The Proposal Playbook: A Meet Me at the Altar Novel Read online

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  Go back to where it all began…

  Chapter One

  Also by Samantha Chase

  About Samantha Chase

  Copyright 2022 Samantha Chase

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  All Rights Reserved.

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  No part of this book, with the exception of brief quotations for book reviews or critical articles, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  Cover Design: Kari March Designs

  Editing: Jillian Rivera Editing

  Praise for Samantha Chase

  “If you can’t get enough of stories that get inside your heart and soul and stay there long after you’ve read the last page, then Samantha Chase is for you!”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie Shawn

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  “A fun, flirty, sweet romance filled with romance and character growth and a perfect happily ever after.”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips

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  “Samantha Chase writes my kind of happily ever after!”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Erin Nicholas

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  “The openness between the lovers is refreshing, and their interactions are a balanced blend of sweet and spice. The planets may not have aligned, but the elements of this winning romance are definitely in sync.”

  - Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

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  “A true romantic delight, A Sky Full of Stars is one of the top gems of romance this year.”

  - Night Owl Reviews, TOP PICK

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  “Great writing, a winsome ensemble, and the perfect blend of heart and sass.”

  - Publishers Weekly

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  “Recommend Chase to fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Well-written and uniquely appealing.”

  - Booklist

  Chapter One

  PROPOSAL TIP #1: MAKE IT MEANINGFUL

  What happened to romance?

  It was a question that kept coming to Daisy Sinclair’s mind with more and more frequency lately. She used to dreamily sigh when she would hear someone’s proposal story, but lately she’d been sighing with boredom and disappointment. The important thing was not to react that way during a client consultation. After all, how awful would it be for the wedding planner to outwardly show just how disappointed she was in a couple’s big romantic moment?

  Apparently, today she hadn’t been as stealthy as she thought.

  “Daisy? A word.”

  She blinked several times before she realized all three of her bosses were staring at her and their clients had left.

  Well… dang it.

  Straightening in her chair, Daisy squared her shoulders and looked up at Skylar, Leanna, and Josie. These three women had taken a big chance on her and she was letting them down.

  Son of a biscuit…

  Josie was always the most straightforward of the group and it was no surprise that she spoke up first. “Daisy,” she began diplomatically. “I realize that sometimes these consultations can be a bit…tedious. It’s hard to sit through lengthy descriptions of proposals and how they envision their big day.”

  “Josie, I…”

  Without missing a beat, Josie kept speaking. “However, it is our job to not only listen to those sometimes-rambling conversations, but to do it with a smile on our face. It was obvious that you zoned out.”

  There was no way she could deny it, so she simply nodded.

  “We’ve all been there,” Skylar interjected. “It’s just…um…you, uh…”

  “You sighed,” Josie stated. “Loudly. We can’t have that. If you’re not happy with the job…”

  “It’s not that,” Daisy said, feeling the need to explain herself. Placing her hands on the large mahogany conference table, she desperately tried to find the right words. “Okay, here it is.” Then she took a steadying breath before blurting out, “Doesn’t it bother anyone that no one seems to believe in romance anymore?”

  “Um…”

  “I mean, this couple–Mick and Janie–he proposed to her right after her grandmother’s funeral! Who does that?”

  “Mick, apparently,” Lea murmured.

  “And what about last week’s couple–um…Jason and Anna? He put her ring in a peanut butter and banana sandwich! When she showed me the ring, I could still smell the peanuts!”

  “Some guys just aren’t romantic,” Skye reasoned. “That doesn’t mean…”

  “And the worst was the couple we met last weekend where he proposed in the middle of someone else’s wedding! After the groom had given his toast to the bride, that jerk stood there and said, ‘Uh…what he said. Want to get married?’” She rolled her eyes even as a little rage continued to build. “I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that these guys are so clueless or that the women actually say yes! Where’s the effort? The originality? The romance?”

  Three pairs of eyes looked at her sympathetically, and this time it was Lea who spoke first.

  “Daisy, it’s okay to be a little…shall we say…disenchanted with how some people choose to propose, but it’s not okay to pass judgement. For all you know, those were romantic gestures for those guys.”

  “Easy for you to say. Your fiancé proposed to you on your way to Paris,” Skye mumbled.

  “Yes, Brody’s proposal was extremely romantic and well thought out, but…everyone’s different,” Lea went on. “The problem is you can’t let your face show what you’re truly thinking during a consultation. After the client leaves, if you need to vent, we’re here for you.”

  “And by now, you know we do that sort of thing a lot,” Josie added. “Just don’t do it in the middle of the consult. That’s all we’re trying to say.”

