Why Not Tonight
Page 30

Natalie wanted to whimper. “A few?”
“I might have said something, too,” Silver told her.
“Might have?”
“Okay, I did mention it. But only, like Wynn said, in passing.”
“I didn’t say anything to anyone,” Bethany said, sounding glum. “Because I didn’t know and I’m so disappointed by that.”
Natalie looked at Carol and Pallas. Pallas continued to look guilty while Carol seemed more smug.
“I told Millie,” Carol said, naming her favorite giraffe. “I don’t know who Millie told but I’m pretty sure they weren’t human.”
“Oh. My. God! I thought I could trust you.” Natalie did her best to glare at everyone. “You just randomly told strangers I was thinking of getting a sperm donor to have a baby?”
“I wouldn’t say randomly,” Wynn said, not looking the least bit repentant. “Now that you’re talking about it, I can see how it might have been a mistake to, you know, assume.”
“You think?”
Silver leaned toward Wynn. “She’s not as mad as she wants us to think.”
“Yes, I am,” Natalie said. “I’m furious.”
Even Carol looked doubtful.
“Maybe not furious, but come on. I have no idea what I’m going to do.” Plus she’d only told them about the sperm donor to distract everyone from the conversation about Ronan. “It’s a secret.”
“I’m sorry I mentioned anything,” Pallas told her. “I mean that. I didn’t know it was a secret.”
“Probably because I didn’t tell you.” Her mistake, she thought. “So from now on, no sperm donors.”
Silver grinned. “If I had a nickel for every time a friend said that to me.”
They all laughed.
“So what else is going on?” Natalie asked, ready to change the subject. Because Edgar was not suitable lunch conversation.
“I have an interesting wedding come up,” Pallas said. “It’s based on a movie. Batman & Robin. The movie is an older version of our favorite dark and dangerous hero,” she added. “It was out in 1997.”
Natalie knew about the franchise but wasn’t familiar with that particular film. “I don’t think I’ve seen it.”
“Oh, I have and it’s fun.” Silver grinned. “It’s the one with George Clooney. Chris O’Donnell plays his sidekick and Arnold Schwarzenegger is the main villain, but I like the Uma Thurman one better.”
Wynn sighed. “I adore Chris O’Donnell in NCIS: Los Angeles. He’s such a cutie.”
“Someone is picking a movie theme for their wedding?” Carol asked, sounding doubtful. “A movie based on a comic book?”
“A lot of people want to do comic-themed weddings,” Pallas said. “You’d be amazed what’s available to order through various vendors. People are so creative.” She turned to Natalie. “The details aren’t all worked out, but I’ve talked to the bride and we have some preliminary ideas, which is where you come in.”
“Me?”
Pallas nodded. “Do you remember that paper bouquet you made for me a couple of months ago?”
“Of course.”
The bride had wanted something special for her rehearsal, and when Pallas had asked about making flowers using origami, Natalie had been all in. She’d created a bridal bouquet entirely out of paper, matching the colors of the paper flowers to the actual bouquet. The bride had been thrilled to have a keepsake of her special day and Natalie had enjoyed the challenge.
“What about doing a small arrangement of flowers out of comic book pages?” Pallas asked. “They would be for centerpieces rather than for a bridal bouquet.”
Natalie sat back in her chair. “I never thought of using comic book paper as a medium. I get the point of it—all the drawings and the words would add shading. I’d have to feel the texture of the paper. Maybe a comic print on different paper. I’m not sure. But it’s really a fun idea.”
“She already has the vases.” Pallas hesitated. “We’re talking fifteen tables and maybe three vases at each table, so a total of forty-five bouquets. And you’d only have about five weeks.”
“I’d need to see the vases to figure out if it’s possible, and if it is, I’d like to work up a bid,” Natalie said. “The size of the vase will determine the size of the flowers and how many each vase will need.”
“I’ll drop off a couple later today.”
“Then I’ll let you know if I can do it and how much it will be by first thing tomorrow.”
“Thanks. I hope it works out. I know my bride would love your work.”
And Natalie would love the chance to try something new. Um, something artistic. Edgar would be new and she definitely didn’t want to try him!
CHAPTER TEN
RONAN FINISHED PUTTING away his equipment. It was nearly six and Natalie was still at her small workstation, surrounded by open boxes. He picked up his backpack and walked over.
“You’re working late.”
She glanced up as he spoke. Her glasses had slipped down her nose and it took a second for her eyes to focus. She looked rumpled, harried and sexier than should be legal.
“What? Is it late?” She glanced at the big clock on the wall. “Six? How did that happen? Last time I checked, it was barely three.”
He smiled before bending down to kiss her. “Occupational hazard, gorgeous. Want to get some dinner?”
Her full lips turned up. “Did you just call me gorgeous?”
“Yes.”
“That’s so nice. I’m starving, so dinner would be...” She drew in a breath, then squared her shoulders. “Thank you, but no. Rain check, please.”
“Sure, but why not tonight?”
“I have to work.” Her expression turned impish. “I got the job. I have to make eight flowers for each of the vases the bride sent. That’s forty-five vases times eight flowers.” Her brows drew together. “That’s, ah...”
“Three hundred and sixty flowers.”
“Ack! How did you do that in your head? And so fast.”
“It’s a penis thing.”
She rolled her eyes. “It has nothing to do with your penis. You have a mind for math. Girls can do math just as well as boys and they’re more highly verbal in their early years. Don’t you start with me and math, bucko.”
He chuckled and held up both hands. “I’m sorry. I was joking. Women are as capable as men at math and science and computer programming. I believe that down to my soul. I won’t mess with you on that topic again. I promise.”
So Natalie was a bit of a feminist. Good for her. He liked her sass and her attitude. She was tough and stood up to him. Back when he still believed he was pretty much like everyone else, he’d wanted to have a wife and kids. If he was still that guy, Natalie would be tough to resist. He could imagine having kids with her. No, not kids. Daughters. He would want them to be exactly like their mom.
“You called me bucko,” he added.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
He sat on the corner of her desk and picked up a mason jar. It had a black heart painted on it. The one next to it had a bat.
“So this wedding is based on a comic book character?” he asked.