3-Corner Love

Title: 3-Corner Love: Father of the Groom
Writer: Lorettasilks
Summary: A wedding planning agency catered for the gay community, 3-Corner Love is booming and expansion is on the rise, but when a new wedding planner botches his first assignment it’s up to Alexander to take over, but the Father of the groom isn’t willing to let him off that easy.
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Disclaimer: "This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited"

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Chapter One

Sylvia Sundance was the founder of 3-Corner Love, a beautiful gray haired woman she lavished her husband and her only child with love. A southern belle, she never had plans to move into a big city until her city boy of a husband decided to make the move.

She’d fallen in love with the city, and like any southern belle she charmed neighbors and people all around with her southern hospitality. When she had her baby she named him Alexander Sundance, people in the neighborhood could always catch a glimpse of the beautiful woman always dressed in pink pushing an antique stroller up and down the city block towards the park and back home.

Sylvia made friends with many of the neighborhood occupants one couple though, had interested a young woman like her further. She’d first thought of them as a pair of old bachelors, until she’d mentioned them to her husband.

“They’re homosexuals,” Steven had said as he played with their son on the floor of their bedroom.

“Homosexuals?” intrigued Sylvia had asked how Steven had known.

“They’ve lived together since I was a boy here in the neighborhood, they’ve never had a woman with them since then that I’ve noticed and besides,” he said as he caught little Alexander from crawling away, “They wear matching rings.”

“My, how romantic,” she’d said, “Well then why don’t I ever see them kissing or holding hands?”

He’d laughed as he tried to stop Alexander from crawling all over him. At one the little thing couldn’t be stopped from crawling, “Honey, not everyone’s very supportive of a relationship like that. In fact it could be troublesome if other people knew of their relationship, they’d be harassed.”

“Well that’s not right,” she’d sat back on the bed her pale pink slip hugging her hips arms crossed below her high breasts, “Everyone has a right to love, God wouldn’t want it any other way. We married because we loved one another, why couldn’t it be the same way for them?”

“Darling,” Steven had kissed her curled long locks, their son cradled in his arms, “Marriage isn’t allowed for people like them.”

“I know that!” she’d snapped before kissing him on the mouth, taking Alexander in her arms who immediately began to bounce up and down an exited wail piercing the bedroom, “But I think it an unfortunate circumstance them living together without being married. If that ain’t right for us it ain’t right for them either.”

The next day Sylvia had dressed her best, a pale peachy pink dress that fell down to her calf and a delicate silver pin shaped with a diamond triangle to pin on one side of her luscious dark curls away from one ear. She’d dressed Alexander in a baby blue jumpsuit and a white knit long sleeve and despite being one year old, brushed his long fine baby dark hair to let it naturally curl below his ears.

She set him in his stroller and grabbed her purse prepared as she made her way down the street. She’d knocked on their door with two quick raps as it pulled open to reveal a tall and graying man with round glasses perched on his nose and a book in one hand.

“Hello, St. Claire!” she had greeted “My name is Sylvia Sundance we met the other day, this,” she pointed at Alexander who was trying to stick his foot in his mouth and failing, “Is my son Alexander Sundance. I was wonderin’ if you’d let us in for a talk?”

Surprised, Charles could only stare at the young woman and baby before hesitantly letting them, “Of course, please come in,” he’d moved aside to let the stroller in.

“Thank you,” Silvia pushed the stroller in and set it aside into a corner in the living room before picking up Alexander and setting him on the floor who immediately began to crawl away.

Charles smiled as the baby crawled toward Mitch’s warships and ships in a bottle, he’d kill him if the baby broke something but he was sure he’d forgive him after seeing the little tyke. He noticed the mother still standing and quickly offered her a seat on the couch before offering a drink.

She smiled and said a little tea wouldn’t hurt, to which Charles went into the kitchen and set a pot on the stove. He returned and sat across from her and watched the baby for a moment before she spoke.

“My husband says you are homosexual.”

Of all the things Charles could have expected to hear that was not one of them, “Excuse me?” and he hated that he sounded a little breathless, shocked more than anything.

“Homosexual.”

“Yes—yes I heard you, but—what business is it of yours?”

“Oh no!” she’d cried as she grabbed Alexander’s arm pulling him away from where the ship in the bottle tumbled off the stand and fell to the floor with a ‘thunk’. Alexander scrunched his little face and began to cry as Sylvia pulled him into her arms.

It was then that the door opened and a large tall broad shouldered man walked into the apartment. He took his hat off and eyed the commotion in the living room with wary eyes. “Charlie,” he said in a gruff tone shaking off his coat and setting it on the chair “What’s going on?”

