Page 12 of Kiss the Bride

Chapter Four

Evelyn settled the studs onto their velvet cushion and stirred one finger through the remaining choices in her jewelry box. She pressed her lips together, dissatisfied. Nothing seemed right. A pair of plain pearls had gone quite well with the teal shirtwaist she’d worn to church this morning. But for the afternoon, she’d changed into a floral print that made her feel feminine and pretty. She wanted the right accessories to go with it. Something that would impress Ryan when he saw her at the train station.

Wait. No. She wanted to impress the Wedding-in-a-Week couple. Ryan had nothing to do with it. He was a childhood friend, her cousin’s pal, an acquaintance. Nothing more.

Her hand hovered over the earrings. Okay, maybe there was a little bit more, but it was all in good fun. They were both eager to have the winners of the Wedding-in-a-Week choose their venue for their ceremony and reception. And the stakes were high, weren’t they? Dinner for two at one of the swankiest places in all of Heart’s Landing. She inhaled deeply. She could practically smell those lamb chops now. Not that she intended to eat them herself. Or that it mattered one iota what Ryan had done to the old Boat Works. He didn’t stand a chance of winning.

The celebration dinner was a week away. In the meantime, it couldn’t hurt to give him a few friendly pointers. She owed him that much, didn’t she?

Watching him sweat over the rule book yesterday had stirred a memory straight out of her childhood. She must’ve been five or six at the time. She remembered, because she’d been in Mrs. Collins’ kindergarten class, where every student had long since learned to tie their shoes. Every student but her. After nap time each day, the other kids had put their sneakers on and run out to the playground. Not her. She’d stood there, her cheeks burning with shame, while she waited for the teacher to tie the two neat bows. She’d tried to teach herself, but she’d needed help. Only the more people she’d asked, the worse things had gotten. Her dad had said, “Loop, swoop, and pull,” but her laces had gotten tangled. Her mom had told her a story about a squirrel and a tree while putting the strings through an intricate dance that had made no sense at all. Resigned to learning on her own, she’d practiced for hours with no success. Every time she’d thought she’d mastered the task, her bow had fallen apart in her fingers.

Until Ryan had taken pity on her. She remembered that day like it was yesterday. She’d been sitting on the bottom step, tears streaming down her cheeks, when he raced down the stairs. His feet had skidded to a stop on the hardwood floors. Instead of teasing her or calling her a baby, he’d walked right over, sat down beside her, and patiently taught her to make bunny ears with each lace and tie them together. She’d never admit it to a soul, but to this day she couldn’t tie her shoes any other way.

She’d been indebted to him ever since. By helping him now, she could finally even the score. Not that it’d change the outcome. She hadn’t been trying to trick him into backing out when she’d told him the couple always chose the Captain’s Cottage. No matter how much time and effort Ryan had poured into the Boat Works, he didn’t have a chance of winning their bet. As long as they were in the competition together, though, she’d lend him a hand. Because she owed him. Because it was the best thing to do for Heart’s Landing.

That her childhood friend had grown into the most attractive man she’d seen in quite a while? Yeah, that had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Her phone chimed a reminder that she had places to go and people to see.

Returning to her jewelry box, she held up delicate dragonflies on fine gold chains that nearly reached her shoulders. The gossamer wings caught the light streaming through her bedroom’s third-story window. As much as she knew the pair would go perfectly with her dress, she frowned. She’d promised Jason she’d at least try to maintain a proper, businesslike air in his absence. Dragonflies didn’t exactly fit that image. Reluctantly, she traded the dangly pair for some that would earn a business school’s seal of approval.

Slipping them on, she glanced at the itinerary wedged into the corner between her dresser mirror and the frame. According to the schedule, Jason and Tara were supposed to check in later. Which was a good thing. She had lots of news to share with them, as well as a few questions to ask. Like why Jason hadn’t mentioned Ryan’s plans to turn the old Boat Works into a wedding venue. She jotted that down at the top of her mental list and hustled out the door.