  Nodding, Daisy felt more than a little ashamed. “I’m not usually this judgmental. I swear. I guess I had no idea that wedding planning could be so…unglamorous. I think I’m getting a little jaded and that’s so not where I thought the job would take me.”

  “That’s not a good thing,” Lea said worriedly, reaching across the table to rest her hand on top of Daisy’s. “The last thing we want is an unhappy employee and I don’t think I’d be able to stand it if we were responsible for ruining your take on love!”

  “She didn’t say that,” Josie interrupted. “Don’t go getting all dramatic.”

  “She might not have come out and said it, but we all know it’s coming,” Lea argued before squeezing Daisy’s hand. “If this job isn’t the right fit or if you’re miserable and want to quit, we’d rather you do it now than have a meltdown in the middle of an event.”

  “No one’s having a meltdown, Lea!” Josie huffed. “Jeez.” Then she eyed Daisy suspiciously. “Right?”

/>   “I promise I’m not going to have a meltdown. I’m just…sad.” The sigh she let out just seemed to drive the point home. “And believe me, I am well aware of how a lot of guys aren’t romantic. I have three older brothers–all military guys–so I have firsthand knowledge of it.”

  “Really? I had no idea you came from a military family,” Skye commented before looking over at Josie. “She’d be an excellent person to talk to about… you know…the guys.”

  Josie’s eyes went wide. “Ooh…that’s true. Maybe she could offer some insight.”

  “Insight?” Daisy stammered. “What are we talking about? And what guys?”

  “Daniel’s guys,” Lea replied. “Xander and Knox just aren’t particularly…you know…they’re kind of…”

  “They’re a little like robots,” Josie finished for her. “I swear, I’ve tried to include them in stuff and they just always look so uncomfortable.” She paused as her eyes went wide again. “Wait…didn’t you have an awkward encounter with Xander a couple of weeks before my wedding?”

  Fighting the urge to roll her eyes or growl at the memory, she opted to simply nod.

  “You did?” Skye asked in confusion. “What happened?”

  Ugh…

  “It really wasn’t a big deal,” she began hesitantly while secretly cursing Xander for telling anyone about it. “It was after the Calvin wedding–the one where we were shorthanded and the guys volunteered to help with the cleanup.” The girls all nodded. “Anyway, I did the final walkthrough and was walking to my car when Xander sort of came out of nowhere and lectured me about the dangers of walking alone at night.” She shrugged like it was no big deal, but at the time, he had scared her more than the walk across the parking lot.

  “Well, he wasn’t wrong,” Lea chided. “You know you’re not supposed to be left alone! We’ve been over that! Who was your assigned buddy at that event?”

  Oh, good grief…

  “It was Amber,” she admitted. “But before you get all freaked out, just know that her husband picked her up at the front door and all I had to do was walk around to the side of the building to my car. It wasn’t a big deal. Everything was well lit and I was fine.”

  Until that tower of a man scared the bejeezus out of me…

  Probably best not to mention that, she realized as they all stared back at her.

  “Um…”

  “Anyway, he sounded just like my brothers,” she rambled on for some reason. “Towering over me and telling me how irresponsible I am! I mean…that’s more than a little rude, right?”

  “I think he was just trying to look out for you,” Josie suggested. “He probably could have gone about it another way, but I think his heart was in the right place.”

  “And as for towering over you,” Lea chimed in. “He towers over all of us and you are kind of…”

  She groaned. “I know. I’m short. Still…I can handle myself. Like I said, I’ve got three older brothers who are just as big as Xander is and I know how to defend myself.”

  Sort of.

  “I think we’re getting off-topic here,” Skye reminded them. “We were talking about whether or not you’re happy with us.”

  “I’m very happy here,” Daisy countered, hoping to put everyone at ease. “I’m really sorry that I reacted the way I did during the consult. I guess the unromantic side of what I always considered to be romantic just…” She sagged a little. “I always thought getting married–proposing–was supposed to be the most romantic thing to ever happen to you. I know my brothers botched theirs up, but I thought it was just them!”

  “Okay, now we’re getting somewhere,” Josie said. “How did they botch it up?”

  "My oldest brother, Chase, he’s married and he proposed to his wife while they were on line for nachos and beer at a hockey game.” Rolling her eyes at the memory, she added, “He turned to her and said, ‘This is…na-cho average date night’ and then asked her to marry him. Multiple times because she couldn’t hear him over the noise. To this day, Rachel still talks about how unromantic it was. I mean, who uses a pun in their proposal?”

  Everyone nodded in understanding.

  “My middle brother, Logan, got engaged last fall and did it while watching a football game with a bunch of their friends. It was a Sunday, everyone was hanging out at their place, and he got down on one knee while a play was going on and someone scored a touchdown and he jumped up and cheered mid-proposal!”

