The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date, #3)(16)

He looked over at the cheese plate on the coffee table and the charcuterie platter at the table over by the TV.

“More snacks than those?”

Alexa laughed.

“Oh, those are just the starter snacks. Come on.”

He followed Alexa into the kitchen, where a tall Latino guy wearing an apron was taking something out of the oven.

“Drew, slide the cookie sheet that’s in the fridge into the oven while I put these on a platter.” He turned when they walked in. “Alexa, are you sure about marrying this guy? He’s useless in the kitchen, you know.”

She stuck the bottle of champagne into a big metal tub filled with ice.

“I know, I know, but at least he takes direction well. But then, neither of us is a real cook like you.” Alexa turned to Theo. “Theo, you remember Carlos, right? He was there with Drew the night of your birthday party last year? Carlos’s engagement present to us was to make a bunch of our favorite snacks for tonight. Thank God, because if either Drew or I had tried to make pigs in a blanket and baked Brie and gougères, this would be a disaster.”

That was an excellent engagement present. He’d only brought champagne and general anxiety. Theo picked up one of the pigs in a blanket and popped it in his mouth.

“Thank God I got here on the early side. I wouldn’t want to miss any of this food.”

Drew grinned at him while he handed Carlos some tongs.

“I told Alexa to warn you, man. Carlos over here has many hidden talents.” Drew glanced at Carlos and his smile got bigger. “As a matter of fact, you might have seen him on TV recently. Did you see that JumboTron proposal at Dodger Stadium? The one where the girl said no?”

Carlos turned between Theo and Drew, a tiny pastry puff between his tongs.

“That was NOT me. I was not the proposer, anyway. I just happened to be sitting behind the couple, that’s all.”

Drew smirked.

“Oh yeah, sure, that’s all.”

There was definitely a story there, but he might have to wait to get it from Alexa on Monday morning.

“Where are the other platters you said you had?” Carlos asked Drew.

Alexa handed Theo a bottle of beer and poured more champagne in her glass.

“Theo and I’ll get them. I left them in the closet in the guest room, along with the rest of the extra party stuff. We’ll be right back.”

She led him down the hallway and into the guest room.

“Hey, um, Theo. While I have you alone here, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

She had a weird look on her face. Was this about work? Did he have a typo in that press release he sent out on Friday? Now he was anxious about something other than Maddie.

“Go for it,” he said.

“It’s just, um, I was thinking about the wedding. I haven’t done a lot of planning so far, of course, since we just got engaged last week. But there are a few things that I already know, and one of those is who I want to be there for me at the wedding. Theo, would you be my bridesman?”

He laughed and wrapped her up in a bear hug.

“First, that’s the most hilarious title I’ve ever had, and I’ve had some weird titles in my day. And second, of course I will. I’d be honored.”

She rested her head on his shoulder.

“Well, I’m honored that you’ll do this for me,” she said, in a voice he’d never heard from her before. He pulled away.

“Don’t you dare cry, Alexa. Your mom will murder me if you walk back into the party with tears on your face.”

She picked up a package of napkins and tore it open.

“It’s okay, I’ve been doing this all the time lately.” She dabbed at her face. “Luckily, they’ve all been good tears. Now let’s get those platters back to the kitchen before Carlos kills us.”

He knew as soon as he walked back into the party that Maddie was in the room. Why he was so hyperaware of a woman he barely knew, he had no idea. Was it her perfume? No, it was impossible to smell it from here, not with all of these people around. But sure enough, when he set his pigs in a blanket–filled platter down and looked around the room, he saw her. Her back was to him, but he knew it was her. Her green sleeveless dress skimmed over her body and clung to all of the places he most wanted to . . . He snapped his head back around. What the hell was he doing, lusting so obviously over a woman who wanted nothing to do with him? He needed another beer.

He walked back into the kitchen to find one. Carlos was taking yet another tray out of the oven. Oh good, here was something he could do.

“Need help with that?” Theo asked as he opened the fridge. “Drew’s stuck in the other room chatting with some of Alexa’s cousins.”

Carlos laughed.

“From what I’ve heard about her family, that may take all night. Yeah, sure, I could use a hand. I could also use another beer, if you want to grab me one.”

Theo pulled two beers out of the fridge and opened both of them.

“Here you go. Tell me what to do.”

Soon, Carlos had him occupied rolling tiny cocktail weenies up in triangles of puff pastry. This was way better than standing around in the other room trying not to stare at Maddie.

“Oh, and don’t forget, just a little dot of Dijon mustard before you roll,” he said to Theo.