Strike ( Book 4: Stronger Series )

8. Weddin' Plannin'

After lunch the following day, I was led to one of Darren's spare conference rooms where Regina had set up shop. Clive and Owen were lucky enough they didn't have to attend. Wedding magazines were scattered all over the conference table while a projector pointed at the wall with a slideshow ready to play.

I had spoken to Darren earlier. He wanted us to put together a game plan by the end of the day for his review. Judging by the sight of things, this was not going to be easy.

"Jeez, finally. I've been waiting forever. What, are your legs too short to get you here any faster?" Regina sneered.

I raised my brow at her, noticing the immediate change in attitude compared to yesterday. Was she trying to get knocked out by me already?

I looked down at my watch. "You've been here for five minutes."

"My time is precious, Jaden. We have three weeks to get this wedding planned so every second counts. Or is this wedding just not that important to you?" Her tone was making Camaro growl. "You better get your mutt under control, or she'll have to go outside."

"Camaro doesn't leave my side," I said dismissively, taking a seat at the head of the table. I crossed my legs and leaned back in my chair, Camaro walking over to sit at my side. "Now, let's hear your pitch."

I gave Regina a small smirk, offering her the floor to give me her insight.

She gave me a small huff, swiped her fake dark red hair over her shoulders, and moved toward the wall where the slideshow was projected. She held a small remote control in her hand.

"With a guest list around three hundred people, we need a nice venue to accommodate. I've already got a few places in mind," Regina stated.

My face remained impassive at the size of the guest list, but my stomach did a double backflip. Three hundred was a fuck ton more than I was expecting.

"Wait, how do you already know it's three hundred people? Did Darren give you a guest list already?"

Regina gave me an incredulous look, as if I'd just insulted her. "Listen. You might be new to all this, but I've been planning all the functions for this family for almost a decade. I know what I'm talking about, so just do yourself a favor and let me handle this."

Bitch, I will have my dog eat your fucking face.

While she did have a point, assuming she did know what she was doing, the size of the guest list wasn't what I was expecting. I would have thought Darren would want something small and intimate, but apparently, he wanted his entire world to know of his marriage to me.

"Alright, Regina," I said as I relaxed back in my chair. "Prove to me you're not a disappointment."

She scowled at me, but then rolled her eyes and made her way toward the projector screen.

Regina proceeded to show me all the places she had in mind in the slideshow. The places were beautiful, but my heart so wasn't in this. I didn't give a fuck about the venue at all. Maybe I would just pick the most appropriate one.

"Which one doesn't have a chapel on site?" I asked.

Regina huffed again. "Were you not paying any attention? They all have chapels, Jaden."

I shook my head. "Not happening. Find a different place."

Regina scoffed at me, but I was not about to get married in a house of God. If the fucker was real, I'd be having words with Him for fucking my life over when I eventually bit the dust. Until then, I was not about to sanctify a marriage of lies in a place of worship. Fuck that noise.