Page 4 of Cut The Cake

Jenny nodded and quietly jotted a mental note to add to the maître d’s Christmas bonus. Ever since Karolyn’s latest film had broken box-office records across the country, guaranteeing the star’s privacy had become harder than ever. Not even a pricey, five-star restaurant was safe from camera-toting reporters.

“We had drinks and appetizers.” Obviously reliving the moment, Karolyn’s eyes filled with a soft glow. “I don’t have to tell you what I ordered.”

“Mmm-hmmm.” The soft poached egg stuffed with caviar, topped by a lemony sauce, had always been Kay’s favorite.

“I hadn’t planned on dessert—have to watch the figure, you know.” Kay took a second bite of toast before abandoning the rest to her plate. “But Chad insisted on ordering one of those chocolate things where they pour caramel over the top, and the outer shell melts to reveal a hidden yummy treat. Well.” She took a dramatic breath. “When they did, there was the ring, nestled in the most beautiful raspberry soufflé. Chad got down on one knee and asked if I’d make him the happiest man alive. It was incredibly sweet. Of course, I said yes! Louis opened a bottle of Cristal, and the entire staff applauded.” Her eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands over her heart. “I’ll treasure that moment forever.”

“That sounds perfectly dreamy,” Jenny said with an exaggerated sigh. “You two make such a beautiful couple.” But the statement led to other, less pleasant thoughts. The merger of two of Hollywood’s biggest stars would prompt reporters from every tabloid in the nation to camp out on the grounds beyond the front gates. Some of the more obnoxious ones might even try to scale the ten-foot fence. As Kay’s personal assistant, she’d need to beef up security first thing. Was she already behind the curve? She drummed her fingers on the counter. “Who else knows about the engagement?”

“No one yet.” Karolyn pushed her plate out of reach. “I’ll call Shelly and Mara this morning, of course. They’ll probably arrange a press conference. I’m sure we’ll hit the talk shows this week. You know how it is.”

She did, but letting Karolyn’s publicist and agent in on the news hadn’t exactly been what Jenny had in mind. “I meant, have you called Aunt Maggie?” The phone call to the star’s mother needed to be placed before some reporter shoved a mic in the woman’s face and splashed her reaction all over the internet.

“Oh!” Karolyn snapped her fingers. “Oh, you’re right. Mom will be so excited!” A faraway look crept into her eyes. “Before I make that call, though, you and I need to talk.”

Jenny swallowed. What was it about that last word that sent a chill down her spine? “You aren’t firing me, are you?” she asked, hating the tentative note in her voice. However, her question wasn’t that far off base. If the two lovebirds were going to combine households, it stood to reason they’d make some adjustments.

“Goodness, no! Quite the opposite, in fact. I need you to plan my wedding.”

“Me?” Jenny reeled back in surprise.

“Of course you, silly. Who else would I trust? After all, you are my cousin, aren’t you?”

Well, there was that.

Actually, having grown up in the same house, she and Kay were closer than most cousins. They were practically sisters. They had been since that awful day Jenny’s parents had died in a train wreck on their way into the big city. At seven, she hadn’t had a clue what was to become of her. Where would she live? Who would take care of her? Would she go to an orphanage like the one in Little Orphan Annie? Her whole world had become a series of questions, each more frightful than the last. Then Aunt Maggie had draped one arm around her shoulders and told her not to worry, everything would be okay. And it had been.

She’d never forget her aunt’s kindness that day, or everything Aunt Maggie had done for her since then. Two years ago, she’d had a chance to repay at least a little of what she’d been given when Aunt Maggie had called with the news that Kay had landed her first big role. When she’d followed that up with a request for help, Jenny hadn’t hesitated. She’d boarded a plane the next day and flown to California. In a matter of weeks, she’d straightened out her cousin’s chaotic schedule, had ensured her timely and prepared arrival on set, and had put an end to far too many brushes with the paparazzi.

Thanks to Kay’s tendency to wait until the last minute to plan anything, Jenny had learned how to throw together a soirée for twenty with ten minutes’ notice, stage an elegant birthday bash with the snap of a finger, and she no longer batted an eyelash when her cousin needed a last-minute reservation at one of L.A.’s trendiest restaurants.

But a wedding, even a small one, was something else. And planning the ceremony and reception for two of the biggest names in the entertainment industry was something else entirely.

“Oh, I don’t know …” Jenny hesitated. She wasn’t quite sure where to even begin. “Don’t you think you need a wedding planner?”

“Ordinarily, yes, but Chad and I talked it over, and we agreed. Neither one of us wants to turn our wedding into a media circus. We just want to slip away someplace where the reporters and camera crews won’t find us. We’ll say our vows in front of our family and a few close friends. Fifty guests, maximum. That sounds doable, doesn’t it?”

“Fifty? You’re sure?” How was that supposed to work? On any given day, it took a small army just to get Karolyn from the house, through makeup, hair and wardrobe, and onto the set.

Her cousin leaned forward and took Jenny’s hands in her own. “We’re absolutely certain. Something small and intimate. Honestly, it won’t be as hard as it sounds. I’ve already done most of the work.” With a dramatic flourish, Kay snagged a few pages off the kitchen counter and held them out.

“What are these?” An uneasy feeling shifted through Jenny’s midsection.

“It’s everything I want for my wedding, from my gown right down to the cake. With these notes, you shouldn’t have any trouble making the arrangements. Right?”

The papers rattled in Jenny’s hands. She stared down at them, trying to decipher her cousin’s scribbles. “So your colors are pink and gray? Any particular shades?” There had to be a hundred different variations.

“Just pink.” Kay lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug. “Like in my ring.” She tapped the band. “And the gray shouldn’t be too dark.”

“Good to know.” Taking a pen from a drawer under the phone, Jenny carefully added “rose gold” in the margin. “What’s this about your gown?” She frowned at an illegible mark.

“Oh, that.” Kay waved a hand through the air. “You don’t have to worry about the dress. I’ll fly Mom out from Pennsylvania. We’ll go shopping together. Can you make her flight reservations today? And get us on the schedule at Madame Eleanor’s for the week after next?”

Getting Kay an appointment at L.A.’s most exclusive bridal salon, even on such short notice, wouldn’t be a problem. Why the rush? “You two have set a date, then.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you.” A giddy excitement rippled across Kay’s face. “We’re getting married in six weeks, as soon as we wrap up shooting on Two Hearts on the Run.”

“Oh! That’s awfully soon.” Allowing herself one small sip of air, Jenny pressed crossed fingers into her lap. “Most brides allow themselves more time to plan, don’t they?”

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