salad with balsamic vinaigrette, the Kansas City strip steaks with port wine reduction sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and cheesy corn. It was all really good.

"Jadyn," Amy says to me, "Phillip told me you love desserts. I think it might be fun to do something a little different. While you're doing the toasts, your first dance, and cutting the cake, I thought we should serve a little something sweet to finish off dinner and to go with the champagne. And don't worry, people will still eat plenty of cake."

Danny, who is known for his impeccable timing, texts me.

Gosh, he makes me laugh. I show Phillip the text. He whispers in my ear. "We'll stop at the store later. That sounds fun."

I bite my lip. I'm practically breathless imagining Phillip covered in whipped cream and chocolate. Two of my most favorite things.

I'm having a great little daydream when the chef brings out an array of dessert shooters. Little bites of wonder is what they should be called.

They're the perfect size, and we couldn't pick just one. So we're doing an assortment and letting the guests each try a few. We did narrow the options down to four, Phillip and I each picking our two favorites.

And I have to talk about these desserts because desserts are like my very favorite thing in the world. Phillip has always teased me because if I had my way, I would eat dessert first and see how hungry I was before ordering dinner.

If only our bodies would cooperate diet-wise with this.

I think God, the architect of our amazing universe, made incredible things. Sunsets, rainbows, the way the water ripples, how he created our bodies and minds, and everything. (He also created sex. Think about that.)

But I think the fact that dessert every day will make us fat is a serious design flaw.

Think how happy we'd all be.

Seriously, if everyone in the world could eat dessert first, AND not get fat in the process, I'm convinced there would be so much happiness and love in the world. It's kinda like the whole 70's thing.

PEACE, LOVE, AND WEED.

Now sure, weed makes you feel all happy, but you know, it's illegal and all and frowned upon by many.

However.

PEACE, LOVE, AND DESSERT.

I really think the world could wrap their head around this.

And I plan to fully support this movement at my wedding.

Dessert for everyone.

So don't laugh at the fact that we're having four kinds of dessert shooters and two kinds of cake.

Okay, now let me gush about these shooters.

My favorite is something called chocolate overload, which if I remember right from school would be considered an oxymoron because it's not possible in Jadyn's little world. There is no such possible thing as TOO MUCH chocolate; therefore, it's impossible to overload it. It starts out with gooey flourless chocolate cake pieces, and then it's topped with homemade chocolate fudge, chocolate ganache, and chocolate whipped cream.

Seriously.

"You can just take a dozen or so of those up to the honeymoon suite and leave them by the bathtub for me on our wedding night," I half joke to Amy and Phillip.

Actually, I wasn't really joking.

My other favorite was lighter and fluffy, but it was equally wonderful. It was similar to a cake my grandma used to make when I was little. It has poundcake, warm caramel sauce, whipped cream, and toffee pieces.

Phillip chose a mini tiramisu because that's his mom's favorite dessert, and then he went crazy over pumpkin cake with caramel liquor and cinnamon spiced whipped cream.

"You can put some of these by the tub for me," he jokes.

"I'm a wedding planner, not the dessert fairy," Amy says. "Although, when we're finished up here, we do get to taste cake. I'm gonna go tell them we're ready for the after party food."

"This is like the best day ever," Phillip says to me.

I'm still picturing Phillip covered in chocolate, so I whisper to him. "If you buy chocolate and whipped cream on the way home, it might just be your best night ever too."