Chapter 26

Twenty-Six

Aria

W e checked into the Chesapeake Resort for Chris and Naomi’s wedding. I was continually impressed with how supportive Finn was of his ex and her relationship.

Paisley would be a flower girl in the wedding, and Finn was asked to play his guitar.

When Gia found out, she asked if she could come with me to see what the resort was like.

When a few guests cancelled at the last minute, Gia asked if she could bring her brother, Leo, and her best friend, Harper. Naomi didn’t mind, and I wanted the company since I didn’t know anyone outside of Finn, Paisley, and Naomi.

I had a feeling Silas wouldn’t be happy to find Gia on his property, but she wanted to see for herself what the competition was like.

The resort itself was located just across the Bay Bridge from Annapolis, on the water. It was the size of a regular hotel, but the architecture itself was unique, managing to appear both stately and welcoming at the same time.

As we followed the bellhop to our room, he pointed out the amenities. There were two restaurants, a market that served gourmet food for breakfast and lunch, and a more formal sit-down option. We also passed a chef’s garden and greenhouse, a spa, two pools with cascading features, yoga classes, and even complimentary bikes provided to ride on the surrounding paths.

The room itself was luxurious. There was an upholstered headboard in gray, a leather couch at the base of the king-size bed, a gas fireplace, and a marble bathroom. I’d never been anywhere so extravagant, and I was in heaven.

We wouldn’t need to leave the resort unless we wanted to visit St. Michaels. There was nothing like this in Annapolis. The inns were historic, with small rooms and dismal air conditioning units.

We unpacked our things, got dressed for the ceremony, and took a stroll through the grounds. When we reached the beachfront area, the seats and flowers were already set up. The resort boasted a large ballroom and a beachfront for weddings and other events. Chris and Naomi would get married on the beach and take photographs on the dock that jutted into the water.

I stayed with Finn while he warmed up for the ceremony itself. Guests started arriving and took their seats.

It was a Saturday, so I was surprised when Silas arrived. I assumed he let his wedding planner handle events while he took time off, but maybe he was the kind of business owner who liked to make his presence known at all times.

I studied him while he talked to his wedding planner, Scarlett. She showed him her tablet that probably held the schedule for the day, and after a few minutes, they parted. I held my breath when he scanned the room, and his gaze landed on Leo.

Leo and his brothers were friends with Silas.

Silas crossed the space, wearing an expensive-looking suit, to greet Leo. His expression was more relaxed than when he was speaking to Scarlett. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”

Leo moved slightly away from Harper and Gia as if to divert his attention from them. “The bride and groom are friends of friends, I guess you could say.”

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Silas relaxed, his shoulders lowering as he continued the conversation with his friend and managed to keep an eye on the space.

“The room and service are top-notch, as usual.”

Gia mentioned that Leo and her brothers spent time with Silas at the resort and crashed in the rooms. The fact that her brothers were so close with her biggest competitor caused quite a few family arguments.

“Let’s grab a drink after the ceremony,” Silas offered while making one more scan before his gaze stopped on Gia, who sat in the front row. He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice. “What are you doing here?”

Gia’s face was pinched. “I’m a guest at this wedding.”

It wasn’t entirely the truth. She’d invited herself along to spy on Silas’s operation. My heart beat rapidly in my chest. Would Silas cause a scene and insist she leave?

He arched a brow as he considered her. “So you’re not here to scope out my resort?”

His tone was more amused than anything.

Gia stood and tilted her head to the side. “Why would I need to do that? I’m here to enjoy a friend’s wedding. Nothing more.”

Silas gaze did a slow perusal from her head to her toes, seemingly cataloging the short, flowered dress and heels, before a slow smile spread over his face. “What do you think of Harrison’s arbor? He created it specially for my resort.”

Gia’s confident smile wavered as she turned to look at it. “Harrison made the arbor?”

“He works for me. Or didn’t you know that?” Silas’s voice was filled with arrogance. He guessed that Harrison hadn’t advised Gia that he was working with him.

Gia’s eyes narrowed on Silas, and he smiled wider.

