Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Only their newest member—Tessa Taylor—remained her usual quiet and composed self.
Mila had put it down to her artistic and caring nature that Tessa was more introverted than the rest of the family. But now she considered it might also be a sign of a woman deeply in love. She seemed to be walking around in a happy, dreamlike bubble. Even now, while squeezing the oranges for fresh OJ, Tessa’s designated job for breakfast, she paused momentarily to admire the sparkle of her engagement ring. Arch certainly hadn’t held back on the diamond. It was a sumptuous teardrop on a platinum band. Elegant and understated, just like Tessa herself, but Mila knew it had cost more than most people’s annual salaries. She wondered if Tessa knew what he’d spent, but quickly figured no, she’d have been mortified. Unlike Arch, who had no qualms about treating himself to the finer things in life, Tessa was modest. She was used to being careful with money. She still thrifted some of her clothes, even though she had no need to.
The family tended to get together for breakfast at least once a month, usually on a weekend, or, like today, when somebody got everybody together. It was Arch who’d organized the Friday morning brunch. Mila set her own schedule, and everyone else had obviously made time. Erin sometimes worked weekends or nights at the Sea Shell weekly paper, so could take a morning off if she wanted to. Howie and Finn ran their own construction business. Nick worked when and where he felt like it, though he’d made so much money from his apps he didn’t have to work at all. Arch hadn’t yet started shooting his next film, Shock Tactics, and Damien was taking a break after his last tour. Betsy didn’t teach classes on Friday morning.
Seeing the glint of Tessa’s ring, Damien said, “I guess your wedding will be a media frenzy. No getting round it.”
Damien was the family musician. Rock star, to put it more accurately. He’d found fame early as a guitarist for a successful rock band who’d managed to make the charts with their catchy first hit. It was hard now to imagine Damien happier than he was when on the stage… with countless pretty women chanting his name. He wasn’t exactly a bad boy, but he was no saint either. He knew all about the downside of celebrity that went along with the fame and money.
“Arch promised Tessa a small wedding,” Erin piped up.
“Never going to happen,” Damien insisted.
“We have a plan,” Arch said in a shut-up-and-don’t-freak-out-my-future bride tone. “That’s why I wanted to have breakfast with you all this morning—to figure out the details.”
“Close friends and family only,” Tessa agreed, pouring the golden orange liquid into a huge ceramic jug and following the rest of the family into the dining room. “Speaking of which,” she continued, setting the jug on the table, “there’s something I wanted to ask you two.”
She looked at Mila and Erin with a happy grin as she took her seat next to Arch. “I was hoping you would be my bridesmaids.”
“I’d be honored,” Mila said quickly, feeling suddenly choked with emotion. She was no romantic—far from it—but the thought of taking such a special role in Tessa and Arch’s wedding touched the most tender part of her.
Erin clapped her hands together, a look of pure joy on her face. “Me too,” she said.
The three of them grasped hands across the table.
“Thank you,” Tessa said quietly. “You two already feel like sisters to me.”
Her mom set down a plate of her famous French toast and beamed. “And I’m so happy to have another daughter join our family.”
“Hear, hear,” their father, Howie, agreed. He passed a platter of his famous omelet, already cut into neat slices, around the table.
“I was thinking we could ask Margaret Percy to give a reading,” Arch suggested, helping himself to two slices.
“What a great idea,” Betsy said. “She did introduce the two of you, after all.”
Nick reached for toast. “When are you going to ask me to be your best man?” He looked over at Arch. “I’m the oldest—obviously it should be me.”
Finn made a rude noise. “Dude. I’m the best looking, so I’m the sensible choice. Think of your wedding photos.”
“Low blow,” Nick complained. Finn really was the best looking, which he usually tried to hide rather than mentioning it. Nick thought deeply. “Remember that time I covered for you when you missed curfew in ninth grade? You owe me.”
The two brothers looked over at Damien, who hadn’t yet argued for why he should be best man. He held up his hands. “Count me out, man. I’m going to be the entertainment.”
Finn and Nick sized each other up across the table. “Wrestle you for it,” Finn suggested. He was a builder who worked with his hands and was a lot bigger than Nick, who was an app developer. Nick might be a billionaire, but chances weren’t good he could best Finn in a wrestling match. He stood. “Let’s go.”