For Whom the Bluebell Tolls by Beverly Allen Read Free Book Online Page A

you’re going to be on
Fix My Wedding
again. And no exposés, either. I have enough friends in the wedding industry to ruin you, and don’t think I can’t. You can expect a more immediate financial hit when we charge you for the taping delay.”
    “But, Gary.” Brad stepped forward. “All she did was—”
    “Oh, so the glorified gofer is standing up for her, is he? Are you going to be the big man and protect her? It’s because of you that I hired her in the first place. I don’t know why I took the word of such a washout. I must have been out of my mind.”
    And if he wasn’t then, he was now. Of course I didn’t say it. But I did think it.
    Gary advanced on Brad. “She’s not the only one who should be in fear of her career. There’s going to be some staffing changes around here in the near future. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be one of them.”
    Tristan stepped between them. Brave man. “Hey, how about we break for a few minutes, huh? Get our heads on straight and finish up that last bit. It was going great until that point.”
    “No, let’s finish now, starting at the last bouquet. And you”—Gary pointed at Suzy—“don’t ask what the foxglove means.”
    “Now, wait a minute,” Max began, but Gary stared him down.
    Suzy nodded, using a finger to sweep upward on her tears so she wouldn’t smudge her mascara. We then restaged the reveal of the final bouquet, talking about its shape and flowers without the meanings, and with little enthusiasm.
    “How’d it look?” Gary asked.
    “A little stiff,” Tristan said, “but maybe we can intermingle some of the facial expressions from the first go-around.”
    “Do what you want.” Gary turned back to me. “I’ll send my
gofer
”—he glared at Brad—“to let you know which, if
any
, of the designs I deem acceptable.” Then he stormed off.
    I let out the breath I was holding and heard others do the same.
    “Is he always like that?” I asked no one in particular.
    “It’s the weirdest thing,” Suzy said. “Sometimes he’s sweet as pie. When we were doing the original interviews, he seemed so nice, like he was really interested in me. Well, not in that way, since he’s . . . you know. And on camera he’s, well, Gary.”
    As Suzy walked back to the inn in the consoling arms of Daddykins, Brad joined me behind the flowers. “Something seems to be bothering him. And I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He put his arm around my shoulder. “If I knew he’d be on edge like that, I never would have recommended you for the show. I thought I was doing something nice.”
    “Oh, you were. It’s not your fault Gary’s bipolar.” Talk about insincerity. “Do you think he really means to fire you?”
    Brad offered a half smile in response. “Probably just blowing off steam. I wouldn’t worry about it. But at least the taping part of your responsibility is over. And the flowers for the reception are okayed by Gigi, so you’ll mostly be dealing with her now.”
    “And here I always thought Gary was the nice one,” I said.
    “Not this week,” Brad added.
    *   *   *
    “He said that to you?” Liv was livid, pacing the back room after I recounted my story.
    Shelby shook his head. “He seems so different on television.”
    “Oh, Shelby.” My heart was broken for my friend and coworker. “I’m sorry so much of the drama centered around your design. It really was spectacular and deserved better than that. He still might choose it. The bride was entranced the moment she saw it. Maybe I should have—”
    “It’s not your fault,” Amber Lee said. “We all were right here when he told you not to mess with the meanings of the flowers for the other bouquets.”
    “And maybe I should have used something else.” Shelby scrubbed his face. “But that foxglove was gorgeous, you have to admit.”
    “Very,” I assured him. “That design could have been featured in any bridal magazine in the country.”
    “So now we sit and cool