#Wedding Venue in Wine County

[ahedderick]

Recycle

Not to go into too much background detail, quite a few of you already know it, but my family had been cleaning up the Situation at my late father's farm for years, even before he passed away. Our beloved [hmph] county has limited recycling options. In fact, for "chemical waste" there is only ONE DAY every TWO YEARS that you can drop off things you want to get rid of responsibly. Bearing in mind that, in a rural area, just taking a jug of ??whatever?? and dumping it somewhere is 1) wrong but 2) absolutely guaranteed to go unnoticed and unpunished.

We don't want to do that! We want it properly and safely recycled. But what we have, after investigating all eleven buildings on the farm where junk was stashed, is an enormous quantity of jugs, containers, buckets, and decomposing paper bags of. stuff. Old agricultural stuff, mainly, but also machinist/metal-working stuff. Most of it unlabeled, or with labels too old and worn to be read. The large glass jug of concentrated sulfuric acid was an anomaly in that it was clearly labeled in in a proper container (glass wine jug, but hey, glass is glass)

We had quite a lot of this already gathered up in October of 2019 (ha! The good old days! so quaint!). However, that October we were also planning and preparing to be a temporary wedding venue; my brother and SIL were getting married the next weekend and that had to be a priority over recycling.

October 2021 rolled around, but my husband and I were both a little distracted and, honestly, we just forgot about it. There's almost NO advertisement of this event, by the way. We were aggravated, but there was nothing to do but stockpile all that damned chemical waste for another two years.

Yesterday my husband very c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y loaded the bed of his pickup truck with all this . . . mess. Buckets, bottles, plastic, glass, cardboard, bags. It FILLED the 8-foot bed of the pickup. And this morning, early, he very c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y drove off to the county fairgrounds, to turn it all in. It will be quite a large relief to all of us to have this done with.

Damn, Dad. How DID you make SUCH a mess of this farm. How?!!!

[These are old pix from January 2021]

[grapecounty]

Premier Court House in Nashik near Mumbai | Grape County Eco Resort & Spa

Nestled in the tranquil hills of Sahyadri, just a few hours from Mumbai, Premier Court House in Nashik offers a retreat like no other. Situated within the sprawling Grape County Eco Resort & Spa, this luxurious farmhouse is a perfect destination for those seeking a unique blend of comfort, nature, and sustainability. Whether you are planning a weekend getaway, a family vacation, or a special event, the Premier Court House provides an exclusive and peaceful setting amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Nashik's wine country.

The Premier Court House is thoughtfully designed to cater to guests who appreciate a harmonious fusion of rustic charm and modern sophistication. The farmhouse features spacious, tastefully furnished rooms, each offering panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards, lakes, and hills. Every detail has been meticulously crafted to provide a relaxing experience, from the plush bedding to the modern amenities, ensuring that your stay is both comfortable and memorable.

At Grape County Eco Resort & Spa, there is no shortage of activities for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts. Guests can take part in vineyard tours, where they will learn about the wine-making process and enjoy tastings of Nashik's renowned wines. The resort also offers guided wildlife safaris, bird-watching tours, and kayaking on the nearby lakes. For those who prefer a slower pace, the property provides opportunities for leisurely walks through its verdant landscapes or a relaxing afternoon in the serene lakeside picnic spots.

For guests looking to truly unwind, the eco-luxury spa at Grape County offers an array of holistic treatments designed to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. Indulge in a soothing massage, a refreshing facial, or a full-body treatment using natural and organic products. The spa’s tranquil atmosphere, combined with the natural beauty of the surroundings, creates the perfect environment for relaxation and healing.

In addition to its appeal as a luxury retreat, Premier Court House is also an ideal venue for private events and special celebrations. The expansive property offers a range of customizable event spaces, making it a perfect destination for weddings, corporate retreats, or intimate family gatherings. The stunning natural backdrop of the vineyards and hills provides an unforgettable setting for any occasion, with the resort’s professional team on hand to ensure that every detail is flawlessly executed.

Whether you are celebrating a milestone event or simply looking for a quiet escape from the city, Premier Court House at Grape County Eco Resort & Spa promises an unparalleled experience. With its luxurious accommodations, eco-friendly ethos, and diverse range of activities, it offers the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure in one of India’s most beautiful natural settings.

Come and discover the Premier Court House in Nashik, Maharashtra—where luxury meets nature, and every moment is an invitation to unwind, explore, and reconnect. From the rolling vineyards to the serene lakes, it’s more than just a getaway; it’s a journey into the heart of tranquility. Book your stay today and create lasting memories in this one-of-a-kind destination. For more information call us at +91 7030915009.

[vidrphotography]

Spring Picnic Elopement in Hillsborough, NC

~ A Peaceful Picnic Reception after a Courthouse Elopmenet ~

Every love story is unique, and sometimes the best-laid plans take unexpected turns. Olivia and Holden initially approached me to photograph a larger backyard wedding they had planned for the fall. However, things came up and they ultimately chose the spontaneity of an elopement at the wonderful Orange County Courthouse. Despite the change in plans, their intimate celebration turned into a delightful spring picnic elopement in the charming town of Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Orange County Courthouse

The Orange County Courthouse is popular among couples looking for a simple yet meaningful ceremony. The space where the ceremony is held inside the courthouse has a rather clean and simple aesthetic and really allows for the couple to be the main focus of the event. The courthouse used to allow weddings to take place outside which made for a stunning scenery. However, recently the courthouse shifted its policies, limiting ceremonies to indoor spaces only for security reasons. Despite this change, Olivia and Holden embraced the moment and had a beautiful ceremony inside the courthouse.

Refreshing Picnic Reception

After the ceremony, we traveled to a nearby park for Olivia and Holden's reception. Olivia and Holden brought cheesecake, fresh fruit, and sparkling juice to have as they celebrated their union. This ended up being a great combination of snacks and refreshments as it was quite a hot day, so these were a nice and cool refreshing way to beat the heat. The park also did not allow alcohol so the sparkling juice was the closest option to a bottle of wine or champagne that would abide by the parks rules. Having any part of your wedding day be outside can be nerve-wracking as you can't properly predict the weather. However, when the weather does cooperate it can make for a spectacular time. There are so many options when it comes to spots to take photos outside. While there are important factors to think about when trying to get the perfect outdoor photos you will often find random spots that end up making a beautiful backdrop. This spontaneity can always lead to fun, unexpected, and unique moments that will make your special day even more memorable. Luckily for Olivia and Holden, the park was full of vibrant green grass and trees that perfectly matched their lively personalities. Olivia and Holden opted for blue and cool-toned outfits which helped them to stand out among the vibrancy of the park's background.

A Private First Dance

The park featured a beautiful pavilion awning that allowed for everyone to get out of the heat for a while. Olivia and Holden took this opportunity to share their first dance. Luckily, the park was pretty empty allowing for this moment to be a private and intimate moment for them. With the river as their backdrop and the gentle breeze adding to the romantic ambiance, Olivia and Holden were able to enjoy their first dance as a married couple. I highly recommend thinking about including some shady spots on your wedding day if you are planning on having any part of your wedding or elopement outside. After their first dance, we took some more photos before parting ways for the evening. This included detailed shots of their rings and more portrait-styled shots of the couple.

Olivia and Holden's spring picnic elopement in Hillsborough, NC, may have deviated from their initial plans, but it blossomed into a day filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. The unique combination of the Orange County Courthouse, the riverside reception, and the quaint charm of Hillsborough created a truly special atmosphere for their intimate celebration. As a wedding photographer, capturing the genuine moments of this unexpected journey was a joy.

Vendors

Venue: Orange County Courthouse and River Park

View more Orange County Courthouse weddings here

View more courthouse weddings here.

View more weddings here.

[lahilden]

Hunguest Hotel Palota

Lillafured Palace Hotel (Hunguest Hotel Palota) is located in Lillafured, county of Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Hungary. Built in 1929 on the artificial Lake Hamori in the Bukk Mountains, the neo-renaissance castle has an eclectic style.The castle sits in a large park near caves, a hanging garden, the artificial Szinva Stream waterfall, a trout farm, and rock climbing. Although completed in 1929, the castle didn’t open until 1930. During the 30s, it became a popular place for high society and provided a venue for congresses and celebrities. During WWII, the hotel served as a military hospital for wounded Russian soldiers. After the war, the rights to manage the hotel transferred, and for the next 40 years, it was managed by the National Council of Trade, where people with special vouchers could stay there. In 1993, the hotel was purchased by Hunguest Hotels, who conducted a large-scale renovation, paneled all the rooms, and brought period pieces of furniture to decorate the palace. The three-star hotel has 131 rooms with a variety of guest room options. The hotel boasts a wine cellar, a lobby bar, the Hunyadi Restaurant, the Matthias Restaurant, two bowling lanes, a billiards area, a salon, a sports and fitness center, and event rooms for corporate functions or weddings.

[wagswheelsllc]

Elevate Your Experience: The Finest Luxury Transportation in Cape May County

ape May County, nestled in the southernmost region of New Jersey, is a destination that boasts stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and a laid-back coastal charm. For those seeking to explore this picturesque area in style and comfort, there's no better way to do so than with the finest luxury transportation services available. Whether you're visiting for a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a special event, opting for luxury transportation can truly elevate your Cape May County experience.

Arrive in Style

First impressions matter, and the choice of transportation can set the tone for your entire trip. Luxury transportation services in Cape May County provide an unparalleled experience from the moment you step inside. These vehicles are meticulously maintained and offer the utmost in comfort and style.

Luxury sedans, limousines, and SUVs are equipped with plush leather seats, climate control, and state-of-the-art entertainment systems, ensuring a relaxing and enjoyable journey. Whether you're arriving at Cape May County by air, rail, or road, luxury transportation services can arrange a seamless pickup, allowing you to start your visit in the lap of luxury.

Customized Experiences

One of the key advantages of opting for luxury transportation is the ability to tailor your experience to your specific preferences. The providers of these services understand that every traveler is unique, and they go the extra mile to accommodate your needs and desires.

Whether you're planning a wine tour through Cape May's renowned wineries, a day at the beach with your family, or a romantic evening out, luxury transportation providers can create a customized itinerary for you. You have the flexibility to choose your destinations, set your schedule, and enjoy a personalized experience that suits your interests.

Professional Chauffeurs

Luxury transportation in Cape May County takes the stress out of navigating unfamiliar roads or worrying about parking. When you opt for these services, you're not just hiring a vehicle; you're securing the services of a highly trained and professional chauffeur.

These chauffeurs have an in-depth knowledge of the area, ensuring that you reach your destination safely and efficiently. They are committed to providing you with a top-notch experience, and their courteous and discreet service ensures that you can relax and focus on enjoying your journey.

Safety and Reliability

Safety is paramount when it comes to luxury transportation services. The providers in Cape May County adhere to the highest safety standards, ensuring that their vehicles are well-maintained and regularly inspected. This commitment to safety extends to their chauffeurs, who undergo rigorous training and background checks.

By choosing luxury transportation, you can have peace of mind knowing that you are in safe hands. Whether you're traveling alone, with your family, or for a special occasion, reliability and safety are assured, allowing you to fully enjoy your time in Cape May County.

Enhancing Special Occasions

Cape May County is a popular destination for weddings, anniversaries, and other special celebrations. Luxury transportation can add an extra layer of elegance and sophistication to your special day.

Imagine arriving at your wedding venue in a sleek limousine or celebrating your anniversary with a private wine tour. Luxury transportation providers in Cape May County are well-versed in catering to special occasions, and they can help you create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when you choose the finest luxury transportation services in Cape May County, you're not just selecting a mode of travel; you're making a statement. You're choosing comfort, style, and convenience. You're ensuring a safe and reliable journey. Most importantly, you're elevating your entire Cape May County experience.

Whether you're exploring the area's natural beauty, delving into its rich history and culture, or celebrating a special occasion, luxury transportation allows you to do so with grace and flair. It's a way to immerse yourself fully in the charm of Cape May County, knowing that every aspect of your journey is taken care of.

So, whether you're savoring a romantic weekend getaway, creating lasting family memories, or commemorating a significant milestone, consider the finest luxury transportation services available in Cape May County. Your journey will not only be elevated; it will be transformed into an exceptional experience that you'll treasure for years to come.

[techinfofacts]

December’s 10 Best Businesses for Sale

It is a good idea to invest in an established business if you are thinking of starting a new business or adding to your portfolio. New and experienced entrepreneurs can choose from a variety of industries and price points in the businesses for sale.

What are the benefits of establishing a company? For new business owners, having a customer base without worrying about cash flow and finding a customer base makes this an attractive opportunity. ness owners. Cash flow and customers are already present in an established business. You do not have to suffer about suffering through the growing pains of launching a new business if you are an experienced entrepreneur.

December 2022’s Top 10 Businesses for Sale

Here are some of the top businesses for sale in December from BizBuySell, whether you are just starting out or have been around for a while:

Axe Throwing Bar

With franchise support and great cash flow, this Axe Throwing Bar offers a great opportunity for investors. Several local events are organized in this growing activity, which has an Axe Throwing League and a federation. The potential for growth is great.

With an asking price of $600,000, the business is located in Orlando, Fl. There is a $600,000 gross revenue and a $150,000 cash flow.

Twin Eagle Lake Resort

An investment in Twin Eagle Lake Resort is a smart one. The resort boasts 260 acres, including a 45-acre private lake. The property has 100 RV sites with 50 amp electric service, two family homes, six A-frame cabins, 11 cabins, a 23-room hotel, and a wedding venue. A swimming pool, aswimmingm beach, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, a pavilion with a kitchen, a gazebo, a swimming pool, and a sand volleyball court are also included.

Established Sign Business

In 2021, this Sign Business grew 22% with 22% growth in the small business for sale of the Year 2020 category. Commercial signage products are sold, produced, and installed by this B2B company. Signage and graphics are printed digitally, illuminated, and architecturally. Customers repeat business to the tune of 70%.

During the 30 days of training and support provided by the seller, the franchisee will receive full training and support.

A $1,000,000 price tag is listed on this business located in Buncombe County, North Carolina. It generated 2,001,227 in gross revenue and had $265,346 in cash flow.

Full-Line, Full-Service Powersports Dealership

Powersports dealerships like this have grown dramatically over the past three decades. A nearly 50% increase in sales was recorded in the third quarter of 2022 compared to last year. The company’s growth can be attributed to several factors, including exclusive territory agreements with industry leaders, commercial contracts, and a database of over 15,000 customers.

There is an asking price of $1,975,000 for this business located in New Mexico. With gross revenue of $11,194,000 and cashlow of $933,000, the company has a net cash flow of $933,000. Additionally, the building and business can be bought together for $4,975,000.

Rare Dive Bar Beer/Wine

Rare Dive Bar has been in business since 1981, making it an established part of the local bar scene. Not only that, but it is also very reasonably priced. There are multiple big-screen TVs, touch tunes, pool tables, dart boards, video games, and seating for over 50 guests.