Sylvia answered before he could, “I’m awfully sorry, my name is Sylvia Sundance, this here,” she nodded at a wailing Alexander, “Is my son, Alexander Sund—“

Mitch raised a hand that stopped her, “I meant, what is it that you need?”

“Ms. Sundance was asking me a question.”

“What question?”

“I was just asking if Mr. St Clair was a homosexual—

“What business is it of yours?”

“That’s what I asked—

“Charlie send Ms Sundance home, I think we’ve heard enough.”

“No please, I apologize we’ve gotten on the wrong foot,” Alexander cried louder as he gripped Sylvia’s dress tears tracking down his cheeks as he stared at Mitch with wide watery blue eyes.

Mitch stared at the crying baby and rolled his eyes offering his hands up to take him. Sylvia looked at his roughed, calloused hands for a moment before offering Alexander who latched onto Mitch as soon as he was passed. He stopped crying and looked up at him with wide eyes, shoving a fist into his mouth sucking on it thoughtfully as Mitch maneuvered them into the living room and sitting down next to Charlie.

“I really do apologize,” Sylvia was embarrassed but not undetermined as she sat on the couch again smoothing her dress out before her, “I never meant any offence, honest I didn’t I see now I should have never asked if you were homosexuals—

“Gay,” said Mitch as he sat Alexander on his knee “You can stop calling us homosexuals and just call us gay.”

“Oh, of course. I’m sorry.”

“You can stop apologizing too,” Charles smiling, he’d never thought Mitch could be so calm and nurturing towards a baby, as he watched him hold Alexander with one hand.

“What is it that you want?” asked Mitch.

“I just wanted to say, how romantic I find your relationship.”

“Excuse me?” Charles was glad to see Mitch speechless for once that time.

“The rings,” she motioned to their matching rings. Mitch had bought them as symbol to show his devotion to Charles years ago when they’d been in the Navy. They never took them off.

“They’re awfully romantic. That’s what I wanted to say when I came here, you two loving each other the way you do and having to hide it is just not fair.”

“Um, thank you.”

“Which is why I wanted to tell you two, that hiding something as precious as your love shouldn’t be hidden at all. That’s why I came here with little Alexander to propose that you two should plan to marry.”

“Excuse me?” Again, thought Charles, she’d left them speechless again, “Marry?”

“Listen lady,” said Mitch, “Two men can’t get married.”

“Oh yes they can! Maybe not under law and maybe not under God’s church, but those things aren’t always important.”

“Then neither is marriage,” he pointed out.

“Do you love each other?”

Mitch looked at Charlie. Charles looked at Mitch. They nodded.

“That love should be expressed no matter what people have to say. Where I come from people let a little thing like rumors get the best of them, hiding isn’t going to solve things no matter what anyone else says. You have a problem; you deal with it quick and soon. Marriage is a sanctity of unity, partnership and love no matter what gender you may be.”

“Sylvia,” tried Charles, “We appreciate what you’re trying to do, really but Mitch and I don’t want to get married.”

“What do you mean,” asked Mitch, he let Alexander down on the floor who quickly began to crawl.

Charles looked at Mitch, “I mean get married, we don’t want to.”

“Who says I don’t?”

“Mitch, please you always said you didn’t care if we couldn’t marry that it wasn’t important.”

“Didn’t mean I never wanted to get married.”

“And now you do?”

“Sure, I love you, why wouldn’t I wanna get married to you?”

“Really?”

Mitch smiled, “Yeah, I’d take any chance to get married to you.”

Charles threw himself off the couch and hugged him. Sylvia smiled at the two as Alexander gave a happy little shriek from where he sat holding the fallen ship in the bottle.

“Does this mean I get to start making a few phone calls?” she asked which brought a chuckle from the two men.

“I tell you what Ms Sundance, if you figure out a way we can have this wedding we’ll do it.”

“You two don’t have to worry about anything.”

And they didn’t. Despite Mitch and Charles fears, they really didn’t have to worry about anything, even the neighborhood welcomed the idea having known the couple for years they thought it natural to have the couple commit in a ceremony. Friends and family members were invited from both sides as Sylvia planned and organized. The only real problems that had been involved was the issue of stopping Sylvia from designing a wedding with pink as a theme. They wore their marine uniforms as they read their vows to each other and friends and family stood witness as they confirmed their love and commitment for a second time.

