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I held out my hands. “I don’t know what kind of wedding she’s going to want. Or how fast she’ll be able to plan it. I don’t imagine we’ll get married before the end of the year though.”
I didn’t really want to elope. Maybe I didn’t care about an enormous and fancy to-do, but I wanted Mom to be able to dress up. I wanted to see Megan at the top of the church aisle coming toward me in something white and floaty. I wanted to have that party afterward with our friends and family and good food.
“It’s a busy season for the bookstore. This would be a terrible time to elope.”
There was that, too. I looked at Austin. “So maybe around Easter? Just after? Sometime in the late spring, early summer?”
“All right. I’ll talk to Kayla. I think we can swing a six-month lease with the landlord, especially if he knows we’re for sure leaving at the end of it. I get the feeling it’s more about uncertainty for him than anything else.”
“Question.”
Austin’s eyebrows lifted.
“Why don’t you just pay him for the year whether you stay that long or not? It’s not as if that would even make a dent for you.” It was one thing not to be extravagant and spend on stupid things. But that wasn’t what this was at all. “And if the complex ended up with a little extra cash, maybe that would keep him from having to raise the rent on someone who couldn’t afford it.”
“That’s a point. All right. We’ll do that. I’ll explain to Kayla—but I’m warning you, you’d better propose at the gala. Kayla won’t be able to keep it under wraps forever.”
I snickered. “Guess I’d better see about a ring.”
I stood.
Austin stood, too, and held out his hand. “Guess you’d better. And I’m serious about you helping with the art thing.”
“For sure. Send me an email with details and I’ll start thinking about it. Who’s hosting poker Friday?”
“Tristan, I think. I’ll ask in the group chat.”
I made my way to the door of Austin’s office and rested my hand on the knob. “Thanks, man.”
“Treat her right, or I’ll know about it.” Austin pointed a finger at me. “I’ll put Dad’s cell number in that email for you.”
I laughed as I opened the door. It probably wasn’t a bad idea to let Megan’s folks know my intentions. Hopefully, they’d be as okay with it as Austin. If they weren’t? Well, Megan was her own woman. I’d let her deal with them.
I got through the halls and down the stairs to the front entrance more easily on the way out. I handed the lanyard to the security guard. “Thanks. Have a good one.”
“Yes, sir.”
I’d meant to ask about the whole security situation, but, unsurprisingly, had gotten distracted with the more important conversation. I spotted a group of teens heading toward the building, laughing and joking like they did. Each one had a lanyard around their neck.
Huh.
After the big to-do that had cost Austin and Kayla their jobs last year, I was still somewhat surprised that most of the rest of our group managed to stay under the radar enough that we didn’t need to drag personal security around all the time. Maybe the guy at the entrance to the learning center was Austin’s compromise.
Tristan was pushing for all of us to do more. But…ugh. I just didn’t want to be that guy. I liked driving myself. Being my own person. Let alone not wanting to deal with whatever it would do to Megan’s bookstore.
No, for now I was pretty happy that I was flying under the radar. I’d do what I could to keep it that way.
Back in my car, I checked the time and considered. I had tentative plans to swing by the bookstore and bring Megan dinner. But there was still time for me to visit a couple of jewelry stores. Especially if I stuck to the more boutique shops locally instead of trying to get across town to the big malls at Tyson’s Corner.
If I didn’t find what I was looking for? Well, there was always the Internet.
28
MEGAN
“I’m so glad you asked me to come with you.” Whitney looked around the dress shop with a glimmer in her eyes I wasn’t sure I liked.
“I’m glad Scott didn’t mind watching Beckett.” This place was definitely not kid friendly. Which, okay, what dress shop was? But it felt like this one was worse than usual with its open cases of necklaces and tiaras. “This feels more like a bridal shop than a place for me to find a cocktail dress.”