Puppy Parties with Real Puppies

It is estimated that Puppy Parties with Real Puppies has already generated over $240,000 in revenue since it was established in 2021. Whatever the event, whether it’s a birthday, bachelorette, corporate, school, college, or trade show, this is a great way to make it more special. You can grow your business by attracting celebrity clients such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Sylvester Stallone, Ice T, Jake Gyllenhaal, the Jonas Brothers, James Gandolfini, Elon Musk, Kenan Thompson, and Julianne Moore.

Party and Event Equipment Rental

Providing full-service party and event equipment rental since 2000, this business specializes in party equipment rental. As a result, it has become a recognized brand in a seven-county area that covers over 460 square miles. In addition to 35 tents of all sizes, along with a long list of inventory, the sale includes more than 35 tents.

Scuba Dive Center BoatTour Business

A world-class snorkel shop and adventure tour business, this Scuba Dive Center Boat Tourr Business has been in operation since 1990. In addition to offering Dive Classes, Guided Dives, Tour Packages, Group Events, Environmental Classes, and Equipment Sales and Rentals, this business is a destination business. A non-real estate asset valued at over $500,000 is included in the sale as well as the property.

Campervan Rental Co with Design and Fabrication Facilities

Outdoor recreation costs Americans over 900 billion dollars a year, and this company is positioned to capitalize on it. Besides renting fully equipped campervans, the company builds vans for its own rental fleet as well as vans for third parties. Scalability is built into the business model.

Buyers are willing to be trained by the owner.

A $1,000,000 asking price is being offered for the business in Colorado. A total of $1,310,962 in gross revenue and $393,677 in cash flow were generated.

Retail Jewelry Store

Over 25 years ago (1997), this Jewelry Store specialized in retailing high-end jewelry, creating custom jewelry, selling watches, and online selling diamonds and gemstones. Currently, the database contains approximately 3,000 retail and 700 wholesale customers. Other satisfied customers often refer us to new clients for online selling businesses.

Source:- https://techinfofacts.com/decembers-10-best-businesses-for-sale/

[im4uworld]

Thankful. Part 3-The Ride of My Life

Learn how this one retiree created a bike giveaway program for underprivileged children in her community in her life of service.

I live in a small county (Hood River County, Oregon) that is primarily rural with many fruit orchards, pears, apples, cherry. Several packing plants support that agricultural base. Our year-round population is approximately 32% Latino, mostly immigrants who came to work in agriculture, in the orchards, and in the packing plants. Work is plentiful but hard, and the wages are low. The goal is to eventually move off the farm and get an apartment or modest home closer to daily necessities – groceries, doctors, other stores, and services. Often, the first-generation immigrants remained Spanish speakers and relied on their kids to help navigate the system. 

Like many immigrant groups that came to America, the first generation worked hard and spoke their native language mostly. Adults sacrificed to give their children a chance for a better future. The family was the nucleus of life. The second generation spoke more fluent English, became better educated and affluent than their parents, moved off and away from the farming communities, and became successful. It is the quintessential American Dream, and the promise of it was alive where I live.

Then something happened that disrupted this cycle. The economy started shifting to a tourism and recreation-based one. The demand for low-wage service workers boomed. There was more employment diversity, such as restaurant workers (usually in the kitchen) and hotel help (usually cleaning), among other tourism, recreation, and related service businesses. Agriculture is still a solid foundation for the economy, but it is part of a more diversified one today.

Hood River was a natural to become a strong tourist destination. Four-season recreation, the stunning natural setting, and the historic charm of its namesake town all contributed to the allure. No one, however, predicted the massive amount of money that would follow the people who came to visit. Small businesses serving local needs gave way to highly specialized ones catered to tourists, expensive bicycle shops and windsurfing stores, tony restaurants, wine bars, chic boutiques, wedding destination venues, expensive hotels, and the like.

Inevitably, many tourists came to stay and bought second homes bidding up housing prices beyond what local people could afford. Market analysts estimated a few years ago that it took more than six (6) times the average local income to buy a house. That factor made Hood River one of the most unaffordable places to live in Oregon. Many of these second homes were unoccupied most of the year, mainly on weekends and in the summer and winter. Locals termed it 'dark streets,' an accurate description of dark neighborhoods because few people were home. 

It was hard on many of us here, including the Latino population. Today there is no such thing as an entry-level-priced house or apartment. Much of a working-class Latino family's income must be dedicated to housing, with little left for the children and amenities. Many multi-generational families live together in two and three-bedroom homes, with family members often sleeping on a couch. Affordable housing is now a critical issue in our town, and many service agencies are trying to solve some of the problems.

I got involved with a non-profit organization with a bike to give away. My good friend Silvan and I wanted to help the non-profit organization give more than just one bike away. We began a fundraising drive. We wanted to help children whose families could not afford to buy them a bike. Many children we encountered never had a bicycle, and five had to share one cycle in one situation.

We sponsored a coloring contest and sent the entry forms to those schools and services where we knew the underprivileged children would have an opportunity to see the forms and fill one out. We received many entries, and most of the entry forms came from children who were of Latino heritage and lived in rural areas. We had to be entirely fair, so we picked entries randomly. To our surprise, most of the selected children had never owned a bike before, and most came from Latino families. 

We contacted the families and went to the children's schools, a familiar place. Typically, both parents usually came along too. Only one of our group went to the school to present the bike. We wanted to avoid overwhelming the children and to have a one-on-one conversation with the parents. We did not seek praise for the efforts, only quiet recognition, which we would use to validate this worthwhile program as we continued our fundraising efforts.

The year after the bike giveaway, a middle school in an agricultural part of the county reached out to us. They had a bike club where kids, mainly boys, learned to work on, take care of, and ride their bikes on the forest trails of the county. Not every boy had a bike, so we raised funds to purchase bikes. We bought nine bikes in 2020, which was nothing short of a miracle because there had been a bike shortage during the pandemic. 

The pride of ownership shone through the children's faces. They took extra pains to keep their bikes clean and learned how to ride and fix them. The bicycles gave the children more freedom and provided secondary benefits to the family (think sending your child out to run an errand). It was a win-win-win for the children, the family, and us.

The program continues to this day, and we now include bicycle giveaways to homeless people. Donations have come from diverse sources, and the community's generosity has always been forthcoming, even amid the pandemic. I would never have guessed that a single bike contest could turn into what it has today, something I call the ride of my life.

Contact im4uworld to learn how to set up a bicycle donation program in your community.

[villachanticleer]

Best Wedding Space near Healdsburg

Looking for a wedding venue near Healdsburg? Villa Chanticleer is one of the unique place with beautiful green garden and an indoor dining room with accommodation for 500 guests. Contact us to plan your grand wedding at the most charming place in the heart of wine country.

[kittycatlukey]

Far Cry 5 Preference: Wedding & Honeymoon

Joseph Seed:

•Wedding theme colors— Marigold Yellow, Navy Blue, and Slate Gray

•These theme color combinations are perfect for your and Joseph's wedding (in his church of course)! Yellow rose bouquets, navy blue bridesmaids dresses, Joseph and his groomsmen (John and Jacob) in navy blue suits, elegant slate gray tablecloths, etc.

•John being the marriage officiant.

•A huge wedding; everyone in Hope County invited

•Flowers— yellow roses with slate gray ribbons

•Small wedding cake with the Project at Eden's Gate symbol in the center

•Cloudy day, light rain

•You, John, and Faith are the decorators of this wedding, along with the most trustworthy peggies. As long as you have the three of you in charge, your wedding will be better than great! (Although they have to have their choice in some of the decorations, which you and Joseph don't mind). John would feel the need to have the most expensive everything, and Faith would want plants everywhere. John and Faith both would be in charge of the food. And Joseph wants absolutely no alcohol, with the exception of wine.

•Jacob has no part in decorating. You'll be lucky if he evens shows up, much less wear a tux. However, he would come for his baby brother, but would leave at the reception (no surprise there lmao).

•Honeymoon: Probably a place like Paris, France to go see the Eiffel Tower and explore museums

John Seed:

•Wedding theme colors— Mauve Purple, Cornflower Blue, and Petal Pink

•Sunny outdoor summer wedding: behind Joseph's church, near the river, or somewhere on a beach with white sand and clear water. The theme colors would look absolutely stunning, giving off an exquisite, elegant vibe!

•Joseph being the marriage officiant.

•A fairly big wedding; Eden's Gate members only and whoever you wanted to come, but would be broadcasted for the whole world to see because of one word: John

•BIG CHOCOLATE CAKE, John requested

•Big sign outside the church that said in big letters: "(Your name) SAID YES!"

•You, Joseph, and Faith are the decorators of this wedding. Faith would have pink Hydrangea flowers everywhere and Joseph would be in charge of the food, while Jacob would definitely not be in charge of anything. He would leave the wedding early, but would stay a little longer if there's whiskey or beer involved for sure. (Knowing John there's a 100% chance there'll be strong alcohol as long as the Father allows it, and definitely a 100% chance of wine.)

•Bridesmaid dresses would be mauve purple and groomsmen suits would be cornflower blue.

•John would make sure you get everything you want in your wedding; he wants you to be beyond happy! That's of utmost importance to him...

•Honeymoon: an expensive cruise or first class plane tickets to go to the Bahamas or some shit

Jacob Seed:

•Wedding theme colors— Forest Green, Ruby Red, Black, and Gold

•Your wedding in just a few words: Nature, Country, and Rustic Style

•Jacob in a Ruby Red suit, his groomsmen in Forest Green suits, you in a black dress/suit, and your bridesmaids/groomsmen would wear Gold dresses/suits

•Joseph being the marriage officiant.

•No cake, but Jacob would settle for a small one if you wanted

•Wedding venue: somewhere in the Whitetail Mountains. The color themes play up the natural surroundings of Jacob's region and brings the classy, yet country look

•Long orangish-red wood tables and chairs Jacob made himself with swags of greenery, black vases, black candles, black candleholders, and gold drapery.

•Jacob and you agreed on a small wedding: just him, you, Joseph, Faith, John, and your closest friends/family. That's it. No Project at Eden's Gate members, which disappointed the Father but Jacob didn't care.

•You, Faith, and surprisingly Jacob doing most of the decorating. Much to Faith's dismay, you would have black roses (she wanted white). Faith had fairy lights strung everywhere which everyone loved, and John had fifteen bottles of expensive champagne and a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey for Jacob that he snuck in (of course everyone would be either tipsy or hammered, except Joseph).

•Honeymoon: a cabin with a lake for fishing

Faith Seed:

•Wedding theme colors— White, Peach, Sage Green, and Watermelon Pink

•These colors are vibrant, cheerful, and gorgeous just like Faith. It matches perfectly with her personality!

•The wedding being in Joseph's church or behind it beside the lake.

•A medium sized cake with bliss flowers decorated on it

•Joseph being the marriage officiant.

•You in a white suit or dress and Faith in a white dress. Sage green bridesmaid dresses and/or groomsmen suits, peach pink bouquets wrapped in watermelon pink ribbons. White candles and white candleholders, watermelon pink flowers everywhere, plants scattered in various places, sage green drapes, picnic tables with fruit baskets in the center, outdoor string lights in every spot imaginable, and more.

•No alcohol

•A big, big wedding with all Eden's Gate members invited, even some resistance members, but she doubted they would come

•Honeymoon: a beach or an amusement park with big roller coasters and ferris wheels

Joey Hudson:

•Joey wouldn't want to get married but you would go on vacation together a whole lot! Your personal favorite being Mauritius (Mascarene Islands). Luxury hotels, white sandy beaches, and there is many fun things to do there! The two of you would often watch sunsets, party/drink, try surfing and pay for lessons, and would go parasailing once just to try it. You're an adventurous couple and would be down for anything that's for sure!

Staci Pratt:

•Wedding theme colors: Baby Blue, Buttercream Yellow, and Lavender

•This color combo provides a mature, simple, and exciting vibe!

•Wedding would be family and friends only, along with resistance members and the Hope County Police Department

•Large cake with a silicone mould of your hands laced together on top. Buttercream Macaroons!

•You and Joey Hudson would be the decorators. You wanted a gazebo to get married under if it was being held at the beach.

•Wedding would be somewhere on a beach or in Pastor Jerome's church.

•Sheriff Whitehorse or Pastor Jerome being the marriage officiant.

•Bridgemaid/Groomsmen dresses/suits would be baby blue

•Staci in a lavender suit and you in a lavender suit/dress as well!

•Buttercream yellow tulip bouquet and lily flowers in vases at the reception.

•Honeymoon: a concert to your favorite singer/band!

[trentaduewineryblog-blog]

Visiting a wine tasting room? Remember these factors.

After you tour Geyserville CA wineries, you usually end up at the wine tasting room. Then again, the wine sampling room might be the spot you invest all your energy during your visit on the off chance that you lean toward not to visit the winery or if a visit isn't accessible.

Tasting Rooms Healdsburg is the gateway to your winery's brand and the #1 place to convert customers to wine club individuals. Giving a superlative accommodation experience is foremost. One key bit of innovation that can improve the tasting room is a versatile retail location framework. As a report by Boston Retail accomplices uncovered, 300% more retailers intend to convey a portable POS framework in the following two years. Truth be told, the development of internet shopping really expands the requirement for this innovation.

Tasting Rooms Healdsburg, which can be very simple or very elaborate, is the winery’s reception area for guests. You'll see a bar where tests of the winery's wines are accessible for tasting. The individuals behind the bar who pour the examples are generally learned about their wines. These individuals may likewise be educated about wine when all is said in done, contingent upon the person. Tastes of non-mixed drinks, for example, grape juice, are typically likewise accessible for youngsters or nondrinkers.

Keep the following information in mind, if you plan to visit Geyserville CA wineries:

Tasting fees: Many years ago, you could taste wines in tasting spaces for no charge, yet today the standard is to charge guests a little charge for each taste, shifting from two or three dollars up to $10 for exceptionally unique costly wines. Sometimes Geyserville CA wineries charge you for the glass that you use instead of charging for the wine and you find a good pace glass. In some cases, you can apply the whole tasting charge toward the expense of a jug that you buy.

Picking wines to taste: Depending on what number of wines a winery has, certain wines may be accessible on specific days, or all the wines may be accessible for tasting constantly. Here and there as opposed to tasting the wines individually, you can taste a trip of wines, a gathering of a few wines (for the most part three or four) that you test one next to the other to comprehend the distinctions among them.

Read Also Best ways to please your guests on your wedding day

Usually, the personnel at Tasting Rooms Healdsburg expects you to request a particular wine or type of wine or sort of wine to taste. They will likely serve you something that you'll like so you'll choose to buy that wine. Beset up to talk about your preferences in wine so they can assist you with finding a wine that energizes you.

