Page 69 of Last Night Was Fun

“Because Gary,who is a very nice person,” Ben said, emphasizing the words, “came over and introduced them. They are from LA. They got engaged around the same time we did.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Emmy said, and speared a pineapple wedge.

“It’s notnice,” Piper said with a glower. “Don’t take their side, Em. I need you.”

“There are no sides, Piper. It was a mistake, remember? It’s thehotel’s fault, not theirs. So you can stop staring at them like they ran over your foot.” She waved her fork at her to refocus her attention.

Piper only glowered deeper.

Ben sighed again. “Where’s Gabe?” he asked, and sipped his coffee.

“Oh, he went for a run this morning, so he’s still in the room showering. He’ll be here soon.” Her face ignited to rocket launch temperature at the wordshowering. She sipped her own coffee and wished it was iced instead of hot.

Ben checked his watch. “Well, you might have to catch up with him later because I could really use you in this meeting in a few minutes.” He tilted his head toward Piper with a pleading look on his face.

“Happy to help,” Emmy said, though she was dreading it. She wasn’t a great mediator, and with the way Piper and Cary were glaring at each other, she felt like a warthog about to be torn apart by two lions.

What she needed was an ally on the other side. Another neutralish party who could help negotiate without the emotional investment of being the bride or one of the grooms. How she was going to find one of those in the next fifteen minutes, she had no idea.

Emmy settled into her breakfast and tried to keep her nerves at bay as the pending meeting drew nearer. To compound that, Jacob could arrive at any moment given they were so close to the wedding. She was cautiously keeping her eyes peeled for a flash of blond surfer hair and an entitled smirk roaming around the property. She didn’t want to run into him at all, but especially not without the buffer of Gabe there for support. So far, she was in the clear.

Soon, they were all back in the lobby. Team Piper & Ben and Team Gary & Cary awkwardly milled around the plush armchairs near the registration desk. Each side had gained a few more supporters:Ben’s brother and aunt; Gary’s mom, based on the resemblance; a few members of the bridal parties. A small crowd had gathered, and Emmy felt like they were the Sharks and Jets about to throw down in a tropical paradise.

She was nervously wringing her hands, trying to think of an opening argument for equitable division of the venue, when Gabe appeared at the lobby entrance.

The calming wave that washed over her at the sight of him was not subtle. It muted the surrounding chatter, dulled her nerves. Narrowed her senses to only the space he occupied and cradled her there with him.

“Hey,” he said with a warm smile when he approached her. “What’s all this?”

The freshly showered smell of him flooded over Emmy. She took a small step back only to prevent herself from shoving her nose into the contours of his chest left visible by his partly unbuttoned shirt. He wore his boat shoes again and another pair of shorts. His hair was without any of its standard gel and was left curling over his forehead in rebellious little loops.

Vacation looked good on Gabe Olson. Very,verygood.

“It’s, um... the other wedding,” Emmy managed to mutter. She needed to pull herself together, both to stop ogling her co-worker and so she could stop the Bride/Groomzilla war about to break out.

Gabe bounced up onto his toes to look into the crowd. When he landed back on his heels, his arm brushed Emmy’s and then stuck there in a pleasantly tacky bind, as if the humidity wanted to glue them together. He markedly did not move it. “That’s the other couple?”

Emmy markedly did not move her arm either.

“Yes. Gary and Cary from LA. Ben met them and says they’re nice, but Piper is ready to go fullAmerican Gladiatorswith Cary for the venue. We are waiting for the manager to show up to start the discussion. He’s late.”

Gabe grimaced. “Well, I’d probably be late too if I was walking into this mess,” he muttered. And then, “How can I help?”

Emmy turned to him, noting their arms were still glued together and doing nothing about it. Looking into his dark eyes quieted her nerves all over again. “You can keep me calm while I keep my sister calm.”

“Done. What else?”

“Umm, manifest a second venue on the property? Teach my sister a valuable lesson about sharing? Find a mediator to help everyone get out of this alive?”

Just then someone called his name.

“Gabe?”

They both turned to see a harried-looking man with a duffel looped over his shoulder and a backward LA Lakers hat. He wore a gold watch and had a bright and startlingly familiar smile.

“Wait,Henry?” Gabe said in shock.

The man dropped his bag on the lobby floor and threw out his arms. “Dude! What are you doing here?”