Emma
“Just a few hundred more to go.” I wiped the sweat from my brow, cursing under my breath as I fumbled with yet another string of lights. The banquet hall buzzed with activity, but I felt oddly alone.
My arms ached, and my fingers were stiff from handling the delicate glass bulbs. But I couldn’t stop now. Abi wanted a picture-perfect backdrop for her wedding photos, and I’d give it to her.
If I pulled this off, it could catapult my business to the next level. No pressure, right?
At least you’re still breathing.
I grimaced, both saddened and grateful for the reality check.
Life had rewarded my parents for their hard work with an early death. I’d been only nine and barely aware of what death meant. If my mother’s American sister hadn’t agreed to take me in, I would have ended up in foster care in the UK.
Aunt Ginny had moved me across the pond and committed to raising me. But she had also torn me away from my friends and the only home I’d ever known. Then she’d all but abandoned me to deal with the culture shock.
I tried not to shit on my aunt, but the older I got the harder it became to ignore the bitterness. The last thing she’d wanted was to be responsible for a nine-year-old.
I shook my head, dispelling the gloomy thoughts. This was nothing compared to that time of my life. I could handle a few measly light bulbs. I could handle my assistant quitting. I could pull off a wedding that had a guest list overloaded with Hollywood royalty all by myself.
I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The faint scent of fresh flowers mingled with the crisp, freshly laundered linen tablecloths, reminding me of the beauty I was working to create.
While I strung the lights through the wire frame for Abi’s photo op station, I ran through my mental checklist, ticking off backup plans for every possible disaster. It calmed me, knowing I’d prepared for the worst.
“Watch it!” a waiter yelped.
“Sorry, sorry,” a male voice mumbled.
I turned, nearly losing my balance on the ladder. Charlie Delacroix, Finn McCarthy’s agent, weaved through the room, his eyes glued to his phone while staff dodged around him. I recognised him instantly from the photo binder I’d compiled of all five hundred guests. It was my job to know everyone, to be prepared for any eventuality. What I hadn’t prepared for was how devastatingly handsome he’d be in person.
His dark hair was artfully tousled, and his jawline could cut glass. The fitted suit he wore did nothing to hide his athletic build. But it was his eyes that caught me off guard – a gorgeous hazel that seemed to see right through me. I became extremely aware of my sweaty, dishevelled state.
His phone rang and he answered it with a hard jab. “No, absolutely not,” he barked, drawing curious glances from the staff bustling around him.
He seemed oblivious to the chaos he was creating — a chair scraped loudly as he bumped it with his hip, a flower arrangement wobbled when he brushed past it. It was like watching a bull in a china shop, if the bull was wearing an expensive suit and completely engrossed in a heated phone conversation.
He made it next to impossible for me not to eavesdrop. Somehow I continued to string up lights, but my curiosity had definitely gotten the better of me. Less than half my attention remained on the display.
“Tell Vanessa she needs to issue a statement now, before this gets out of hand.” He ran a hand through his hair.
I admired the way his rolled-up sleeves revealed tanned, muscular forearms. My eyes trailed down his body, taking in the broad shoulders that tapered to a trim waist. The way he moved exuded confidence, every gesture purposeful and commanding.
What would it be like to have those strong hands on me, to be the focus of that intense gaze? I shivered at the idea of it.
It’s clearly been too long since you’ve gotten laid if bare forearms are making you hot and bothered.
I forced my attention back to the task at hand, trying to ignore the way his presence seemed to electrify the air around him.
“I don’t care if she’s in the middle of a shoot,” Charlie continued, his voice rising. “If we don’t get ahead of this story, it’ll be all over the tabloids by morning.”
Another pause and my blood pressure rose almost in sympathy.
“Look, just get her on the phone. Tell her it’s about the photos. She’ll know what I’m talking about.” He sighed. “And for the love of god, make sure she doesn’t post anything on social media until we’ve crafted a proper response.”
“Alright, call me back as soon as you’ve spoken to her,” Charlie said, his tone softening slightly. “And hey, thanks for handling this. I know it’s early.”
He ended his call but in his distraction, he backed right into my champagne-flute pyramid. It teetered for a heart-stopping moment before crashing to the ground in a cacophony of shattering glass.
“Shit!” He spun around, his eyes wide with horror as he took in the destruction at his feet.
“Are you kidding me?” I scrambled down the ladder. “Do you have any idea how long that took to set up?”
His shock gave way to contrition as he met my gaze. “I’m so sorry. I was completely distracted. I didn’t even see the display there.”
“Clearly,” I muttered, surveying the damage. Shards of crystal glittered on the floor, reflecting the light from the bulbs I’d just hung. It was almost beautiful, in a disastrous sort of way.
A waiter appeared with a dustpan and brush, but Charlie intercepted him, taking the cleaning supplies. “Let me help you fix this.” He knelt to sweep up the broken glass.
