Becca blurted out the command before tearing lose of Zack's hold and putting her feet in motion. She raced across the room to where she'd left Eli sitting in an elegantly styled side chair, but even though she was quite certain Eli had heard her, her son continued to dig into a camera bag Zack had apparently left on the nearby table. "Eli."
Four inch heels didn't make for a fast trek across the large ballroom but Zack effortlessly jogged by her and made it to Eli's side in a matter of seconds.
"Hey, there, bud. Thanks for watching my stuff and keeping it safe. Mind if I take that?"
Finally coming close to where they stood, she watched as Zack deftly plucked an expensive looking lens from Eli's grasp.
"Eli, I told you to--"
"Pretty neat looking, huh?" Zack said, squatting down to be on Eli's level. "But they're not toys. I can show you what they do, but you have to promise you won't touch them unless I'm right beside of you to help you. Deal?"
Becca bit her inner lip and waited anxiously to see if Eli would respond to Zack's surprisingly gentle tone. Had Eli touched one of Elliot's electronic gadgets he would've gone through the roof, yelling, grabbing at Eli's shoulders to impress upon the silent boy how dear and valuable the item was instead of realizing the most valuable asset he had stood trembling before him.
Tears stung her eyes as she heard Zack explain the lens took special photos and attached it to the camera dangling from his side with a twist of his fingers. That done, Zack flipped a switch and the digital screen brightened.
"Then all you do is point it and press this button," Zack said, aiming it at Becca.
The shutter clicked repeatedly before Becca could avert her face.
"See? There's your pretty mama."
She wanted to ask him to erase the photos but she deemed it unnecessary. Zack would have no problem erasing the images of her after all she'd put him through.
"But you heard me, right? No more messing around with my equipment."
Once more she waited for Eli to respond, nod, something, but he simply stared at Zack with the same big eyes that had stolen her heart the moment the doctor had placed him in her arms after delivering him.
"Sorry about that," Kaity called from the doorway. "I just had to ask a few questions. Uh... everything all right in here?"
Becca blinked the residual moisture from her eyes and nodded, pasting the same fake smile on her face as she had for the last year since her life had begun to implode. "Yes, it's fine. Zack was showing Eli his camera."
"Awesome. So, Zack, do you want to do the run through of shots and take a look around while Bex gets her measurements?"
"Sure. You're the boss," he said with a smile.
Zack rose and shouldered the heavy looking equipment bag after replacing the lens and latching everything for safe keeping.
"Okay, then," Kaity said, her expression revealing her curiosity as she split her attention between Becca and Zack. "Bex, you'll be here when we finish, right?"
Becca felt the intensity of Zack's gaze and knew he wondered if she would run away like she had in the past. "Of course."
Zack walked toward the door but Kaity hung back.
"If you run into Mama, don't mention Zack, okay?" Kaity made a face. "I wanted you to be here when I told her and Daddy who I hired. I mean, if you or Zack couldn't make things work then there was no need to tell Mama and Daddy and upset them, right? But so long as you and Zack are both okay with it, it'll be fine. I just know it."
Kaity turned and hurried after Zack before Becca could respond. Katy hadn't told their parents about Zack?
Her sister's positive attitude was more than a little far-fetched in this scenario, but now wasn't the time to confront her about the sneak-attack. A little warning would have gone a long way, but apparently she wasn't the only one Kaity had kept in the dark. Only Zack seemed to know what was happening, but then by accepting Kaity's invitation to scout potential photo opps, of course he would have to know he'd be required to deal with Kaity's family. "Oh, Kaity, what are you thinking?"
Their parents would explode when they discovered Kaity had hired Zack. So much so, Becca wouldn't be surprised if they threatened to not fund the wedding. Was Kaity ready for that?
She was fully aware of the blame and responsibility she carried for what had happened in the past with Zack, but her parents... They blamed him entirely, ignoring her statements about being just as culpable.
Recruiting Eli to help her with the measurements, she positioned him on one end of the long hall and stretched the tape, stopping periodically to note the floor to ceiling windows and grand French doors on the iPad she used to design the layouts. Thankfully, Eli dropped the tape several times, forcing her to start again and keep her too busy to dwell on what the next few weeks would bring having to work with Zack.
She'd finished designing the layout and had just saved it when the doors opened and her mother and father appeared.
"Becca? When did you arrive," her father asked, a smile on his sun-chapped lips as he crossed the room to where she and Eli waited for Kaity's return.
No doubt he was just coming in from the golf course given his attire.
"About an hour ago." She allowed her father to draw her against his chest for a hug, amazed as always by his ability to simply pretend the past never happened. How did people move on so easily? "Hi, Daddy. How are you?"
"Better now that my girls are both home. Now where's my little Eli?" George said, looking everywhere but at her son. Finally he fixed his gaze on Eli and smiled. "Why, that can't be Eli. You've grown a foot since I saw you last."
Kaity worried her lower lip with her teeth and prayed Eli would respond. At least do more than look at his grandfather with that blank stare he'd perfected over the last year.
"So? How's my grandson?"
George knelt in front of Eli but Eli didn't so much as blink.
"Um, Dad? Eli's really tired. It's been a long day."
Her father hesitated momentarily before he stood and nodded at her words, but Becca saw the glance he exchanged with her mother, their expressions as easy to read as her ex-husband's.
What's wrong with him?
Haven't we always suspected something was off?
How does this make the family look?
All those questions and more flickered across her parents' faces in a matter of seconds, recognizable only because she'd seen them on Elliot's so many times over the last four years.
"Of course," her father said, looking about the room with way more interest than necessary.
"Rebecca, I'm glad you're here," her mother said, moving close to place her hands on Rebecca's shoulders and air-kiss both cheeks. "Maybe you can talk some sense into your sister."
