19 - Jessica

Jessica

I stepped out of the elevator, ironing the pencil skirt of my sleeveless mini dress with my left hand. The reception area is mostly white with little pops of color on the furniture – not too bold, not too pastel. It was like Taylor Watkins has taken the perspective of a bride-to-be and made it the first things their clientele see when they set foot on the premises. There was also a warm glow from the chandelier that made the ambience so romantic and probably made every woman who walks in want to get married.

The reception desk always has a beautiful arrangements of fresh flowers. Taylor made sure they were always the best. And also, behind the desk is a brown-eyed woman with a warm smile who would look like an angel in a white wedding dress. She already looked like one at the moment. "Hi, Jess. Thank goodness, you're not late."

"It's an honor to not be late for the first time," I jested, doing a little over the top curtsy. "You have any carbs for me?"

"A client just dropped off three dozens of brownies this morning." She grinned, gesturing a finger to the three boxes on the far end of the desk.

"Really?" I squealed.

"The best part is none of the wedding planners plan to ruin their diets." She wagged an eyebrow at me. She hoisted a box off the top and slide it in front of me. "A dozen brownies for not being late."

"Awesome. Who sent these anyways?"

"A grateful bride."

"Cool. I thought we only had the bridezilla ones." I took the box carefully and gave her a wave. "You're making me love my job more, Rach."

She giggles and waved back.

I headed to my office. There was still some tidying up to do, but then again, I don't have much picture frames to prop on my desk. I only have pictures of my friends' kids and that's it. Not that it matters how many picture frames I had on my desk anyways. So long as my equipment are safe, I'd have nothing more to worry about.

I placed the box on my desk next to my shoulder bag and walked around to slump on my swivel chair. I fired up my computer and started digging in with my brownies.

"Knock knock." Harper peeked through the tiny opening of the door. "You're early."

"You make it sound like a miracle." I rolled my eyes.

She strutted in, heels clicking against the floor. "Oh, trust me. It's a miracle." She played with the tip of her wavy, blonde hair. She keeps it in a bun most of the time, but I guess she's feeling a bit more bold today and did an updo instead.

"You want some brownies?"

Harper shakes her head. "No, thanks. Unlike you, I have to keep this in check." She patted her thighs.

"A little curve can't hurt."

"Yeah, I wish my dates think the same way." She snorted, leaning against my desk and folding her arms over her chest.

"If he doesn't, he's an idiot." I shove another brownie and chewed as gently as I could.

She propped a hand on my desk and leaned over. "Any news with your co-parenting project with Matthew Parkinson?"

"Why are you so interested?" I arched a brow.

"Because, I'm interested with a little scandal and drama." She chuckles. "Now, spill."

I swallowed. "Not much to spill. We're doing good with the co-parenting stuff."

"No scandals yet?" She probed.

I leaned back in my chair. "Gosh, you and your thirst for scandal, huh?"

"I know, it's unquenchable. Plus, you finally settling down would make me very happy."

"Why would you think that?" I questioned out.

She rolled her eyes. "Let's face it. Your best friends ended up with his brothers. Kathie and Audrey are happily married. Don't you think there's more than a fifty percent chance you'll end up with another Parkinson?"

I shot up a finger. "Nope. Not even the slightest chance."

"Don't be a cynic, Jess. Just think of how romantic the idea is," she says with dreamy eyes.

"You know, I think he's sexually confused," I replied, in futile attempt to dig my way out of the rabbit hole.

Her eyes grew wide. "What? You don't know what you're saying."

I shrug.

The conversation dropped indefinitely when we see our boss coming in my office. "Consultation room in fifteen minutes, both of you. First bride incoming." Taylor rested her arm against the doorframe and looked at me mirthfully. "Wow, I heard you're early."

I groaned. "It's not a miracle."

"Let me guess, you finally had someone to wake you up this morning. Someone kissing you awake, eh?" She grinned and gave me a dirty look. "How good is Matthew Parkinson in bed?"

My face burned. "We're not doing anything."

"Well, not yet." She winked, then turning around to leave. "God, I miss sex."

My mouth gaped at the door where she stood. "Can we just stop this now?"

Harper chuckles. "It seems to me that I'm not the only one seeing a potential love affair."