And as they kissed and the champagne was poured and toasted, a couple sauntered towards where Sylvia and Steven sat. Alexander was being cooed and awed by a group as he was held in Mitch’s arms where he stood with Charles. The couple introduced themselves as Marcus and Antoine, and hoped Sylvia too could plan a wedding ceremony for them as well. Sylvia had been surprised at the request, but with her husband’s prompting agreed. Soon she was being recommend all across the board. When Steven took the idea of her maybe starting her own business she agreed.

3-Corner Love agency was running and though things never went as smoothly as she had hoped, Sylvia remained convinced that loving couples all across the board deserved their own marriage ceremonies as well. When her son Alexander became older he too began to help her in organizing and planning weddings. Steven supported both his son and wife and never failed in helping when he was free. But after thirty years of running the agency Sylvia thought it was more important to spend time with her husband and handed the business off to her son. At fifty-three she had provided marriage services for the gay community early in the years when many would have avoided to do so. Thirty years of service dedicated to 3-Corner Love, and she knew she had given it as much as she had got and knew there was more to be still given but this time it wouldn’t come from her hands, it’d come from the first business partner she’d closed a deal with, her son.
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For eight years Alexander Sundance had followed his mother’s example. Having been a wedding planner for his mother had given him the experience in planning and organizing weddings. He himself had been dealt with difficult experiences or mishaps while on the job, but he had learned to ask for help to remedy his mistakes. Which was why he was looking at a very put off wedding planner in his office.

Business had been booming, 3-Corner Love had been offering its services to the gay community for years now. Though marriage had yet to have been legalized in parts of the United States, Alexander knew people were more open and accepting then they had been years ago. He and his mother in the earlier days had been pelted with bricks through their windows and food thrown at them from across the street for being a part of ‘unholy unions’. But they’d careened forward unshaken and more determined to realize people’s dreams. Which was why today 3-Corner Love had the clientele it did, Alexander chose only the best and fishing for new planners was always hard business and not everyone stood a chance at staying on with them. B he always hoped his planners could learn from their experience and put it to better use in the future if they ever did decide to return.

Thomas just didn’t happen to be what 3-Corner Love planners opted to be. He’d messed up his first assignment, and though Alexander was willing to forgive a first offense Thomas had made things worse by confirming with him that he had lied to a client and exuding an attitude with Alexander was not helping in the matters.

“Did you ever think to consult with one of the other planners?” Micah asked. The dark blond had always been a serious planner he’d joined 3-Corner Love at the age of twenty working behind Alexander and his mother. When Alexander had taken over he had naturally set Micah as his second.

“No,” Thomas chewed out. He’d been recommended by another agency, but as Micah had always tried to point out to Alexander things were not always the same on paper.

“Thomas, we don’t promote lying to a customer if you couldn’t get the venue you should have told one of the other planners to help. Your client is very upset, we might lose business because of this.”

Thomas merely kept his arms crossed across his chest, huffing a little. Alexander felt almost like a teacher lecturing a pupil and it bothered him. If his entire new wedding planners acted like this, it would really hurt 3-Corner Love’s clientele and recommendations, he couldn’t afford for people to start looking elsewhere especially when they were on the verge of expanding.

“Thomas, I don’t think 3-Corner Love is the right place for you.”

Thomas merely shrugged and stood, “Finally we agree,” he said and walked out the door.

“Why that little—!” cried Micah as he sat down on the chair Thomas had just vacated. Alexander dialed his secretary on the phone and asked to remove Thomas from their pay role, when he dropped the call and turned to Micah again, he saw the blond was still staring at him with narrowed eyes.

“Well?” he asked.

“Well what?”

“Aren’t you going to say ‘I told you so’?”

“Why would I say that?”

“I was the one who recommended him in the first place.”

“You didn’t know he was going to do that, neither did I, besides it’s best if we just see to the client. Do you already have an idea of a replacement?” he asked taking out a folder and handing it to Micah.

Micah thumbed through the folder, “This the client?”

“That’s right,” he answered and picked up his tea, “Kevin Anderson and James Palmer, twenty-five and thirty-two. They were looking into the Horner Estate for their wedding venue.”

Micah raised one eyebrow “You’d have to pay a goldmine for that venue.”

He put the tea down and nodded, “I know.”

“Can they afford it?”

“He’s an actor and Palmer is a marine, from what I read the father is paying for everything.”

“So Daddy dearest is paying.”

“Don’t be that way Micah, do you have an idea on what planner this wedding should go to?”

“I’m thinking Raven might have the stamina for a wedding this pricey but Ashley has more experience with this type of fiasco.”

“So it’s between the two? What about you?”

