Page 23 of Kiss the Bride

“I do, but if it’s okay, I’ll stay and see it with our lucky couple. You don’t mind, do you?”

Evelyn’s smile would melt butter, but he was on to her ploy. “Scoping out the competition, are you?” Not that he’d turn her down. Friends didn’t do that to one another. And she was his friend, wasn’t she? Besides, he’d been hoping to get her opinion on something else, and he couldn’t think of a better time. “Curtis, if you’ll excuse us for a second.” When the photographer answered with a noncommittal shrug, Ryan led Evelyn to his workroom.

“What do you think?” He pointed to the sign he’d worked on through the dead of night and held his breath.

Evelyn stared at the pair of wedding rings and the horse-drawn carriage that bracketed the words Harbor View Weddings. Her breath caught so sharply he was almost afraid she’d choked on something. She leaned down for a closer look. “It’s perfect!”

Before she could trace her hand along the letters, he cautioned, “Careful. The finish is still tacky. It’ll need another twenty-four hours to dry. I’ll hang it later this week.”

“I love the name,” she said, a heartwarming smile breaking across her lips.

Her approval meant more than he thought it should, and he coughed to cover a momentary bout of self-consciousness. Fortunately, the sound of a car door slamming saved him. He angled a thumb toward the entryway. “We’d better get out there. That’s Brianna and Daniel,” he announced.

They made it back to the lobby just as the front door opened, admitting the young couple bathed in sunlight. In the background, Curtis’s camera emitted a series of soft whirrs.

Ryan’s shoulders relaxed at the sight of the couple, who looked far more at ease than they had at the train station. “Good morning.” He crossed the room to greet his guests. “Welcome to the newest venue in Heart’s Landing. How did you two do last night? Were you comfortable at the Union Street?”

“Oh, yes,” Brianna answered, charming him instantly with her soft Southern accent. “It’s sooo nice. My room’s like a picture right out of a magazine. And comfortable—I can’t begin to tell you. There were so many pillows on the bed, I felt like a princess.”

“That’s great! Everyone in Heart’s Landing will do their best to make you feel like that all week.” Wanting to include Daniel, he turned to the groom. “And you? Are you happy with your accommodations?” Daniel’s ground-floor suite was just below his fiancée’s.

“Yes, sir. Like Brianna said, the bed-and-breakfast is awesome.” He cupped one hand at the side of his mouth. “Don’t tell my mom, but Ms. Marybeth’s a better cook than she is, and that’s saying something. The blueberry pancakes she made for us this morning were out of this world.” He patted his stomach.

“If she feeds us like that the whole time, I’ll need to buy a whole new wardrobe.” Brianna pushed her long blond hair over one shoulder.

Daniel gave his fiancée a tender look. “You probably worked off every calorie and more on our run.”

“You’re runners?” Ryan eyed the pair. Despite the differences in their height, they were both lean and well-toned.

“Have to be in the Marines,” Daniel said solemnly.

“I ran track in high school. I’ve stuck with it.” Brianna slipped her hand in Daniel’s. “It’s something we enjoy doing together.”

Ryan tapped his chin. His baseball coach had insisted that running built stamina. Like Brianna, he’d kept up the habit. “If you’re up for it, I’ll show you one of my favorite trails. It skirts the coastline north for about five miles. There are some really pretty views along the path.”

The look on Daniel’s face said he was raring to go. “Sounds good to me. Bri?” When she nodded, he suggested, “Tomorrow at oh five hundred?”

“That works.” Ryan turned to Evelyn. When they were younger, basketball and soccer had been her sports. Had that changed? “Want to join us?”

“That’s a bit early for me.” The redhead faked a yawn. “I’ll stick with my yoga class. It’s better suited to my schedule. Speaking of which, ours is tight today.” She tapped her watch.

Ryan clapped his hands together and gave them a brisk rub. “She’s right. We need to get moving.” He turned to Curtis. “Are you ready?”

The photographer checked his camera. “I have everything I need here.” He looked at Briana and Daniel. “Like we did on the way down here, I’ll snap some candid shots as we look around. I’ll get you to pose for some more formal pictures before we move on to the next location.”

When Brianna and Daniel agreed, Ryan cleared his throat. “Welcome again to the recently named Harbor View Weddings.” Glad he’d taken her advice, he couldn’t help tossing a smile in Evelyn’s direction. “The name might be new, but this place has a long history in Heart’s Landing. When the Great Depression ended in the 1930s and people had more time for leisure activities, George Farley established Farley’s Boat Works. He and his sons built dinghies and daysailers up to twenty feet long. Over time, they became well-known for crafting some of the finest hand-finished wooden boats on the market.” He pointed to one of the smaller vintage Farleys. He’d restored the dinghy to pristine condition and had propped it against one wall in the lobby.

“Farleys were in high demand for a long time, but by the Nineties, lighter fiberglass boats became more popular. Wooden boats that required more upkeep fell out of style. Farley Boat Works closed its doors. The building was shuttered and remained in the family until George passed year before last.”

He checked the faces of his small audience. Noting that everyone listened attentively, he continued. “Heart’s Landing is America’s Top Wedding Destination, and it has a lot to offer practically any bride. The one thing the town didn’t have was a great waterfront location. That’s where I came in. I bought this property, spent a year stripping the building down to the bare bones, and rebuilt it from the pilings up.” He inhaled. His pulse thudded. The next few minutes might very well determine his future. “And here’s the result. I hope you like Harbor View Weddings.”

Crossing to the towering barn doors, he pushed lightly on one panel. The door soundlessly glided back to reveal the main hall. Brianna gasped in surprise and wonder. Daniel chuffed approvingly. Though Evelyn didn’t utter a sound, her green eyes widened, and her mouth gaped.

Gleaming wooden floors and sparkling chandeliers led straight to windows that overlooked the harbor. On the other side of the glass, white clouds hung in the azure-blue sky like puffy balloons. Boats bobbed at anchor. Seagulls sailed the skies. The sun sparkled off a light chop created by an easterly breeze.

“Oh! Pretty!” Brianna exclaimed.

Daniel squeezed his fiancée’s hand. “I like it!” he said firmly.

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