***

Hearing bride-to-be's go on and on about their weddings – from flowers to cakes and to the specific way of how they wanted to be photographed at a specific moment – makes me want to vomit rainbows and butterflies. If there's anything good that came out of it, it's that I've now known several elite wedding locations/reception areas in town. Someone wanted to be married in a castle. Someone by a bluff. Someone in an Observatory.

Our big-time client, however, was the last but definitely not the least. Definitely, definitely not the least. I read her full file briefly because I don't need it much. A google search will suffice.

Besides, the senator's daughter is not hard to look up in the internet. She is one of the famous women philanthropist in the city. She's funding dozens of orphanages, funding medical missions and has funded several scholarship programs.

She's tying the knot with an artist whom others called a bad boy billionaire. The typical good girl falling for the bad boy thing. They've been engaged for over a year now.

Kiera Wayne is every bit as beautiful as she is on the internet. As she sits across from me, gushing over the weddings I photographed before, she looked like an absolute sweetheart. She said she personally requested Taylor to have me photograph her wedding.

God, I must be brilliant with what I do.

Her fiancé, Jason Boyd, has been a little busy on his own little bubble. It must be some kind of an urgent matter going on on his phone, but he listened and agreed to everything Kiera said.

By the time we wrapped it up, Matthew and Miles were already waiting in my office. Miles greeted me with a hug. "Uncle Matty said we're going to get groceries. Can we get the Froot Loops cereal this time? Pretty please?"

"Sure. We're totally stocking up on Froot Loops."

Matthew gave me a disapproving look.

"I'll be eating most of it," I murmured, loud enough so he can hear. I walked over my desk and grabbed my bag. "We're ready to go," I said in a sing song voice.

Miles squealed excitedly, taking my hand in his and holding Matthew's on the other. We were in the reception area when someone called out Matthew's name.

We all turned around.

It was Kiera and Jason. Taylor was with them, probably ushering them out.

"Matty!" Keira calls again and ran toward Matthew who appeared to be frozen on the floor. Jason trailed behind, a smile on his face.

Kiera wraps Matthew in a hug, then kept him in arm's length. "I knew you're in town. You haven't been answering my calls."

"Sorry about. Been busy since I got back." He smiles politely.

"Buddy, good to know you're back. Perfect timing." Jason gave Matthew a one-arm, man to man hug. "You're here until the wedding, right?"

"I'm not sure," he replies, again, politely.

Kiera's gaze drifted to me. "Matty, you know Jessica Keith?"

"Uh, yeah. We're both substitute parents to Miles here."

She stepped forward and hugged me tight. "I knew I made the right choice. I had no idea you knew Matty."

I forced a laugh. "Small world."

"He and Jason had been best friends since kindergarten," she added, turning to Miles with a sweet smile, "how are you Miles? I really hope you can make it to Chelsea's birthday. She's really excited."

"Uncle Matty and aunt Jess will take me," he replies enthusiastically.

I didn't hear much of the conversations going around. Taylor probably left to answer a call. There was only me, Miles, Matthew, Kiera and Jason. Well, there's Rach too in the reception desk.

All my contributions to the conversations were a nod and a smile. Because all I ever noticed was the lingering glances Matthew threw at Kiera. Although surreptitious, it caught my eye. It wasn't a glance from a friend who's been away for months. It was something more of missing her even when she's just in front of him. And every time their hands touched, he looked like she's far, far away from his reach.

In the middle of the happy chatter, I realized what the look was.

Oh, my freakin' God!

Matthew Parkinson is in love with his best friend's fiancée.

What do you guys think of the chapter? I'll take any feedback.

Do you guys ever feel like you want to disappear? Like hide somewhere where no one could ever find you? When everything seems so fast-paced and you feel like you can't keep up and then you wish there's some sort of way you can make it stop. If I can build a whole new town around me, I would. If I had Wanda Maximoff's power, I'll build a safe haven around me too. Just to feel... somehow safe. That you're in control of your life. Then I thought, writing is the closest thing I have to Wanda's powers. And staring at the ceiling for hours at night, imagining somebody's life somewhere else makes me feel better. Then I write down. Which makes feel even better. And then I make stories. Gahhhddd. Anyways, I hope you're having a great week! 😘