27. Angie

27

ANGIE

W hile Tuvid left to investigate clues, sneaking out the back to avoid being seen with our tails untied, I went to my office and was soon entrenched in the workings of my business. My managers were amazing, but that didn't mean I left everything in their capable hands. If I didn't oversee my staff, important details slipped through—something my uncle reinforced almost daily.

The inspector stopped by before leaving and sat across from me.

"Structurally, everything looks fine," he said, studying his clipboard lying on his lap. "Your coolers didn't sustain any damage as far as I can tell. Once the rest of your tasting room has been signed off by the local building inspector, I'm sure you'll be able to refill them with stock and open again to the public."

"That would be wonderful." Each day I remained closed was one day I didn't make money. I had stock in the warehouse, and that would be shipped to retailers, but that would run out. I needed to get to making beer to replenish the stock soon.

"Have an electrician look at your wiring," he said. "It got wet as well, and you can't be too picky about things like that."

I grabbed a pad of paper and started a list.

"Some of your wiring will probably need to be replaced. Since beer was wicked up by the insulation, you'll want to rip out at least the lower portion of the walls and replace that, plus the walls themselves. Paint. You know what I mean." He looked up from his list. "You've got your work cut out for you here."

"My fiancé knows someone in construction. He said he'd give his friend a call and see if he has time to help."

"Perfect. It's not a lot of work for the right crew. They may have you up and running again in a week or so. As for the floor, make sure they lift some boards and look underneath once it's completely dried out."

"That was my plan. I don't want even a speck of mold."

"Exactly." He nodded slowly and tucked his pen into his shirt pocket, scratching the golden fur on the top of his head. "I think that's about it. Don't forget to sanitize once the construction work is finished." He removed a card from the same pocket and extended it over my desk. "Here's someone I recommend. I'm sure she can fit you in once the work's finished. That'll identify and take care of mold issues you may have missed."

"Okay."

"Since your HVAC unit's high on the wall, I didn't note any damage there. You're good to go in that regard once the damage has been repaired."

"Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Give me a call once everything's finished, and I'll do the final sign off and you can get your tasting room back up and running."

I walked him to the front door then went looking for Gracie, though I didn't find her. Emma was working on the books in her office and didn't look up when I poked my head inside her open doorway, so I left her to it and returned to my office, sinking into my uncle's chair.

I dropped my face into my hands and sighed.

"There you are." My mother bustled inside my office and sat in the chair opposite mine, dropping a white tote bag emblazoned with Mother of the Bride by her feet. "Do you have time to go through the wedding plans?" She tugged an iPad from her bag and lifted a stylus to work on her list.

"Mom, now's not a good time." I explained about the sabotage in my retail store and reminded her that I still hadn't located my missing stout.

"You said Tuvid's looking into clues about the stolen kegs," she pointed out.

"Yes."

"And you just told me that Gracie and Emma rallied your staff and they've conducted a miracle in your tasting room. That the inspector is pleased with your progress and that you plan to rope in an orc construction crew so soon, you may reopen within a week. I'd say that means you have time to talk about the wedding plans. I think an early fall wedding would be amazing. "

"Mom, it's late August."

"Fall is perfect." Krunesta slid inside my office and scowled at the remaining chair, which wasn't appropriate for a gargoyle. A white tote bag inscribed with Mother of the Groom hung over her left shoulder.

"Here, take mine." I got up and wheeled my uncle's favorite chair around my desk, parking it next to Mom's while I settled in the smaller metal one.

"I do hope you plan to purchase chairs more appropriate for my species," she said with a huff.

"It's on my list." I held up the pad of paper.

"Very well." She nodded pertly, settling in the chair.

"You'll wear white. My dress, as we discussed," Mom said, beaming my way.

"The gargoyle wedding party always wears black," Krunesta said stiffly, though her eyes softened when she looked at Mom. After all, these two were in on this together. Allies, so to speak. The last thing they'd do was argue. Although, the wedding party colors might do in their burgeoning friendship.

"My daughter is a virgin . Virgin brides always wear white," Mom gasped out, her gaze meeting mine. "Right?"

Did my mom and Krunesta switch personalities? She'd never cared about anything like that before. They had been hanging out a lot, however.

"I'm not talking about that with you," I said. Jeez, I was twenty-eight. I hadn't been a virgin since I was nineteen and that was considered old to be losing the V-card for women of my generation.

"I know for a fact that my son stayed at her home the last two nights," Krunesta said, also pulling out a matching iPad from her tote, plus a stylus.

"He didn't," Mom gasped.

