1372 Words, this Chapter

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Rainbow Gardens Part 1

The next morning Jess and Becker were the first to arrive at the wedding venue: Rainbow Gardens. It was just outside London, in a quiet part of the country.

"Well?" she asked when they got out of the car.

"It looks the same as the day we checked it out."

"Yeah, but you weren't really paying attention."

He laughed. "I just wanted you happy. Although, I do remember you saying they had hunting available."

She giggled. "And you are signed up for the quail shoot later today, I promise."

"That's my bride!" he cried, sweeping her into his arms, making her giggle. "Looking after me so well!"

"Put me down! Before that though, we're going to relax, walk through at least one of the extensive gardens and maybe have a swim or a game of tennis."

"You don't play. Neither do I."

"True, but I have the cutest little tennis outfit," she giggled, thinking of the one she got from Ce Ce and crew. "I can just stroll around the courts wearing it."

Becker laughed.

"Then we'll meet Abby and the others for dinner and maybe catch one of the movies the hotel shows," she said.

"You've got the day planned out."

"Yep, well that was the point in coming down two days early: relax and enjoy ourselves."

"It sounds great, Jess."

"It does," she said, slowly kissing him.

"So...how far is the local shopping?"

"Excuse me? Did you forget something Becker?"

He narrowed his eyes, with an amused grin on his face. "Jessica, I know you. There is no way that your perfect wedding venue is not close to some sort of shopping district."

She giggled. "Well, I have to have something to do while you're on the hunt."

He laughed. "True. I hunt my way you hunt yours, huh?"

She laughed. "Exactly! Come on, let's find our room."

He leered. "Ooh, now you're talking."

"Did I mention that our suite comes with it's own hot tub?"

"You did not."

They checked in, getting congratulations from the staff and a personal escort to their room.

"So...we have how many hours til a planned activity?"

Jess giggled. "A while."

"Great. Let's try out the hot tub."

"Ooh, sounds good. I don't know which bikini to use, though. I brought several."

Becker smirked. "You didn't need to bring any."

"Becker! You're right, though." She giggled. "I may not need a suit for the hot tub, the pool however..."

"Oh, you should be very covered at the pool, sweetheart. How do you feel about wearing a hoodie?"

She giggled again. "Stop! I'm going to get the hiccups!"

"Sorry." He pulled her into a deep hug and began to kiss her slowly when the room phone rang.

"Don't answer it."

"I have to, Becker, only like five people were given access to this number. It may be important." She ran to the phone. "Hello, Jess Parker."

"Hello, Miss Parker, this is Sunny, you're fabulous venue coordinator!"

"Oh, Miss Gates! Hello!"

"I heard you checked in early. If it's not too much of an inconvenience, I thought we could get some business out of the way: a quick tour of the wedding site and a private run-thorough of the festivities, just you, me, and the groom."

"That sounds great."

"You sure I'm not interrupting your plans?"

Jess bit her lip. Becker would shay she was. "Nope. Not at all."

"Fine, meet me down in the lobby."

"We'll be right there, Sunny." Jess hung up the phone.

"We'll be where?"

"We're going on a tour of the grounds with the venue coordinator who's going to give us a quick run-through of the wedding ."

"Isn't that what the rehearsal tomorrow night is for?"

"Yes, but that's everyone. She just wants to go through it, you and me, so we know the plan."

"We do know it, Jess."

"I do, because I came back for all the final tweaks. You just said," and she made a deep voice imitation of him, "Whatever sounds good to you, Jess.' No wonder I became a bride-osaurus."

"Oops, yeah, I did that. I guess I am a bit responsible."

"A bit."

"We have to go now?"

"Yes, Sunny Gates is waiting."

He stared at her. "You're joking. That's the woman's actual name?"

She giggled. "Yep, and it suits her. She's bright and cheerful, like her name."

"Lovely. Just what we need another uptight, overly concerned wedding planner."

"Nah, she's not as bad as the one at Abby's. Sunny's sweet. Come on."

In the lobby they saw a woman with a clip board, clearly waiting. She saw Jess and waived. She was around thirty, taller than Jess, shorter than Becker, and she flashed a blinding white smile.

Becker tried not to wince at her bright yellow head-to toe look. She wore a knee length skirt, floral top and jacket, along with a scarf and bandanna all in shades of sunny yellow.

"How are you? Don't answer that," she said with a giggle. "I know. You're so wonderful because you're about to commit to each other!"

Jess nodded.

"Um, I forgot something in my room."

"No you don't!" cried Jess. "It's our wedding holiday! You are not abandoning me."

"I'm not! I just have to get..."

"Your sunglasses, right?" asked Sunny.

Becker stared at her.

She laughed. "I'm sorry, I know my outfit is loud. Let me take off the jacket." She did, and threw it to the chuckling desk clerk. "I can lose the scarf too." She now wore just the yellow skirt, the floral top and the hair piece. "Does it help?"

"Um, yeah, actually."

"Becker!"

Sunny giggled. "It's fine. The staff here is so used to my outrageous, blinding ensembles that they ignore it." On cue, the lady at the desk nodded, giggling.

Sunny winked at her. " I forget it's a bit much on ordinary humans. You can still get your sunglasses if you want."

"I'm fine," Becker said, with a grin.

Sunny smiled. "I blame my sunny disposition as well as I my horribly loud taste on my parents. They did name me. Boy, they were so disappointed when I cam out a brunette and not a blond."

Jess laughed loudly.

"They don't get credit for the 'Sunny Gates' fiasco though. I swear, my husband's last name was nearly a deal breaker."

Becker smiled. "You know, Sunny, I think you may be the perfect person to handle our crazy event."

Jess nodded. "Told you, honey."

"Yeah, I should learn to trust you."

"Aw, thank you," said Sunny. "Shall we go?"

"Lead the way."

"OK, right behind the hotel itself are the swimming pools. The little one is for the kiddies, then we have the middle one, and finally we have the wave pool for more advanced swimmers. We also have midnight movies in the wave pool every Friday and Saturday night. It's adults only."

"Ooh," said Jess.

"No shenanigans, please," said Sunny with a wink. "Me and hubby got kicked out."

"You did not!"

Becker just smiled. "You just get better and better, don't you Sunny?"

She giggled. "This way. To the left of the pools are the tennis courts and the miniature golf course. Then down here," she said pointing down across from the courts, "is the entrance to the horseback riding."

She turned to Becker. "I understand you're a hunter?"

He nodded. "Kind of."

"He's signed up for one this evening," Jess said.

"Good, it is fun. You just go down that way, Captain, past the stables. You'll see the sign for the hunting lodge. It's easy to find."

"Sounds good. Thank you."

"Hunting lodge?"

Sunny laughed. "It's really just a shack, Jess. It sounds sexier to say Hunting Lodge." Jess giggled. "OK, let's backtrack a little. We'll go back to the hotel and go the other way. That's where the gardens start."

End of Chapter Thirty-Seven