Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 87091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Her latest crew had been with her for several years each, and while the catering staff tended to be a little more fluid, they were still well trained, and the college students she hired tended to come back year after year until they didn’t need the casual work anymore. That kind of loyalty and stability meant that Crystal was free to do the high-level business planning, able to trust that the day-to-day running of the business was well in hand.
All that said, she’d do most of the planning for Mila’s wedding herself. But of course, Mila being Mila, there was already a file full of ideas and pictures. As she flicked through the rest of the material that she’d dropped off, she had to smile. Mila and Hersch might not have been engaged very long, but Mila had obviously been collecting pictures and Instagram posts and articles and wedding venues for a lot longer than that. It was a sweet surprise, because for as long as Crystal had known her, the former pro surfer had only ever talked about men as though they were accessories. Good for a season and then changed with her mood. After her heart had been broken by her first real relationship, she’d had love affair after love affair with hot guys, always quick to move on once she became bored. So Crystal had never guessed that Mila Davenport was the kind of girl who’d been dreaming of her white wedding for years. Or maybe just since she’d met Herschel. Maybe that’s what true love did to you—showed you your softer, more tender side, and made you proud of it.
At the very least, Crystal appreciated Mila’s sense of organization. She’d worked with brides who kept changing their minds, which played havoc with planning, so the file definitely helped her glean a sense of what she and Herschel wanted. However, she would still book a more formal meeting with them both, because there was nothing worse than going along with everything the bride wanted and then finding out the groom wasn’t happy. She doubted Herschel Greenfield would hate any of the ideas his fiancée had dreamed up, but she still wanted to include him in the planning.
She was trying to put together a mood board for Mila when yet another message came in from Damien. She sighed when she saw his name, but couldn’t ignore the slight flip of her heart. She had read and decided not to reply to all his messages, even though she’d almost picked up when he’d called yesterday. The trouble was, she just didn’t know what she wanted to say. She had spoken her truth. She didn’t want to become one of his groupies. And his reaction to her truth had been, well, disappointing.
She couldn’t tell whether he regretted the kiss or not, and she didn’t know whether she did either. It was a mess. A mess that right now she wasn’t about to tidy up. Because she didn’t want to be the woman who slaked his boredom while he was home for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months, now that he seemed to think he was staying.
Not that a few months as a couple wouldn’t feel amazing. Their soul-searing kiss, and the way she’d felt in his arms, was enough evidence for that. But how much worse would it be for her if she became intimate with him and then the affair ended? As all his affairs did. He’d go back out on the road, probably with an affectionate goodbye and no regrets. She’d be like any other girl in his life, and their friendship would be in ruins.
The thought made her whole body hurt. It was like she had the flu, like she was achy all over and cold. She felt as if they were back in high school and she was still a starstruck teenager who saw something magical in Damien. That magic had only grown, and now the rest of the world saw what she did. The truth was, she would never be able to keep his attention for long. Once he was back on the road, film stars, models, and other musicians would vie for his attention—beautiful, smart, talented women who would love to be with Damien Davenport.
So, if she followed the yearnings of her body and gave in to an affair with him, it would be wonderful while it lasted. But when he ended it, she wasn’t sure her heart would survive. And because she was as soft as jelly where he was concerned, it was much easier not to talk to him.
Okay, now she was spiraling. She focused on his text so that she could delete it and then move on. But when she saw he was asking her to come and meet Opal, her confusion doubled.