Page 17 of Cut The Cake

“Hmmm.” Alicia tapped her fingers on the door jamb. “JoJo and Roy at Ideal Image will do both video and stills, if you ask them.”

“Gosh, Alicia. I had no idea.” She’d scoured Ideal’s website without picking up that tidy tidbit of information.

“Tell them I sent you. I’m sure they’ll do their best for your wedding.” Concern tightened the corners of Alicia’s ever-present smile. “But don’t overdo. You don’t want to get too stressed out before your big day.”

“If the rest of the time goes like this morning, the next couple of weeks will be a breeze.” Alicia’s suggestions had doused the pesky heartburn that had plagued her last night. And learning she only had to hire one photography studio would save at least an hour this afternoon. She tugged on the end of her ponytail. She might have time to stop at the bakery after all.

She waved goodbye to the event coordinator, who already had her phone pressed to her ear, talking, no doubt, with another bride. Though she understood that part of Alicia’s job depended on her ability to soothe jittery nerves, Jenny thought they’d hit it off pretty well. She admired the other woman’s bubbling personality and drive. Plus, Alicia had helped her in totally unexpected ways. Under different circumstances, she’d like to think they could become good friends.

She stopped herself. Unfortunately, any friendship based on a lie was bound to fall apart as soon as the truth came out. And people would learn the truth about the wedding the moment Karolyn and Chad stepped from their limo.

With that sobering thought, she slid behind the wheel of her rental car and headed for her next appointment. Traffic, which had been practically nonexistent earlier, had grown so heavy that, by the time she reached one of the town’s few signals, three cars waited for the light to change. Accustomed to driving at a snail’s pace on L.A.’s busy streets, she stifled a laugh when an impatient driver tapped his horn behind her. When the light finally did change, she moved through the intersection while she kept her eye out for a parking space.

Unlike her foray into town the day before, though, cars lined the streets and filled the public lot. She had nearly decided she’d have to leave her car at the B&B and walk when she spied a lone empty spot right in front of Forget Me Knot Flowers. Hardly believing her luck, Jenny pulled to the curb, gathered her portfolio and purse, and stepped from the car.

The moment her door swung open, a woman who’d been tending to racks of fresh-cut blossoms outside the florist shop lowered her watering can. She turned toward Jenny, her lively blue eyes following her every move. The smile lines bracketing her mouth deepened. A dark green smock shifted over a well-padded figure as the woman glided forward with an easy grace, her hand extended.

“Hi! Welcome to Forget Me Knot. I’m Mildred Morrey, the owner. You must be Jenny Longley. How can I help you?”

Jenny barely had time to wonder why Mildred had been waiting outside for her before the owner took her hand. Work-toughened palms met her own as she explained, “I’m here to choose the arrangements for my wedding.”

“Of course, you are,” Mildred said with a grin. “Now, don’t you worry about a thing. We’ll take excellent care of you here at Forget Me Knot. Why don’t you come inside where it’s cooler? Can I get you a cup of coffee or a glass of tea?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” she said, waving the offer aside. She’d downed a bottle of water during her tour of the Captain’s Cottage, in addition to her morning coffee. Any more liquid and she’d start to feel like a camel.

“Tell me about your venue. Give me a sense of your vision for the wedding.” Mildred guided her into the shop.

“Well, it’s a small wedding. I was thinking we’d keep the flowers down to a minimum.”

“No towering floral displays, then? I do love those so.” Breathless, Mildred clasped her hands together.

“You and me both, but in this case, I think they’d be too much.” She hesitated when the shop owner’s forlorn expression tempted her to add one or two. She had a plan and, resolved to stick to it, she explained, “We’re holding the ceremony on the veranda of the Captain’s Cottage. With the roses as a backdrop, I’ll need an arch at one end, floral swags on each row and, of course, boutonnieres and the bouquet.”

At each item, Mildred’s expression brightened. “And your reception?”

“It’ll be across the hall. In the library. There’ll be six tables, plus a head table. Everything should be understated and intimate—more like a dinner party for close friends than a formal wedding reception.”

“That sounds absolutely lovely,” Mildred said, her eyes brimming. “I’m sure we can come up with the perfect arrangements.” She cleared her throat. “Let’s look in back and see if there’s anything in particular you like.”

The brush of Mildred’s fingers at her forearm brought a smile to Jenny’s lips as she followed the shop owner down an aisle crowded with waxy green plants. An intoxicating blend of floral scents intensified when Mildred pushed open a set of swinging doors behind the sales counter. Stepping into the room, Jenny gasped. She’d visited numerous florists in L.A., but nothing there had prepared her for the sight and smell of so many different varieties of flowers crowding the two walls of glass-fronted coolers. Colors popped from arrangements in various stages of assembly on several long wooden worktables. Baskets overflowed with spools of green wire, clippers, ribbons, and bows, ranging from the deepest black to the palest of pastels. Vases in a multitude of shapes, hues, and sizes stood on shelves along the back wall.

“This,” Mildred said with a flick of her wrist, “is where the magic happens. You won’t need to worry about a thing. We’ll handle the delivery and setup so you can concentrate on more important things, like enjoying your special day with friends and family.” She smiled.

“This is quite impressive.” Jenny caught a fresh wave of her favorite scent when one of Mildred’s assistants hefted a large tub of white roses from one of the glass cases.

“She’s putting together the arrangements for a wedding tomorrow morning,” Mildred said with a nod toward the woman who’d pulled a handful of stems from the bucket. “Speaking of which, what did you have in mind for the ceremony?”

“Hmmm. My favorite color is …” Jenny clamped her lips shut before red rolled off her tongue. “Rose gold,” she finished. Pulling several sample swatches from her portfolio, she held them out. “Alicia helped me choose these table coverings and napkins for the reception. I’d like to use flowers that complement those colors.”

“Any particular kind?”

“White hydrangeas and pink roses, I think.” The flowers were two of Kay’s favorites.

Mildred snapped her fingers. “I think I have just the thing.” From the back wall, she selected a shallow golden vase, which she then filled with dense round blooms and a selection of pale buds. In seconds, she held up a stunning arrangement. “Something like this?”

Jenny eyed the elegant centerpiece. How Mildred had fashioned it with so little effort was beyond her, but the woman clearly had a gift. “That’s perfect,” she breathed.

“We’ll cover the arch with them, too. We’d be happy to move it into the reception area for photographs after the ceremony.”

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