"Pardon?" Becca said, leery of facing her parents alone if they'd already discovered Zack Dupre was Kaity's choice of photographer.
"Kaitlyn is still threatening to elope, but I've told her again and again she simply can't. It's your job to make sure she doesn't take off halfway through the planning process."
"I'll do my best," she murmured, not blaming Kaity one bit for wanting to escape the chaos that some weddings became.
"You'll have to do better than that," her father said. "I'm not footing the bill for something that doesn't happen."
"Exactly," Wynonna agreed. "The timing of the wedding perfectly correlates with your father's announcement that he's running for State Representative. John, his political manager, says the wedding is a great way of showcasing George as..."
The large French doors opened and Kaity entered, Zack's deep, masculine voice drifting over Kaity's shoulder and across the marble floor to where they stood. But it wasn't until Zack followed Kaity into the building that Becca heard her mother gasp and her father released a sound similar to a growl.
"What is he doing here?" they asked in unison.
Zack felt like a bug under a microscope as every member of the Waites family stared at him. Even little Eli followed the adults' gaze and pinned Zack with his big brown eyes.
Seconds ticked by and no one moved. Finally Kaity cleared her throat and placed her hand on Zack's forearm.
"Here we go," Becca's younger sister murmured, gently squeezing his arm to get him moving toward the group.
"What's he doing here?" George asked, his tone low and rough coming as it was from between his clenched teeth.
"Kaitlyn, how smart of you to get an estimate from all the photographers in town," Wynonna said in a saccharine tone. "She will give you a call when she's received your estimate and has made her decision. You're free to go."
"Mama, I've made my decision," Kaity stated, glancing from Zack to Becca and back toward her parents. "And I've already hired Zack as my photographer. We were just going over some of the shots I'd like for him to take on the big day."
"Out of the question," her father said.
"Oh, Kaity, no. He simply won't do. I'm sure your work is perfectly acceptable," Wynonna hastily added. "But we know several photographers with far more experience and training."
"Mother, you're not listening," Kaity stated, lifting her chin. "I've already hired Zack," she repeated, each word receiving an extra second or two of emphasis. "The contract has been signed."
Becca had to give her parents credit. For two people who obviously wanted to explode in a fit of anger, they managed to remember their southern upbringing and somehow reined in their emotions. After all, it wouldn't do for George or Wynonna to be seen having a hissy fit.
"I'm sure Mr. Dupre would be happy to let you out of the contract. We'll pay him half the fee for his trouble. I'm sure that would suit you," her father said to Zack, his tone stiff and formal.
"I work for Kaitlyn," Zack stated. "I'll go along with whatever she decides."
George and Wynonna turned their combined gazes on to Kaity and Becca watched her sister square her shoulders and lift her chin.
Fearless Kaity. Becca had always envied Kaity her spirit.
"Daddy, Mama, the matter is decided. Zack's photos are the best. Mama, wait until you see them. He's won awards and-- and he even has art galleries wanting to host shows for his work."
The news had Becca shifting her gaze to Zack, and she noted that he looked surprised by Kaity's statement. Was it true? Or was he surprised by the fact Kaity defended him instead of caving to their disapproval the way she had ten years ago?
"Kaitlyn Georgette Allison Waites--"
"Mama," Becca said, gaining her mother's attention. A flutter of unease ran down Becca's spine in response to her mother's expression. "Obviously Kaity has her heart set on having Zack photograph her wedding, and contracts are binding as Daddy will tell you. Now, Kaity has already questioned Zack and I as to whether we are capable of working together during this period of time, and since we are both professionals, we've agreed to the arrangement."
"Rebecca--"
"Wise wedding planners always know to please the bride as much as possible. After all, a happy bride means a smooth wedding," Becca added. "Otherwise they tend to want to leave the fuss behind and elope."
Her father muttered something under his breath Becca wasn't able to make out, but it wasn't hard to guess given his expression. George wasn't one to curse but occasionally his temper won the battle between his anger and his good manners.
"I don't like this," Wynonna stated with a shake of her elegantly coiffed head. "I don't like it at all."
"Mama, the past is the past," Kaity said, splitting a glance between Zack and Becca. "Right, Bex?"
"Yes," Becca said, the response automatic.
Zack didn't respond verbally but he nodded his dark head once.
Becca pinned a smile to her lips and held it there, years of practice coming to her aid. "You see? Everything will be fine."
Fine. Things were a long way from fine but if ever her mantra of fake it till you make it needed to hold true, it was now.
Becca shifted her gaze and realized her father's stare bored a hole into her. Her resolve faltered beneath the intensity. Her father might be boisterous and loud at times but at his core she knew he loved her and Kaity with all of his heart. Knew he'd do anything for them. Had done whatever needed to provide for them and shelter them and...
Hide them.
Or rather, her. "I should, um... Eli's tired. I should get him settled."
"We will talk to you at home then," her father said.
"Actually, Daddy, Bex is staying with me," Kaity said.
"What? No," their mother said with a firm shake of her head.
"Mama, I need Bex with me for all of this wedding stuff. Besides, my condo is closer to town so it's easier on her and Eli. You wouldn't want her to have to drag Eli back and forth from your house, would you?" Kaity linked their arms. "Plus, with my work schedule we will have to plan at odd times. It will go much more smoothly if she stays with me. Right, Bex?"
Becca held all of their attention now and she fought the urge to squirm. Kaity had good intentions and Becca appreciated her sister running interference with the parents, but staying with her would only prolong the inevitable.
But when it came to answer, she couldn't deny Kaity's words because she needed more time to come up with a plan.
She pinned a smile to her lips and nodded. "What can I say? The bride is always right."