The big house was curiously quiet. Normally someone had the television going, and the endless stream of girlfriends had their friends over, or there was staff running around. It seemed like at the Dutchman castle, there was always someone present. Tonight, it was spookily silent. Ominous.
Now she was just being ridiculous.
Her father’s study door was closed, and she knocked to let him know she was there.
“Come in.”
Well, he didn’t sound upset. Then again, Stijn never sounded upset. Greer entered, the nervous feeling remaining in the pit of her belly. It turned to confusion when she entered and saw that Bunni, Kiki, and Tiffi, dressed in their usual Easter egg colors, were seated next to the empty chair waiting for her. All eyes turned to her, and everyone was smiling.
What on earth was going on? “You asked me to come downstairs, Vader?”
“I did,” Stijn clasped his hands and leaned forward on his desk. “I have some very exciting news to go over with you. Please, sit.” He gestured at the empty chair. “I think you’ll be pleased.”
She would? Greer sat, mystified. This wouldn’t be business, not with the triplets at hand. But what was so important about his personal life? Was he getting another award? If so, why have a meeting? Why not just send her another email?
Stijn relaxed back in his chair. “I’m afraid this is a bit unprecedented for a man such as myself, but the time has come.” He paused dramatically, and then continued. “I hope your schedule is free for the next month—”
“Actually,” Greer interrupted, fighting the urge to raise her hand and ask permission. “I’m in the process of planning two weddings back in New York, and I really don’t think . . .” Her voice died at the stern look he gave her. “What is it?”
“I’m getting married.”
Her jaw dropped.
Stijn gave her a smug smile, clearly pleased by her shock. “I have surprised you.”
“I, well, yes.” Flustered, Greer twisted her hands in her lap. “I mean, not that it’s not a great thing. I suppose everyone wants to get married at some point in their life. It’s just that you’ve never indicated and well . . .” She looked over at the triplets, all three of which were beaming at her. And well, this was awkward.
Which girlfriend was it? In the last few days, she’d gotten to know the triplets a little more. Kiki was the most normal one, Bunni was a bit of a dreamer and very into new age stuff, and Tiffi, well . . . Tiffi might have been dropped on her head as a small child. The less said about her, the better. But she didn’t know which one her father was going to marry, and wasn’t that strange? Then again, she’d never been able to figure out her father’s motives. She suppressed a pang of hurt that he’d been with her mother for several years and had opted to dump her when she got pregnant instead of marrying her, but one of these blondes would get a ring? What did they have that Lakshmi didn’t?
But that wasn’t fair. Lakshmi was long dead and the past was past. Greer put a smile on her face, because the triplets had been nice to her. Well, nice enough. “Which one of you should I congratulate?”
Tiffi squealed, and Bunni wiggled in her seat. Kiki just smiled. Greer noticed they all three had their hands clasped together in solidarity. Surely . . . this wasn’t going to be a three-for-one deal all the way to the altar, was it?
“I haven’t decided yet,” Stijn said, dragging Greer’s attention back to him.
Her jaw dropped. Again. “Haven’t . . . decided?”
The smile that lit up her father’s face was more than a little devious. “We’re going to publicize the mystery wedding and make it a grand event. I’ll decide when I get to the altar which of my three girlfriends will be my bride.”
Tiffi squealed again.
Greer looked at the three women, then back at her father. They . . . they were serious? Her father was going to have a stunt wedding? And the women were going to go along with it? She didn’t know which one was more ridiculous.
“Congratulations,” Greer managed to choke out. She had a lot of feelings about this, but her father wouldn’t want to hear them. Stijn always did what Stijn wanted, and what anyone else thought didn’t matter one bit to him. It was what made him a successful businessman. It also made him a bit of a prick, she admitted to herself. And she could only imagine how the two “unchosen” sisters were going to handle being rejected at the altar.
“I want you to handle the wedding preparations,” Stijn said abruptly. “I’ve no time to deal with such foolery myself, but since this will be a media event, someone will need to coordinate everything. I’ve chosen you, since you did an acceptable job with my most recent party.”
Acceptable? The praise was just too much. “Thank you. I would love to, Vader, but like I said, I’m planning two other weddings at the moment, and I really need to check my schedule—”
“You’ll do this for me. I’d hate to have my daughter disappoint her father so severely.” His voice turned cold.
She blinked, taken aback by the abrupt change in his voice. Gone was the jovial businessman. In his place was the cool, cutthroat man that made her cringe. The one that had never given her an ounce of love growing up. And even though Greer knew she was stronger than that, she withered a little under his disapproval.
“I’m sure I can move things around,” she murmured.
“Excellent.” Her father’s smile returned, and Greer felt the knot of anxiety in her stomach relax. “As I said, I do not have time to deal with the planning of a wedding. My best man will handle anything that requires a decision by the groom, and my three potential brides will have carte blanche to do as they like. Since there will be three brides, we shall prepare three weddings and only one will go off.”
This was starting to sound like a nightmare, but Greer kept her hands clasped in her lap. “I see.”
“You can continue to stay here at the castle, of course. And if you need to fly back to New York temporarily”—he stressed the word—“then you can of course use my private jet.”
“Thank you.” What else could she say?
“Isn’t this exciting?” Bunni asked, bouncing in her seat again. It made her breasts jiggle magnificently. “We’re all going to be brides!”
“At least until we get to the altar,” Kiki said, and gave Greer a little smile, as if sympathizing with her shock.
Greer’s mind was racing with all the things she’d need to do to plan the wedding. There’d be locations to scout out, press releases, an engagement party, photographers to book, and a hundred small tasks that would fall in her lap. It would take well over a year to coordinate properly, but she could just fly back and forth for Gretchen’s wedding, and make calls from Vegas. As for her other client, she’d simply have to refer her to the competition. “When did you say you wanted this done, Vader?”