“No, it’s fine.” I tried to take the brush from him, but he dodged me. “I can handle it.”
He flashed me a smile that made my knees weak, despite my irritation. “Come on, it’s just as much my problem as yours. Besides,” his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, “I’m guessing you’ve got about a million other things to do before the guests start arriving tonight. You shouldn’t have to deal with my clumsiness on top of everything else.”
I hesitated, torn between my need for control and the unexpected allure of his offer.
In the end, I relented with a sigh. “Fine. But be careful with the unbroken glasses. We’ll need every single one we can salvage.”
He nodded. “You got it. I really am sorry about this.” He gestured at the mess around us with an apologetic smile. “I promise I’m not usually such a bull in a china shop.”
Despite my irritation, the corner of my mouth twitched upward. “Well, I suppose accidents happen.” I knelt down to begin sweeping up the smaller shards. “Even to Hollywood hotshots like yourself.”
Charlie chuckled, the sound surprisingly warm and genuine. “Hollywood hotshot? Is that how you see me, Ms Sullivan?”
“Emma, please.” I glanced up at him almost against my will. There was something magnetic about this man, it made me helpless to resist.
“Emma.” His lips quirked and I almost sighed at the sight.
“I’m just calling it like I see it. Big-time agent, wandering aimlessly without looking where he’s going and barking orders into his phone? Seems pretty hotshot to me.”
Like someone used to cleaning up other people’s messes while his assistants cleaned up his.
He had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “I promise I’m not always on the phone dealing with crises. Just most of the time.”
I raised an eyebrow, carefully placing a larger piece of crystal into the pan. “Sounds thrilling. Is that why you decided to liven things up by destroying my champagne tower?”
Charlie laughed outright at that. “You caught me. I just couldn’t resist your impeccably stacked glassware. It was crying out to be toppled.”
Despite myself, a smile tugged at my lips. There was something disarmingly charming about his self-deprecating humour.
“Well, Mr Delacroix.” I stood, holding the dustpan full of broken glass between us like a shield. “Next time you feel the urge to destroy wedding decorations, maybe give a girl some warning first? Give me a chance to set up a decoy.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He smiled before taking the dustpan from me to dispose of the broken glass. “And please, call me Charlie.”
As he walked away to empty it, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him, a confusing array of emotion swirled inside me. Annoyance at the mess he’d caused, certainly, but also a spark of interest I hadn’t felt in far too long.
I shook my head, trying to clear it of these dangerous thoughts. I was here to work, not to get starry-eyed over some handsome Hollywood agent. But as Charlie returned, flashing me another apologetic smile, I had a feeling this evening was about to get a lot more interesting than I’d planned.
* * *
The next few hours passed in a blur of final preparations. I positioned myself near the back of the room, clipboard in hand, ready to tackle any last-minute issues. As the space filled with well-dressed guests, their excited chatter rising above the soft background music, I allowed myself a moment of pride. Despite the setbacks, everything was coming together beautifully.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Em.”
I turned at the sound of my name and a familiar voice, coming face to face with a familiar redhead. “Eva! Oh my god, it’s been forever!”
Eva pulled me into a tight hug. “I can’t believe it! When I introduced you to Abi, I knew you’d do an amazing job, but this is beyond anything I could have imagined.”
I grinned, genuinely happy to see a friendly face. “I know I’ve said it before, but I can’t thank you enough.” I shook my head, smiling while gratitude flooded me. “I can barely comprehend the opportunities this wedding could bring me and it’s all thanks to you.”
Eva waved me off with a laugh. “Please, I knew you’d be the best in the business. Abi’s lucky to have you.”
Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of more guests. Eva wrapped a stunning pixie-haired brunette in a warm hug. Ros Butler, one of Abi’s best friends and second bridesmaid.
Ros took one look at the place and whistled. “Jesus, girl. Did you leave any flowers in the ground?”
“Oh please, if I’d done any less, I’d be failing at my job. But I can’t take credit for this colour explosion. The restaurant staff are the real MVPs here.”
Eva’s jaw dropped as she took in the lush greenery and vibrant blooms. “Wait, you didn’t do this yourself? It looks exactly like the sketches you showed Abi!”
“I know, right?” I smirked, unable to keep the pride from my voice. “Gave them the plans last week, ordered the flowers, and they nailed it without me hovering. Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t check everything twice when I got here. Maybe three times.”
I’d planned to be here to supervise but with my assistant quitting, I’d been forced to let go.
Ros whistled again, clearly impressed. “Well, if this is what you accomplish without breaking a sweat, I can’t wait to see what magic you’ve worked for tomorrow.”
I basked in their praise for a moment.
As we chatted, more guests poured in, filling the room with that pre-wedding buzz of excitement and nerves. I spotted familiar faces from countless planning sessions — Finn’s rowdy groomsmen and their partners, his family who had made the long trip from Ireland, various close celebrity friends.
