Count Your Lucky Stars (Written in the Stars, #3)(2)

“The Seattle Times is covering the Lowell wedding for the Vows section,” Kira explained. “It could be huge for ECE. Lori doesn’t want to miss out on that.”

And she didn’t have to.

“I can do it.”

Kira and Naomi stared.

“What? I can.” Olivia stood and smoothed down the front of her skirt. “I’m going to go talk to Lori.”

This was her chance to prove herself, the break she had been waiting for, hoping for since she’d packed up her Subaru and left Enumclaw eight months ago.

A look passed between Kira and Naomi before Naomi dropped her eyes. “Good luck.”

Despite her blustering, Olivia had a feeling she was going to need all the luck she could get.

Emerald City Events was located out of a charming two-story Craftsman in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. Lori’s office encompassed most of the sprawling upstairs, the whole place extensively renovated and open concept.

Lori’s desk was visible from the top of the stairs, but she wasn’t seated behind it. Instead, she stood in front of the window, forehead pressed to the rain-splattered glass, shoulders hunched. Usually, Lori was the pinnacle of calm, cool collectedness, unflappable under pressure. For her, this was practically a breakdown.

Olivia rapped her knuckles against the wall. “Knock, knock. I, uh, heard there’s a bit of a scheduling fiasco?”

Lori’s spine straightened as she lifted her head, stepping away from the window. She turned and smiled, all teeth and faux brightness, her eyes hardly creasing at the corners. “No fiasco. I trust you completely.”

Olivia’s heart tripped over the next beat.

“Sasha will be in great hands on the day of her wedding.”

Sasha. Lori’s daughter, Sasha. Olivia wasn’t sure whether to take that as the world’s highest compliment or greatest insult, Lori entrusting Olivia with her daughter’s wedding when there was another solution, right there, staring her straight in the face.

Olivia clasped her hands together loosely and crossed the room, stopping beside Lori. “Or.”

Lori’s expression barely budged, save for the gentle rise of her left brow. “Or?”

Olivia took a deep breath. “Or you could go to your daughter’s wedding and let me plan the Lowell wedding.”

Lori dropped her eyes and sighed. “Olivia—”

“I’m good at this, Lori.”

“Of course you are.” Lori crossed her arms and sniffed. “I hired you, after all.”

Olivia held her breath.

“But I feel like the Lowell wedding might be a tad ambitious for your first solo gig.”

Every event since Olivia had started working at ECE had been a tad ambitious according to Lori.

Olivia deflated. “Oh.”

Lori turned, staring out the window, where outside, a fine mist fell from the gray sky. She drummed her fingers against her arm and sighed sharply through her nose. “I’ve worked with Brendon Lowell on several events in the past—company parties, corporate retreats, that sort of thing. He’s easy to work with, knows what he likes, and he’s local to the area. Best part of all, he loves weddings.”

“Sounds like a dream,” Olivia murmured, trying to tuck away her disappointment.

“If not for the poor timing, I’d have been over the moon, having a wedding like this land in my lap.” Lori’s scowl reflected in the glass. “It’s the sort of wedding that practically plans itself. With a budget like his, how could it not?”

Olivia frowned. If Lori was trying to make her feel better, it wasn’t working. “I’m sorry?”

Lori clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth. “And the Seattle Times coverage? That has the propensity to be huge for business. Granted, the wedding would have to go off without a hitch . . .” Lori looked at her askance. “What I’m saying is, don’t fuck this up.”

Her jaw dropped. “Wait. What? Are you—Lori.”

Olivia’s eyes stung from all of this emotional whiplash.

The thin gold bangles on Lori’s wrist jangled when she batted at the air. “I beg you, please don’t get mushy on me. My nerves are shot. If you start to cry, I’ll cry, and I loathe crying.”

Olivia pressed her lips together, stifling a laugh.

Lori rolled her head to the side and smiled. “You’re right. You are good at this. Which is why I’m going to give you the Lowell wedding.”

Lips still pressed tight together, her squeal escaped as a high-pitched meep. “Thank you, thank you, thank you—”

Lori lifted a hand, cutting off Olivia’s effusive thanks. “You pull this off, and consider the word assistant scratched from your position, okay?” Lori rounded her desk and reached for her glasses, sliding them up the bridge of her nose. “We can discuss a raise in your salary later.” Lori lifted her head and smiled. “Sound good?”

It sounded freaking fantastic. “Perfect.”

“Great.” Lori tore a sheet of paper from her notebook and held it out for Olivia to take. “Monday. Six p.m. sharp. Brendon and his fiancée, Annie, would like to tour The Ruins. Fabulous hidden gem in Queen Anne? You remember it, right? We had an event there a few months ago. It was for—”

“The Martins’ golden anniversary.” Olivia nodded. “I remember.”