His phone chimed once, then twice, then three times. He lifted it. “That’s why we have Zona.”
“No,” Lenore said. “She’s not paying for the wedding.”
He looked up. “Even if she wants to?”
Lenore sighed, and Brandon set his phone aside, even as it continued chiming at him.
“Sweetheart, what you have to understand about Duke and Zona is that this is how they show their love. Zona is pretty salty, right? And my brother? He’s like salt cod cured in a pound of salt, all of it baked under a grumpy cat.”
Lenore tilted her head, trying to imagine that, and then burst out laughing. “Salt cod, and salt, and a grumpy cat.”
Brandon laughed too, and she loved these moments between them. “But seriously, I don’t think my brother has said he loves me more than maybe ten times in my whole life. Heshowshis love bydoingthings, and sometimes that doing is himbuyingthe things I need. Things that make my life easier. That kind of stuff.”
Lenore nodded, memories of her father filling her mind. “My daddy was like that.”
“Zona is the same way,” Brandon said. “She shows she cares by one, showing up, and two, providing whatever is needed. It’s how she feels useful and needed, and it’s how she shows love.” He reached for her, and Lenore let him fold her hands in his. “It would be cruel of us to tell her no.”
A sigh filled her lungs, and Lenore let it out slowly. “Fine, but only if she offers, and only within reason. We don’t need her to cater a whole barbecue dinner, for example.”
Brandon chuckled. “Barbecue? You went to barbecue?”
“Meat is really expensive,” Lenore said, and she would know. She frowned at his phone as it blared again. “Can you check that? It’s giving me anxiety.”
Brandon swiped it up, his grin still stuck in place. “It’s just Zona—oh.” He quieted as he read, his eyes zipping left and right as he scrolled. He looked up, his eyes wide and filled with surprise.
“She says there’s no way we can get married in April. She said if that was really the plan, we’d have to be sending announcements in the next couple of weeks.” He shook his head and looked back at his phone. “I didn’t even think about announcements. Apparently, we need an engagement photo for that, and….”
He handed her the phone. “She’s sent English words, but I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
Lenore giggled as she looked at his texts. The last one had an itemized list that required her to tap on the arrow to open the text fully.
Venue
Dress
Colors
Food – dinner? Refreshments? What time are you getting married?
Who will marry you?
Reception? Dinner?
Engagement photos
Announcements
Registry / gift list
Bridal shower
Bridesmaids and their clothes
Groomsmen and their clothes
The list went on and on, and wow, Zona could textreallyfast.
I mean, I’ll do it,Zona said. But it would be tight, like REALLY tight, and I think a better timeline would be June.
