Page 27 of Bound To Be Mine

I followed her down a corridor to a room at the back of the chapel. She knocked once, then opened the door a crack. “Victoria? It’s Mandy. Can I come in?”

Mandy slipped inside. The door closed behind her, leaving me in the hallway like a kid sent to wait in the principal’s office. I pulled out my phone to check my emails, but I found myself listening instead. I could hear Mandy’s voice through the door. She was very calm and reassuring.

Two minutes later, the door opened and Mandy emerged. A woman in a wedding dress stood there with an older woman adjusting her veil. The bride was stunning, but I noticed she looked nervous.

“You’re going to be amazing,” Mandy said, squeezing the bride’s hand. “Bud is already out there, and he looks like he’s going to cry the second he sees you.”

Victoria laughed, a little watery. “Good. I want him to cry.”

“Oh, he will. Trust me. Your dad is waiting by the entrance. I’ll give you the cue when we’re ready. Deep breaths.”

“What should I do?” I asked as she walked back toward the chapel.

“Stay out of the way.”

“Rude.”

She snorted. “That’s the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Are we still on that?” I sighed. “I thought me being here was my penance.”

“We haven’t even gotten started. Wait until the reception. That’s where the real party is. That’s when shit goes sideways.”

“How do you keep it from becoming a disaster?”

She stopped walking and looked at me. “You’ll see. And then you’re going to see why you want me signing that contract.”

I smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

And I was. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

The ceremony itself was beautiful. I watched from the back, standing against the wall where I could see everything. Through it all, I watched Mandy.

She stood in the back near me, eyes constantly moving. Checking the photographer’s positioning. Watching the guests. Making sure everything flowed smoothly. When one of the flower girls started to wander off, Mandy caught her attention with a smile and a subtle gesture, guiding her back to her seat without disrupting the ceremony.

It was impressive. She made it look effortless, but I was beginning to understand how much work went into a production like this.

When the ceremony ended and the couple walked back down the aisle to applause, Mandy was already moving. She directed the ushers, coordinated the family photos, and made sure the guests knew where to go for cocktail hour.

“The reception is at the Bellagio,” she said, appearing at my elbow. “We’ve got about forty-five minutes. I need to get over there and make sure everything is still good to go.”

“I’ll come with you.”

She looked at me for a moment, like she was trying to figure out if I was serious. “Okay. But we’re taking an Uber. I’m not dealing with the parking situation.”

We walked out into the Vegas heat, which hit me like a physical thing. It had to be over a hundred degrees. Mandy pulled out her phone and ordered a car without breaking stride.

“How are you not sweating?” I asked, because I could already feel my shirt sticking to my back.

“Practice,” she said. “And there’s no time to sweat.”

The Uber arrived, a black SUV that was blessedly cool inside. Mandy slid in first, and I followed. She immediately pulled out her phone and started typing.

“Problems?” I asked.

“Just confirming everything is ready. My job is to fix any issues before anyone notices.”

Her fingers flew over the screen. She was in her element, completely focused. This was why Adrian had spent months convincing her to partner with us. I was beginning to understand.