Chapter 3
Happy Hour
After getting out of my folks’ house relatively unscathed, I was finally home to do a little bit of work before meeting the Happy Hour Club for our much-needed weekly ritual.
Going through all of Harper and Rhett’s pictures from their big day only weeks earlier was more pleasure than work. Even though they had tried to insist on having someone else be the photographer, I’d refused. I’d known Harper really wanted me to be one of her bridesmaids, but I couldn’t trust anyone else to capture their wedding the right way, and it had made for an easy wedding present to them. It was a win-win in my book.
I wasn’t one for frilly dresses and tons of makeup; that was more for the other girls in my crew. I was happier in my stretchy black ensemble, behind the lens of my Nikon. I had gotten forced into a few shots with my girls, but other than that I had just hung back, taking in the dreamlike evening.
Tripping down memory lane, I gushed over the gorgeous vineyard setting, how perfectly Harper’s lace gown had fit her, how Rhett’s eyes had lit up every time he looked at his blushing bride.
In my humble opinion, I’d thought they were rushing things a bit when Rhett popped the question when they had only been together for six months. But, I had been wrong. They were a storybook fairytale that would make Snow White green with envy.
I worked my Photoshop magic, touching up minor things in their flawless pictures, and saved them all on a jump drive for Harper. I made sure to throw it into my purse before heading out the door toward Drum and Quill.
* * *
I rushedin and took my seat with my three best friends, who already had drinks in hand and one waiting for me.
“Two olives and everything,” I remarked before taking a much-needed sip of my martini.
“Long day?” Annabelle eyed me over her Manhattan from across the high-top.
“Understatement.” I sighed before turning to Harper. “I have a surprise for you.”
She clapped with excitement as I handed her the thumb drive. “I cannot wait to see them!” Throwing her arms around me, she squeezed me tight.
“I can’t wait to hear what you think of them and then get that album up on my site. They’re my best work yet.”
Annabelle cleared her throat playfully. “I hope you penciled in my date on your calendar, Miss Henderson.”
We all gave her incredulous stares. It felt like it had been forever since Waylon popped the question, and Annie had been dragging her feet on finally setting a date.
She dramatically gasped. “Did your save the dates not get to you yet? Oh that’s right, I brought them with me.” Shoving envelopes in each of our hands, Annabelle beamed at us. “We wanted y’all to have them first. Only three months away!”
My eyes grew ten times. “Are you pregnant or something?”
“Fuck, I hope not!” Waylon’s throaty bellow came from behind me as he walked up to the table.
Annabelle blushed as she bit her lip. “Once I finally decided it was time, I didn’t want to wait. It’s going to be super small, and we’re having it in the barn. No fuss, just us.”
Waylon leaned on the table. “I’m not crashing girls’ night. I just wanted to say thank you for being so supportive while we have been sorting all this out. With the bar being so busy and Annie dealing with her classes, it just took us a bit to make it all fall into place.”
Waylon was Annie’s knight in shining armor, a total salt-of-the-earth guy. I was so thankful she had found someone who would let her take her time and also rush into things all at once. She really needed someone who understood her craziness.
“I think it is wonderful.” Caroline chuckled. “Your barn is so pretty, and Hunter needs to be there.”
When Caroline mentioned Annabelle’s horse, my conversation from earlier returned to my mind.
“Oh crap.” I sighed. “Annie, don’t hate me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What did you do?”
Waylon threw his hands up. “I think I will leave you ladies to your drinks. Let me know if you need a refill.”
“I may have given your information to a bride today,” I confessed. “She wants to have horses in some of her wedding photos.”
She crossed her arms. “Do I have to?”