Special offers: Many Geyserville CA wineries have certain wines that they sell only in their tasting room, not in wine shops or cafés. These wines are typically little creation things, for example, wines from strange grape assortments or trail mixes. It's a smart thought to ask whether any such wines are accessible, on the grounds that this is your lone opportunity to taste them — and you sound like an insider for inquiring.

The blessing shop: Many wine sampling rooms additionally house a blessing shop. The blessing shops can be dynamite. You'll likely discover wine books, wine devices (corkscrews, no-dribble pouring guides, liners, and such), china, covers, shirts, and other attire, and baseball tops. These things can be incredible tokens of your visit, also astute endowments.

It's impossible for your staff at different Geyserville CA wineries to remember the personal details of all your dedicated clients. Be that as it may, nothing beats the individual bit of being welcomed by your first name, or having your server recollect your preferred wine. Utilizing an answer that incorporates client relationships with the executives (CRM) instruments legitimately into the retail location is an unquestionable requirement for wineries hoping to convey superlative visitor encounters.

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[young-dumb-and-vaccinated]

The Cult Girl (Hannibal x Female!Reader) pt. 6

Hannibal sits in on a regular conversation between y/n and her family. Y/n insists it could have gone worse.

⚠️Bigass trigger warning⚠️: Verbal abuse, emotional manipulation, blood, mention of alcohol abuse and suicide

Anna lived her life believing that she was the main character, constantly denying personhood to everyone around her. She was the romantic hero, and everyone else existed to forward her plot.

This metaphor was imperfect, however, because in all the books you'd read, the main character must overcome some kind of challenge. Nobody ever said no to Anna. Nobody ever criticized Anna. Nobody but you. So you were pigeonholed into the role of antagonist for it. You had to give her credit; growing up on the receiving end of her and Theresa's torture was a compelling villain origin story.

It was obvious that she only wanted you at her wedding to present her with an obstacle. Heaven forbid her story progress without some semblance of petty drama out of her control. She'd cornered you into a painful catch-22; you wanted vengeance, but you couldn't give her the satisfaction of having her special day ruined. What was your play? Ruin it just a little? Walk away?

These thoughts passed through your mind as you sat through the boring ceremony. You wanted to lean over and whisper everything to Hannibal, but he seemed lost in his own thoughts. The vows seemed to drag on forever. Liam's English accent grated on your ears and you wished that he would just shut the hell up.

The ceremony concluded and you hoped to skip out on the reception with a purse full of mini cannolis, but fate had other plans. In a last-minute reach for some kind of scene, the blushing bride waved you over to the head table.

"[F/N]!" Anna shouted, with a big smile across her face. "Come on!"

You fought the urge to feel endeared by this. She looked too happy to be harmful. Your guard was all the way up as you and Hannibal approached the table.

Hannibal pulled a seat out for you while you studied Anna's expression. She fixed her doe eyes on Hannibal. You knew from experience that Anna had the same powerlust as grandma and Theresa. She was just better at keeping a lid on it.

"[F/N], you remember Liam?" Anna said, her voice brimming with excitement.

"Yeah." You nodded, scooting your chair up. "Nice to see you again, Liam."

"Good to see you again, too [F/N]."

"Liam is from Birmingham." She bragged, her smile somehow growing wider.

"Alabama?" You piped up before taking a drink from your water glass.

Every time you were forced to interact with Liam, she reminded you that the man with the strong and unmistakable English accent, was in fact from England. And every time, you slipped in the Alabama comment. It was never not funny.

"Liam, Anna," you said. "This is my fiance, Dr. Hannibal Lecter."

"Many congratulations to you two." Hannibal offered.

"Dr. Lecter, thank you so much for coming." Anna returned. "And thank you for taking such good care of our precious [F/N]. I hope she's not giving you too much trouble. She was quite a handful growing up, but we made it work."

"Don't flatter yourself, you're only four years older than me." You hide your passive-aggressive jab beneath a smile. "You can't take credit for a job you didn't do."

Grandma always thought Anna's protective, borderline maternal behavior towards you was adorable. Of course, it disgusted you. You were little more than an accessory to her. A baby doll she could simulate motherhood with. But, in fairness to her, that was all you were to the adult in the house too. Monkey see, monkey do.

"So have you two set a date yet?" Grandma interrupted your thoughts, just trying to keep the tension down.

"Goodness, no." Hannibal answered. "Ours is a long-term engagement."

"Yeah." You added. "Not until I finish school."

"Well, it's not my fault you aren't expected to graduate on time." Grandma said into her wine.

You tightened your grip on your water glass. "Well, changing your major halfway through will do that."

"I'm just saying," Grandma continued. Whenever she was 'just saying' anything, you knew she was raring to stir things up. "If you had just stayed the engineering track, you wouldn't have to keep Hannibal waiting."

"Well!" Anna cut in, offended that the attention was off her for more than a minute. "Liam and I waited until after college."

"Yes, Anna," Grandma said dismissively, before turning back to you. "Y'know, Dr. Lecter here could probably tell you that psychologically speaking, women are more likely to drop out of college and become strippers when they change their majors?"

Now it was Hannibal's turn to down his entire glass of wine. "Ms. [L/N], where did you get that information?"

"Oh, it was an article I found on Facebook." Grandma answered. "I'll have [F/N] send you a link."

"Ms. [L/N]," Hannibal cleared his throat. "Are you familiar with the concept of misinformation?"

"Of course." She looked offended at the implication that she could possibly not know something.

"See, social media websites like Facebook are inundated with misinformation campaigns." Hannibal explained. "Your claim is not rooted in any psychological fact."

"Yeah, also," You cut in. You scanned the area for escape routes if your attempt to change the subject went awry. "There's a wonderful documentary about how Facebook misinformation campaigns targeted rural counties in England leading up to the Brexit vote."

"Oh, we have a funny story about Brexit." Anna interrupted, taking the bait, hook line and sinker.

Before she could recount the same boring anecdote about being at some regional chain restaurant when the vote was cast, Theresa and her husband joined the table.

"Sorry we're late," Theresa sat down. "Damage control is a twenty-four hour job. What were we talking about?"

"Misinformation." Liam said.

"Perfect timing." You muttered.

"Finally, all three of my girls are together again." Grandma threw her head back and rejoiced. "When was the last time we all got together? Just us four girls, huh?"

"Remember the day before prom, we all went out go get manicures?" Anna reminisced. "And we took pictures of us all dressed up?"

"Oh I remember." You scanned the area for any alcohol to ingest.

"Oh, this is so funny." Grandma laughed hysterically. "Dr. Lecter, did you hear this story? [F/N] went to the prom with a boy who had all along been using her to get close to Theresa! They got together that night! Dated for two whole years after that."

"I've heard an iteration of it." He said, looking over his shoulder. He flagged down a waiter who was holding a bottle of champagne. "Leave the bottle, please."

"Don't drink too much, [F/N]." Anna scolded. "Save some alcohol for the rest of us."

You made sure to maintain eye contact with her as you filled your flute to capacity. "Grandma's paying, isn't she?"

"Anna, baby," Grandma said, rubbing her temples. "It's fine. Let [F/N] drink herself silly. It's a party, right?"

"Wow," Theresa sneered. You knew exactly what she was going to say next. "Like mother, like daughter."

Everyone at the table had enough decorum to recognize that Theresa went too far. You crushed the champagne flute in your grip, letting shards of glass dig into your skin. You glared at Theresa, blood oozing from your palm and dripping onto the white tablecloth.

Wordlessly, Hannibal removed the offending glass from your hand and swaddled the affected area in a napkin. He put pressure on the cut, letting the blood absorb into the cloth.

"Is this the famed '[L/N] woman telepathy'?" Liam whispered to Anna.

"No, [F/N] is just mad because her mother was a drunk who killed herself." Anna thought she was being inconspicuous.

"This has been fun." You stand up from the table. "Really. Great way to spend a Saturday."

"[F/N], sit down..." Grandma ordered, sounding exhausted. "You know Theresa didn't mean that."

"No." You said, each syllable out of her mouth pushing you a step closer to your breaking point. "Y'know what? No. I don't have to put up with this anymore. Anna, congratulations. I hope you and Liam have many long years together."

You turned around to exit as quietly as you could, Hannibal at your side. Your grandmother, who somehow hadn't hit her daily allotted dose of confrontation, wouldn't have it.

"Dr. Lecter, tell [F/N] she's being unreasonable." Grandma pleaded.

Hannibal raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. In his long-spanning career, he'd never once met a person as tone-deaf as Beatrice [L/N]. He kept his quiet composure as he slowly approached the table.

"Beatrice," he said, beckoning her to lean in. He whispered something into her ear that left her stunned and quaking.

You could hear your grandmother's hysterical sobs growing softer as Hannibal hurried you out.

"Keep pressure on that cut, love." He instructed, talking over the increasingly loud shouts of agony from the head table. "You'll need a few stitches."

Once you were far enough from the venue, you had to ask. "What on earth did you say to her?"

"Nothing that you don't already know." He answered, facing forward.

[raleighcarrera]

cliché

ride or die | colt kaneko x mc (ellie wheeler)

an au where everyone is college friends and logan is getting married and the best friend of his ellie always hated is going to be logan’s best man. as the maid of honor, she’s probably expected to be at least a little nice to him. 

for @rodappreciationweek, of course! day 7/wild card

(spoiler alert: i bent the rules of weddings for plot reasons so go easy)

tags: @choicesarehard, @lovehugsandcandy, @pixeljazzy, @troublemakerinspace, @dancingboba, @yaushie, @brightpinkpeppercorn, @tempesrature, @zigtheeortega, @beccadavenport, @theeccentricbibliophile 

~15.5k words | M (18+)

she squealed, clapping her hands excitedly in view of the laptop’s webcam. “i’m so happy for you guys! seriously, this is amazing.”

from across the country, ingrid beamed, still holding her left hand aloft so ellie could see her ring. “did you know?”

ellie shook her head. “i knew he’d bought a ring but i didn’t know he was proposing now.” her attention turned to logan, “i thought you were waiting until your anniversary?”

he shrugged, looking just as excited as ingrid did. “i couldn’t wait anymore, it was driving me crazy.”

ingrid leaned her head on logan’s shoulder. “ellie, say you’ll be my maid of honor.”

“oh my god, of course i will!” ellie gushed, blinking away a sudden wave of emotion. “please, you guys know i’d do anything for you.”

the two of them exchanged a glance. “glad to hear you say that,” logan said slowly, “because i already asked colt to be my best man.”

the smile dropped off her face. “are you kidding me?”

“come on, it won’t be that bad,” ingrid rushed to assure her, “you’ll hardly have to deal with him. but -- while we’re breaking bad news to you...” she pursed her lips, and then shrugged. “we already set a date, too.”

“it’s in three months,” logan interjected helpfully.

ellie felt her eyes bug out. “three months?”

“el, we got our dream venue,” ingrid sighed wistfully, “you’re going to die when you see it. it was the only saturday they had available for, like, the next five years. it’s in santa monica overlooking the water and it’s just -- it’s perfect.”

“that’s really soon,” she said dumbly, “we have a lot to do.”

“totally.” ellie watched as ingrid shifted from blushing bride in love to ruthless, no-nonsense delegator. “we’re going to cram as much of it in as we can when you’re home for spring break. i already made us appointments to go look at dresses and tuxes and then -- we’ll figure everything else out when you’re here.”

the thought of spending her spring break shopping with colt kaneko was already making a headache start to throb behind her eyes. but ingrid and logan were her best friends. and they deserved the wedding of their dreams.

she pasted the biggest, most extreme smile she could muster on her face. “sounds great, you guys.”

*

ellie relished the long flight home from new york to los angeles, well aware that it was probably going to be the last moment she had to relax until the end of the summer. 

there had to be some irony in the fact that she was midway through pursuing her ph.d and more stressed out about her college friends’ wedding than anything else. 

but her coursework was going well. everything in her life was falling into place perfectly, exactly how she’d always envisioned it. 

this was the wrench in the plan. how she was supposed to make time to come back home for ingrid and logan’s wedding when she’d already committed to spending her summer in miami doing field work was a problem she didn’t need.

so she spent the flight napping, enjoying the five hours in the air as the only chance she’d get to kick back during her spring break. if she knew ingrid at all, she was going to be barking orders from the moment ellie’s feet touched orange county soil until the second they left. 

still, there were at least a few hours she could spend delaying the inevitable.

riya picked her up at the airport and ellie threw herself into her arms eagerly for a giant hug. “oh my god, i am so glad to see you. thank you for picking me up -- i pretty much have bridal boot camp all week.”

“ingrid’s got it all planned out, huh?” riya asked, helping her get her suitcase in the car with a grin. “look, it probably won’t be that bad. you’re you -- when darius and i got married you were the reason we didn’t even need a wedding planner!”

“that was different,” ellie explained, as riya started driving them back to the city, “you and darius are normal. maid of honor doesn’t mean the same thing to ingrid that it meant to you, trust me.”

“well, i believe in you,” her oldest friend declared, “and even if it’s awful, just come over afterwards and we can drown ourselves in wine.”

“done and done,” she sighed. “i’m sorry i probably won’t be around much this week otherwise. i know it’s been forever since we caught up.”

“please, i can’t even imagine how busy you are,” riya said, waving her apology off, “you’re getting close to the home stretch, eh?”

ellie shrugged. “i still have two more years of study, but -- yeah, pretty much. it’s crazy.”

“so crazy,” riya agreed, “but you will absolutely see me and dare in miami as soon as you get set up there.”

the thought of it, with everything she knew was ahead of her this week, sounded like nothing short of paradise. “can’t wait,” she said genuinely, sighing as the car slowed to a stop in front of the house she’d grown up in. “wanna come in and say hi to my dad?”

“uh uh,” riya chided, “i’m done being the buffer between you two. sooner or later, you’re going to have to have that long overdue heart-to-heart.”

“okay, dr. phil,” ellie groaned, “thanks a lot.” her phone lit up with a text from ingrid as soon as she closed the car door. 

be at your house in 5 it said, pulling a sigh of relief from deep within her. 

saved by the bell.

*

ellie only had a moment to drop her bags and shout a quick hello to her dad before she heard a car horn honk and rushed back outside, leaning over the car’s center console to give ingrid a big hug hello. 

“boy, am i ever glad to see you,” her friend said. “everything is already such a disaster. the venue is giving me such an attitude about moving our ceremony outside and my sister is an out of control diva who is, like, demanding to be allowed to read a poem before we say our vows and -- i swear i’ve almost killed logan at least twice.”

“wow. okay, well -- all of that sounds fixable.” though already she knew the next three months were going to be nothing like the ramp up to riya and darius’ wedding. ellie stifled a sigh. 

“oh, it will be,” ingrid threatened darkly, “we’re doing everything at once today. dresses -- tuxes -- groomsmen, bridesmaids. i tried being nice about it, but do you know what i realized? some people don’t deserve to be allowed to make their own decisions. so i changed our appointment and i’m going to supervise and everyone who acts normal will be allowed to come help me pick out my dress at our new appointment on wednesday.”

ellie blinked. “whatever you want,” she said finally, her brain still working to process what the hell she was talking about, “it’s your day.”

