Page 47 of On the Slopes of Tahoe
Okay…
My phone rings in my hand. This must be bad if he needs to call me to talk about it. As soon as I answer, he’s talking.
“I can’t do the shoot this weekend. I’m sorry, but I have to go to San Francisco and meet with my agent and publisher. I’m leaving tomorrow and will likely be there for the week.”
“Oh—oh-kay. There’s no way you can be back in time?”
“I wish I could. They’ve got me scheduled for meetings all week and a last-minute signing this weekend. I’m sorry, Rory, I can email the couple and take the heat for having to cancel.”
“I guess that’s our only option. I can’t exactly take pictures of a wedding if there’s no one to officiate it.” I scrub a hand across my face, using my thumb and middle finger to press into my temples. I can feel a headache coming on. Letting a couple down this way is going to send my people-pleasing heart into a death spiral. Plus, I was really looking forward to this shoot.
Attuned to his energy and warmth, I feel Breck beside me before his fingers make contact with my wrist, drawing myattention to him. He’s pointing at his chest, a questioning look on his face.
Can I do it?he mouths.
I scrunch my eyebrows as my brain hums with the possibility. Yes, he can do it. He got ordained to do Wes and Joss’s wedding. But does he really want to?
“Rory?” Jamie says through the phone. I almost forgot about him for a second.
“Uh, hang on a sec,” I say, and move the phone away from my mouth. “Are you sure you want to?” I ask Breck, and he nods.
“I told you I would.”
“Yeah, but that was when you were talking about the business side of things, not about officiating the ceremonies.”
“I’m happy to help however I can.”
Gratitude wells inside me, and it’s about to spill over and force me to hug this beautiful man.
“Rory?” Jamie says again.
“Sorry. I’m here. Okay, new plan. We don’t have to cancel. Breck’s going to officiate.”
“Seriously? That’s generous of him. Tell him thanks. I hate the thought of leaving you high and dry.”
“I will, and I get it, Jamie. This isn’t your real job. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, yet here we are.”
“Here we are. I really do love doing it with you, but I can’t miss these meetings.”
“I know. It’s fine. I promise. We have it covered.” I glance up and bite back a smile. Thatwesounded way too good and came out way too easily.Reel it in, Rory, reel it in.
Jamie continues, oblivious to the fact that I’m only half paying attention to him. “Well, I better get packed. I also need to figure out how to get my Defender out of the two feet of snow it’s buried in. You okay after the storm?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I was at Breck’s when the power went out so I hunkered down here.” Those tingles erupt again at the memories.
“Oh yeah…?” Jamie drawls. I can almost hear him waggling his eyebrows through the phone.
“Yeah,” I snip. “Talk to you later, okay?”
“You better. If you’re finally getting out of your slump I—”
I cut him off. “Bye, Jamie.” I hang up and press the phone to the table, willing my face to cool. God, that man. I blow my breath out in a huff only to find Breck silently shaking with laughter. I smack him with the back of my hand.
“What’s so funny, Daddy?” Willow says, glancing between us.
“Nothing, sweetheart. Want to go play in the snow?”
“Yes!” Jumping up, she knocks the table and sends my coffee sloshing over the lip of my mug. Luckily it misses my laptop… and Breck’s.
