“You most definitely did not,” Alexis said indignantly. “You honestly think I’d ignore all the hard work you did simply because you got stuck with a bum client? Heck, if anything, the way this turned out and the way you’re handling it just proves even more how ready you are for that promotion.”
Heather’s spine straightened. “Seriously?”
Alexis smiled. “Congratulations. Wedding planner.”
Holy crap.
Just like that, she had The Dream. It’s what she wanted forever, and she was happy, she really was, it was just . . .
“There’s something else,” Alexis said quietly.
“I’m thrilled,” Heather rushed to say. “Seriously. But there’s this weird sadness that this wedding isn’t happening. Like I’m taking it personally.”
“I can understand that,” Alexis said slowly. “This was a unique situation in which you were asked to plan a wedding your way rather than the client’s way. You can’t keep from putting a bit of yourself into it.”
Heather gave an embarrassed nod. “I think somewhere along the line, I planned my dream wedding. I mean, not entirely. The dress she picked was way too fussy. I’d have gone with a simple white sheath, cap sleeves, clean lines . . . Pippa Middleton style.”
“To show off your great butt,” Alexis said with a smile.
Heather snorted. “Well, I don’t know about great, but it’s about the only feature I have to work with. Anyway, the dress wasn’t me. And I’ve always envisioned that my bridal party would just be my mom, not something like Danica’s party of twelve. I’d want to honor her, you know? But everything else . . . yeah, pretty much my dream wedding. I figured I might as well do it here, given the unlimited budget.”
“Which makes it extra painful to undo,” Alexis concluded.
Heather shrugged. “I keep telling myself that this was just the trial run. A chance to work through it all so that when it comes time for me to walk down the aisle, I’ll have everything figured out. But the truth is, I’m secretly glad nobody’s picking up the phone today. It lets me live in the illusion just a little bit longer that my vision will come to light next week.”
“Heather. Let me take care of it, please,” Alexis said. “Not as a boss taking over for an employee, but as a friend.”
Heather looked up in surprise. She considered Alexis a friend, definitely, but if she was totally honest, she’d never been completely sure that Alexis considered her the same. Alexis was hardly the demonstrative type.
And she was tempted. Tempted to lean on her, to admit that the dissolving of the Robinson wedding felt like a punch to her professional pride and her heart.
“You know, there’s another way of thinking about it. Relief that your dream wedding won’t be wasted on someone who doesn’t believe it.”
Admittedly, the thought did perk Heather up a bit. Come to think of it, it would have been positively wretched to watch someone else go through with her wedding, even if that person wasn’t a manipulative socialite.
“Seriously, Heather, let Brooke and me take care of this. Jessie can help, too. Put this behind you and focus on the Sheldon wedding. You’re excited about that one, right?”
Heather nodded. Amelia Sheldon was her latest customer and, in addition to being a complete doll, wanted to do a Texas-themed wedding in the middle of the city to honor her and her fiancé’s Texas roots. It was a huge challenge and a welcome break from the usual city-esque themes most NYC brides preferred.
As much as Heather chafed at the thought of being a quitter, Alexis’s offer was tempting. What would be the harm, really, of leaning on her colleagues to make a few phone calls and unravel the Robinson wedding? It would be a minimal time investment, and unlike her, their hearts weren’t all tangled up in the business.
“Let me think about it,” Heather said. “At the very least I’ll finish putting together the list of everyone who needs to be contacted so starting tomorrow one of us can start making the calls.”
“Sure,” Alexis said, standing. “Just so you know that when tomorrow comes, it’s going to be me making the calls.”