Micah blushed, “I actually have a wedding I’m planning already.” Alexander nodded “But—! I’ll still do it if you want.”

“No, that’s all right. Just please make sure to look out for the other new planners, we can’t afford to allow something like this to repeat itself.”

“No problem,” he put the folder back on Alexander’s desk and made his way to the door “You’ll take care of the Palmer-Anderson account?”

“Yes,” he opened his laptop and made a note “I’ll speak to Raven and Ashley about it,” Micah waved goodbye and shut the door behind him as Alexander continued to work on dates and venues and other wedding agencies.

He was just about to finish e-mailing their florist when there was a flurry of commotion outside his door that made him pause. The double doors opened with a startled little gasp coming from his secretary who looked on as the angry man strode towards Alexander’s desk.

The man appeared to be around his late forties with a full head of hair, blond peppered with gray. He wore a power suit with a striped tie that fit his tall and powerfully built body, his face was masked in anger fists clenched tightly in his hands as he stared at Alexander through narrowed gray eyes.

“Can I help you sir?” Alexander had learned to be calm in the face of fury.

“Are you Alexander Sundance?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“I am.”

The slap surprised him—

He heard his secretary yell as he hit the floor. His cheek throbbed and he checked to see if the man had drawn blood, he hadn’t. He heard the sound of feet as his other wedding planners pushed their way into the room. He hoped they’d been professionals and hadn’t brought any clients to see the debacle.

Liam looked down at him with worried blue eyes his normal cheery smile was in a worried frown as he helped Alexander up. When he looked at the crowded room he noticed the man was still arguing with the other planners except this time Matthew had a hold on him, the ex-marine was easily an equal for the other man.

Micah was trying to hold the other men back as he tried to calm the man. At the sight of Alexander he gave a flustered yet relieved smile when he noticed that he wasn’t seriously hurt.

“This is Mr. Anderson.”

“Who gives a shit!” cried Liam the youngest of them all, “He hurt Alexander we have to call the police!”

“Mr. Anderson,” said Alexander brushing a stray lock away from his face as he fixed his glasses that had been hanging on one ear after he had hit the floor. His cheek still stung, but not more than his ego. He was more embarrassed at having his planners see him like this and eyed them warily as he faced the man.

Matthew had a grip on the man’s arm ensuring them that he wasn’t about to let go, and Alexander was grateful for it, but there were more important matters to discuss and he was the professional.

“I need to speak to Mr. Anderson,” he said, when no one made a move he clarified, “I need to speak to him alone.”

His planners began to protest.

“No Alexander—

“I don’t think it’s safe—

“Hell no!”

“This is a private matter, I’m sure Mr. Anderson can promise he won’t try something like that again?” he asked and looked at the man, he nodded and the planners after a moment hesitantly made their way to the door. Matthew was slow in releasing, he looked at the man but spoke to Alexander, “Yell if you need to,” he nodded and walked back to his desk as he heard the door click shut.

Mr. Anderson was a little calm if not still a little red around the edges as he sat down, “I have to apologize. In no way have I ever struck another person without any motive. But I was just so worked up!”

“You are Kevin Anderson’s father?”

“Yes.”

“I already spoke to Kevin Mr. Anderson we cleared up a few things I’m sure if you go home to speak with your son—

“No!” his eyes narrowed again and Alexander was tempted to yell back. Thoughts of his mother kept him from doing it, a Sundance never ran away from anything. Not even an overgrown man ready to kill.

“I want you to do it.”

The slap earlier should have stunned him even more than this had but it did, “Excuse me?”

“I said you’re going to take over as wedding planner for my son’s wedding.”

“Mr. Anderson I don’t think—

“Scott.”

“Excuse me?”

“My name is Scott.”

“Scott, I’m not a wedding planner. I was in the process of actually choosing another wedding planner to take over your son’s wedding when you came in the way you did,” the man had enough grace to duck his head and it pleased Alexander, “They’ve been at 3-Corner Love for years now and are more than willing to take over the account.”

“Listen I’m not going to pretend what I did wasn’t fucking embarrassing it was, and I apologize for it again. I’m not a man who begs, I have enough money to buy you out of business twelve times over. This is my only child and all I asked was for a planner that could make my son’s dream a reality. What I got instead was a kid trying to pull one over my son, who lied to his face and then tried to manipulate him into something he didn’t want. I want you to take over and plan my son’s wedding.”

“You’re not listening Scott, I’m not a wedding planner. I can let you meet the other planners and maybe you can make a decision on who you want.”

“It’s either you or no one.”