“yes it is,” ingrid agreed viciously, “i’m glad you’re on board. come on.”

ellie followed behind her into the boutique they’d arrived at, immediately catching sight of eight or so of their closest friends from college, plus logan’s cousin and ingrid’s sister, the latter who was staring at a long, pink dress with her arms crossed petulantly over her chest. “i’m not trying that on,” she said, as ellie stepped closer, “it’s going to accentuate my shoulders.”

“look, brat,” ingrid started, lowering her voice to the dangerous timbre ellie had come to associate with group project members who weren’t pulling their own weight, “get in that dressing room and put this on right now or so help me god --”

“ellie!” 

she turned around and saw logan, the distressed look on her face instantly melting into one of relief. “oh my god, hi,” she laughed, rushing over for a hug, “it’s so good to see you!”

“hey, back at you,” he grinned, “seriously, i know this probably isn’t how you wanted to spend your spring break, but -- thank god you’re here. ingrid needs all the help she can get.”

ellie pulled out of his arms and saw that he was wearing an elegant black tuxedo, the lines of which settled nicely on his shoulders and seemed to suit him perfectly. “okay, but -- this is a great tux.” she called out to ingrid over her shoulder. “come look at this one.”

ingrid walked over and gave logan a cursory glance. “i hate it. get changed.”

logan shot her an amused glance, but dipped back into the dressing room without a word. bless him, ellie thought, before drawing in a deep breath and asking, “okay, where do you want me?”

as if on cue, a harried shop attendant immediately dropped a pile of gowns into ellie’s arms. “follow me.”

*

the first dress she tried on was bright pink and heavily ruffled -- so ugly she honestly didn’t even want to show everyone. 

but she hitched up the skirt and stepped out of the dressing room obligingly, standing in front of the mirrors and the rest of the bridal party for ingrid’s judgment.

you have the ideal body type, ingrid had explained nonsensically to her as they herded her off with the gowns, so you’ll try on all of them and then once we find one we like everyone else will try it on, too. 

ugh. “it’s not... that bad,” ellie said delicately, once she was situated on the platform in front of the group.

“not if you’re little bo peep.” 

god. she’d know that smug, arrogant, self-centered, self-obsessed, narcissistic egomaniac voice anywhere.

“hi, colt,” ellie said pointedly, without turning her head, “nice to see you, too.”

he stepped closer, directly into her field of vision. there was no avoiding looking at him, then. 

colt was just as handsome as he’d been the last time she’d seen him, over a year ago at logan’s twenty-fifth birthday party, but this time, he was in a navy blue tux that had no business looking as good as it did. 

he smirked at her. “as if anyone could miss you in that thing.”

ellie sighed, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. formalwear could only go so far when it came to making him appear tolerable, it seemed. “do you always have to be the most insufferable person in every room you’re in?”

“not always, no. but i like to win.”

“it’s disgusting,” ingrid declared abruptly, before ellie could snap back at him, “please take it off. can you try on the purple one next?”

she ducked back into the dressing room, thunking her head softly against the wall once the door swung shut behind her. why me, ellie thought miserably, i’m a good person. this isn’t fair.

it took two and a half hours, but eventually, she’d tried on what felt like every single dress at the store. finally, once she’d wiggled into a gown that was a soft, sky blue, figure-hugging with thin straps and delicate lace accents over tasteful cut-outs, ingrid gasped, “that’s it! that’s the one.”

every bridesmaid, including ellie, sagged with relief. “great,” she smiled, “i’ll just get out of the way so everyone else can try theirs on, too.”

just before she stepped back inside the dressing room to get changed, she caught sight of colt, who was still standing around on their side of the shop for some reason. he was staring at her, face carefully blank -- though there was something in his eyes she couldn’t quite place.

as soon as he noticed she’d caught him looking, he stormed off.

once ellie was back in her street clothes, ingrid said, “i’ll finish up over here. can you please go make sure the guys are on the right track?”

ellie winced as she approached the men’s side of the store. half of logan’s groomsmen were dressed in navy, the other half in black -- logan had a white jacket on and one of their friends from college, brent, was inexplicably wearing pants that were powder blue.

“oh my god, ingrid’s going to kill you,” she said to logan. “i can see why she sent me over here to babysit.”

“hey, i’ve got it sort of under control,” logan said defensively, “she said she wanted slate grey. look at this.”

ellie cringed again as he held a jacket on a hanger aloft in front of her eyes. “that’s charcoal grey.”

the determined look on logan’s face crumpled immediately. “fuck. can you help me?”

she was already nodding before he finished his question. “just -- get in there and get that off before anyone sees. i’ll pull tuxes for everyone.”

it was only a few minutes before she was passing out new outfits, herding each of logan’s groomsmen into their respective dressing rooms one by one. 

only one of them gave her any trouble about it. as soon as she passed him his tux, colt scowled, asking, “what is this?”

“a tuxedo,” she answered tersely, “presumably you’ve seen one before? like, an hour ago? those are all called tuxedos. maybe you never learned the word?”

he merely rolled his eyes at her. “why are you giving it to me?”

“because i want you to put it on. now. like, immediately.” 

still, he just stood there. “i already tried on forty of them.”

“then one more shouldn’t make much of a difference.” she shoved his shoulder expectantly. “go.”

ingrid wandered over just as they all started to emerge. as they stood in a line outside the dressing room, she laid a hand to her heart and gasped. “oh my god, they’re perfect. baby, you did such a good job!”

“actually --” logan started, though he stopped abruptly as soon as he caught sight of the way ellie was frantically shaking her head from behind ingrid’s back, “uh, thanks. i want everything to be perfect for you.”

“oh my god, you guys can do something right,” ingrid sniffed, “i’m so happy. okay -- fuck it, let’s go get drinks. i’ll get the first round.”

*

a few of their friends cornered her as soon as she got her first drink. it was the same every time she came home; everyone wanted to know how new york was, how school was going, what the dating pool was like on the east coast and if she’d met anyone. they asked the same questions every time ellie was able to make it out so they could catch up, and she gave the same answers.

it was exhausting. she gulped down her glass of wine as quickly as humanly possible, just so she could have an excuse to escape back to the bar. 

the bartender slid her a shot when he passed her refilled wine glass back to her. his smile was sympathetic. “you look like you need this.”

ellie grimaced at him, but immediately lifted the shot to her lips and knocked it back. “that obvious?”

“oh, yeah.” he placed his palms on the bar top and leaned in close, grinning brightly at her. “let me guess. family reunion?”

“worse,” she sighed, “two of my best friends from college are getting married. in three months.”

he whistled, slowly shaking his head. “brutal. i don’t think we have enough alcohol in the bar to help you with that.”

“tell me about it,” ellie laughed, taking a sip from her wine glass to chase away the burn of the shot she’d done, “you don’t even know the half of it.”

“well...” he smiled charmingly at her again. “my shift is over in twenty minutes. i’ll gladly listen to you complain, if you want.”

she blinked. “oh, i --”

“hey, don’t look now, but that guy over there has the angriest eyebrows i’ve ever seen.” the bartender leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “boyfriend?”

“what?” ellie turned around and followed the line of his gaze. 

sure enough, colt was glaring at them from the booth with the rest of their friends, his eyebrows drawn together thunderously. 

“oh my god, no,” she said, turning back around as quickly as possible, “never. we don’t even like each other.”

“right. well -- listen. if you do wanna pick this up some other time, here’s my number, okay? no pressure.” 

she watched, dumbfounded, as he wrote it down on a cocktail napkin, printing his name evenly below it. ben. 

all the girls cheered for her when she got back to the table.

“is that a phone number?” julia demanded, her grin wide and wickedly sharp. she reached over and plucked the napkin out of her hand. “jesus, ellie. you’ve been back in the city for, what, an afternoon?”

“give it,” she said, stepping forward as the rest of the girls passed it around the table, out of her reach, “oh my god, he was just being nice.”

“no, please,” gemma laughed, holding the napkin up over her head, “tell us again how you’re too busy to date.”

“i am too busy to date.” she bounced up on her toes and snatched the cocktail napkin out of her friend’s hand, folding it up and tucking it into the pocket of her jeans. “and i live across the country, remember?”

“hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun while you’re home this week, right?” brent asked, making her aware, all at once, that the guys were officially clued into their conversation, too. “speaking of, ryan moore keeps asking me about you.”

beyond brent’s shoulder, colt was still staring at her. he looked tense, his grip firm on the glass in his hand. his jaw was clenched tight.

“can we talk about something else?” ellie asked finally, lifting her wine glass to her flushed cheek. “my love life can’t be that interesting to you guys.”

logan reached out and ruffled her hair. “hey, you’re our last single friend. you can’t blame us for being invested.”

“colt’s single,” she reminded him, before she could bite her tongue. ellie risked another glance his way and found him scowling at her.

“colt doesn’t count,” ingrid interjected, “he doesn’t have any social skills. you are a catch. you just need to put yourself out there.”

“and i promise, once i have my ph.d, you can set me up with anyone you want.” a discussion they’d had at least a thousand times before. ingrid looked as pleased about it as she’d ever been, which was to say not very much at all. before she could respond, ellie continued, “hey, will someone please play pool with me? i haven’t shot in forever.”

to her surprise, colt offered, “i will.” ellie slowly turned towards him and found him smirking at her again. “who knows what’d happen to your virtue if you went over there alone?”

fucker. he’d probably volunteered to go with her on purpose -- now there was no way for her to get out of it. and if she stayed at the table for one minute longer she was going to scream.

her eyes narrowed at him. “thanks.”

colt set up the table like she wasn’t glaring at him bitterly, humming to himself while he racked the balls and then passed her a cue.

“you’re awful,” she said, as she snatched it out of his hands.

he just grinned at her. “thank you. break?”

ellie leaned over the table to line up her shot, knocking the cue into the balls. two of the solids slid into the corner pockets. her hip leaned against the table as she watched him survey the setup critically, and she took advantage of the fact that his eyes were elsewhere to study him in turn, making note of what was different about him since the last time they’d seen each other.

he’d recently gotten a haircut, but was otherwise unchanged -- he wore the same leather jacket, had the same smug smile, was still so insufferably arrogant she found talking to him pretty much impossible.

“so, what’s your deal?” he asked suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts and knocking the striped number eleven ball smoothly into one of the side pockets, “you a rocket scientist or whatever yet?”

ellie rolled her eyes, trying not to flush when he lifted his head and looked directly at her. despite his many, many flaws, she’d always found him unnervingly hot. “my degree is in chemistry. so -- no. i still have two more years in the program.”

“yeah, but what are you going to do with it? once you’re a doctor.” even the way he said the word sounding mocking. 

she ignored him in favor of focusing on the table, and knocked one of her balls in. once it was his turn to shoot, she answered, “if you need to know, my specialization is in environmental science. one day i’ll hopefully work alongside some of the best in the world to ensure environmental hazards are at an all time low.”

“so whaddya moving to miami for?” he asked, effortlessly sinking two balls into the pocket at once, “their environment is already pretty sweet.”

“the department is sending me to collect data from the water and air outside of the city,” she answered, her eyes on the table as she tried to locate her next best shot, “it’s for my dissertation. it’s only for the summer.”

“shame,” colt murmured, laughing under his breath when her next shot went wide, missing her target completely, “i’ll be stuck dealing with this mess on my own.”

“somehow i doubt that,” ellie said, “it’s only a timezone change. there’s still phones and video calls and plenty of ways for all of you to bother me.”

“only if you pick up.” smoothly, he sunk the last three striped balls, one after another. she scowled at him. “the way the rest of them talk about how hard you are to pin down you’d think you were the president or something.”

“i have a demanding course load,” she huffed out defensively, “so we should get started on planning their bachelor and bachelorette party before my flight back on sunday. that should be the only thing that’s still up in the air after all our appointments this week.”

“don’t even get me started on the concept of a joint bachelor party,” colt sighed, leaning over in front of the eight ball, “it’s going to be the lamest trip of all time. side pocket.”

“i don’t know,” ellie murmured, resting on her cue as the eight ball sailed effortlessly into the side pocket as indicated, “i think it’ll be fun.”

he straightened up and smirked at her, spreading his hands out wide as if to say look at me. what an asshole. “you would.” colt nodded at the table. his smirk lengthened. “looks like you still suck.”

ellie shoved her pool cue back into his open hand. “one thing you’ll never know,” she promised, spinning on her heel and striding back to the table as quickly as possible.

*

“thanks for all your help today,” ingrid said sweetly on the drive home. “i know it wasn’t easy -- dealing with my idiot sister and all of those guys.”

“colt was as terrible as ever,” she mused, officially thinking too much about it. “i don’t know how he never gets tired of himself. he is such a prick.”

“totally,” ingrid agreed, even though ellie knew she’d softened to him, lately -- though she wasn’t sure she’d ever understand why or how. “but he just picks on you because he likes you.”

ellie lifted her head from where it’d been leaning against the passenger side window and turned towards ingrid with a look of confusion contorting her expression. “what? no.”

“yes,” she insisted, “he’s wanted to bang you since freshman year.”

“okay -- you’re too drunk to be driving,” ellie laughed, though even she could hear the undercurrent of nerves in the tone of her voice, “he’s an asshole to everyone. it doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

“well, he sure doesn’t talk to me like he talks to you.”

ellie waved her hand dismissively. “because you and logan have been dating for, like, a hundred years. i’m positive he’s just as big a dick to gemma and julia and christie.”

“okay,” ingrid mouthed, arching her eyebrows at the road. 

she furrowed her brow. “he is.”

“forget i said anything,” ingrid said breezily as the car slowed to a stop in front of her dad’s house. “i’ll pick you up tomorrow at nine, okay? seriously, thanks again for all your help.”

“anytime.” 

dread filled her stomach as ellie dragged her feet up the path to the house. all the lights were on inside, which meant her dad was still awake. “hey pumpkin,” he greeted her, as soon as she toed off her shoes and dropped her bag, “long day?”

“you have no idea.” ellie walked straight to the sofa and flung herself down onto it face-first, groaning into the cushions. for a moment, it felt like she was back in high school, without a care in the world other than coursework and group projects and prom. she drew in a deep breath. “planning this wedding is going to be a headache.”

“you’ll pull through,” her dad assured her, “you always do.”

ellie pressed her forehead to the fabric of the couch and scowled, the freedom of her hair covering her face allowing her to express how she really felt. that was what everyone always said: she’d be fine. she’d figure it out. she’d make it happen.

part of her was so tired of always bending over backwards, always finding a way to make things work -- always being perfect. 

some first day back it was shaping up to be.

“i guess,” she mumbled, letting herself sulk for one more long moment before finally lifting her head and sitting up straight. “are you working tonight?”