Abi and Eva had also lost their parents at a very young age, one of the reasons Eva and I bonded in the beginning. Their list of invitees might have been the shortest I’d ever handled in my career.
I’d never considered what my wedding guest list would look like, but it would be just as short.
I claimed my spot at a tiny table near the back as dinner kicked off. Perfect vantage point to spy on — I mean, oversee — everything. The gentle clink of cutlery mingled with warm laughter, creating that perfect ambiance I’d been stressing over for weeks. I allowed myself to relax a fraction.
When speech time rolled around, I had my clipboard at the ready. You never knew when someone might need an emergency tissue or a gentle nudge off stage.
One of Finn’s best men, Nathan Logan, started things off with an on set story that had me snorting into my water. Next, Eva delivered a tear-jerker that threatened my perfectly applied mascara.
Then Charlie stood up. I leaned forward in my seat as he cleared his throat.
“For those who don’t know me, I’m Charlie Delacroix, Finn’s agent and self-proclaimed cupid,” he began, earning chuckles from the crowd. “Now, I can’t take full credit for the magic that is Finn and Abi, but I will say this — I knew from the moment I signed Finn up for ‘Married Blind’ that he’d find his perfect match. Or at least some quality entertainment for the rest of us.”
Finn’s voice cut through the laughter. “Oh, come on. That’s not how it happened and you know it!”
Charlie’s grin only widened. “Ah, but it is, my friend. Let me paint you all a picture.” He turned back to the crowd, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “One where our dear Finn got caught in a compromising position with a certain director’s daughter in a very public restroom.”
“We talked about this, Charlie!” Finn shouted as the room hooted and laughed. Abi took his hand, holding him down when he tried to stand up.
Unless you lived under a rock, there was no way to miss that scandal and the resulting headlines. Finn had played the field and graced the tabloids frequently before that instance, but he’d never come so close to burning his career before.
“What? I’m not naming names.” Charlie cast an innocent glance around the room, but he couldn’t hold back the tiny smirk quirking one corner of his lips. “Anyway, our star’s options were either ‘Married Blind’ or a long, lonely stint in direct-to-streaming purgatory. And boy, did he fight me on it.”
Finn groaned, burying his face in his hands as the room erupted in laughter. I laughed along despite my best efforts to maintain professional detachment.
“But here’s the thing about fate — sometimes it has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. Finn went into that show expecting to find a gold-digger looking for her fifteen minutes of fame. Instead, he found Abi.”
“I did not think that!” Finn interjected, looking horrified.
Abi patted his arm consolingly. “It’s okay. I thought you were a self-absorbed pretty boy, so we’re even.”
More laughter rippled through the room as Charlie nodded sagely. “See? A match made in reality TV heaven. I’ve known Finn for years, and I’ve never seen him as blindsided — pun absolutely intended — as he was when he realised he was actually falling for his ‘TV wife’.”
“That’s... actually true.” Finn’s expression softened as he looked at Abi.
“It just goes to show, sometimes the best things in life come from the most unlikely places.” Charlie scanned the room, briefly catching my eye.
For a moment, the rest of the room faded away, and it was just us, sharing a silent acknowledgment of… something.
He winked and then lifted his glass, his eyes gleaming with genuine warmth. “To Finn and Abi — proof that love can bloom even in the harshest of lights. May you always remember that sometimes the best decisions are the ones you’re pushed into making. Especially if I’m the one doing the pushing.”
Everyone laughed, and Abi finally let Finn up to pull Charlie into one of those obligatory man-hugs.
As the speeches continued, my gaze kept returning to the dark-haired Canadian, much to my annoyance. The way he laughed wholeheartedly at the jokes, the attentive tilt of his head as he listened to the emotional moments, it all drew me to him. This was a far cry from the distracted bull in a china shop who had decimated my champagne tower earlier.
By the time dinner wound down and guests began to mingle, my perception of Charlie had shifted dramatically.
The brash Hollywood agent had been replaced by a man who clearly valued friendship and love, who took genuine joy in the happiness of others. It was… attractive, in a way I hadn’t expected and wasn’t entirely comfortable with.
You’re not here to ogle the guests, no matter how well they fill out a suit.
I threw all of my attention into last-minute checks and staff coordination. Anything I could possibly do to distract myself.
But I couldn’t stop stealing glances at Charlie as he worked the room, mingling with guests, all easy charm and sharing laughs with the happy couple.
At one point, our eyes met again across the crowded space. He flashed me a smile that made my heart skip a beat, and I quickly looked away, cursing the blush burning up my neck.
But as I watched him chat animatedly with Finn’s mother, making the woman laugh with delight, I knew I was in trouble. Our brief encounters had left more of an impression than I cared to admit, and despite my best efforts to remain professional, a part of me was looking forward to seeing more of Charlie at tomorrow’s wedding.
Want to read more? Click here to read Charlie's POV in chapter two or click here to read Lights, Camera, Baby in Kindle Unlimited.
