Work Wife

First Class

There are very few things I've done in my 31 years on earth that I truly regret. I make decisions and stand by them, say things with no intention of apologizing later, and have yet to mourn a single acquaintance I've sliced out of my life with surgical precision. But saying yes to Chase Camden and his round, chocolate-brown puppy-dog eyes? That's going to haunt me for the rest of my life.

The problem is, I can never say no to him. That's how I ended up as the Event Director at Havicore Events, co-owner of a Costco membership I never use, and, of course, wedding planner for his whirlwind Mexican fiesta-themed wedding. When Chase Camden, with his left dimple flashing, asks me to do something- no matter how exhausted, confused, or inexperienced I am- I say yes. And even though my eager-to-please attitude has earned me design awards and three promotions in two years, it's now landed me a first-class ticket to Cabo, sitting next to his bride-to-be so we can hash out the details of their fifty-person, all-inclusive resort wedding.

He beams at me, surprising me with the ticket at nine a.m. on a Monday morning. My jaw hangs slack, while my brain screams at me to drink the latte in my hand before responding.

"You didn't have to buy my ticket, Chase. I was planning on just snagging a Southwest deal with Eloise."

Chase flashes me that dimple that makes my knees go weak and places his large palm on my shoulder.

"You're planning this wedding for free and dealing with Ainslee. The least I could do is buy your airfare." He laughs as he shakes his head, knowing full well his fiancée is a nightmare to work with. Which is shocking really that he knows anything about her seeing as they've only been dating for three months.

"Just happy I can help. Still so crazy to me that you're getting married! Seems like it was just yesterday that I was your wing-woman at Pip's." I laugh as I squeeze a breathy laugh out. Probably because it was just yesterday that I watched him ogle the hot woman from Quiznos who dropped off the catering for our work luncheon.

"I know, Stel. Trust me, I'm still coming around to the idea of being someone's husband myself." He laughs his loud bark of a laugh that he usually saves for his clients. "But when you know, you know." He pats my shoulder again and I feel his warmth leave as he removes his hand and strides out of my office. I slump against my computer chair, with my heart in my lap as I wish that he'd know I was the one that should be wearing the 2-karat stunner, and off-white boho dress in Mexico.

For three years, everyone at Havicore has joked that I'm Chase's work wife. We collaborate on all major accounts, spend long design hours together in the conference room shoveling takeout side by side, and clink pint glasses at Pip's after finishing a tedious project.

I know he lies about his mushroom allergy just so the team won't order them on pizza. I know he broke his wrist in ninth grade after falling out of his girlfriend's window when her father found them half-naked in her room in the middle of the night. I know he weirdly treasures the Mont Blanc pen his father gave him when he became CEO because he thinks it's proof his father is finally proud of him. And I know Ainslee Weiss is not wife material.

I sigh, dropping my head back as I toss the first-class ticket printout onto my desk. I raise my now lukewarm latte to my lips and try to push the wedding from hell out of my mind before my nine-thirty meeting. A light knock on my door snaps me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see Eloise, my best work friend, in a neon pink blazer, lingering on the threshold. She's my number two on any project I'm assigned to and my confidant. Eloise is always rocking the latest trends, pulling off fashion-forward pieces you don't often see in Denver. I envy her effortless style and bubbly attitude. Eloise is the definition of cool, and she often struggles with my basic, business-casual, muted-color wardrobe.