Poking her head into the kitchen five minutes later, she immediately spotted the bustling figure who’d been a fixture in her life as far back as she could remember. As kids, she and Jason had used every excuse in the book to pass through the kitchen, where, as likely as not, they’d snag a cookie on their way.

“Hey, Connie,” she called. Even as an adult, she didn’t dare step foot into the head chef’s domain without an invitation.

“How was church? Did you and your friends enjoy lunch?” Connie’s round face beamed a friendly greeting.

“Excellent, and yes.” When Connie gave a brisk nod, Evelyn smiled to herself. Most people thought that, tucked away in the kitchen, the chef stayed too busy to keep track of the comings and goings in the Captain’s Cottage. In truth, not much in the house escaped her notice. Evelyn’s weekly brunch with friends following the morning service was only one of many examples.

“Good. You deserved a bit of a break. Seems like you’ve done nothing but work while Mr. Jason’s been gone.” The cook swirled a tiny spoon through a pot of soup, tasted, and nodded her approval. Dusting her hands on her apron, she asked, “Now, what can I do for you?”

Evelyn smiled. As usual, Connie knew she hadn’t simply stopped by to shoot the breeze. “I’m on my way out again. Jenny’s going to meet me in the foyer. We’re headed to the train station to meet the folks from Weddings Today.” She waited a beat. “They’ll be here before lunch tomorrow.”

“Oh, yes.” Connie grabbed a pair of potholders from a stack beside the oven. “I have it on my calendar. Essie and Fiona will bake extra when they do up the cookies.” Connie’s two helpers put out trays of baked goods for guests of the Captain’s Cottage to enjoy each afternoon. “Any special requests for our special guests?”

“Nope.” She thought better of her answer. “On second thought, the heart-shaped ones would be nice. With red sprinkles.”

“As if you didn’t know we make those every Sunday.” Grinning, Connie aimed a potholder at her and gave it a good shake. Most guests spent only a night or two in the Cottage’s bridal suites, not long enough to grow aware of the menu’s weekly rotation. “I’ll tell the girls to add some of those mini éclairs everyone likes. They’ll probably put out a few other tidbits, as well.”

“Thanks, Connie. You’re a treasure.” Like Alicia, Connie was another of the reasons the Cottage continued to maintain a stellar reputation. Evelyn had no doubt that when the lucky couple stopped in at the dining room tomorrow, they’d swoon in delight.

“Aw, get on with you now.”

Evelyn replied with a good-natured grin. She wouldn’t take up any more of the cook’s valuable time. The Cottage seldom had overnight guests on Sundays, but that didn’t mean the staff took the day off. Connie and her crew would spend most of the afternoon prepping meals for the busy week ahead.

“I’ll probably be at the train station for a couple of hours.” She patted her dress, reassured when she felt the outline of her phone in the pocket. “If anything comes up, call me on my cell,” she finished.

“You just go on, Miss Evelyn. We’ll hold down the fort.”

After saying goodbye, she continued her trek toward the front of the house. Her footsteps slowed as she drank in the quiet. It was rare to schedule a wedding on a Sunday afternoon, and today was no exception. Her footsteps echoed in the empty corridor. The distant sound of a vacuum hummed, confirmation that the housekeeping staff was busy cleaning the bridal suites in preparation for Monday’s new arrivals. A low buzz of conversation came from the few guests who lingered over final cups of coffee in the dining room. Knowing she’d spoken to everyone there earlier, she didn’t bother to stop.

In the foyer, a portrait of her great-great-great-grandfather greeted every visitor to the Cottage. From thick brows to high cheekbones and on down to a chiseled jaw, Thaddeus Heart’s face reflected determination and success. The man had been every inch the captain of his own ship. Though he’d spent a dozen years at sea, his love for his wife and family were legendary. He’d sworn an oath to celebrate Mary’s birthday at home each year, and he’d kept that promise. His love for her was so great that one year, he’d even braved a hurricane in order to drop anchor in Heart’s Cove on time.

“You have his lips. You’re tall like him, too.”

Evelyn jumped. “Oh, my goodness, Jenny!” She’d been so lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed her friend approach.

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