Going to the Chapel Read online

  Going to the Chapel

  Two Weddings & A Baby

  Deborah Cooke

  Deborah A. Cooke

  Contents

  Going to the Chapel:

  Flatiron Five

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  More About Bad Case of Loving You

  More about Secret Heart Ink

  About the Author

  More Books by Deborah Cooke

  Going to the Chapel:

  Two Weddings & A Baby

  Flatiron Five #5

  * * *

  It’s September in Manhattan and the weather is perfect for a wedding—if not two! Cassie and Reid tie the knot with style in this short story, while Haley and Damon take their vows surrounded by friends and family. Will Amy and Tyler’s son arrive in time for the festivities? Join the F5 crew as they celebrate two weddings, welcome the first child of the partners, and make changes to build the future of their fitness club.

  Going to the Chapel

  By Deborah Cooke

  * * *

  Cover by Kim Killion

  * * *

  Copyright © 2018 Deborah A. Cooke

  All rights reserved.

  * * *

  Without limiting the rights under copyright preserved above, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright holder and the publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Created with Vellum

  Flatiron Five

  Contemporary Romance Series

  Once upon a recession, five friends banded together to find success. Ten years later, their exclusive fitness club, Flatiron Five, is the hottest destination in Manhattan. People flock to F5 to get fit, to get lucky, and even, to fall in love. The founding partners have been immune to F5’s spell—at least, so far...

  1. Simply Irresistible

  * * *

  2. Addicted to Love

  * * *

  3. In the Midnight Hour

  * * *

  4. Some Guys Have All the Luck

  * * *

  5. Going to the Chapel

  * * *

  6. Bad Case of Loving You

  One

  Manhattan—September 6

  Hunter was terrified.

  The last thing he wanted was to lose his job at the dance club at Flatiron Five. He loved working there. He’d loved even being there, and that had made it easy for him to make an argument to Tyler about hiring him. He loved the job even more than he’d anticipated and didn’t know what he’d do without it.

  But why else would Kyle have called him in for an appointment on Thursday afternoon at the club? Hunter couldn’t dismiss his feeling that something bad was going down, even though he couldn’t figure out why. As he rode the train downtown, he composed a list of everything he’d done right at the club.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have beat Kyle at the dance contest.

  His heart was racing by the time he reached the club, and he knew he’d walked faster than usual. He took a deep breath and tried to look cool. It was easier to deny something to a person who wanted it really badly. Hunter didn’t know why, much less what that said about human nature, but he’d seen it in action enough times to believe it.

  He tried to look nonchalant as he sauntered into the lobby. Kyle was leaning against the receptionist desk, obviously waiting for him, and Hunter fought back his sense of doom.

  Why Kyle?

  The song changed, and Kyle pointed a finger at Sonia.

  “It could be your theme song,” she teased him, as Hunter came closer.

  “Twist and Shout?” Kyle asked, starting to dance.

  “No, the next line,” Sonia said. “Shake it up, baby.”

  Kyle laughed. “Me?” he asked, feigning innocence.

  “You,” Sonia agreed with a smile. “You love turning everything and everyone upside down.”

  Hunter swallowed, not liking the sound of that.

  “It’s a gift,” Kyle informed her and she just shook her head. He seized her hand and they did the twist beside the front desk. “Hey, Hunter!” Kyle waved a welcome. “Glad you could stop by.”

  Hunter reminded himself that he’d talked his way into the job at the club, and he’d talk a lot more to keep it. “No problem,” he said cheerfully and shook Kyle’s offered hand. “What’s going on?”

  “He’s going to shake you up, baby,” Sonia confided, but she didn’t look too worried about that. “He’s been doing it to everyone today.”

  “Really?” Hunter looked between the two of them.

  “It’s my mission and I’ve chosen to accept it,” Kyle said in an ominous tone. “Although in the event of my capture, all knowledge of my activities will be disavowed.”

  Sonia shook her head at him and headed for the office. “I’ll just get started on that marketing plan, then,” she said, abandoning her usual place at the desk.

  Christa, the weekend receptionist, took a seat, her eyes sparkling. “This is great,” she said to Kyle. “Regular hours and more of them. Thanks so much for the chance.”

  So, Christa had a new job and so did Sonia.

  What did that mean for him?

  “You’re changing things up,” Hunter guessed and Kyle nodded.

  He gestured toward the climbing wall, which was quiet.

  Hunter hoped that Kyle wasn’t going to make him compete for the chance to keep his job. Kyle had a way of turning things into physical challenges, and Hunter sucked at climbing the wall. The only person he’d ever seen beat Kyle at that was Nate Buchanan, who’d rocked up that wall like a spider on speed.