“yep -- on my way out now. glad i caught you, though. i feel like i haven’t seen you in forever.” 

she winced, turning away from the disappointment in his eyes. “ingrid has a pretty full schedule for us this week, but maybe we can have dinner tomorrow.”

“sure thing,” her dad said brightly, pausing by the couch on his way out the door to gently grasp her shoulder. “i’ll see you in the morning, then. hang in there, kid.”

ellie slumped back into the couch, watching him go blankly. half of her was so exhausted she couldn’t imagine doing anything other than collapsing into bed for as long as humanly possible, but the other half of her still felt anxious and unsettled, the way she always did whenever she had to come home. 

being back in los angeles always felt like losing control of her life. there was something about being around her old friends and her dad and other people’s expectations that made her feel not like herself -- like some kind of persona she was putting on so everyone would perceive her a certain way.

so she could look like she had everything figured out, so everyone would keep saying you’ll pull through. you’ll figure it out. you’ll make it happen.

the thought of keeping it all up for an entire week of wedding activity with ingrid and their college friends was daunting. worse still was ingrid and logan’s engagement party on friday night, hanging over her head as the last obstacle between her and her flight home to the solace of her silent new york apartment, where she’d be able to analyze soil samples in peace until her mind was quiet again.

*

the week passed by in a blur. true to form, ingrid kept her busy for a majority of her waking moments with dress shopping, fittings, a trip to the venue, the florist and the bakery and, finally, last-minute preparations for friday’s engagement party, which left ellie tying ribbons around party favors late into the night on thursday.

“i could kill logan,” she complained to riya in the middle of the one free hour she’d been able to steal away for a mani-pedi, “i swear to god i’ve been playing the part of the fiance since i got back.”

“it’ll all be over soon,” riya hummed sympathetically, “the wedding will be here before you know it.”

as she dressed for the engagement party, she repeated the words to herself over and over again in the mirror. it’ll all be over soon.

she arrived at the venue early. the first person she saw after she stepped out of her rideshare was colt, who was loitering by the entrance to the restaurant, smoking. 

“some dress,” he smirked at her as soon as she got close enough to hear him, not even bothering to pretend like he wasn’t looking her up and down, “you trying to get laid tonight?”

“you know, ‘hello’ works just fine, too,” she said, pushing past him without a backwards glance. her face felt hot as she considered the comment, looking down at herself self-consciously. fuck him. i look nice.

fortunately, the party itself was less exhausting than she’d expected it to be. it was actually sort of nice to catch up with people she hadn’t seen since they’d graduated, and though she had to run through the familiar talk track she was getting sick of over and over again -- how’s school? how’s new york? what are your plans for after your thesis? -- the open bar made her hate it all a little less. 

eventually things started to wind down, until it was late and only the wedding party was left. ellie teetered in her heels as she pretended to help ingrid clean up, shuffling around as inconspicuously as she could manage, given the drinks she’d had.

“are you drunk?” 

she jumped, startled by the question. ellie’s lips pulled down into a frown as she noticed the out-and-out delighted expression on colt’s smug face from where he was suddenly standing next to her.

“no,” she lied, “and shhh. someone will hear you.”

“god forbid.” the shit eating grin on his face stretched further. “you want a ride home?”

ellie blinked. “from you?”

colt wasn’t at all deterred by the high arch of her eyebrows. he shrugged. “if we get out of here now we can probably avoid carrying presents to the car.”

that was all it took to convince her. she followed him out to the parking lot with a laugh, drawing up short when he stopped her in front of his motorcycle. she propped a hand on her hip and asked, “you still ride this thing?”

“it’s part of my image,” he answered, and as he came closer ellie found herself staring at the gentle slope of the smirk on his face. maybe it was the low lighting of the parking lot, but he looked a little softer than he had all week -- almost like when she’d first met him, in college, before he opened his mouth to say something rude and their relationship devolved into exchanged barbs and sidelong glares. 

colt cleared his throat, looking down at the helmet in his hands. “here.”

she flushed, pulling it on as quickly as possible in the hopes that it’d cover her face before he noticed. 

in all the years she’d known him she’d never actually gotten on the back of this thing. she’d seen him pull up to parties and speed away from them with plenty of girls holding onto his stomach, but she’d never actually thought she’d be one of them herself.

the bottle of wine she’d had was making it seem like no big deal, though, so she pressed up snugly behind him and rested her cheek on his shoulder like they’d done this enough times to form a habit.

and then they were back at her dad’s house, so quickly that ellie was almost sad about it. colt was actually mostly alright when he was quiet -- the speed of the bike hardly facilitated conversation -- and he was warm and solid against her while he drove, comforting her to the point that she was half asleep when they finally stopped.

she slid off the bike with a yawn, clumsily yanking the helmet off and handing it back to him. “thanks,” she murmured, glancing at the house and cringing once she realized all the lights were still on, meaning her dad was waiting up for her again. ellie lingered silently beside him, fidgeting. 

colt hesitated. after a moment, he killed the engine. he pulled his own helmet off so she could see his face. “you okay?”

“yeah.” she pursed her lips, then exhaled, blowing a messy lock of hair out of her eyes. “i guess i am a little drunk.”

his lips pulled back into that stupid, familiar smirk. “i know. i saw you guzzling chardonnays back there.” 

ellie leaned in over the handlebars. “stalk me much?”

“you wish.” 

movement in her peripheral vision caught her eye and ellie sighed as she saw the curtains shift. colt followed her gaze to the house, then turned back towards her with an eyebrow quirked.

“is there a reason you’re still standing here?”

she rolled her eyes at him. “it’s complicated.”

he laughed. it was after midnight, and the sleepy street she’d grown up on was completely silent and dark, save for that sound. “don’t tell me little miss perfect has daddy issues.”

“what, you thought you had the monopoly on them?” she shot back, too drunk to stop herself.

surprise flashed across his expression for a split second before he laughed again. “touché,” he murmured, “i probably deserved that.” 

ellie still didn’t move, standing at the front of the bike. they stared at each other, silence hanging in the air between them. it had to be the longest amount of time they’d gone without arguing since their freshman year. 

that felt like a lifetime ago, but she still remembered what she’d thought when they first met at orientation. 

cute, and then, once she found out that he was in the honors college like her, and smart, and eventually, once he opened his mouth, but a jerk. 

“what are you staring at?” he asked finally, and though he was difficult to read on even her best day, when she had one-hundred percent of her faculties intact, she was pretty sure there was no malice in his voice -- just genuine curiosity.

“nothing. you’re being weird.”

he laughed again. it took her a moment to realize why it sounded so different than it usually did; most of the time he was laughing at her. but not tonight. “no i’m not.”

“yes you are.”

“okay -- you’re trashed. do you need me to walk you inside?” 

all the lights were still on. yeah, that was just what she needed. the thought of colt and her father coming face-to-face made her own mouth curve into a grin. “no. but thanks for driving me home. that was almost decent of you.”

“well, i’d hate to be fully decent.” even his smile was different when he wasn’t making fun of her. 

ellie forced herself to take a step away, though it was difficult -- some strange magnetic pull seemed to want to keep her in his orbit, to see if she could maybe make him laugh softly at her again. 

as soon as she stepped back, the bike roared to life, though he didn’t pull out of the street until she’d wobbled all the way up the path to the front door and turned back to wave at him.

huh, she thought to herself as she ducked inside, wine-drunk acid swirling in her stomach with something else unidentifiable along for the ride, weird.

it wasn’t until she was tucked in bed that she privately acknowledged to herself, nice, though, too.

*

as expected, ingrid filled the weeks after her spring break with questions and complaining and dozens of skype calls.

ellie did her best to balance it all with school, which was ramping up as they got closer to the end of term, and packing for her move to miami, though on any given day she felt torn in at least ten different directions while she struggled to get everything together. 

the sound of another incoming facetime call was going to haunt her nightmares. with a groan, ellie fumbled for her phone blindly, not taking her eyes off the instant noodles slowly spinning in her microwave. 

“what now?”

“hello to you, too,” said a voice that definitely wasn’t ingrid’s, and ellie turned her head to see colt staring at her expectantly from the screen of her phone, jolting both from the surprise of seeing him and the sound of the microwave going off. 

“colt?” she blinked, suddenly aware that she was in her pajamas and tugging self-consciously at the cropped tank top she was wearing. “what do you want?”

“we have to go over some things for the bachelor party,” he sighed, and when he shifted she saw that he was reclining in bed. her face flushed.

“bachelor and bachelorette party,” she corrected.

“whatever. is now a good time?”

ellie cast a glance around her apartment, which looked like a tornado had recently swept through it. her kitchen table was covered in textbooks and pages of notes, though the living room had half-packed boxes covering every available surface. “i guess. one second.”

she set her phone down to retrieve her instant noodles and then leaned it up against her toaster, standing in front of the counter to both stay in her phone’s field of view and shovel noodles into her mouth as quickly as possible.

“seriously?” colt said, “isn’t it ten p.m. where you are?”

“i’ve been busy,” ellie answered defensively, between bites, “some of us have lives.”

he rolled his eyes. “did you book your flight yet?”

she paused, fork halfway to her lips. had she booked her flight yet? “i think so.” ellie pursed her lips, and then remembered, “yes! it gets in at seven. i’ll meet you guys at the hotel.”

“okay. the rest of us are driving down together, god help us all.” he scowled.

“relax. it’s only, like, four hours to vegas, anyway.” she was the one who was going to lose two entire days to travel and timezone changes. 

“do you want to sit in a car for four hours with everyone?” he smirked at the look that crossed her face. “i didn’t think so. how are the dinner reservations coming along?”

“good,” she nodded. at least she’d remembered to do that. “we’re all set for friday and saturday night. we can walk to both restaurants from the hotel.”

colt had been adamant about planning everything else, and she’d been all too happy to let him take the reigns. the last thing she needed to worry about was getting them into nightclubs and securing bottle service and busting her ass only for him to ultimately turn his nose up at it and declare the whole thing lame. 

“that should be everything, then.” she just barely saw the way he narrowed his eyes at her when she tipped her head back to get the last of the styrofoam cup of noodles down her throat. “except for whatever girly shit you have planned.”

“hey, you’re going to have to be the one to tell logan that your bad attitude is what got all of you excluded from mani-pedis and facials,” she shrugged, resting her elbows on the counter and leaning in toward the screen. “just so you can do what on saturday? smoke cigars and play darts?”

“someone has to draw the line somewhere,” he said, revisiting the argument they’d had at least four or five times since she was home the month before. 

“you’re impossible,” she sighed, her mouth stretching with a wide yawn. ellie pulled a face at herself, shaking her head. she had at least another two hours of coursework to do once they hung up. 

“you’re the one who looks about ten seconds away from combusting,” he smirked. “you can say no to things, you know.”

“i’m fine,” she insisted, “and i do say ‘no’ to things. when i have to.”

“right. it’s not like we haven’t known each other for eight years or anything.” 

ellie rolled her eyes at him, her cheeks still flushed red. like he’d paid attention to anyone other than himself and whatever girl he was fucking when they were in college. “everything’ll calm down after the wedding.”

“whatever you say,” he shrugged, “just don’t miss your flight to vegas, okay? i’m going to need someone to talk to who doesn’t make me want to blow my brains out.”

what? colt hung up just as she opened her mouth to respond, leaving ellie staring at her phone background in confusion. 

she took one last glance around her apartment, slowly trailing her eyes over the dishes in the sink, the schoolwork on her kitchen table, the piles of shoes that had to be bubble-wrapped and boxed up in her living room.

then ellie turned on her heel and headed off to bed. for once, it felt pretty fucking good to do the wrong thing. 

*

when her flight got in she sent logan a long, detailed text with all the information he could possibly need -- what time her rideshare was going to get to the hotel and how much time she was going to need to get up to the room and get changed -- and asked where she should meet everyone when she was done. 

his response was two short words. casino. craps. typical.

she rushed to get into her dress and get some makeup on and found everyone standing around the same table when she got downstairs. of course, the only available space was just to colt’s left. ellie squeezed in with a grin. “hi!”

“hey, you made it!” eager cheers from around the table greeted her and the tight hugs she was forced into let her know that she had a backlog a few drinks deep to catch up on. 

when she turned back around, colt shoved his hand in her face. there was a pair of dice sitting in his palm. “blow,” he said, staring at her expectantly. 

“excuse me?”

“blow,” he repeated, smirking at her, “it’s for luck.”

“i’m not going to --”

“come on, ellie,” logan grinned, “he’s up, like, two thousand dollars. you have to!”

“this is so demeaning,” she grumbled, but pursed her lips and blew on the dice as requested. colt stared at her the entire time, not even breaking eye contact to roll.

it was only when the croupier said, “another easy eight,” and the table broke out into cheers that he looked away, directing his gaze down at the stack of chips that was pushed over to him. 

“okay, what’s the next one?” he asked, taking the dice into his hand again.

“huh?”

“what am i rolling?”

“oh.” ellie glanced around the table and found everyone looking at her expectantly. “seven.”

“okay, any seven.” colt shook the dice in his hand, then held them out to her again. “come on.”

she leaned in a little closer. “you know, i’d love a drink at some point.”

“if we get this one i’ll find you a whole bottle of dom,” he promised. “blow.”

ellie blew on the dice. she grabbed colt’s arm anxiously as they waited for them to land.

they did, a moment later. she craned her neck and saw them facing up, over the line -- five and two.

all the noise they were making was starting to draw a crowd. ellie found herself sharing a grin with colt when he looked back at her again.

“another seven,” she instructed, head already bowed towards his hand.

he rolled a three and a four. the people gathering around the table were enraptured.

she blew on the dice again. a one and a six.

the forearm of his jacket had indents where her hand kept grabbing at it frantically, but colt never showed any outward signs of nervousness. if anything, he seemed to get more and more excited as ellie called out the numbers and he rolled them, one after another -- an eight. a six. a ten. another seven.

“holy shit, that’s twenty thousand dollars,” ingrid breathed finally, her mouth open in shock.

colt picked the stack of chips up, nodding at the roulette table behind them. “come on.”

“where are we going?” ellie asked, but followed him to the table anyway, her heart racing. all of their friends fell in line around them, hushed. 

“we’re gonna double it,” he smirked. “red or black?”

“you’re going to bet it all?” her eyes went comically wide.

“ellie, red or black?”

everyone within hearing distance, including the attendant, was staring at her. she looked down at the table, and then at the screen, which was displaying the outcome of the last few rounds. her mind raced as she tried to calculate all the ways it could become more complex than just a fifty-fifty probability.

colt noticed her staring and shook his head at her. “just pick.”

“black,” she blurted out, and watched in horror as he dropped the entire stack of chips down onto her choice. “oh my god, i’m going to throw up.”

his arm wound around her waist as the ball dropped into the table and started to roll around. instead of recoiling, ellie held onto him in return, digging her nails into the fabric of his suit as she stared.

there was dead silence at the table when the ball dropped neatly into the slot.

