Listen to Your Heart(19)

“Caleb Lynch, do you know how many times a day I’m asked that question?”

I chuckle. She’s feisty today. It’s nice to see.

“About a thousand, probably.”

“Close. Could we possibly talk about something else? Tell me how the wedding plans are coming along.”

I smile tightly. Of course she’d expect a progress report.

“Right on schedule, as far as I know. The groomsmen and I have our tux fittings this afternoon.”

“Wonderful. Juliana says the wedding planners are a dream.”

“I’ve only met one of them. Short thing. Blonde hair. Walks and talks like she drank too many Red Bulls.”

“Oh, yes. Her name escapes me . . .”

I pull my phone out of my pocket and check Juliana’s text from last night.

“Lynsey?”

“That sounds right.”

For the next hour, Luisa does nothing but talk about the wedding. I find it amazing that her mental capacity fails a little more each day, and yet, she’s able to remember every single detail of the wedding preparations, down to the color of the cocktail napkins. The more she talks, the livelier she becomes, so I plaster on my smile and allow her to believe the lie.

There’s no denying it. For Luisa Martinez, the promise of our wedding day is the only thing stronger than the cancer that’s ravaging her body. Despite the failed treatments and the dismal prognosis, Luisa Martinez will live long enough to see her only daughter walk down the aisle.

To me.





“I do not have the flu!” Lynsey whines in my ear.

“Well, the doctor says you do. It’s fine, Lyns. We’ll handle it.”

Glancing at the schedule for the next few days assures me that I’ll have to lean on our part-time girls more than usual, but at least we don’t have a wedding this weekend.

“I have a groomsmen fitting at three with Juliana’s fiancé. You know, the guy I’ve only met once who has no interest whatsoever in the ceremony.” She proceeds to hack up a lung, right in my ear. “I’m coming in.”

“You are not coming in. I don’t want your germs, especially tonight. You’re staying home until at least Monday, just like the doctor said.”

She sniffles. “I can’t . . . wait, what do you mean especially tonight? What’s tonight?”

“I have plans.”

I hope. Who knows, now that my already-crazy schedule just became crazier.

“With 80s guy?”

I laugh. “He has a name, Lyns.”

“I know, but I can’t remember it thanks to this stupid 102-degree fever.” She has another coughing fit. “Okay, I’m dying.”

“You are. Take your meds and go to bed.”

“You have my schedule?”

“I’m pulling it up right now.”

“Why don’t you take Macy with you this afternoon?”

“You think I can’t handle a groomsmen fitting?”

“I know you can, but she’s been asking for more responsibility. She could use the experience.”

“Sounds good. We’ll take care of everything. Feel better.”

After a short meeting with the girls to delegate some duties, I contact a few of our clients to let them know that Lynsey’s out of commission for the next couple days and to contact me if they have any questions. This afternoon, she has a groomsmen fitting for the Martinez-Lynch wedding at Forever Formals. I check the file, but the only phone number on the account is the bride’s. I give Juliana a call, leaving a voice mail to let her know that I’ll be at the fitting instead of Lynsey, and that I look forward to meeting her fiancé. Grooms are notoriously MIA during the planning process, but according to Lyns, this man has been particularly uninvolved. Unfortunately for Mr. Lynch, he’s the groom, and the groom needs a tux, so today, he gets to be involved.

The rest of the morning is one catastrophe after another. There’s an accident downtown that forces me to cancel a meeting with a vendor. That delay makes me late for a consultation with the mayor’s daughter. By lunch time, I’m frazzled and exhausted and so totally done with this day.

Then I think about Caleb, and everything’s right in my world once again.

Last night was one of the most incredible nights of my life. My conscience tries to rain on my parade, whispering that I’m falling too fast for someone I barely know, but my heart’s just too happy to listen.

“You’re smiling,” Macy says as we walk into Forever Formals.

I play dumb. “Am I?”

“You are.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Macy laughs. “I’m just surprised. Whenever we have a shit day like today, you’re not usually this happy.”

“Maybe I’m happy because we’re only fifteen minutes late for this fitting. I mean, on a day like today, that’s a record.”

“I don’t think that’s it. I think a man’s involved.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I wave at the sales associate and wait while she calls the store manager. “Besides, I’m your boss. It would be completely unprofessional of me to confirm or deny that I’ve met someone.”

“I knew it!” she whispers excitedly.