Eloise and I are knee-deep in sticky tags and seating charts in the conference room when I get a text from Ainslee. I wouldn't have checked it, but the buzzing draws Eloise's focus from the 10-top to my phone and she asks, "Oh, what does Ainslee want now?"

I shake my head, dropping the woman everyone apparently can't stand at table seven, right next to the director's elderly mother. We have an event this weekend for a charity in Boulder that Chase personally donates to, so he's making this client our number one priority.

"I'm trying to use tact and precision with this damn seating chart," I mutter, not looking up. "I don't have time for Ainslee right now."

Eloise glances down at the massive seating chart sprawling across the long rectangular table, tapping a finger against her waist as she reads. "This really should be Susan's task. The director knows her volunteers' personalities way better than we do."

I flick my eyes over to Eloise, who's gesturing to the DJ booth squeezed in beside a table. "Whoever Susan hates should really be sat at table fourteen. They'll get blasted with cheesy eighties music all night."

"Chase says I can pick where we sit," I reply. "But I doubt we'll even have time to eat. I think we should be at table three, closest to the entrance."

"Or table nine, right by the bar," she suggests with a mischievous grin.

Before I can reply, a knock on the door draws our attention. Chase is standing in the doorway without his sportcoat, a casual air about him. He looks from me to Eloise, then asks, "Did you hear from Ainslee yet?" I tilt my head, wondering why he's asking about his fiancée when he sees me buried in a project.

"I've been doing this charity setup all afternoon, haven't had time to look at my phone. What's up?" He takes a step into the room and glances briefly at our project before answering, "Oh, I think she just had something she wanted to run by you." I already thanked her for the airline ticket when Chase presented it to me earlier this week, but he has the same energy now as he did then. He's being vague and has a mischievous gleam in his eye. He gives me that damn dimple and it has me taking a step away from charts and snatching up my phone from the other end of the table. I see the text from Ainslee and quickly read, Hey, something just came up and I wanted to run an idea by you. Can we set a time to Facetime later?

I look at Chase who is now inches away from me, close enough to enjoy his cologne and Eloise is just as curious as to what's on my phone.

"She said she wants to Facetime later," I tell them to not keep them waiting in suspense.

"She's free now if you want to call her real quick?" Chase suggests and he looks eager. I dart a quick glance to Eloise who is just as eager and she nods her head in agreement.

"Oh, um. I mean, Eloise and I were just about done with the seating chart, and you said yourself that you wanted the Meaningful Journeys event buttoned up by four today." His anxiousness to tie up all loose ends for the demanding director forced me to skip my lunch break and move a meeting with a potential client to tomorrow. But I now have all the time in the world to chat with his fiancèe.

"It will be quick, come on, she'll be thrilled I am here too," he says with a disarming smile and I am a little curious as to what is going on. Defeated, I open my call log and see the eight calls I've already had with the bride-to-be this week. I hit the Facetime button and Chase comes closer so he can squeeze inside the frame. It only rings twice before I see the wide, perfectly white smile of Chase's future wife but her face is covered by a mud mask, making her light blue eyes shine.

"Stella! Ah! I wasn't expecting you to call right away," she says and then giggles, like she is oh-so embarrassed to be caught in a mud mask and a towel wrapped around her head.

"I told her to drop what she was doing to give you a ring," Chase adds like he is just the best fiancè and the most demanding boss.

"Hey Ainslee, I have a few minutes if you still want to chat," I say eagerly, hoping to end this call quickly. I never thought I would be eager to get back to seating charts.

"Yes! I do," she replies and her mouth hangs open for a second like she's about to drop the juiciest gossip.

"Great!"

"Okay, so you know how Brinlee hasn't booked her flight yet and I was getting major heart palpitations about it?" I nod as I remember meeting that spacey bridesmaid at the bridal shower a couple of weeks ago. And the subject of many frantic texts this week.

"Yes, did she finally book it?" I ask wondering if this news really took a video call. She's also unnecessarily video-called me when she couldn't remember the name of the pink she wanted for the bridesmaid dresses and I could have easily texted her, dusty rose. Ainslee shakes her head and adjusts her white silk robe that I also remember from her bridal shower. A gift from Tory, her maid of honor.

"No, okay so good news and bad news. Apparently, Brin just found out she's pregnant!" Ainslee does a little shoulder dance in excitement but then drops her shoulders and frowns, "Which, I mean, I am like, totally excited for her but someone told her that you can get, like brain-eating amoebas from the water in Mexico and she said she can't chance that now that's she pregnant." I try to refrain from saying anything snarky and I have to physically bite my lip to keep my mouth shut. "I'm so upset she won't be there. But I also totally get it."

