All of Me

Chapter 3

With Diana’s new phone activated with a new number tucked in his glove box, Marty drove to the venue for their wedding. He parked across the street so he could stare up at the sign announcing The Liberty Hotel, a sign that had seen better days. The exterior, though not shabby, certainly lacked elegance. The bricks had dulled with age and weathering, and the architecture was outdated by eighty years. But he loved the building, had visited it with his parents and walked the lobby, awed by the gorgeous golds and rich reds decorating the space. The interior had been modernized, but the rooms were still old school elegant.

As he bustled across the busy street, he imagined his bride waltzing down the aisle, her smile so beautiful his heart ached. He feared he would shed a tear or two as he watched her walk toward him, escorted by…Marty frowned as he pulled the door open and felt the cool blast of air conditioned air. Her father was dead, his father was dead, neither of them had siblings. Who would walk her down the aisle? He made a mental note to speak with her about it this evening. Maybe Marcus?

He wandered slowly across the plush carpet in the lobby, skipping around a couch and two chairs set up for intimate conversations. At the concierge desk, he smiled at the young woman clicking on a keyboard until he arrived.

“Good afternoon, sir,” she smiled. “How may I help you?”

“I need to speak with the reservations manager,” he told her, returning her smile. He waved a check at her, winking. “Paying for the venue for my wedding.”

Her smiled broadened. “Oh how wonderful!” She reached for the phone and placed it against her ear. “Let me call back and make sure she’s in her office.”

“Of course,” Marty replied. He turned and leaned back against the desk, observing the few people in the lobby.

“She is helping another patron, but she should be here in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Marty said over his shoulder as a drama began to unfold in the bar.

The bar had only three patrons, businessmen traveling for conferences. He glanced at his watch; only four, but sometimes a man needed a drink after a hard day. A woman in a purple dress stepped into the lobby, and four pairs of eyes, Marty’s included, moved to her. Marty returned his glance to the men as she walked to the bar, a small smile on her face. She sat on a tall stool and ordered a drink, her back to the men.

Marty watched as the trio dared each other to go talk to her, entertained by the drama unfolding. After a few minutes of discussion, one of them, the best looking in Marty’s opinion, rose and walked to the bar. He squeezed between the chairs closest to hers and smiled at her. He ordered a drink and began a conversation with her. She smiled and shook her head, and Marty wished he could hear the exchange.

The man continued trying to talk to her, and though she replied, she was clearly not engaged in the conversation. A few minutes after he sat down, the elevator dinged and a man in a suit and tie exited. He saw the woman and the man, halted, and watched for a moment before she glanced over her shoulder and smiled. She motioned for the bartender and signed the bill before rising. Without a word for the businessman, she left her stool and walked to the man in the suit, who was apparently her husband or boyfriend.

Marty chuckled as the spurned business man returned to his friends, who were cackling like teenaged girls at their friend’s expense.

“Mr. Walter?” A feminine voice interrupted his voyeurism.

He jerked away from the desk and looked at her. “Hello again. I’m here to pay the balance for our wedding.”

She shook his outstretched hand, but her eyes didn’t quite meet his. “Would you please follow me to my office?”

Marty frowned but nodded. “Of course.” Once they reached her office and she closed the door, he asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Um, actually, I do need to speak with you about your reservation,” she murmured as she shuffled papers on her desk after sitting in her office chair. She glanced up at him. “Please have a seat.”

Marty sat in the uncomfortable chairs in front of her desk, shifting when she clasped her hands together in front of her on the desk and cleared her throat. “Ms…I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

“Samantha Green,” she supplied.

“Ms. Green, is there a problem?”

“Unfortunately, yes. The woman who I replaced in this job made an error,” she offered, then huffed out a breath and said, “Actually, she made several errors. As her replacement, I must rectify those errors.”

“Okay.” Marty’s stomach clenched. He was sure her news would make he and Diana unhappy.

“You see, Mr. Walter, the day of your wedding is double booked, and our facility is not equipped to handle two weddings of that size in one day. We’re too small, for one, and for another, our kitchens couldn’t provide the catering we offer with the room for two large weddings,” she finished, spreading her hands in an apologetic manner.

Marty’s nostrils flared as he breathed deeply to calm himself. “Do you mean we can’t have our wedding here?”

“You can if you change the date,” she told him, though she lifted her finger. “But, the next available date is over a year away.”

“Why exactly are you canceling my reservation rather than the other wedding?” Marty asked, his temper spiking.

“According to the records we have, the other bride and groom booked first, so we must give the venue to them,” she said. “I’m terribly sorry.”

“You’re terribly sorry?” Marty sputtered. He inhaled deeply again. “My parents were married here. They brought me here as a child. When I proposed, the only venue I showed my bride was this one. Is there anything I can do?”

Ms. Green nodded her head sympathetically as he spoke, but her head shook when he asked the question. “I’m sorry, Mr. Walter. The other couple reserved first and have paid in full.”

“I brought our full payment today, well in advance. Had I known this might be an issue, I would have paid in full when we reserved,” Marty grumbled unhappily. “What if I double the amount to rent the venue?”

“I can’t in good conscience do that, sir.” She met his gaze directly, and he knew he had lost. “I will refund your deposit, of course. And if you would like, I’ll hold the next available date until you can speak to your fiancée.”

Marty’s frown hurt his face. His anger wanted to explode on this polite woman, but he refrained. “When is the next date?”

She glanced at her calendar on the screen of the computer. “Almost exactly six months after your original date. So, approximately a year from now.”

“I seriously doubt my fiancée will agree to that,” he huffed. “I don’t want to agree to that. Another year before we can be married?” He shook his head in the silence and put his elbows on his knees. He lifted his head and said, “Save the date, please. I’ll call you tomorrow.”