Falling to Centerpieces: Don't Ruin Katie's Wedding

By Ellie Cahill

The plan: best friends Clio and Nicole take a fun road trip across Michigan to deliver the centerpieces to their friend Katie's wedding, giving the groom's cousin, August, a ride for the big day. Nicole planned everything, from borrowing her mom's minivan, to hotel accommodations, and the perfect amount of sight-seeing along the way.

The reality: Nicole is having emergency surgery, Clio overslept, her car is way smaller than a minivan, and August turns out to be super hot. 

The centerpieces? Enormous. The itinerary? Blurry at best. The chemistry with August? Unexpected, and very intriguing…

This is a road trip they'll never forget.

Falling to Centerpieces is a stand-alone romantic comedy that is part of the Don't Ruin Katie's Wedding Series. They can be read in any order!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Liz Czukas
• Release date: Jan 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393263272

Book preview

ONE

FOILED BY AN APPENDIX

Nicole is the definition of ride or die. Okay, so it’s kind of in a I-promised-I-would-be-there-and-I’m-too-type-A-to-fail way, god love her. Even now, as her morphine-weighted eyelids are trying to put her out of business for the day, she’s insisting she’ll be fine.

Clio, I’ll be fine, she promises. See? I’ll just get my appendix out and I’ll be good as new.

No, you won’t, I tell her, smiling gently and stroking her dark brown hair. She’s sweaty with fever and still has a bit of dried puke near the corner of her mouth. But it’s okay! Everything’s gonna be just fine.

People get their appendixes out every day. It’s no big deal. I’ll be ready to go in the morning.

I don’t know about that, Nic. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna want you to take it easy.

I’m not sick, she says. It’s just my appendix.

Okay. The combination of morphine and her own brand of stubbornness has made it abundantly clear that arguing with her is pointless. I’m trying for a combination of reassurance with just a pinch of reality, but it’s not working.

I promise, she says. All I need you to do is go back to the apartment and throw a few things in my suitcase for me and I’ll be ready to go. I left a checklist on my nightstand.

Of course she has a checklist. I nod, but make no move to leave. I promised her mom I’d stay with Nic until Mrs. Maldonatto got here. But that’s still a couple of hours. The doctors will probably be ready to do her surgery before Nic’s mom gets here. So I’m the stand-in mom for the moment. God help her. I shouldn’t be anyone’s stand-in mom.

Nicole’s eyelids finally win the battle with her brain and she drifts off to sleep for a few minutes. Good. She needs it. She spent the day preparing for our trip while occasionally stopping to press her hand into her abdomen and trying not to let me see her wince. But she couldn’t hide the sounds of puking.

I’d finally convinced her to go to an urgent care center the third time she threw up. She had the bright eyes and pink cheeks of someone with a fever by then and I think she knew something wasn’t right. This wasn’t PMS or a bit of bad chicken salad coming back to haunt her.

Appendicitis. Pretty bad, too, according to the X-ray.

Suddenly Nic’s eyes open again. Katie will be mad if I don’t come.

Katie won’t be mad, I soothe, stroking her hair again.

Our conversation continued like that. In fits and starts and Nicole faded in and out of an opiate nap. Minutes would pass before her worries would drag her back to the surface and she’d give me another instruction.

Pack my suitcase for me and we can leave as soon as they let me out of here.

Mmm hmm. Running my hand over her head.

Five minutes pass.

Did you tell my mom where I am?

Of course.

Tell her she doesn’t need to come. We’ll be leaving in the morning, and we’ll be in Grand Rapids by ten.

Uh huh. Squeezing her hand gently.

Ten minutes pass.

Did Augie text?

I’ll check.

Give me my phone and I’ll tell him we might need to leave a few minutes later than I said. Fifteen minutes. Thirty tops.

I’ll take care of it.

Six minutes later, Nicole’s eyes open one at a time. Right, then left.

Clio?

I’m right here.

I love you.

I love you, too, Nic.

When a nurse comes back to check her temperature again, it’s gone up.

One-oh-two-nine, she says, and a frown pulls down the corner of her mouth. Her badge tells me her name is Jacinda. She’s got light brown skin and little twists of black hair peak out of a puffy blue cap on her head. She props the back of her wrist against her wide hip and looks at me. I’m gonna ask the doctor about some antibiotics. We gotta get this girl into surgery.