I wasn’t sure what Harrison’s agreement with Gia was, but exclusivity wasn’t in any of the vendor contracts. The wedding planners’ contracts included noncompete clauses. We couldn’t work for any other wedding planning services or conduct our own business while we worked for Gia.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m here to enjoy the wedding,” Gia said as she brushed past him. I was fairly sure she touched him on purpose, and his eyes flared as he turned to follow the sway of her hips as she walked away. He waited until she went inside before following her.

I wondered if he was going to confront her inside, where no one was watching. “You don’t think he’ll ask her to leave, do you?”

Finn shook his head. “He won’t want to make a scene.”

“I don’t want anything to mar Naomi and Chris’s day.” The weather was perfect for September. There was a light breeze from the water, and the sky was almost cloudless.

Leo sat next to me. “I told her it wasn’t a good idea to come here.”

“Why did she then?” Finn asked.

“You know Gia. She won’t rest until she’s found some way to counter Silas’s monopoly on resort weddings.”

“That’s a little hard to do since she doesn’t own a similar resort,” Finn said.

“Then you don’t know Gia very well. She’s the queen of finding people’s weaknesses and exploiting them.”

“I think she’s met her match with Silas.” Watching him interact with Gia today, I had a feeling he was interested in more than her business.

Leo shook his head. “I’m sure Gia invited me along so I could smooth things over between them. But I don’t want to get involved. He’s my best friend, and she’s my sister.”

“You knew there would be a confrontation,” Finn said as he lazily strummed a chord.

“Those two can’t exist in a room together and not seek each other out. I told Gia to stay away from him. They can and should operate separately from one another, but she doesn’t listen to anything I say.”

Gia was a strong woman who knew exactly what she wanted, complete domination of the wedding planning business in the area. Silas’s resort might have been located outside Annapolis, but it was close enough that brides and grooms were drawn to it for its amenities and luxuriousness.

“I’m going to get some water,” Leo said as he moved to the table of refreshments that had been set up closer to the door to the hotel.

Finn’s mom walked down the aisle with Paisley. “She wanted to see you before the ceremony started.”

Paisley twirled in a circle, her white dress fluttering around her as she spun. Her hair was curled, and ribbons were weaved in an intricate pattern throughout.

Finn grinned and set his guitar aside. “You look beautiful.”

Paisley slowed to a stop. “I can’t wait to get married.”

“That’s not happening,” Finn said as everyone around us laughed.

Finn hated the idea of Paisley dating, but I was content to be present for days like this, and all the days to come. I’d be there when Paisley got her driver’s license, went on her first date, and when she graduated from high school.

The wedding itself was beautiful, and the best part was that Finn was genuinely happy for Naomi and Chris. We ate dinner, and then Finn’s mom took Paisley home so that we could have a night to ourselves.

Finn only played his guitar for the early dances between the bride and her father, the bride and groom, and the bridal party. There was a DJ for the rest of the evening, and we’d taken advantage by dancing to one song after the other.

When a slow song came on, Finn drew me close with a hand on my hip. “I’ve never been happier than I am right now.”

“It’s like every day gets better.” I think it had something to do with appreciating where you were in life. I enjoyed watching Paisley play soccer or attending her choral concerts at school. I wasn’t anxious for my life to be different anymore. I was content with how things were.

I’d taken a small step by signing up for a few business courses at the local community college, and Gia had given me more responsibility with each new wedding. Couples were so impressed with their initial consultations, which included a rendering of the ceremony and reception, that we’d received a lot of referrals, but they would ask to keep the drawing to hang on their wall.

I wasn’t in a rush to be promoted because I knew it would happen. I’d found my home with Finn and Paisley and Gia and Happily Ever Afters.

Finn dropped his forehead to mine. “You gave me a reason to believe in love.”

I stroked the skin of the back of his neck. “You gave me the same.”

We weren’t destined to live like our parents; we could forge our own path. I didn’t know all the details of our future, but I knew it would fall into place exactly how it was supposed to, and I’d have Finn by my side through all of it.