Alexander pushed from his desk chair and stood, “Then I’m going to have to ask you to leave Mr. Anderson.”

Scott stood as well and he smirked at the visible difference of their heights, he looked down at Alexander and said, “Very well then, but I’m going to warn you now that many of the people you’re catering your services too won’t be happy to hear a close business associate, or a close friend had been treated the way I have,” he leaned into the desk placing two hands on it as gray eyes narrowed up at him, “In fact you might find your little ‘agency’ might be short on clientele.”

“Are you threatening me?” Alexander could feel his face heat up, “You come into my office unannounced, slap me and then threaten me? Do you really think people will take your side in all this?”

He shrugged “Money talks. And I know you can’t afford bad publicity when you’re trying to expand your business,” he straightened up and dug into his pocket whisking a business card leaving it on the desk, “Call me when you want to meet for the wedding details,” and walked out the door.

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“How dreadful!” cried Sylvia as she petted Alexander’s cheek in sympathy “My baby! We’ll sue!”

“Honey,” tried Steven his father, but even Alexander had a hard time trying to stop his father from going out to find Mr. Anderson and beat him with a tennis racket, “I think Alexander will do well for himself by actually going to the police and filling a report against that man”.

His mother visibly shuddered at the thought “Alexander visiting a jailhouse? I think not. No it’s better if we get the lawyers involved. Darling, see? If you had a boyfriend or fiancée maybe a husband you wouldn’t have to worry about things like these happening to you.”

Alexander picked up his wine glass and rolled his eyes, “Mother having a husband is not going to protect me from anything. I’m happy being a bachelor.”

“You mean being alone,” she frowned.

“I think you have to speak to the police Alexander, what’s stopping this man from coming back?” tried his father.

“You mean besides Liam and the other wedding planners? My secretary has even stashed a baseball bat under her desk just in case.”

His mother gave a very un-ladylike scoff, “Honestly Alexander, I don’t see the humor in all this. That man hurt you! And then threatened you!”

“What did you say his name was again?”

“Scott Anderson.”

“Scott Anderson? I think I’ve heard his name before, isn’t he that man that owns all the buildings in Square Flat and Royal Construction? Real old money.”

“He did say he had enough money to buy 3-Corner Love twelve times over.”

“I don’t know how you can be so calm about all this Alexander,” Sylvia shook her tousled gray hair and lifted her glass wine to take a sip, even at fifty-three she still wore pink everyday and like his mother Alexander had taken the habit since a baby to do the same except in blue, “When you were a baby you were always so active. You were either content or miserable, isn’t that right Steven?” he nodded, “Now you’re just stoic, nothing ever seems to phase you, not even this!”

“This is my work, if I can’t show professionalism how will my workers?” He set his wine glass down and stood up, “Where can I make a private phone call.”

“In the den,” his father said to him.

Alexander walked out of the parlor room and into his father’s den shutting the door closed behind him before picking up the phone, he turned the dial with each number and let it ring for two maybe three times before a voice answered him.

“Scott Anderson.”

“I’m not a wedding planner,” he could practically feel the smug smile on the man’s face over the phone.

“Never did say you were one.”

“And I’m telling you now I am not happy at all with the circumstances of this deal.”

He chuckled, “Never did say I cared, does this mean you’re going to take the job?”

“Does this mean you’re not going to attack me again the way you did today?”

He stuttered for a moment before composing himself with righteous indignation, “Now I already apologized about that.”

It was Alexander’s turn to smile, “Never did say you didn’t. But maybe I need to hear it second time again.”

There was a moment’s pause before he said, “Sorry.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow at 2:00,” and before Scott could answer, Alexander hung up and wondered exactly what he had gotten himself into.

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Comments: I apologize for any grammatical mistakes. I’ve always wanted to write about weddings so here’s my chance! The beginning really was what I wrote at first, so I decided to keep it [in word it actually ended up being thirteen pages, say what applesauce?!] It’s a series about 3-Corner Love and their wedding planners, since Alexander is the owner I thought it would be fine if I actually told how I imagined the business to have started. I could have probably mentioned, “Alexander’s mother, Sylvia, began 3-Corner Love yada-yada-yada” everyone gets the gist, but no I had to be a little more wordy with it (thanks Mitch and Charlie).

I have a list on the wedding planners that I’m going to write about and their stories. I don’t think it’s going to be a long series, but I never know. I already have the 2nd chapter pretty much finished just a WIP. I hope the readers enjoyed it, and make sure to comment and rate their feedback it helps and makes me feel good as well ^^ thank you for reading!