I winced and decided it was better to say nothing.

"Please tell me he slept on the couch," she added, her voice rising to a screech.

Krunesta's grin revealed her fangs. "My son would never sleep on the couch."

I couldn't believe I was having this conversation with them. "Have we talked about bouquets?"

"They tied tails two nights ago," Krunesta said, her gaze drilling me. "And that means you two should still be tied for at least another day. Tuvid. Tuvid!" She peered around as if she expected him to melt out of the woodwork. "Surely you didn't untie your tails."

"He had to go to the bathroom." Curse me forever for lying.

"Ah, yes, I understand. Gas." Krunesta gave my mother a sly grin. "I'll bet you anything Angela's no longer a virgin."

"My name is Angie ," I said. "And I can't believe you'd bet on something like that." Could I please scrunch myself into a ball in the chair or, better yet, slide beneath my desk?

"Tied tails. Tied tails?" Mom's eyes widened. "I can't believe you tied tails and didn't invite me to such a momentous ceremony." Tears sprung up in her eyes. I wasn't the only one who cried easily, though the waterworks turned on much faster for me.

I grabbed two wads of tissues, some for me and tossed the rest toward her .

She snatched them from the air and used them to blot her face. "How could you do this?" she sobbed. "I'm your mother."

"Mom," I said. "It was kind of sudden." Why hadn't I invited her? I cringed, not sure why it hadn't occurred to me.

"Truly, we should've invited your entire family." Krunesta's frown deepened. "That was quite remiss on your part, Angela."

"Angie. My name isn't shortened. It's actually Angie."

Her head tilted, and she studied my face. "Angela's much nicer, don't you think?"

"Angie, please."

She tapped her chin, and I worried she wasn't going to let this go. "Regardless, her virginity is gone now. It would be inappropriate for a gargoyle not to claim his tail-tied mate on the night of such an important ceremony, let alone every chance he could get in the subsequent tail-tied days." She crooked her neck, peering toward the door. "Where is Tuvid? He must be done in the bathroom."

"Maybe he went to get coffee," I said, hoping he'd show up soon.

"Thus," Krunesta said with a frown. "Angela can wear black to the wedding without slighting human traditions."

"It's Angie," I sighed.

Mom leaned forward. "I want her to wear my dress," she said shrilly. "It was my mother's. My grandmother made it for me and it's white. We will not be dying it black. "

"I want to wear her dress," I said firmly. "I'm sorry. I know black is gargoyle tradition, but I do think it's important to stick to this one detail since it means so much to me and my mother."

"Thank you," Mom breathed.

I wasn't even sure Tuvid and I were getting married, though I suspected we might some day in the future. Last night had changed things between us. Having sex with someone didn't mean I had to marry him, but I felt committed to Tuvid in a way I hadn't when I agreed to our fake engagement.

"I suppose she could wear your dress since it's a family heirloom. I'd never suggest we step on a tradition such as that." Krunesta patted Mom's back. Krunesta's wings fluttered, showing all this crying was distressing her. "I will insist that she wear her tail."

Mom's eyebrows lifted. "You have a tail?"

I grabbed it off the floor and held it up in the air. "This one. It was tied to Tuvid's."

"It's red," Mom said.

"It will poke out quite nicely through the back of her gown," Krunesta said.

"It's a strap-on," I added.

"Strap-on?" My mother gulped, fanning her face.

"Yes, it's quite cute, isn't it? Love the color."

"It'll look delightful with a white gown, don't you think, Brunhilda?" Krunesta asked, patting my mother's arm.

"It's Bettina," Mom said absently, looking ready to pass out. I tossed her more tissues. She snatched them up and flapped them in front of her face .

"Would you be open to carrying black flowers instead?" Krunesta asked me.

"I think that would be lovely. What do you say, Mom?"

Mom continued mopping her face and shrugged. "I thought pink would be beautiful."

She was going to have to give on some things. "We're combining our two cultures. That means we need to respect gargoyle traditions and they, in turn, will respect ours. Surely, we can combine them in a way that'll make everyone happy."

"If that was the case, you would've invited me to the tail tying ceremony," Mom barked.

Now, there was the mother I knew and loved. She had a spine of steel, and she wasn't shy about showing it.

"I'm sorry. What can I do to make up for it?" I asked, cringing about making the offer already.

Just as I'd suspected, my mother held up her iPad, and a sly look took over her face. I noted her tears had fled.

"I have a few more things to go over with you regarding the wedding," she said pertly. "I'm sure you'll agree that we should serve beef stroganoff at the reception."