  Hunter followed Kyle, reviewing his list of arguments in his own favor. He’d started the dance contest. He’d suggested changes for the music. The line of people waiting to get into the club was longer every week...

  “It’s like this,” Kyle said abruptly, and Hunter appreciated that he wasn’t going to play games. “We started F5 with five partners, four of us actively involved in the club. As our membership grew, we added more instructors and counselors, building a staff of great employees.”

  Hunter’s mouth was as dry as sandpaper. He nodded.

  “And now we’re growing even more, with the opening of F5 West in San Francisco.”

  Hunter nodded. “Expansion there was a brilliant idea.”

  “I think so.” Kyle grinned. “But then I’m biased because it was my idea.” He shook a finger at Hunter. “But at the same time, things are changing for us five partners. Ty has left his day job to be our CFO full time, which says a lot about our financial situation and viability. I don’t think anyone is more cautious than Ty.”

  Hunter smiled because he thought he was supposed to, but he didn’t feel much like it.

  He was getting fired.

  Even though he couldn’t figure out why.

  Kyle continued easily. “I’ll be spending most of my time in California now. Ty will have a day job here. Cassie is getting mar
ried on Saturday, and Damon’s getting married next Saturday. We’re all moving into a phase of our lives that we don’t want to work 24-7, because we have partners and lives beyond the club. This is all good and perfectly natural.”

  It was because they were going to sell the club. The bottom fell out of Hunter’s stomach. It would never be as good without the founding partners. They were either retiring or moving to San Francisco and the new opportunity.

  Kyle continued. “So, we need to add a layer into our structure. We need to choose some superstar employees and get them invested in F5, to make sure it stays great even as we partners are less involved.”

  Hunter blinked. “You’re not selling the club?”

  Kyle looked startled. “I’d rather sell my soul,” he said with heat. “No, we’re offering you a job, Hunter! Full time with benefits. We need a manager for the night club, and we all think you’d totally rock it.”

  Relief flooded through Hunter. “Awesome!”

  “You’d still have us underfoot on occasion, especially on big nights—”

  “Like the full moon, when Chynna does her tattoo.”

  “Exactly. And Cassie’s living in the penthouse, so you can always call her or Reid.”

  “Or Mr. Bernard.” Hunter nodded to the side of the lobby that gave access to the condos in the tower. The space had been divided to create a separate lobby with its own street entrance where the doorman Mr. Bernard reigned supreme. There were doors to the lobby of the club itself, and residents of the tower could move back and forth with their keys. Nobody else much got into that lobby and lived to tell about it.

  “Or the indispensible Mr. Bernard,” Kyle agreed. “We’re not going to abandon you. Far from it! We’re here for any questions or help, and Theo will still pimp your celebrity guest list.”

  “Good, because he rocks at that.” Hunter was relieved by that news.

  “But we’d like you to take the lead and build a team. I know you’ve got a lot of ideas and enthusiasm for the club and I think you’d be great at it.” Kyle smiled. “If you think it’s an interesting idea, we can head into the office and talk terms.” He named a salary that made Hunter grin.

  “It’s my dream job! Of course, I’ll do it!” Hunter seized Kyle’s hand and shook it hard in his relief.

  “One thing you need to add into your schedule for sure is our weekly meeting on Wednesday nights. You’ll need to attend every week, either in person or by conference call, starting next Wednesday.”

  “Got it,” Hunter agreed. He’d seen the partners arrive for the Wednesday meeting. If he was on this new tier, he’d have to update his look to ensure he had the appearance of belonging. “But what other changes are you making? Who else is on the new tier?”

  “Well, we’re thinking of it as each of us finding or choosing someone to assume our respective role. So, you’re mini-me.” Kyle winked and Hunter laughed. “Sonia is working for Cassie now, instead of doing reception, because she has a gift for marketing, too. She’s working on the next billboard right now. Thom is taking part of the responsibility for weight training and mentoring from Damon. I do some of that, too, so we’ve hired Nate Buchanan to do the same thing.”

  “I like Nate,” Hunter agreed. “He’s a great guy and a good choice.”

  “I think so, too. We’re still choosing someone to take the lead in the women’s weight room. Nate and Thom can coordinate the other training programs together, plus Nate has expertise in training with a prosthesis. I think we’re going to have an influx of new members when that billboard of him is posted.”

  Hunter nodded, his thoughts spinning.

  “We’re talking to Haley about recommendations for a physiotherapy and rehab consultant because that might also become a part of what we do. Ty has promoted our bookkeeper Chloe to do more finance stuff, and he’ll be training her. They’ll manage the finance for F5W from here for now, although I wouldn’t be surprised if Chloe ends up moving west.”

  Hunter didn’t know Chloe, although he’d seen her in passing.

