Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Sutton giggled as Addie folded the paper and put it in a large folder.
“I’ll double-check with your dad,” Addie said. “Now, down to business. I want to have a co-ed bachelor and bachelorette party.”
I blinked several times. “I’m sorry, what?”
“She wants to combine the parties,” Sutton clarified. “And not only the bachelor and bachelorette parties, but the shower as well. Addie wants them all to be one big party.”
I slowly shook my head. “Why?”
“I asked her that too.” Sutton wore a pinched expression as she leaned against her desk. “You’re robbing us of properly sending you off into married life.”
Addie rolled her eyes. “Seriously? I’m robbing you of that?”
Sutton and I both nodded.
“Too bad. This is what I want. We’re too close to the wedding, and running around to all these different events is going to add stress. And, if I’m being honest, I don’t trust Brax and Palmer to get it done.”
“Good call on Brax,” I mumbled.
Sutton grinned and then looked at her sister. “Addie, I think if you thought about it a little more, you’d change your mind.”
She shook her head. “I’m not changing my mind. It’s one party. Period.”
“What if I want to throw my brother a separate bachelor party?” I asked.
Addie tilted her head and gave me the sweetest smile. “If either of you even think of throwing a bachelor or bachelorette party, I’ll send in a tip to the gossip column that you’re having an affair.”
Sutton gasped. “Adelaide! You wouldn’t!”
Addie turned to her sister. “You bet your sweet ass, I would. No other parties. It’s one co-ed party, a week from today if Gannon has the date off. Brody, do you have access to his schedule?”
I pulled up the schedule. “Next Saturday should work. He’s free.”
Addie clapped her hands together. “Perfect. Then you two better get busy! You only have a week to plan this thing!”
“Addie…a week? Come on. It could take a week to get everyone’s information. Not to mention, who do we even invite?” Sutton stated.
Addie pulled out a sheet of paper. “I did all that work for you. Everyone’s names, addresses, and emails are listed here. I’d suggest sending an evite, though you may have to call one or two people.”
Sutton snatched the paper from her sister’s hands and scanned it. “Theme?” she asked, continuing to look over the list.
“Theme? We have to have a theme?” I asked.
“No theme. The simpler, the better,” Addie said.
I blew out a breath. “Dodged that bullet.”
Addie rolled her eyes and focused on her sister. “We can have it at the event center above The Maine Bakery. I already booked it.”
“Man, Addie, what do you even need us for?” Sutton asked with a laugh.
Addie started gathering up her things. “To plan all the other stuff. Like food, decorations, things like that. I’ve got to run. Talk to you two soon!”
“I’ll let you out the front,” Sutton said as she followed her sister out of her office and through the shop.
A few minutes later, Sutton walked back into her office and sat at her desk. “So, should we start to plan this party now or do you need to be somewhere?”
I watched her ruffle papers on her desk to avoid looking at me. “Sutton, we need to talk.”
“If it’s not about the party or the back room, I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”
I was hit with an instant headache, and I rubbed my fingers against my temples. “Fine, if this is how you want to handle it, I’ll play along. What do you need me to do for the party?”
She smiled and looked up at me. “I’ll make a list of things we need to get done, and we can split the tasks. I’ll do half, you do the other.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
I turned and headed out of her office, making my way to the back room that Sutton was converting into more retail space. I quickly got to work on my list of things to do, getting lost in the music coursing from my AirPods.
A short while later, I turned toward the hall to see Sutton standing in the doorway, watching me. I pulled out one of my earphones. “Did you need something?”
She wrapped her arms around herself—and a feeling of dread hit me right in the stomach. She was on the verge of crying.
“What’s wrong, Sutton?”
When she didn’t say anything, I quickly moved across the room. “What’s wrong?” I asked again, bending down to look at her. She’d already been crying. I cupped her face in my hands and silently pleaded with her to open up to me.
“He took the money.”
“What?” I asked, confused.
She sniffled. “He took the money out of my account. Out of the business account. He took it all out!”
Rage washed over me. “I’m going to fucking kill him!”
I went to move past Sutton, but she grabbed my arm to stop me. “Wait! Don’t, Brody. It’ll only make things worse. I already called my lawyer, and he said he’ll get it taken care of, though it might take some time. I have to pay bills, and I…I…I don’t know what to do!”