The Wedding Sisters by Jamie Brenner

against the counter, thankful for the minute to catch her breath. While she had been disappointed that Reed couldn’t make it tonight, now she was thinking it might be for the best. Hosting the senator would have been far more pressure.
    â€œCan I give you a hand?” Tippy appeared in the doorway, startling her.
    Meryl was about to say she was already finished and would be right out, but realized she hadn’t even retrieved the wine opener yet. “Oh, I’ve got it! Please, relax. I’ll be right out to join you.”
    â€œActually, I’m happy for the moment alone. Before we all sit down to dinner.”
    â€œOh?” Meryl tried to seem nonchalant, maybe even pleased for the chance to chat, but she felt self-conscious as she uncorked the prosecco.
    â€œThe kids have us on quite a timeline, don’t they? Nine months! Who can get something major accomplished in just nine months?”
    Well, Mother Nature, thought Meryl.
    â€œMeg and Stowe seem to know what they want. So that helps.”
    Tippy seemed not to have heard her. “It’s going to be a large affair,” Tippy continued, “and I just want you to know that we are happy to pay for everything. We don’t want the kids to feel they have to cut corners. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, after all. At least that’s what we all hope, isn’t it?” Tippy laughed lightly.
    Meryl didn’t know whether to feel appreciative or insulted. Was this just a gesture acknowledging that the Campions clearly had the money, so not to offer would be rude? Or did they really think that Meryl and Hugh couldn’t provide an adequate wedding? The distinction between the two was vital, and as she stood there wrestling with it, she found herself speechless.
    â€œHaving the wedding at the club makes it so easy,” Tippy said. “Just a few phone calls, and we can take care of everything—”
    Meryl finally snapped to attention. “No—you don’t have to take care of everything—anything, actually.” Then, realizing how it sounded, she soft-pedaled. “Thank you, though. For the offer. But Hugh and I are happy to throw the wedding. Parents of the bride—part of the deal, right?” She laughed awkwardly.
    â€œWell, at the very least, you absolutely must take advantage of our event planner, Leigh. I insist. She is a genius, and does all our affairs—I don’t make a move without her.”
    â€œOh, I don’t think—”
    â€œAnd it’s not just campaign events and fund-raisers. She did the Prescott wedding last spring. You must have seen that in Town and Country. Breathtaking.”
    â€œTippy, I appreciate the … thought. Really. But I’m looking forward to this being a project for Meg and me. And of course—your input is always welcome. But aside from that, I don’t think we need another person in the mix.”
    Tippy looked at her as though she were about to speak to a delightful but very young child. “Meryl, I completely understand the sentimental aspect of the event. And there will be plenty for you and Meg to do together! But if we’re going to really pull this off by the spring, we need someone on the ground full-time. And I’m sure you have other things to do.”
    Meryl didn’t want to admit that, no, she had little else to do. That her freelance work had all but dried up recently. In the age of blogging and “virtual” book tours, a time when most major newspapers had done away with their book review section, the need for a freelance book publicist was not what it had once been. Even just ten years ago, small authors were going on multicity book tours. When she started at HarperCollins in 1984, the publicity department at the publisher had taken two entire floors at the office on East Fifty-third Street. From what she was hearing from the few of her peers who had managed to hold on to full-time