Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Author:Sarah Dessen
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi, pdf
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2017-05-02T15:53:11+00:00

CHAPTER

14

“WAIT, THEY’RE not coming?” my mom said, as William waved his free hand, trying to quiet her. “But the photographer will be here in ten minutes!”

“. . . of course I understand,” William said into the phone at his ear, using his firm voice. Just hearing it, I sat up straighter in my own chair. “But we’d agreed you’d participate in this photo shoot. There’s no way we’ll find someone else on such short notice.”

“Remind her this was part of our deal,” my mom said. He flapped at her again. “If they stand us up for this, no discount on the rehearsal dinner fee. I might even mark it up.”

Yikes, I thought, raising my eyebrows. When I snuck a look at my mom, she looked so incensed I quickly went back to folding programs.

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” William said into the phone, sitting back in his chair. “And of course we’ll discuss how it affects our fee. . . . Fine. Okay. Right.”

“No,” my mom said flatly, as he hung up the phone. “No way she just canceled on us for this. I won’t accept it.”

“You know I usually am a big fan of denial,” he replied with a sigh, “but we probably need to call the photographer and reschedule. We can’t shoot wedding images without a bride.”

Just then, as if on cue, the front door chimed. When I looked over, a petite woman with close-cut black curls was entering, pulling a case behind her. A light setup was over her shoulder. “Morning,” she called out, totally oblivious to the mood of the room. “Where do you want me?”

My mom groaned, putting her head in her hands. This was dramatic for her, but I understood the frustration. Ever since Natalie Barrett Weddings had been chosen as a finalist for Local Business of the Year by Lakeview Monthly she’d been on edge, doing everything she could to better our chances of winning. This included, but was not limited to, eschewing the staff photographer the magazine had sent to get some quick candids in favor of a professional taking pictures of a real-life couple in our office. One of our upcoming brides, Marlo Wagner, had been all set up to come in with her fiancé that morning until the phone call a few minutes earlier. We’d had a lot of problems in the office, but lacking a bride and groom at the same time had never been one of them.

“I’ll call the magazine,” William said now, picking up the phone again. “Tell them we need another day.”

“Don’t bother,” my mom told him through her hands. “They already made it clear that if they don’t have these images by business close today they’re going with stock ones. Stock, William. Can you even imagine?”

“There has to be a solution to this,” he said, as the photographer started unpacking cameras and lenses from her case. “We don’t need a real bride and groom. Just two people to play the part.”

“No one wants to see us cutting a cake,” my mom said.

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