“twenty-nine,” the dealer announced, smiling at the both of them. “black.”

sound exploded all around them. their friends were jumping all over colt and the table, clapping him on the back, cheering and screaming. the spectators who’d been watching them joined in, and ellie couldn’t stop a deliriously joyful laugh from escaping as she looked, beaming, from the stack of chips on the table to colt’s face.

he was already grinning at her, and reached out to shove her shoulder excitedly before pulling the chips off the board and towards their end of the table -- four stacks of ten.

logan pushed between them, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers. “jesus christ. that was insane. way to make an entrance, el.”

“me?” she demanded incredulously, “what kind of person puts twenty thousand dollars on black?”

“what can i say,” colt shrugged, eyes still bright when they settled on her again, “i’m reckless.”

well, that was the understatement of the century. she slowly shook her head as the rest of the players at the table moved on to the next round. “i can’t believe that just happened.” 

colt reached out and grabbed her wrist, then unceremoniously dropped five chips into her palm. “here. your cut.”

ellie blinked down at her hand like she’d never seen a casino chip before. “five thousand dollars?”

“hey, all you did was blow on some dice.”

“no, i --” she shook her head, trying to shove the chips back onto his pile with a laugh, “you don’t need to do that. it was fun.”

he shrugged. ellie watched in surprise as colt smiled at her, fixated on the upturned corners of his mouth. “whatever. remember i did the next time you’re pissed at me.” 

colt walked off before she could try giving the money back to him again. she stared down at the chips in her hand for a moment, staring at all the zeroes that looked back up at her.

if what had just happened was any indication, it was probably going to be a strange weekend.

*

after dinner they went to a nightclub. her buzz was kicking in, so the lights and the music hardly bothered her as much as they might have on a normal night, and though she was loathe to admit it, colt had actually done a pretty nice job setting everything up. they had a booth to themselves and bottle service with sparklers, themed shots and props for both logan and ingrid -- sashes and buttons and crowns for the both of them.

seeing how happy everyone was made all the aggravation of the last six weeks worth it. before she knew it, she’d had more shots than was probably wise and her feet were killing her from dancing, leaving her flushed and sweaty when she stumbled back to the table.

as soon as she sat down, ingrid rushed over and grabbed her arm. “come on! i want to introduce you to a hot guy!”

“no,” ellie moaned, digging her heels into the booth while ingrid tried to drag her out of it, “stop, we’ve been dancing for hours. i need five minutes.”

“okay, but he’s so hot,” ingrid insisted, “and you could get laid tonight!”

“or we could just enjoy your bachelorette party!” she screamed back, over the music, “that’d be so fun, too.”

“oh my god, you’re impossible,” ingrid sighed, dropping down dramatically into the booth beside her. "look, he’s right over there.” 

ellie followed the line of her eyes and saw an admittedly very hot guy standing with a few of their friends. she lifted her hand and waved at him, and he smiled charmingly back at her, waving in return.

from behind her hand, when she pulled it in to cover her mouth, ellie said to ingrid, “he looks kind of stupid.”

“oh my god,” ingrid groaned again, “forget it. i’m done trying to set you up.”

before she could argue further, logan ran over to refill his drink and pulled ingrid back up to her feet, dragging her away from the booth and back onto the dance floor.

ellie watched them go, then turned her eyes to the half-full bottle of vodka in the ice bucket on the table. she was in the middle of trying to decide whether or not she was one drink away from puking when colt walked up to her.

“hey, loser. you wanna dance?” he asked, just as she made up her mind and reached for the bottle. he wasn’t loud enough to be heard over the music, but ellie could see the shape of his mouth make each word clearly, mostly because she tilted her head up to stare at him in complete confusion as soon as he got close. 

“with you?” 

“i thought you were supposed to be smart,” he said, and she recognized the easy grin on his face from dozens of late nights out with all their friends in college; he was drunk. “come on.”

she stumbled to her feet and followed him without thinking too much about it, even though there was no way their friends weren’t looking at them as they found a spot on the dance floor together. 

“you know how to dance?” ellie asked, blinking down at colt’s hands, which settled confidently on her waist, in absolute, total surprise, “since when?”

“since always,” he answered, lowering his mouth to her ear, “you just repress all my positive traits.”

“you don’t have any positive traits,” she shot back, though she gave in and wound her arms around his neck a moment later, letting him pull her in close.

“ouch,” colt murmured softly into her ear, and ellie sunk her teeth into her bottom lip at the low tone of his voice and its proximity. “that really hurts.”

her head tipped back to stare up at the flashing lights in the ceiling. colt didn’t say anything -- of course, he loved to get the last word -- and after a moment she forgot how utterly strange it was to be close to him at all and let herself enjoy the dance, smoothly moving her hips against his.

it was unnatural how natural it felt. she was dancing with colt kaneko -- it should have felt insane. they didn’t dance together. they didn’t get along. 

except that evidently they did, and she kind of liked it, too. 

when he dragged everyone out of the nightclub at three o’clock in the morning he wouldn’t tell them where they were going. even ellie was surprised to hear about a planned part two of the evening, though the way he seamlessly swiped a bottle of dom perignon from a table they passed on their way to the door and presented it to her as soon as they stepped back into the lobby of the hotel made her laugh with her whole body.

“you didn’t even pay for it,” she grinned, cradling it in her arms like a baby. 

he looked around, then started leading everyone down a side hallway. “i never said i would. hang on.”

logan caught on as soon as they all stopped in front of the fancy glass doors marked pool, and ellie kept watch at the end of the hallway while the two of them worked to get the door open. one by one, their friends filed quietly inside to the hotel’s closed indoor pool, giggling while they stripped out of their clothes.

“this feels illegal,” ellie said, while ingrid helpfully lowered the zip on her dress for her, “no?”

“it’s only a crime if you get caught,” logan answered, running past and jumping in the pool directly in front of where they were standing at its edge, splashing them both.

“oh, you’re in for it,” ingrid promised, jumping off after him. 

ellie self-consciously pulled her dress off the rest of the way, walking over to the steps and wading into the shallow end carefully. she swam out to join the rest of the group, head spinning from the drinks she’d had.

“hey.”

she turned around and came face-to-face with colt again, staring at what she could see of his bare chest, sticking out of the dark water before averting her eyes with a flush. “we’re totally all going to jail,” she said, apropos of nothing.

“that’s the plan,” colt returned, still smiling that easy, open smile. but he’d always been a lot more fun to hang out with when he was drunk. 

“why’re you being so nice to me?” ellie asked abruptly, reaching out to hold onto the pool wall and treading water to stay afloat in front of him. “it’s weird.”

colt laughed. his own arm braced on the side of the pool beside hers, and she looked over at the way the water slid of his muscles, her mouth suddenly dry. 

“guess i like the reactions i get,” he answered, effortlessly short-circuiting her brain as she tried to figure out what the fuck that was supposed to mean. “plus, it looks like you’re my good luck charm.”

“that was pretty crazy,” she acknowledged with a soft smile of her own, “i’ve never done anything like that before.” in fact, it’d been almost more excitement than she could handle.

“there’s so much i could show you.” 

the look in his eyes was intense -- searching. she wasn’t sure what to say, but fortunately the noise from the rest of their friends splashing around covered the too-loud pounding of her heartbeat as he stood there staring down at her.

it was the most alive she’d felt in months. before tonight, she hadn’t even thought she’d want a break from her routine -- from school, from her work, from everything that made her her.

wading in the pool now, with colt, all she wanted was more.

before she could find something to say, logan and brent swam by, kicking up water with a splash. “come on!” logan called out as a wave of chlorinated water hit her smack dab in the face, “we’re doing back flips.”

she forced her eyes down and swam off after them, hurrying to put some space between them. 

drunk as she was, it was a struggle to even stay afloat.

*

the semester wrapped up quickly; before she knew it, it was time to start shipping her things down to miami. ellie saw and heard from everyone less and less as she finished her coursework and switched into summer mode, even as the date of logan’s wedding grew closer.

finally it was time to hand her keys over to the girl who’d be subletting her apartment for the summer and catch her flight; when she stepped off the plane she forgot, for a moment, that she wasn’t home in los angeles -- it was humid and sunny and everyone around her looked happy, a far cry from the scene she’d left behind at jfk.

ellie went straight to her summer housing and checked in, a little astonished by how nice the apartment was. there was a pool in the back of the building and the beach was only a short walk away; there were floor-to-ceiling windows exposing the view to her and illuminating every last one of the boxes she’d have to unpack where they were cluttering her new living room floor.

her eyes landed on one marked kitchen stuff and ellie tore into it, using her keys to rip the tape. the still-sealed bottle of dom perignon from the bachelorette party was sitting on top of everything else, wrapped in bubble wrap.

the trip or the heat had probably made it go flat but she pulled it out anyway, sitting on the floor and popping the cork. ellie took a sip from the bottle and grimaced -- all expensive alcohol was disgusting.

she set it on the floor and took a photo for her pictagram story anyway, the boxes and the view in the background. it was only up for a few seconds before her phone screen lit up with an incoming message.

it was colt. dork was all he’d written, when she opened her direct messages. the little animation beneath his words indicated he was typing something else. how is it?

pretty bad she wrote back honestly.

guess i’ll have to work harder to impress you

she stared down at her phone, rereading the words twice before she huffed out a genuine laugh. ellie had been avoiding checking in with most of her friends while she focused on moving, but it felt pretty nice to talk to colt again. the new peace that had settled between them had admittedly been a welcome respite, distracting her from every stressor in her life. 

with a shake of her head, she gave in and wrote back guess so.

*

everyone in the wedding was spending the entire weekend in santa monica, and ellie was grateful for the opportunity to avoid awkward conversation with her dad, heading straight to the hotel when she flew in on the morning of the rehearsal dinner.

things were already in full swing even though it was early in the day when she arrived; though she was exhausted from her flight and the work she’d left behind on the east coast ellie still let ingrid pull her up to her suite to start getting ready together.

one by one the rest of their friends started to trickle in, chatting excitedly about the wedding the next day, and eventually, after they’d gone over saturday’s schedule at least a thousand times, it was late enough in the afternoon that she had to go back to her own hotel room to get dressed for dinner.

ellie was the first of the girls to finish getting ready and logan and the rest of the guys were already downstairs at the lobby bar when she came out of the elevator. logan pulled her into a hug as soon as she got close, kissing her cheek hello.

“are you so excited?” she asked, squeezing his arms, “big day tomorrow.”

“i can’t wait. i know we did this fast but it still feels like we’ve been waiting for forever.” he looked adorably eager. “you look nice, by the way.”

“thank you,” ellie said primly, stepping out of his arms to spin in a circle, the skirt of her dress swishing around the tops of her thighs, “not half bad for an all-nighter and a cross-country flight, eh?”

“thanks for flying out so early. i’m so glad you’re here.” logan called the bartender over as she moved down the line to say hi to the rest of the groomsmen, and when she came back around to his other side to accept the drink he held out to her she noticed there was one person missing from the group.

“where’s colt?”

logan arched an eyebrow at her. her face flushed pink, and then worsened when that voice she could pick out of a crowd said from behind her, “miss me?”

the smart remark that was waiting on the tip of her tongue died when she turned around and saw him. he always wore formalwear well, but something about how he was dressed tonight captured her attention in a way that was impossible to ignore. she swallowed.

“just wondering if tonight might actually be peaceful or not,” she said finally, lifting her eyes from the few buttons that were open on his shirt at the front of his throat to look him in the eyes. “i guess it won’t be.”

he shrugged, leaning around her to signal the bartender for a drink of his own. “i promised i’d behave this weekend.” 

“yeah, and you’d better follow through or ingrid’s going to come after us both,” logan grinned, waiting until colt had his glass in his hand before sticking his own in between the three of them. “cheers.”

“cheers,” ellie smiled, clinking her champagne flute delicately against the two rocks glasses in their hands, “congratulations. i’m so happy for you guys.”

“you can back out at any time,” colt said, and then, as ingrid finally walked over and hit him on the shoulder, “ow. what? you can back out, too.”

she linked her arm through logan’s, tilting her face up for a kiss. “no one’s backing out. come on.”

they filed into the restaurant, where everyone’s families were already waiting at one end of the long table. ellie sat down on ingrid’s right and came face-to-face with colt, who was sitting directly across from her at logan’s left. he smirked at her from the other side of the table, bumping his foot into hers underneath the tablecloth. 

she kicked him back, turning her cheek to stifle a smile when she saw him wince as soon as her high heel collided with his shin. 

dinner was surprisingly pleasant, making her cautiously optimistic for the way the rest of the weekend was going to go. tomorrow was sure to be exhausting, with a full day of primping and photos before the ceremony and reception, and the after party following late into the night, if she knew their group of friends at all.

but it’d probably be pretty fun, too. at least she could start drinking heavily as soon as her toast was over.

though she was woefully sober after the cake had been cut and the night started to wind down, certain that a hangover would be a wrench in tomorrow morning she just didn’t need, with the day ahead of her. 

they all took their time saying goodbye and slowly started to head to the elevator. just outside the restaurant door, colt caught her elbow and asked, “wanna go for a walk?”

she stared back at him dumbly. why? “huh?”

“come on, the beach is right there.” his hand slid down her bare arm to curl around her wrist, and he tugged her towards the french doors that would lead them outside onto the hotel’s back patio before she could protest.

ellie slipped off her shoes as they moved down the steps and out into the sand, silent when they both walked off down the beach together. the stretch owned by the hotel was private and closed for the night, so they were the only two people making their way down to the ocean, though she still wasn’t exactly sure for what. 

“how’ve you been?” she asked finally, when it felt like it’d been quiet for too long.

“fine. how are your... water samples?” 

her eyebrows arched. part of her was amazed he’d remembered, and a little warmed by his thoughtfulness. “um, good,” she answered slowly, “well -- not good, they’re contaminated, but... good for me? to have something to study?”

out of the corner of her eye, ellie saw his lips twitch. it was good to know he still found her embarrassment amusing. “that’s good.”

“are you nervous for your speech tomorrow?” she asked, because she was certainly nervous about hers. his smile spread.

“no.” he’d long since let go of her arm, but colt still only shoved the hand on the other side of his body into his pocket, letting his other arm dangle near hers. “i’m just gonna wing it.”

“you’re going to -- i’m sorry, what?” she demanded, completely horrified. “you cannot just wing it.”

“well, i’m going to,” he shrugged, “so don’t lose sleep over it.”

“oh my god,” ellie groaned, “i feel sick just thinking about it. please tell me you’re joking.”

“you know i’m not,” he laughed, that same soft sound from the night of logan and ingrid’s engagement party, when he’d given her a ride home. her cheeks flushed just thinking about it. “don’t you ever get tired of being so self-righteous?”