"Oh no, okay so now what?" I ask, avoiding asking if Brinlee would be totally cool with the brain-eating amoeba if she wasn't pregnant.

"So, this is the real reason for the call," Ainslee says as her eyes widen and her perfect smile returns, "I was totally spiraling about having uneven numbers for the bridal party and like, I have already bought five bridesmaids gifts so, well actually it was Chase who came up with this really good idea..." I can see she's now looking at Chase and her excitement is rubbing off on him. I look back to a shimmying Ainslee as she says, "I want you to be my bridesmaid!" Chase slaps me on my shoulder which almost slaps me out of my stupor.

"A Bridesmaid?!" I ask in shock and Eloise claps her hands, I know she's enjoying this. "How? I am already your wedding planner. I don't know if it's physically possible to do all the wedding setup and get ready with the rest of the girls the day of. That and all your other bridesmaids are tall and blonde. I'm a short and brunette. It wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing." I am trying all excuses because there is no way I can be a bridesmaid. I hardly know Ainslee and I didn't automatically click with her girl posse at the shower. I also already regret being the planner.

"I already called the resort and they said the coordinator can help with the setup when you have to get your makeup done! I'll schedule you last so you'll have lots of time! And just wear heels, you'll look fine !" She answers and I am still gaping at her as my brain tries to fire off every possible reason that I cannot stand up there with her.

"You know, it's really not all that weird to have uneven wedding parties these days. And I don't have a dress." I watch her face fall slightly, I think she thought I was going to be popping champagne and shimmying along with her.

"You know I just asked everyone to wear that pink color, so finding a dress will be easy. And you were already invited to partake in all the bridesmaid's events anyway." I haven't told her I wasn't going to be attending any of the events she and Tory planned. I was going to be super busy planning her big day that I just couldn't squeeze in any fun time with her and the bride tribe.

"I also thought," Chase interjects, "I mean, you're my best friend here at the office. It kinda makes sense to have my friend up there with hers." I want to glance at Eloise for help, but I already know she's dying for me to agree just so she can razz me about it.

It's Chase's puppy dog eyes that do me in. I really can't tell him no. And the fact that he called me his best friend. I'm going to ignore that little caveat about the office.

I swallow my reluctance down and then look at Ainslee's pouty face.

"Please Stel. You know you'll look so pretty in pink," she pleads and I muster up a smile. They have no idea that I've already planned out my life with Chase. Our wedding would be a simple affair in the mountains and he'd take me to Switzerland for our honeymoon. We'll have two kids. They'd have the same dark hair that Chase and I do, with big hazel eyes, running around our house in Sloan's Lake. I already have it planned. I've envisioned it for years. I cannot stand up there with a front-row view and watch him marry someone else. I was going to have a wedding emergency that caused me to miss the ceremony. This is throwing a wrench in everything. 

Chase eyes me while holding the phone in front of us. It feels like I have been silent for way too long. 

"Sure...sure," I say, unable to say anything else. Our imaginary timeshare in Hawaii just vanished before me. Ainslee squeals and Chase drops his arm around my shoulder and squeezes me.

"Oh my god, thank you! I seriously do not know how to repay you. You're a lifesaver!" Ainslee gushes and Chase nods in agreement.

"There's a reason I do everything I can to keep her around, she's the best!" Chase adds and my heart jolts. I wish he didn't say things like that. 

"Thanks, well, I really do have to wrap up this project," I announce, cutting the fun short.

"Oh my goodness, yes. So sorry about the interruption. I'll send you the revised bridal party list and who you'll walk down the aisle with. And just like shoot me over dress ideas whenever you get a chance! Love you both, bye!" She says and the call ends. I'm still stunned at what just happened and I am thrilled when Levi, our graphic designer walks in and says, "I have those banners mocked up."

"Great! I'll come look," I tell him and Chase drops his arm from around my shoulders.

"I'll let ya get back to it, but really...thanks, Stel. I owe you. I am so glad you're coming to Mexico with me," he says as he slides a hand down my arm and then follows Levi out. Eloise is still standing in the corner, elated at what I just agreed to and I can't even look at her. I point to the chart as I stride across the room.

"Make sure to put Chase and Ainslee at table fourteen. Right next to the speakers," I tell her and she laughs as I walk out of the room.