Page 2 of The Mountain Man's Wedding Disaster
The only free spot was several rows back. I ran inside and asked for help, but by the time we walked back out to my truck, we were soaked.
And so was the food.
“This is a disaster.” I looked around the kitchen at my soaked staff and soaked food. “Half the food is missing, and the other half is soaked. Has anyone managed to get ahold of Brian?”
“I did.” Eddie glanced down at his phone. “His truck is stuck in the mud. He’s waiting for help.”
“Shit.”
“I’m sorry, boss.” Eddie came up beside me. “I know how hard you worked on this.”
“Thank you. Let’s put our heads together and come up with a plan. We can save this.”
“I can help.”
A familiar voice echoed through the kitchen, the very voice that made my blood run hot and my heart beat faster.
The girl I’d crushed on since I figured out what crushes were. Only twelve and hopelessly crushing on my older sister’s best friend.
Amethyst.
My head snapped up. “Am? What are you doing here? You should be taking pictures.”
She shrugged and walked over to me, more beautiful than ever in her bridesmaid dress. The red fabric hugged her curves in all the right places. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and never let go.
Sure, I’d had other crushes. Small ones. My first kiss. A couple of girlfriends. But I never pined over a woman like I did Amethyst. I ended up ending all of my relationships because of her. It wasn’t fair to string others along when my heart only wanted one thing-her.
“I took a few. But I heard what happened with the food. I couldn’t leave you here hanging.”
I swallowed hard. She came to help me? I knew she enjoyed cooking but…this was a day for her to party and celebrate her best friend. Not to spend it cooking her butt off in the kitchen. “You can’t cook in your bridesmaid dress.” I stammered.
“Says who? Pass me an apron or a chef’s jacket. Let’s get this going.” Amethyst smiled at me and elbowed me in the side playfully. “Friends help each other out, right?”
I smiled warmly back as my heart skipped a beat. She remembered the saying I used to say on repeat, annoying the shit out of my sister. Instantly I felt better. No one made me feel like she did. “Right.”
We rolled our sleeves up and got to work.
CHAPTER TWO
Amethyst
As soon asI got word the catering team was having issues, I kissed Annie on the cheek and promised her more pictures later. We were almost done anyway, so she wasn’t upset. She encouraged me to go, not wanting to see her brother struggle and wanting her day to go off without a hitch.
From the other side of the large reception hall, where the ceremony and pictures were being done, I hurried to the kitchen.
While I might not cook as well as most of the people staffed at Arlo’s company, I figured my help was better than nothing.
Besides, I’d had a crush on that man for as long as I could remember. While I doubt he saw me as anything but a friend, based on his little sayings, I jumped at whatever chance rose to get to see him.
After I walked into the kitchen and offered my help, he gave me that award-winning smile of his and I was a goner. I’d peel potatoes for hours if he asked. I didn’t care. Hell, I’d wash dishes if it meant I got to stay and be around him.
“Alright, we need a plan. What we can salvage, what we can create. We need at least five courses. Soup, salad, appetizer, main course, and dessert. This is what we have.” Arlo explained his ingredients. As people threw in ideas, we planned out a menu and set to work. I peeled veggies and prepped ingredients, working side by side with Arlo as his right-hand man.
“Thank you. I can’t say it enough. I really thought we were screwed.” Arlo said as he seasoned potatoes.
“You were. But I knew you’d save the day.” I looked up at him, his very tall fix foot five frame towering over me. In high school, he was two grades below Annie and I, a tall, lanky, goofy kid, but one that could always make you laugh. His shaggy brown hair would fall in front of his eyes, him constantly pushing it away as he told his next joke. Our senior year, he was a sophomore and ended up taking a home economics class with me, his cooking skills really starting to shine then. I knew he’d go off and do great things and here he was, running his own catering company. “You’re an amazing guy, Arlo. I don’t tell you this enough, but I’m proud of you.”
Arlo stopped working and turned to face me. “Thank you. I think you’re pretty damn great, too.”
