Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
“Looking good, Tamara. Just go straight through.”
Tamara entered Married in Malibu’s main hall and then stopped in her tracks. She stared at how it had been transformed into something so elegant and open. The light, both natural and artificial, filtered through diaphanous draperies, giving the space a comfortably intimate quality. Perfectly chosen lilies and peonies were grouped in tasteful vases, and beautiful screens made of bright colors and patterns seemed to transform the shape of the space. Her eyes were drawn to the spot where the couple would be saying their vows.
Even though Tamara knew that the whole thing would be filmed, it was impossible to make out the camera locations. She knew they were discreetly hidden, shielded by flowers and set dressing, but the design was so clever and careful she couldn’t even see a trace of them.
The other guests were chatting quietly, obviously happy to be part of such an important occasion. Tamara didn’t know any of them, of course, but she recognized Zach, wearing an expensive suit that looked handmade, and Yuriko, wearing a couture dress that was a work of art. Even though Tamara had never met either of them, she felt as though she knew them, thanks to Nate’s descriptions. Zach was a worldwide success in his field, but he still looked a little nervous at the sight of his bride-to-be. Tamara couldn’t blame him, because the combination of the dress, the flawless makeup, and the setting all conspired to make her look out-of-this-world incredible.
From her vantage point, Tamara could see everyone and everything. Liz was up at the front, looking elegant as she prepared to oversee the ceremony. Meg and Kate were off to the side, ushering people to their seats. Near the back of the area were long tables set with food, and Jenn was behind them, obviously waiting in case anyone wanted anything before the wedding. Daniel was standing in front of a spot near the koi pond, which had been lit with the express purpose of becoming the setting for wedding photographs and portraits. Amy’s painted wedding portrait hung on the wall, and it looked so lifelike it was as if the couple could have reached out and waved at all their guests.
And there was Nate, standing behind a table with several laptops in front of him. Tamara’s heart beat double time as she watched him work. He looked so handsome and so serious. It melted her a little. There would be many other computers backing all this up, but Tamara knew Nate well enough to know that he’d insist on manning the tech feed himself. He would want to feel the atmosphere and perfectly capture the pure essence of the wedding in the video. She knew he wouldn’t budge, waiting for the moment when it all went live.
Tamara walked over to him. She could practically feel how pleased he was that everything was working. He moved deftly, making small adjustments to the cameras and the program that would carry the feed.
After her phone call with her mom, there was so much Tamara wanted to say to him, so many emotions she wanted to try to put into words. But the last thing she wanted to do was distract Nate just as he was about to have his big moment. Nate deserved to shine, but she still needed to do something to make it clear exactly how she felt about him.
The ceremony was minutes away. Tamara stepped next to Nate, folding her hand into his. At the contact, he turned toward her, and a giant smile spread over his features. Just then, Tamara realized she didn’t need to say anything. Nate already knew what was inside her heart. She smiled back.
She wanted to do more than smile, though, so she did, distraction or not. She kissed Nate, soft and sweet, lingering with her lips on his, wanting to make it clear that this was about more than just needing him in that moment. It was about love. Nate kissed her back just as delicately, matching her perfectly, and Tamara wished it could last forever. Even when they did pull apart, she kept her hand in his. She didn’t care who else was watching. No, that wasn’t exactly right—she wanted them to watch. She wanted her friends to see, and to understand, exactly how much love there was between her and Nate.
When she finally went to take her seat for the ceremony, she looked around, checking her friends one by one. Liz, Meg, Kate, Jenn, and Daniel all seemed to be pretty busy with their respective jobs, but there was one thing they all had in common.
They were smiling.
As Nate got back to work, the kiss was enough to send his head reeling, especially since it had been in front of so many of their friends. Nate glimpsed them now, looking over at him with varying degrees of surprise. But it seemed like a happy surprise—not shock—and that mattered more than Nate had realized. This was his family, as much as his real one, and maybe there was a lesson there too. This family all seemed to have the knack of finding the right person in the end, whatever it took.