So, I’m guessing she’s not going to be able to drive across the Upper Peninsula for a wedding this weekend? We’re supposed to leave in the morning. I drum my fingers nervously on the side rail of Nicole’s bed.

Jacinda laughs. That’s not gonna happen. If this temp doesn’t go down, she’s not even gonna be out of the hospital tomorrow.

I swallow hard. Is she gonna be okay?

The nurse nods. Oh, absolutely. We just gotta get that nasty little appendix of hers out. Antibiotics, a little rest and recovery, and she’ll be just fine.

Nicole stirs and opens her eyes. My stomach hurts, she says.

I know, baby. Jacinda pats her arm. We’ll get you fixed up. Then she presses a button on a large, black, plastic clip mounted to her scrub pocket. There’s a wire that connects the clip to an earpiece. Sharon, can you get me an ETA on ten’s appy?

Whoever is at the other end of the connection must respond, because Jacinda’s expression brightens. She looks first at Nicole, who has drifted back into a smeary sleep, then to me. We’re in luck, she says. Transport’s coming to get her right now.

Great. It is great. But I’m also a bit freaked out that Nicole’s mom isn’t here yet. I knew she probably wouldn’t make it. I just didn’t expect it to be so sudden.

As Jacinda starts preparing her patient to be moved, I scramble to get my phone out and text Nicole’s mom again. They’re taking her back for surgery now. I’ll tell you where to find her as soon as I know.

Thinking through every disconnected thing Nic has said to me since we arrived, I quickly dig through the plastic bag they put her belongings in and find her phone. It’s locked, so I try to position it in front of her face, but her closed eyes don’t register and it won’t open.

Nic! I nudge her. Nic, wake up.

My best friend opens her eyes with a groan and recoils to find her phone inches from her face. Wha—

The lock releases and I take control of the phone, navigating to her settings to turn off the lock before she’s gone and I can’t get it open again.

What are you doing? she croaks.

Just needed to get Augie’s number, I remind her.

Tell him we’re gonna be late, she says. Ten minutes.

I got this, Nic. I hope.

An absurdly tall, thin man with pale white skin and a buzz cut comes into the room. He has on bright red scrubs unlike anything I’ve seen on the rest of the staff. He reminds me of Lurch from The Addams Family. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but it’s definitely a thing. And he doesn’t help break the illusion of Lurchness when he doesn’t speak, but starts methodically unplugging the various machines connected to the wall that will have to accompany Nicole to surgery.

Okay, baby, Jacinda says loud enough to startle Nic back to consciousness. Milo is gonna take you to the OR now. They’re gonna get you all better, okay?

Okay? Nicole sounds uncertain. Can I go home then?

We’ll see, baby. Jacinda evades the question.

Clio?

Yep. Yes. I’m here. I scoot around the tall silent, Milo, to make eye contact with her.

If I can’t go, you still have to go. This is the first time she’s even considered the possibility that she’s not going to make it to Katie’s wedding.

I know. I nod.

We promised we’d bring the centerpieces.

Yep, I’m on it.

You’ll have to do it without me. Nicole’s eyes fill with tears. You have to. If you don’t do it, the wedding will be ruined! She sounds so earnest, it’s hard not to laugh.

I nod, drawing an X across my heart. I will.

Don’t worry about me. Just promise you’ll do what we said we would.

I promise.

For both of us. She thrusts out a hand dramatically, fingers outstretched for me to grasp. You can’t ruin Katie’s wedding. Promise.

Nic, I swear on my goldfish’s grave. My lips are twitching with the need to giggle. She’s acting like she’s going off to war and I’ve promised to watch over her children. I glance over her head at Jacinda who has a syringe attached to Nic’s IV line. She’s pushing some clear liquid into the line.

Is she okay? I ask.

Mmm hmm. Jacinda smiles a little. This is the happy juice.

I love you, Clio, Nicole repeats, tears now streaming down her face. Tell my mom I love her. And Katie! Don’t forget to tell Katie I’m sorry I ruined her wedding.

This is happy? I mutter out of the corner of my mouth to Jacinda.

The nurse tilts her head a little. Some people get a little emotional.

The Lurch look-alike steps on a pedal, and the bed is free to roll.

