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the idea of a rerun.” Van spoke up before they needed to. “It’ll lull the general into thinking this will be nothing more than our typical profile on a political leader.”
    “That should work,” I agreed.
    “We’ve got a lot of work to do, folks,” Van motivated everyone to get moving.
    I stopped Dallas before she could leave with them. “You’re sure about wanting to travel there and do this right now?”
    “It’s the biggest story of my life. I’m absolutely sure. If we can stop this guy and keep him out of government, it’ll be worth every sacrifice.”
    “Okay.” I admired her dedication. “Do you want me to call Gaylord and the venue for you?”
    Her brow crinkled. Unlike nearly every other female anchor at this network, she didn’t use Botox to keep from aging naturally. “What for?”
    Now I was confused. “To cancel the venue and postpone the need for planning.”
    “Oh, we’re not postponing.”
    I sat forward. “What?”
    “The church doesn’t have a weekend slot open for another year and a half. We can’t give up the date.”
    “How…how…what?” I was really slow this morning.
    “We’re getting married in three weeks and three days. We’ll get the interview with the general, tape the show, and be back with a few days to spare.”
    “Dallas, I’m sure you have faith in the planner, but he can’t make decisions for you. You’ll be out of touch for the most part and too busy while you’re in South America.”
    “I know.” Nothing in her expression showed concern.
    “You have a ton of work to do before you leave. You can’t spend today making all your wedding decisions.”
    “I know.”
    Did love cause an injury to her brain? She should be freaking out right now. “Things don’t just magically happen on wedding days. You’ve got to plan and be in on the planning.”
    “I know.”
    She was so calm I thought maybe she was pulling one over on me. I was too tired to deal with whatever she was pulling. “Then how?”
    “You’re my MOH, sweetie. You’re organized, have good taste, and I trust you. Plus, you’ve listened to what I’ve wanted at my wedding for years.”
    “What exactly are you saying?” I had to get her to say it because what I thought I heard was that she wanted me to plan, organize, and execute her wedding for her. Me, the queen of wedding haters, the czar of marriage embargos, the supreme leader of nuptial negativity.
    “We have to keep the date and we have to get this story now. That leaves you to make my wedding go off without a hitch.”
    “What?” I shot out of my chair and began pacing the length of my office.
    “Ainsley will help. That way Colin will feel like he’s represented. I told him you could handle it on your own, but he wants Ainsley’s input.”
    I could say no. It was something I screamed in my head while reading every stupid romance where the woman gets into a harebrained situation with an arrogant man or woman and just sticks around to deal with it instead of saying no or walking away. I could walk away. Stupid and harebrained weren’t in my default settings. I didn’t have to go through three weeks of ridiculous wedding planning with a woman I never wanted to think about again let alone deal with. All I had to do was open my mouth. Who the hell tries to plan an elaborate wedding in three weeks anyway? Who the hell agrees to a long-term work assignment with everything still left to do in planning her wedding? Who the hell asks her best friend who detests weddings to finish everything for her? I didn’t have to do this.
    Just say no. Say it. “Sure.”
    And the nightmare begins.
     

Six
    This time I wasn’t the one gawping. I had to admit, it wasn’t a good look, but I couldn’t blame the wedding planner for staring at us like this. I’d be staring at us like this if I’d heard the news I just delivered.
    “But…?” Even his snapping fingers failed him. He didn’t have either of his pretty assistants to support