  There was a collective groan in the room.

  “I know! Botched!” she declared. “And now my youngest brother, Dom–who is barely two years older than me–is ready to propose and he’s asked me for help. He wants to do it for Valentine’s Day and I keep trying to come up with ideas and I feel like maybe I’m being unrealistic since most of the couples we’ve met with lately have had lame or awful proposal stories.” Moaning, Daisy rested her head on the table before mumbling, “When did romance die?”

  Someone came up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Romance didn’t die,” Lea said softly. “And romance means different things to different people. I hate that you’re taking this so hard.”

  “What if you talked to some guys–you know, married and single or engaged–and sort of asked their advice?” Skye proposed.

  That got her attention.

  Lifting her head, Daisy studied her. “You mean like…”

  “Like our guys!” Josie said excitedly. “We’ll all get together this weekend since we don’t have any events on Sunday. Daniel and I will host a barbecue or something.”

  “It’s forty degrees out,” Lea reminded her.

  Sighing dramatically, she replied, “Fine, technically not a barbecue, but we’ll still grill some steaks or something. Then Daisy can put the question to the guys and see what they have to say.” She paused and then gasped as her smile grew. “And this will be the perfect way to get Xander and Knox involved and hopefully we’ll get a glimpse into what makes them tick and maybe try to figure out a way to get them to open up a bit.”

  “How…?”

  “We’ll tell them we need the opinion of the single guys about the whole thing in order for you to get the most well-rounded results,” Josie explained. “This is going to be awesome!”

  Daisy wasn’t so sure. It was awkward enough just thinking about hanging out with her bosses and their partners. But did they really need Xander and Knox in on this? Which is what she asked Josie.

  “Of course we do! We need the single man’s point of view.”

  “But…at one time Elliott, Brody, and Daniel were single men. Doesn’t that count?”

  Please let it count…

  “It’s not the same,” Skye offered. “I’m sure Elliott, Brody, and Daniel can offer both sides, but it would be interesting to hear from the ones who’ve never proposed. Plus, you’ll get the whole military guy mindset on top of it. It truly is perfect.” Then she looked over at Josie. “What time on Sunday and what should we all bring?”

  After that the conversation turned to food and other nonsense, but all Daisy could think about was how this whole thing had sort of gone off the rails and how she really wasn’t comfortable talking to all the guys about proposals.

  It was weird.

  Definitely weird.

  And now, thanks to her inability to hold in a sigh, she was going to be forced to have an awkward interaction with…the guys.

  Including Xander.

  And she was already expecting some kind of lecture.

  “No. Absolutely not. I’m busy. I have a date.”

  “On a Sunday afternoon? Somehow I doubt that.”

  “It’s true. We have plans.”

  “So bring her. It’s a free steak dinner and beer. Come on. Josie’s really got her heart set on everyone being there.”

  Xander Madden stared at his friend and business partner and made sure he kept his expression neutral, bordering on bored. He genuinely liked Daniel’s wife and would do anything for her, but these
big couple get-togethers just weren’t his thing.

  It was one thing to go out with the guys to a bar or club and hang out. Sitting around someone’s living room while their wives or girlfriends or fiancées all fluttered around held zero appeal. And there was no way he was going to bring a date to that kind of get-together either. Once you did something like that, said date would start to get ideas about where the relationship was going.

  Nowhere.

  It was going nowhere.

  Xander didn’t do relationships. Hell, he rarely even did a second date, so…

  “Sorry. Not gonna happen,” he repeated before turning back to his computer and did his best to look busy.

  Rather than take the hint, Daniel sat on the corner of his desk and stared down at him until he started to squirm. When he angrily looked up, he knew the topic was far from over.

  “Look, there’s sort of a reason for the invite,” Daniel explained. “You remember Daisy? The new planner?”

  Xander shrugged, but…he definitely remembered her.

  Dark hair, dark eyes, petite and curvy. Her lips were always pink and glossy and she had a very sassy personality. She was the kind of girl who basically screamed married, house in the suburbs with a picket fence, a couple of kids and a dog. Which was a shame because he’d had more than a few dreams of spending a little recreational time with her.

  “…and so she’s trying to come up with the perfect way to propose and she wants to talk to all of us and get our input.”

  “Um…what?” He straightened in his chair and felt like maybe he missed some key information because this wasn’t making any sense. Daisy was proposing to someone? Who? And why was she the one doing the proposing? His brain simply couldn’t comprehend how a beautiful woman–although irresponsible–like her would think she had to be the one to pop the question. What kind of guy would even want that to happen?