“no,” she sniffed, “don’t you ever get tired of being so...”

ellie trailed off as she searched for the right word. colt stopped suddenly and turned in the sand to face her, grinning widely when their eyes locked. “so what?”

arrogant. smug. obnoxious. insufferable. reckless. “so...” she paused, tongue darting out to lick her lips, “well --”

colt leaned in and kissed her before she could decide which word she wanted to settle on. the hand that’d been in his pocket landed on her waist, and he lifted the other to her jaw, cradling her cheek in his palm when he pulled her closer to meet his lips.

she froze. part of her had been expecting this, though it still felt so unbelievably beyond imagining -- colt kaneko was kissing her after they’d spent the last eight years at each other’s throats, and tenderly, too, his lips soft and gentle when they brushed against hers.

ellie sighed quietly into his mouth, then looped her arm around him and kissed him back, sliding her fingers into his hair at the back of his head. 

he was a good kisser. not that she’d thought about it, or anything, outside of one or two times --

fine, a few times... 

colt snaked his arm fully around her waist and pressed his body in against hers as close as they could get; there was only the sound of the waves on the shore while they kissed for what felt like an eternity, with all the familiarity of two people who’d done this dozens of times before.

there was something about being alone with him that eased the tension being home always brought with it. something about the new calmness in their relationship reminded her of her apartment and new york and the places she’d always felt most like herself, almost like colt understood her and the things she wanted to say but wouldn’t without her even having to say them. 

finally, his thumb pressed into the hinge of her jaw and he broke them apart, tipping his forehead against hers to stare into her eyes.

in the dark, with the moon behind him, the depths of his gaze consumed her entirely. ellie worked to catch her breath while staring back at him seriously, though there was surely some shock on her expression.

“um,” she said finally. “i --”

he swept her into another kiss and she was grateful for the chance to collect her thoughts before being expected to say something, though every last one she had left her abruptly when their lips met again. all she could focus on was how good the kiss was -- how it felt like giving into something she’d been holding off on allowing for far too long. 

this time, when he pushed her away, he spoke up. “do you want me to apologize?”

ellie realized her fingers were still curled into his hair and forced them to relax. she dropped her hand onto his shoulder. “no.” her eyes lingered on the minute upturn at the corners of his mouth. “an explanation would be helpful, though.”

the hand colt had on the small of her back dipped lower. she raised her eyebrows at him again. “i want to spend the night with you,” he said bluntly, “if you want.”

she pretended to think about it, even though she already knew what her answer would be. judging by the look on colt’s face, he knew she was only acting, too, though he stayed quiet for once and let her go through the motions of looking back at the hotel in thoughtful consideration. “yeah,” she said finally, with a nod, “let’s go to your room.”

*

colt’s room was on the other side of the hotel, and he’d forgotten to pull the heavy-duty shades shut the night before, so the sun filtered in through the gauzy curtains and hit her in the face early, waking her up before she was ready.

ellie rubbed at her eyes and took in the sight before her: the muscled arm slung across her waist was attached to a set of broad shoulders and a sculpted torso, though colt was sleeping on his stomach so she could only see his back, the sheet draped low over his hips. 

his face was squished into the pillow and he was still peacefully asleep, his breathing even and quiet beside her.

she stared at him for a few seconds before a deep sense of dread started to set in, filling her with slowly dawning horror.

you slept with colt kaneko! her brain screamed unhelpfully at her, like she didn’t already know. what the fuck were you thinking?

okay. this was fixable. all she had to do was get to her clothes and get out of his room before he woke up. she could make it back to her suite before anyone noticed she was gone, right? 

his body stirred beside her as soon as she shifted to the edge of the mattress. ellie watched colt’s arm slip off her waist and stared as his eyes slowly blinked open, his jaw cracking with a yawn. “hey,” he murmured, voice thick with sleep and perfectly cozy-sounding, halting her progress out of the bed and almost enough to make her turn right back around. “what time is it?”

“seven,” she returned just as quietly, and he flopped back against the pillow with a groan, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“the fuck are you doing up?” he grumbled. “christ.”

ellie shifted another inch to the edge of the bed. “we need to all start getting ready soon. pictures are at two.”

“it’s seven,” he sighed, “she can’t possibly expect you to --”

“she does.”

colt groaned again, louder this time. he rolled onto his back and pressed both palms against his face, then pushed his hands through his hair. “we’ll get up in ten minutes,” he declared decisively, dropping his cheek into the side of the pillow. his eyes were half-lidded when they landed on her. “come here.”

ellie hesitated at the edge of the bed, biting her lip. 

that was probably a mistake. 

she cleared her throat, averting her eyes. maybe all of this had been a mistake. it was so unlike her -- flirting with him, kissing him on the beach, having a one night stand. he’d never even liked her before she started doing all of these things that felt so wildly out of character for her. in fact, he’d always hated her. 

what the fuck did he think they were doing, anyway? 

panic was starting to set in, hot and desperate. “i should really get going,” she said, then stood and snatched her dress up off the floor before she could be sucked in by the curve of him against the mattress. “ingrid’s going to wonder where i am.”

there was complete and total silence as she pulled her clothes back on quickly, piece by piece. finally, colt said, “okay. i’ll see you later.”

his voice was slow -- carefully measured. ellie didn’t look at him before double checking to make sure she had her phone and room key and nodding blindly in the direction of the bed, doing her best to keep her voice faux-chipper. “totally,” she called out mindlessly, rushing out the door.

her chest squeezed tight with anxiety and refused to relent for the entirety of the morning. ellie found herself fighting off a meltdown through hair and makeup, through hours of gushing over ingrid and how beautiful she looked, through a session with the photographer in the bridal suite. 

her thoughts were elsewhere during the group photos with everyone. it took every effort not to look colt’s way when they all got together before the ceremony to take so many pictures her face was hurting from maintaining her fake smile.

still, her mind drifted. the part of her that was adamant she’d made the right decision couldn’t seem to quiet the little voice beneath it wondering what if, her curiosity needling her brain incessantly. 

now she’d never know what he might’ve been about to say or do. she wouldn’t have to deal with the reality of having two pieces of her life that didn’t fit together -- new york and school and los angeles and colt -- because there was no knowing if anything would’ve even come from it.

maybe that’s for the best, said the larger, more rational part of her brain. 

all the excuses she’d used a thousand times before came back to her at once. she was too busy to date, probably, and ill-equipped to have a boyfriend. guys she’d dated in the past had complained about her being hot and cold, either clingy or distant depending on where she was with school or in her professional life. the only parts of herself she could actually tolerate most of the time seemed to be the biggest turn-offs: she was too driven, too focused on her passion projects. 

each word felt hollow, now. maybe she hadn’t done the right thing.

ellie’s pulse raced dangerously as everyone lined up at the edge of the cliff for the outdoor ceremony. she and colt stood just behind logan, side-by-side. 

he wasn’t looking at her. her stomach twisted unhappily. 

she gently reached out to touch his arm. her voice was barely a murmur when she leaned in close and said, “hey, can i talk to you?”

colt looked down at her like she was insane. in front of them, logan started down the aisle. “now’s not really a good time.”

fuck. she was almost definitely going to lose her nerve, but he was right. she pursed her lips, looping her arm through his. her free hand clutched her flowers tightly.

colt felt stiff beside her, at odds with the easy way he’d held her last night. she used all her focus not to trip as they walked down the aisle together and then separated on either side of the altar, the both of them looking anywhere else but at each other.

fortunately, the ceremony provided a welcome distraction from her swirling thoughts. logan and ingrid had written their own vows, and she cried the entire time they spoke to each other, tears silently dripping down her cheeks as she watched two of her oldest friends profess their love.

even the poem ingrid’s sister read made her heart skip a beat, her bottom lip wobbling through the ceremony until the officiant finally pronounced them husband and wife.

ellie was still smiling through tears after they’d kissed and started back down the aisle together. she forgot to be nervous about walking with colt until he took her arm in his and said, “seriously?”

then everything that had happened rushed back to her at once, and she was uneasy and miserable again.

“come on,” ellie sniffed, dabbing delicately at her eyes, “that was beautiful.”

“it was something,” he mumbled, so quietly the excited din of the crowd nearly drowned him out. “i’ll catch up with you later.”

he dropped her arm as soon as he possibly could, disappearing into the venue. ellie watched everyone through the glass windows for a moment before following him inside with a sigh.

bathroom, then bar. even if the first thing she needed was a large glass of wine, the absolute last thing she needed was smudged mascara. everything else could wait.

*

it was almost the end of the cocktail hour when logan found her at the bar. ellie grinned at him wholeheartedly and passed him the champagne flute she’d taken for herself, signaling for another.

“thanks,” he said, reaching out to squeeze her arm, “like, a thousand people have already tried talking to me. you never told me this was going to be so exhausting.”

“getting married is a huge deal,” ellie laughed, “of course every single person here wants to talk to you. you’re going to be making the rounds all night.”

“just -- keep me occupied for a few more minutes,” he said, gaze darting around the room, “make it look like we’re having a really serious talk. start with whatever put that look on your face.”

“i don’t have a look on my face,” she argued, though she knew it was futile.

logan arched his eyebrows at her. “ellie.”

“what?” she asked. she shuffled her feet anxiously and then continued, “look, i’m sure colt already told you we slept together last night, so --”

logan started coughing, spitting champagne back into his glass. he set it down on the bar with wide eyes. “oh my god, you what?”

ellie felt her own eyes bug out to match. “he didn’t tell you?”

“no,” logan hissed, then coughed again. “what do you mean you slept together last night?”

“um,” ellie started, her voice high as she swiveled her eyes to the ceiling, “well...”

“jesus, i can’t believe he finally went for it.”

she slowly lowered her gaze back to his. her brow furrowed in confusion. “what?”

“oh, man. he’s liked you for forever. i didn’t think he was ever going to...” logan trailed off as he caught sight of the expression on her face, which cycled from confusion to realization to horror so quickly it made her head spin. “wait, how’d you guys leave it?”

“um,” she said again, cringing, “well...”

“yikes.” logan matched her look with a wince. “you should probably talk to him.”

she wandered into the ballroom as if in a daze. ellie found her seat at the table with the bridal party and breathed a sigh of relief once she noticed colt was far away from her at the other end -- at least ingrid had done her one favor. 

after the toast, she told herself with a nod, i’ll talk to him. 

after the toast she could have the hard drink she’d need to get through the conversation. they could take a few minutes to themselves.

but first she had to actually get through the toast, and that meant sitting politely while colt gave the best man speech, which he did unflappably well, of course, even though he hadn’t prepared for it at all.

ellie was reminded all at once what’d made her hate him in the first place: colt was good at everything without having to worry about it. in college, he’d effortlessly pulled perfect grades in even the most impossible classes; tonight was no different. he made jokes that landed perfectly with the crowd, getting the appropriate amount of laughs, and finished with something surprisingly sentimental that garnered lots of applause -- both ingrid and logan beamed at him when he sat down again.

and she had to go next.

she pointedly ignored him as she stood with her glass. “hey, everyone. i’m ellie. for those of you who don’t know me, ingrid and i met on the very first day of college -- eight years ago. i’d just turned eighteen and i was away from home for the first time. i actually bumped into ingrid in the parking lot...”

ellie hit all the marks, too: what she loved about her friends, what made them perfect for each other. “-- and i knew he was the one just from the way she’d talk about him. she always got so giddy, it was like there was a whole other side of her i’d never seen before. every day she’d have something new to say about him: ‘oh, logan said this,’ and, ‘oh, logan showed me that’ --”

everyone was crying by the time she wrapped up. ingrid blew her a kiss as she lifted her glass into the air, and ellie grinned brightly back at her and logan before the band came back on and she could finally sit down again.

the girls around her were gushing about how good her toast had been, but ellie leaned around them to catch colt’s eye at the other end of the table.

her eyebrows lifted meaningfully. she nodded at the dance floor.

colt rolled his eyes. she watched him shake his head.

ellie thrust her bottom lip out into a pout. 

he looked sort of close to smiling, setting a swarm of butterflies loose in her stomach. it was both better and more dangerous than the thought of him being angry at her had been. later, he mouthed, turning away before she could frown at him any harder.

that was fine. it’d give her a little more time to work up her nerve -- hopefully.

she grabbed ingrid on her way back to the bar.

“oh my god, i can’t believe you,” ingrid sighed, squeezing her tight in a huge hug, “that was only the most beautiful toast of all time. you ruined my makeup, you bitch!”

“okay, you still look perfect,” ellie argued, squeezing her hand, “you’re the most beautiful bride ever. don’t even start.”

ingrid sighed wistfully, looking off towards the sweetheart table at the front of the ballroom. “i am pretty beautiful, huh?”

“are you kidding?” ellie demanded, “the whole thing was gorgeous.”

ingrid’s grin sharpened. out of nowhere, she said, “logan told me you totally fucked colt last night.”

“shhhh!” ellie cast a glance around desperately, but they were blessedly alone at the bar. “oh my god, i didn’t --”

“yeah, right. why didn’t you tell me?!”

“it’s your wedding day,” she laughed, “i wanted to -- i don’t know. it just happened, it was weird.”

“what’s he like?” she asked, passing ellie a glass of champagne.

“can we not do this?” ellie ducked her head behind the glass, trying to hide her flushed face. “isn’t it time for your first dance?”

ingrid waved her hand dismissively. “in a minute. so? spill!”

“oh my god, it was obviously incredible,” she mumbled into her champagne, “now get out of my face, this is exactly why i didn’t tell you.”

“fine, but we are so not done talking about this.” she reached out and tugged on one of the neat curls of her hair before linking her arm through ellie’s to walk back to the front of the ballroom together. “and you’d better save me a dance.”

*

she didn’t get her moment alone with colt until after the entrees. ellie had given up on trying to catch his eye, so she was surprised when he walked over and said, “i’ll take that dance, now, if you can stop crying long enough to make it happen.”

“people with souls cry at weddings,” she huffed, standing and taking his hand in hers, “i’m sorry you can’t relate.”

“you’re forgiven,” he smirked, so that she could almost pretend there was absolutely nothing weird going on between them as they walked out onto the dance floor.

but his expression shifted when the song changed and her hands laced together behind his neck, absolving her of that illusion near-immediately. she cleared her throat as his hands settled on her hips and they started to sway together.

“i’m sorry,” she said again, more seriously this time. 

he pursed his lips, then shrugged. “for what?”

“for being weird this morning. i don’t know what you were going to say -- um, if you were going to say anything, but i totally freaked out and i obviously didn’t even give you a chance to get to it, so. that was uncool. sorry.”

colt’s gaze was calculating on hers. she wondered what he was thinking. “don’t worry about it,” he said finally. “it’s nothing.”

she drew in a deep breath. well, if he wasn’t going to give her an inch... “logan said you’ve always liked me.”

ellie watched as his eyes narrowed. “logan’s lucky today’s his wedding day,” colt murmured darkly. his hands tightened on her hips briefly, then released. he turned his head and leveled his glare on her. “so?”