Feel better! I call to Nicole as he starts wheeling her out of the room. Don’t worry about anything! Just get better!

Don’t forget me! Nicole says, and then she’s out in the hall and rolling rapidly out of sight.

Oh brother, I mumble to myself.

She’s in good hands, Jacinda says.

She’s out of her gourd, I say.

Maybe a little. The nurse chuckles. You want me to take you to the waiting area?

Yes, please. I’d promised Mrs. Maldonatto I’d stay with Nicole until she got here. And Nic would never leave until my mom arrived if our positions were reversed. So, it might be 1:30 in the morning, but I will wait.

Ride or die.

Too bad Nic won’t be able to ride for real.

According to her itinerary, I should be getting on the road in six and a half hours. A little sleep would be nice, but she is my best friend.

Besides, with my overly planning BFF out of the picture, the itinerary could be a little more flexible, right? I laugh to myself. Nic would hate that.

I wonder what this Augie person will think about our sudden change in plans? Is 1:30 a.m. a weird time to introduce myself?

TWO

THE ART OF ELECTRONIC ANNOYANCE

Using Nicole’s phone, I send myself her entry for Augie. All it says is Augie Jesse’s Cousin which is not super helpful. I don’t recognize the area code of his number, so I can’t even guess where he’s from. Well, too bad Augie. It’s time to meet Clio Hathaway.

---

1:04 a.m.

Me: I got your number from Nicole because her appendix decided to ruin everything and I’m sorry to be contacting you in the middle of the night but I didn’t know what else to do.

Me: This is Clio, btw.

Me: The other person you’re carpooling with to the wedding.

Me: I just realized you probably have Do Not Disturb on so hopefully none of this is waking you up.

Me: Though I suppose it’s too late now.

Me: Anyway, Nicole isn’t going to be able to go to the wedding after all. But I’m still going and I can still give you a ride.

---

1:12 a.m.

Me: I just realized it’s kind of weird to be offering someone I’ve never met a ride, so you need to not murder me or anything okay? I’m assuming you’re not a murderer since you’re Jesse’s cousin and presumably you wouldn’t be invited to the wedding if you were a criminal.

Me: Not that you’d admit it. Or maybe you just haven’t been caught yet.

Me: Anyway, please don’t murder me if you still want a ride.

---

1:33 a.m.

Me: You can text me back to let me know that you still want a ride, but I might not answer if I get to sleep sometime soon, which is obviously never going to happen since Mrs. Maldonatto is never going to get here and I am still stuck in the hospital waiting room and I’ll probably have to start getting my mail forwarded here.

---

1:50 a.m.

Me: That reminds me I might need to sleep a little longer tomorrow. If I get to sleep. WHEN I GET TO SLEEP. I’m manifesting. Anyway, I know Nicole said we’d pick you up at 8:15, but since it’s almost 3 and I’m supposed to be driving that seems kind of unreasonable, don’t you think?

---

2:13 a.m.

Me: I hope you’re not the kind of person who gets thrown off by changes in plans, because I definitely wasn’t planning on any of this happening, and Nic was the one in charge of all the plans so now you’re stuck with me winging it. And I am not a planner.

---

2:36 a.m.

Me: I have noticed I’ve sent you a lot of texts and now I’m pretty sure you think I’m nuts, and maybe you’re reconsidering if you want to get a ride to the north woods of Wisconsin with someone nuts, but I promise I’m just really tired. I had a cup of coffee to stay awake until Mrs. Maldonatto got here and I’m running on caffeine alone. So sorry.

---

3:10 a.m.

Me: Mrs. Maldonatto finally got here and I am free! Good news: Nic’s surgery went fine. Bad news: She’s got an infection so they’re not letting her go home for a couple days.

---

3:11 a.m.

Me: I realize you don’t know Nicole that well so maybe you don’t care that her surgery went well, but I thought you might be really invested by now.

---

3:47 a.m.

Me: I am home. I’m going to sleep. We are definitely not leaving at 8:15. I’ll text you when I wake up to give you a new time if that’s cool.

---

3:48 a.m.

Me: God I hope all these messages have gone through and you’re not expecting to be picked up at 8:15.

Me: It would be really ironic if I had the wrong number and all these messages were going to a random stranger.