  Kyle shrugged. “Theo is still looking for a protégé. That might take time because a big part of what he does is just knowing people and having a sense of who to call.”

  “Maybe he can’t be easily replaced.”

  “Maybe not.” Kyle grinned. “We’ll see how it goes.”

  “You are shaking it up,” Hunter said.

  “And passing the torch to you, at least partly,” Kyle said. “I also am the idea guy, so be sure to share any ideas that you have for new things we could do or new programs we could offer. The market is always changing, and we want to be at the forefront.”

  “Yummy mummies,” Hunter said, because he’d been thinking about it for a while.

  “Excuse me?”

  “My sister just had a baby and she’s been complaining about finding a class to get back into shape, one tailored to new moms. She feels as if she lost a lot of tone during her pregnancy because she couldn’t find a class that she thought would be safe.”

  “Yummy mummies,” Kyle echoed, then nodded. “I like that. Yummy mummies and their tummies. That’ll fit in with Cassie’s view of our changing demographics.” He grinned. “I knew you’d be awesome at this.”

  “Just because I beat you at the dance contest the last time you were in town.”

  Kyle scoffed. “Please. That was a pity win. I gave it to you.”

  Hunter hooted. “In your dreams! I killed it!”

  Kyle cocked a finger at him. “Friday. Ten. Rematch.”

  “You’re on,” Hunter said and shook Kyle’s hand hard. “And thanks.”

  It didn’t get any better than this.

  Reid sat in the penthouse apartment at Flatiron Five that he’d bought from Tyler and watched his friends. The city lights sparkled beyond the large windows, the indigo sky streaked with the last bit of orange from the sunset. He could hear the distant sound of traffic, car horns and sirens that formed the background to everything in New York.

  Shayla and Troy had come from Chicago, of course, and had arrived in the middle of the week. They’d played tourist together and caught up with each other’s news. Reid was halfway afraid to see how elaborate a hat Shayla had bought for the wedding. Chris and Megan had come from Napa, while Brendan and Lily had come from Houston, both couples having arrived the night before. They’d all spent the day together and it had been great to catch up.

  Just like old times.

  Cassie’s parents had come from Montrose River with her sister, Ally, and husband, Jonathan. Nick and Tori had also come from Montrose River, along with baby Emily. Nick and Chris had bonded immediately over all things automotive and had spent a good bit of time in the private parking garage next to F5 where Reid’s Aston Martin was pampered. Tyler had introduced Reid to Joe, owner of the garage, and offered his former parking spot like a legacy. It was only after Reid saw Joe with the car that he recognized how lucky he was to have such a good spot for his car.

  For a guy who hadn’t believed in luck until very recently, Reid seemed to have an abundance of it. It was all because of Cassie, and he knew it.

  Ally seemed to be holding Emily a lot of the time, her yearning clear as crystal to everyone, although Cassie was rocking the sleeping baby now. Reid couldn’t help but notice how Cassie’s uncertainty around the baby was fading, all because she’d decided to leave her past behind. He felt a lump in his throat as he thought again of what she’d survived and of what—or who—the little teddy bear on the shelf in the bedroom symbolized.

  They’d talked about starting a family soon. On one hand, he wanted Cassie to himself for a while. On the other, he knew that having a child would be the next step in healing her old wound and he wanted to give her that. They were on an adventure together that would last the rest of their lives, and he had to believe that each addition to their world would be great.

  He thought of the billboard that was in Times Square now, of Cassie greeting the sunrise in this very apartment, which they�
�d all seen in their touring earlier in the day.

  Maybe he was the one starting fresh at F5.

  “I can’t believe that billboard picture was taken here,” Lily said, casting an admiring eye around the apartment. “It looks so different.”

  “Ty liked neutrals,” Cassie said. “Once we bought it, we went with color.”

  “I love it,” Shayla said. “The colors suit you, Cassie.”

  “Every woman should have a home that makes her look good,” Megan agreed and they all laughed together.

  “It’s so fancy,” Tori said with a bit of awe.

  “It’s home,” Cassie said firmly, casting Reid a smile. “Where the heart is.”

  He toasted her with his glass. “Absolutely.”

  “What I can’t believe is how toned you are,” Shayla said, surveying Cassie.

  “Part of the job description,” Cassie replied with a smile.

  “I think we all want your butt, sis,” Ally said, and the women all laughed.

  The penthouse had changed so much since they’d bought it from Tyler, the decor having become more colorful and eclectic. Reid found it warm and welcoming, a cozy haven from the city. He’d already asked Ty about acquiring at least one of the other units on this floor so that they could add a bedroom or two and never have to move again. He liked having a sense of permanence, of setting down roots in a new place.