Page 3 of Kiss the Bride

He suppressed a groan. Didn’t everyone? Once Captain Thaddeus Heart’s granddaughter had glided down the staircase of the so-called Cottage to marry into the Rockefeller clan, the mansion-sized home at the end of Procession Avenue had become the most well-known wedding venue in Heart’s Landing. Each year, hundreds of brides and grooms said their “I do’s” beneath white tents erected on the acres of manicured lawns. Hundreds more exchanged vows in the library or on the veranda before dancing their special night away in one of two massive ballrooms. How had he expected to compete with that?

He glanced over Catherine’s shoulder to the docks and the water beyond. He stilled. The Boat Works had something no other wedding venue in Heart’s Landing could offer—a scenic waterfront view. Enormous plate glass windows looked out over the bay, where birds turned and wheeled against the blue sky. At night, those same windows took full advantage of the lights that sparkled like diamonds along the piers and the boats that bobbed at anchor in the quiet harbor. The lapping of gentle waves provided a backdrop soothing enough to calm a jittery groom’s nerves. Polished cedar walls would cast the bride and her wedding party in a rosy glow.

“But …” This particular bride cleared her throat. “How many weddings have you held here?” Tiny lines creased her brow.

His focus sharpened. “As you can see, we’re still finishing up a few minor details.” He gestured to a pair of doors propped against a nearby workbench. By close of business, they’d swing between the main room and a kitchen that would make professional chefs drool with envy. “We’ll hold our official grand opening at the end of the month.”

“In other words, mine would be your first booking?” The faint lines on Catherine’s face deepened.

“Yes.” No sense denying the obvious. “Don’t worry, though. If there’s one thing Heart’s Landing does well, it’s weddings.” From Forget Me Knot Flowers on the corner of Procession and Bridal Carriage Way to The Glass Slipper on Union Street, shop owners throughout the area prided themselves on providing the perfect wedding for every bride. They delivered on that promise so often that the small town, a stone’s throw from Newport, had been hailed as America’s Top Wedding Destination by none other than Weddings Today magazine. “If you choose the Boat Works, you’ll be glad you did. On that, you have my word.” He held his breath.

Catherine thought a moment longer before, with a breathy sigh, she extended her hand. “Thank you for spending your time with me this morning. I really do love this venue.” She cast a wistful glance toward a sixteen-foot Farley tied up at the dock next door. With cream-colored decking above a brilliant blue hull, the sailboat was a thing of rare beauty. “I have a few other places to see before I make a decision. I’ll get back to you.”

Suspecting it was a fruitless effort, Ryan nonetheless doled out business cards and contact information. As he escorted Catherine to the door, he added, “Wherever you decide to hold your ceremony and reception, you can’t go wrong in Heart’s Landing.”

He lingered in the doorway while Catherine’s heels sounded a speedy retreat on the freshly painted deck that stretched to the parking area. Behind him, a door opened. He turned in time to see a familiar dark-haired figure emerge from a back room. The electrician slipped a pair of wire cutters into the tool belt he’d hitched over a belly that wasn’t quite as flat as it’d been when they’d both played baseball for Heart’s Landing High.

“How’d it go?” The rubber soles of Norman Hawk’s work boots squeaked against the glossy wood flooring.

“If I were a betting man, I’d wager she won’t be back.” Ryan rolled his shoulders, a move that did little to ease a mounting tension. The June wedding season had kicked off two weeks earlier. Unfortunately, the calendar he’d hung in the back office was still as blank as fresh drywall.

Norman’s heavy eyebrows lifted. “Really? This place is awesome. I’d get married here in a heartbeat.”

“Oh? Can I pencil you in?”

Norman snorted. “I’m not even in the market.” His dark oval eyes pinned Ryan with a look that meant business. “Us single guys gotta stick together. There aren’t many of us left.”

“Truth.” He grinned. One by one, the rest of his high school teammates had traded in their baseball gloves and cleats for shiny gold bands until only he and Norman remained unattached. Now that they’d reached their thirties, he guessed that made them both confirmed bachelors.

Not that he’d object if the right woman did come along. A woman who’d love him for himself. Someone who’d laugh at his jokes and share his secrets, his dreams. Same as he’d share hers. A real Heart’s Landing love for the ages … that was what he wanted. He wouldn’t settle for anything less. Which meant his mystery woman would have to be truly special.

So far, he hadn’t met anyone who even came close.

Okay, there might have been a girl. Ages ago. Back then, timing and circumstance had worked against him. For now, he had more important things to do than fret about women. When he’d announced his plan to resurrect Heart’s Landing’s abandoned boat factory as a wedding venue, his brothers had looked at him like he’d lost his marbles. His dad had merely folded beefy arms across a broad chest and exhaled a long, slow breath that only confirmed what he already knew—he’d let his father down. And not for the first time. Since that day, his family had watched and waited for him to fail. There’d been times over the past year when he’d feared he might. Stripping the building down to its bare studs and transforming it into someplace a bride and groom would be proud to hold their wedding, yeah, that had required far more effort than he’d anticipated.

His gaze drifted across the hardwood floor he’d spent three months restoring. He’d scoured lumber yards from here to Maine searching for the perfect hardwoods to fill in the gaps where the original slats had rotted through. He’d spent weeks bent over an orbital sander, stripping the old flooring down to bare wood. It had taken another week to apply the stain and longer still to finish it with multiple coats of polyurethane. Those were just a few of the thousands of jobs he’d tackled, mostly on his own, over the past year. Now, with wide wooden beams soaring across the ceiling and light glinting from chandeliers, the Boat Works was the perfect place to hold a wedding or a reception … or both.

All of which didn’t amount to a hill of beans if no one ever got married here.

“I just wish one of these brides-to-be would take a chance on it.” He pushed hair overdue for a trim off his forehead. “So far, they’ve all wanted something with a proven track record.”

“You can’t blame them, can you?” Norman nodded toward the workbench Ryan had erected at the back of the room.

“Nah.” He shook his head. The average couple spent a fortune on their wedding. With that much money in play, he’d be just as leery as the next guy when it came to taking a risk on an unknown.

“Hang in there. The right bride will come along. Someone who sees all the potential and none of the risk.”

“I hope it happens sooner rather than later.” He crossed his fingers. He’d exhausted his savings getting this far. If he didn’t line up a few weddings soon, he’d be hard-pressed to make the mortgage payments. But that was more than his friend, more than anybody, needed to know. He straightened. “You finished up in there?”

“Yep. I ripped out the old wiring and ran a new line to handle the extra load for the double ovens. You’re all set.” Norman brushed his hands together. “I’ll personally vouch for the electrical wiring in this place.”

“You better.” He grinned. Following in his father’s footsteps, Norman had become a first-rate electrician. His services were in high demand throughout Heart’s Landing.

“There’s just one thing.”

There usually was. “What is it this time?”

“You sure I can’t interest you in a backup generator? Now’s the time to put one in if you’re going to do it.”

---