“so -- i thought you hated me,” she laughed, that thread of nervousness back again. “you never -- i mean, why didn’t you ever say anything?”

he rolled his eyes at her. “okay, you’re always, like -- smiling and happy and constantly surrounded by people. when we were in school you were in, like, student government and on debate team and running a thousand clubs or doing extra lab hours and everyone always liked you -- so you wanted me to, what, exactly? just walk right up to you and be like, hey, do you want to see a movie?”

ellie gaped at him, her mouth open in shock. “i -- yes! you could have just asked me out.”

“right,” colt snorted, “that would’ve gone over well. you thought i was a total asshole.”

“colt, you were a total asshole,” she reminded him.

he shifted back and forth on his feet. ellie stared in fascination as the tips of his ears went red when he dipped his head to avert his eyes. “i didn’t want you think i had a crush on you or anything.”

it felt a lot like she was having an out-of-body experience. “well... did you have a crush on me?”

colt cleared his throat. “you weren’t like everyone else,” he said, in lieu of an answer, “you’re still not. but i get that you’re busy. this doesn’t have to be, like, a thing.”

“hang on, i’m still processing.” whatever this was, it was officially bizarre. 

it seemed impossible to wrap her head around what he’d just admitted: that he’d always liked her, even at her most neurotic, at the most school-obsessed, five-year-plan focused she’d ever been. 

so she didn’t have to change.

for once, it didn’t feel like she needed to put up some front that was, frankly, exhausting to maintain.

everything just felt -- nice.

“done yet?” he demanded, “the song’s almost over.” 

ellie leaned in and kissed him, uncaring of anyone who might see. his hands were warm over the cutouts in the dress at her sides and she was breathless when they finally broke apart, long after the song had changed.

the look on colt’s face was a mixture of self-satisfied and surprised when he pulled her off the dance floor and out onto the terrace. “i am busy,” ellie said, once they were alone.

colt nodded, looking out at the view of the beach below them. “i know.”

“but -- if you really don’t mind that i have to split my focus with school... and the distance... and the time difference...”

“are you trying to talk me out of it?” he asked, sounding amused.

“...then obviously i’d love to date you or whatever.”

“huh.” colt was smiling as he stared at the ocean. “i guess i probably should have just asked out you five years ago, then.”

“it might’ve been easier,” ellie allowed, shifting to lean her shoulder against his. she reached for his hand and laced their fingers together. “but that’s not really our style.”

colt turned and pressed his lips to the top of her head. “true,” he hummed, and then, “you smell like you have a whole can of hairspray in your hair.”

“i probably do.” she hesitated, looking down at their joined hands. “are you sure you want to do this?”

“yeah.” ellie looked back up at him and found colt’s eyes still stuck thoughtfully on the view. “i’ve wanted to for a really long time.”

“that’s so crazy to me.”

“why?” he finally turned and looked at her, his gaze no less intense than it had been last night by the ocean. “ingrid’s right. you are a catch. it’s crazy to me that you’ve stayed single all this time.”

“well, i was --” she bit the inside of her cheek to avoid again using the word busy, and then pivoted to a more uncomfortably honest answer, “-- never interested in compromising. before now.”

his lips spread into a smile. she felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of it, soft and genuine and open on his face. “figures i’d be the one to break your streak,” colt said, in that same overconfident way she always used to hate.

“oh my god, do not start,” she huffed, using their joined hands to push his side until he stumbled a step away.

colt retaliated by spinning her around and pulling her in close, trapping her against the ledge of the balcony before she could move. “why?” he challenged, “what are you going to do about it?”

she was going to kiss that stupid smirk right off his face, for one.

and he was going to spend the night dancing with her and later hold back her hair when she had too much to drink.

then they’d both spend most of sunday in bed, skipping brunch with the rest of their friends to put the hours before her flight to better use.

colt would drive her to the airport. they would say their goodbyes on the curb.

and she would be too excited to sleep on the trip back to miami.

“just wait,” she threatened, though her voice was sweet; she tilted her chin up to brush their noses together. “you’ll see. i have it all planned out.”

the look in his eyes made her feel like she was doing something dangerous; colt looked both fond and delighted, content and sweet and sure. his free hand lifted to thumb at her cheekbone, like part of him was still surprised to find the both of them out here, wrapped up together like they were. 

“i’ll bet,” he returned, his voice low and full of promise. “that work ethic is one of the things i like most about you.”

“you’ll have to give me a list of the rest,” ellie laughed, eager to hear his take on it all from what was arguably the most unique perspective in their friend group. 

“eh, you can wait,” colt shrugged, gently pressing her in along the stone ledge behind her back on the balcony, leaning over her with another grin, “there’s a few other things we have to catch up on first.”

fair point, she thought, though she’d be damned if she ever actually agreed with him out loud. she had a lot to fill him in on, too. 

he’d probably waited long enough, though, so ellie folded first and gave him that kiss she’d planned, colt’s smirk dissolving as expected when his mouth pressed against hers. 

when they finally broke apart and turned to head back inside, they drew up short outside the doors to the balcony. every last one of their friends was standing in front of the glass facade, staring at them, their eyes wide and their mouths open. ingrid and logan in particular looked unreasonably overjoyed. 

“christ,” colt sighed, as ellie instantly flushed bright red beside him, “is this what this is going to be like all the time?”

“no take backs,” she said, squeezing his hand. she turned to look up at him just in time to catch his eye roll, and the subsequent glare that made the group watching them from behind the door scatter with raucous laughter.

“fine,” he answered, sounding put-upon, but she hadn’t looked away yet and so she still caught the private smile that tugged his lips up against his will.

perfect, ellie thought to herself, and then, for the first time in as long as she could remember, nothing else -- no self-doubt, no exhaustion, no pretending. 

colt was probably going to have to help her get used to how it felt to have everything she wanted.

[lahilden]

Ashford Castle Hotel

Ashford Castle Hotel is located in Mayo County, in the village of Cong, Ireland. The 800-year-old medieval castle served as the principal stronghold for Anglo-Norman de Burgo. The castle has a long history and changed hands many times. In 1715, the Browne family added a French chateau-design to the castle. In 1852, under the ownership of the famous Guinness brewery family, the lands were extended to 26,000 acres, two Victorian extensions were created, and the buildings were renovated in the neo-gothic style. The Lodge at Ashford Castle was added in 1865, and in 1868, Ashford’s son Sir Benjamin rebuilt the west wing. When Arthur Guinness died in 1915, the castle went to the Iveagh Trust. In 1939, Noel Huggard purchased Ashford Castle and transformed it into a luxury hotel. In 1985, a group of Irish American investors purchased the castle hotel. In 2013, Red Carnation Hotels purchased the estate and refurbished the hotel. The five-star castle hotel sits on a 350-acre estate with boutiques, a wellness and spa center, a salon, six restaurants, a bar, wine tasting tunnels, a billiards room, a cigar terrace, a cinema, and much more. The hotel offers many activities including, tennis, fishing, horseback riding, clay shooting, archery, falconry, an off-roading course, a nine-hole golf course, and more. Ashford Castle Hotel has 83 bedrooms and suites and a hideaway cottage located on the shores of Lake Corrib. The castle hotel serves as a venue for wedding and corporate events. 

[blissfulevents]

Blissful Events

Blissful Events is the premier luxury wedding planner for California’s Wine Country area covering Napa Valley, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake County, and San Francisco. Enjoy your dream laid back luxury wedding without a worry in the world. We also offer micro wedding packages & venue consulting.

Address: 120 4th St, #2163, Petaluma, CA 94952, USA Phone: 415-497-2280 Website: https://blissfuleventplanning.com/

[yooperwolf]

MDARD Awards Rural Grants to Support Infrastructure, Sustainability of Land-Based Industries

or immediate release: February 12, 2021 Media contact: Jessy Sielski, 517-331-1151 Program contact: Heather Throne, 517-712-0841

MDARD Awards Rural Grants to Support Infrastructure, Sustainability of Land-Based Industries

LANSING—The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has awarded 20 Rural Development Fund Grants designed to promote the sustainability of land-based industries and support infrastructure that benefits rural communities.

“Rural Michigan isn’t some strange, faraway, uninhabited land,” said MDARD Director Gary McDowell. “Most of the people in this great state are either from or currently live in rural areas, so these grants have a real impact on the lives of people we know and in communities not far from our own. Rural Michigan has unlimited potential, but it needs opportunity. The Rural Development Fund grants help provide those opportunities.”

The department received 139 proposals with requests totaling more than $11 million. Of those, MDARD awarded the following 20 projects totaling $1,700,000, leveraging a match of more than $6.7 million:

Apsey Farm LLC - $90,000 (Reed City) – Expansion of livestock processing and distribution.

Beaver Island Historical Society – $31,800 (Beaver Island) – Implement a tourism campaign, upgrades at Heritage Park and Blue Buffalo Camp Trail, development of a mobile app for tourists.

City of Ishpeming – $100,000 – Development along Malton Road to create an additional campground and to increase tourism to the region.

City of Negaunee – $82,600 – Multiple upgrades to the Teal Lake Shoreline Beach Area.

City of Stephenson – $41,500 – Wastewater treatment facility upgrades.

Gallagher Farms LLC – $100,000 (Traverse City) – Establishment of a craft spirits distillery at the farm as a complement to its current Bay View Weddings at Gallagher Farms destination wedding venue.

Gatien Farm and Forest Products Inc. – $100,000 (Powers) – Upgrade equipment with new highly automated machines for wood products.

Great Lakes Tissue Company – $100,000 (Cheboygan) – Expansion of new processing equipment to add value to the plastic byproduct of recycled poly-coated paper feedstock of cartons, paper cups, food trays, and post-industrial paper used in the 100% recycle context tissue manufacturing.

Harbor Hills Fruit Farm – $100,000 (Lake Leelanau) – Purchase of a crossflow filtration unit to enhance the quality of Michigan wines.

Lakeshore Depot L3C – $100,000 (Marquette) – Increase capacity for sales, distribution and value-added processing of Michigan-grown produce and agricultural products at a new FarmStop local food store.

Mackinac Bluffs Maple Farm Inc. – $100,000 (Pickford) – Construction and installation of a “sap house” that will contain equipment to collect and process maple sap for additional maple syrup production.

Noquemanon Trails Network Council – $100,000 (Marquette) – Expansion of parking spaces, a vault toilet facility, and develop a mountain bike skills area for all ages and abilities at Marquette South Trails.

Northern Michigan University – $100,000 (Marquette) – Implement a self-contained growing center proposal that aims to enhance and expand a new indoor agriculture degree program at the university.

Oceana County Economic Alliance – $100,000 (Hart) – Extension of the Village of Shelby’s municipal water service to workforce housing and remove barriers to talent attraction and retention.

Riveridge Land Company – $100,000 (Grant) – Construction of a housing unit for 30 additional H2A seasonal workers for the upcoming growing season.

TCWC LLC DBA Traverse City Whiskey – $100,000 (Traverse City) – Improve natural gas infrastructure and install new NG-compatible steam boiler to allow for increased fermentation capacity for production of distilled spirits.

The Cut Custom Processing LLC – $78,400 (Rosebush) – Expand pork processing capabilities at the USDA processing establishment.

Travel Marquette – $20,800 (Marquette) – Integration of online and print tools to assist citizens and visitors with hearing, vision, and mobility limitations navigate the county.

Tuscarora Township – $54,900 (Indian River) – Installation of additional public boat dockage at Marina Park.

Village of Breckenridge – $100,000 – Expansion of the Technology and Agribusiness Park to allow for additional lots.

The grant funds, made possible from Public Act 411 of 2012, are aimed to promote the sustainability of land-based industries (food and agriculture; forestry; mining, oil and gas production; and tourism) and support workforce training, rural capacity building, business development and infrastructure that benefits rural communities.

Eligible counties include those with a population no greater than 60,000 residents or micropolitan statistical areas. Preference was given to projects in Marquette County.

The proposals were evaluated through a competitive process. For more information about this grant program or a complete list of eligible counties, visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdardgrants.

###

[nailspalawndale]

The Nail Spa (in LAWNDALE, CA)

The Nail Spa (in LAWNDALE, CA)

Lawndale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. The town is located in the South Bay region of the Los Angeles area. It's packed with parks, recreation centers, and much more and is one of the most popular destinations that's worth a visit. One will never be short of things to do in Lawndale.

There are unique things to do and places you can explore at this place. It is an ideal area to revisit to take a break and relax.

It is endowed with places to see and explore with signature experiences and reviews. Hotels and resorts are a mix of modern and charm to suit one's rest at affordable prices.

Restaurants, on the other hand, offer hot spots to drink, dine, and feast.

The top attractions to visit in Lawndale are:

·         The South Bay Wedding Center - An all-inclusive wedding chapel and venue that offers a booking process with no hidden fees. 

·         Alondra Community Regional Park – Involves a public play course, swimming pool, skate park, and jogging around the lake.

·         D&W Transportation – Get a complete and reliable service with on-time arrivals and superb communication.

·         Lawndale Brewhouse – Listed as the perfect neighborhood bar, has great bartenders, a pool table, and plenty of TVs. It offers beers, wines, cocktails. Lastly, they provide complimentary snacks in case one is hungry.

·         The Nail Spa

Other popular places to visit in Lawndale include:

·         Universal Studio Hollywood – "Get ready for the ultimate Hollywood experience."

·         Venice Beach – Swim and explore performers like bodybuilders at the urban shoreline, a colorful escape from the city.

·         Staples Centre – A multipurpose sports arena that hosts some of the world's biggest musical acts and is home to two national basketball association teams.

·         Long Beach Cruise Terminal – Explore the waterfront in Long Beach and experience the praised art galleries or attend a sporting event in this walkable area.

·         Santa Monica Pier – You'll find beachside kitsch, boardwalk ambiance, and carnival fun at this attraction.

In this article, The Nail Spa will be reviewed in detail. If you include this in your travel plans, be sure of getting thrilled for doing so.

The Nail Spa

It is located at 16129 Hawthorne Blvd, Lawndale, CA 90260.

It was established in 2018 as a specialty in nail caring and the application of nail cosmetics. The Spa provides the best nail salon experience at reasonable prices. It also strives to better its skills to offer a client the most relaxing experience and high quality works.

Services offered at the Spa are:

·         Acrylic Fill-In

·         Acrylic Nail Removal

·         Classic Manicure

·         Eyebrow Services

·         French Tip Fill-In

·         Gel Full Set

·         Nail Art

·         Polish Change

·         Paraffin Wax Treatments

·         Pink and White Full Set

·          Callus Removal

·         Classic Pedicure

·         Foot Massage

The Spa provides amenities; for instance, it accepts credit cards, offers parking for bikes, free Wi-Fi, wheelchair accessible, gender-neutral restrooms, and in-person visits.

Visit this site too.