Me: I guess you’re already kind of a random stranger, but you know what I mean.

---

3:49 a.m.

Me: Good night Augie.

Me: God I really hope this is you, Augie.

---

For the first twenty minutes I’m laying in bed, I feel like I will never sleep again. I hate having coffee late at night. It makes me feel like my skin is operating on a different wavelength than my brain, and somehow neither of them are operating on the usual human wavelength. But my eyes are so gritty from sitting in the fluorescent-lit waiting room all night that they eventually beg for mercy and close on their own.

I sleep.

---

The next time I see the clock, it’s got four digits. 10:48. I guess I was tired after all. I grope for my phone, hoping for news from Nic or her mom.

---

7:02 a.m.

Nic: You have no idea how early they wake you up in the hospital. My stomach hurts like crazy, but I’m feeling better, promise. Thank you for taking me to the ER. I owe you.

---

7:53 a.m.

Nic: Apparently you sent 47,000 messages to Augie in the middle of the night? He asked me if you’re normal. I said no.

---

7:55 a.m.

Nic: You are going to be totally late and mess up my whole schedule if you don’t get up soon.

---

8:15 a.m.

Nic: You’re supposed to be picking up Augie right now. Do you realize this?

---

8:32 a.m.

Nic: CLIO GET UP.

---

8:33 a.m.

Nic: CLIO.

Nic: GET.

Nic: UP.

---

8:49 a.m.

Nic: I know you’re trying to get some extra sleep so you can drive safely and I appreciate that about you, but if you don’t get on the road soon you aren’t going to make it to Grand Rapids in time to get the centerpieces and THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT.

---

8:49 a.m.

Missed Call from Nicole Maldonatto

---

8:50 a.m.

Missed Call from Nicole Maldonatto

---

8:55 a.m.

Missed Call from Nicole Maldonatto

---

8:58 a.m.

Missed Call from Nicole Maldonatto

---

9:01 a.m.

Missed Call from Nicole Maldonatto

---

9:31 a.m.

Nic: This is Nicki’s mom. I told her to stop calling you. The nurse gave her more pain medicine so she’ll be asleep for a while. Thanks again for taking such good care of her last night. You’re a good friend.

---

9:35 a.m.

Augie: Hi it’s Augie. I got your messages.

Augie: All. Your messages.

Augie: Yes I’d still like a ride.

Augie: We can leave whenever you’re ready.

---

10:03 a.m.

Augie: I’m packed. Ready when you are.

---

10:35 a.m.

Augie: Could you give me an ETA?

---

10:40 a.m.

Augie: This is Clio, right?

---

I’m just reading the last entries from Augie when the phone rings. It’s Nicole calling again. I cringe and hover my thumb over the green button to answer. I’ve been awake for approximately three minutes. I am not mentally prepared for Nicole Maldonatto with her schedule disrupted. Even if she is on pain meds.

I toss back the covers and leave the phone on the bed unanswered. It’s time to get my ass in gear.

Bypassing a shower in favor of saving time, I grab the first clothes I can find—cut off denim shorts and a sleeveless top. It’s made of a light, flouncy fabric that I hope will keep me cool for a long ride in the car. And keep my unwashed body from sweating and potentially smelling bad to my road tripping companion.

A mad dash into the bathroom to gather a few toiletries, and all I have left to do is yank my charging cable out of the wall. I pause in the kitchen long enough to look for something edible in the fridge. Nicole left half an egg roll yesterday when her stomach started to hurt.

She wouldn’t want it to go to waste now, would she? I ask myself as I reach for it.

I’m still chewing when I text Augie. Up. On my way. Text me your address.

I don’t wait for his answer, shoving my phone in my pocket and the last bite of egg roll in my mouth. Thank you, Nic, for making me pack my suitcase yesterday!

I’m out the door seven minutes after I woke up. It might be a new record.

THREE

THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS AUGIE

Augie lives less than ten minutes away, according to my GPS. According to how late I am, and my corresponding lead foot, I make it in eight minutes. This is definitely a day of personal bests so far.

I text when I pull up outside his door and notice another message from Nicole came in while I was hauling ass to get here.

Nic: Don’t forget my aunt has plans tonight so you need to pick up the centerpieces BEFORE 2. THIS