Page 35 of Bind Me
A little over six weeks to plan a wedding for a cinema full of people. When she’d only been dating Rafael for twelve. And a half. This was what her former tutoring student and Rafael’s godson, Nico, would have calledstressful math.
Adriana looked up. “You’re aware that most couples take eight months to a year to plan an event of that size?”
He leaned back in his chair, the picture of unbothered confidence. “We’re not most couples.”
Bea crossed her legs. “He means we’re delusional. Utterly divorced from reality.”
Adriana opened a logistics spreadsheet, fingers flying. “Alright. We’ll need a venue with privacy, scale, and clearance for media restrictions. Hotels are out; resorts are booked. I can pull options on the east cliffs, though their access road is narrow.”
“I know a place.”
Both women turned to him.
“There’s a beach for the ceremony. We could have marquees for the reception.” Rafael’s arm slipped around her shoulders. “You okay with our house as the venue?”
Our house. So cool, so casual. Like a ten-acre beachfront estate was normal, and brides always had them at their disposal. She smiled. “Sounds great.”
He played with the ends of her hair, then addressed Adriana. “We’ll clear an extra acre by the sand, lay a semi-permanent road in. Power and water lines run close enough from the house for catering.”
Adriana paused mid-note. “You’re proposing to build a temporary wedding site in a month.”
“I’ve already got the crew. Two, actually.”
Without missing a beat, Adriana tapped something on her tablet, already color-coding tasks. Somewhere, an assistant probably fainted. “Theme ideas?”
Rafael turned to her. “This one’s all yours, baby.”
Bea paused, the image already there waiting for her. “I want the ceremony to be at sunset. Have you ever watchedTangled?”
Group Chat: Basketball War Crimes
CLAIRE: Ok so it’s been over a week since we’ve been wedding ON
CLAIRE: Beya Slaya, when exactly are you writing your vows?!
BEA: I have a Notes app file titled “stuff to say before surrendering my entire life”
LAURENT: Just remember, vows must be romantic and legally submissive
RAFAEL: Max is on the legal part
LAURENT: Do we need to talk about your vow tone? I imagine it’s giving blood oath
RAFAEL: That’s because it is
CLAIRE: Can you men at least PRETEND this isn’t a medieval transfer of power?
BEA: It’s fine. I’ve mostly accepted I’m marrying the CEO of Mount Doom
RAFAEL: Do you want a different ring?
BEA: Not unless it glows when you lie
LAURENT: One ring to stake his claim…
CLAIRE: One lawyer to write it
LAURENT: One groom with a god complex
