Page 4 of Save the Dance

Tara blinked and scurried to keep up with a conversation that veered in a direction she hadn’t expected. In an industry worth seventy-two billion dollars a year, roughly twenty-five percent of brides and grooms chose a destination wedding. Earning the title of the most sought-after location meant a serious boon to the winner’s economy. The entire office had been buzzing with speculation, but she had nothing to do with the contest. So why had Regina brought it up?

“For the past ten years, that honor has fallen to Heart’s Landing. You’ve heard of it, haven’t you?”

“Oh, yes.” Practically every young woman in America had dreamed of getting married in the quaint little seaside town a stone’s throw south of glitzy Newport. There’d been a time when she’d pictured herself standing on the veranda of the Captain’s Cottage reciting her vows. But she’d put aside those thoughts in order to concentrate on her career. She traced the crease in her slacks.

“Personally, I think the people there have grown so complacent, they’ve let things slide.” Regina’s gaze drifted to a large plate-glass window that overlooked busy lower Manhattan. “That was certainly the experience I encountered last year. My fiancé and I would never have called off our engagement if it hadn’t been for the way the staff at the Captain’s Cottage mishandled our arrangements.”

Tara swallowed a nervous gulp. It was no secret that Regina’s wedding to Wall Street investor Robert Hutchins had fallen apart mere weeks before the event. The editor had been in a foul mood ever since. Not that Tara or any of her coworkers dared discuss the matter within Regina’s earshot. Now that her boss had raised the subject, though, how was she supposed to respond?

Recalling how devastated she’d been when she discovered her longtime boyfriend’s roving eye, Tara shoved all the warmth and sincerity she could muster into one sentence. “I was so sorry to hear about the breakup, Ms. Charm.”

“Don’t be. I’m over it.” Dismissive, the editor waved one hand. Her attention shifting, she focused on Tara. “Don’t let anyone tell you different—true love is just a fairy tale. It doesn’t exist any more than Snow White, Cinderella, and Prince Charming do. Now that I’ve discovered the truth, I’m better off, believe me.”

Tara clamped her mouth shut over a protest that was sure to rile her boss’s feathers. The few times she’d spotted Regina and Robert at company functions and charitable events, she would’ve sworn the couple had been truly happy together. In the year since the pair had called off their wedding, the editor had grown more cynical every day. If that was better off, Tara wasn’t sure it was much of an improvement.

“Enough about my life.” As if she realized she’d been swapping confidences with a lowly junior staff member, Regina straightened. “Let’s get back to the subject at hand—Heart’s Landing. This year, the magazine wants a special, in-depth look at the entire town. They’ve allocated ten days for visiting every business and venue, sampling the fare from the various caterers and restaurants. Normally, as Executive Editor, I’d handle the evaluation personally.” Regina cleared her throat. “However, I don’t believe Heart’s Landing deserves the title any longer. I think it’s time to pass the torch to another contender.”

Tara nodded. According to whispered gossip around the watercooler, Regina had planned a wedding that would outshine the royal wedding of a lesser noble. Her fury had been a force to reckon with when things hadn’t turned out exactly as she’d envisioned. Now, it seemed, she placed the blame solely on Heart’s Landing.

“I’m sure you understand how that puts me in an awkward position. It wouldn’t look right for me to give the town a scathing review. People might accuse me of letting my own experiences color my perception. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”

In what could only be construed as a demand for support, Regina arched one carefully drawn eyebrow and cast an expectant look across the desk.

Recognizing her cue, Tara nodded. “You’re far too professional to let your own feelings influence your work.”

“Thank you for saying that. Still, Weddings Today needs to maintain its impartial standing. That’s where you come in. I want you to go to Heart’s Landing in my place. You’ll handle the entire evaluation. Can you do it?”

Tara gulped. Her? In charge of judging the incumbent in this year’s contest? This was more than taking a step up the corporate ladder. It was grasping the shiny bronze star at the top of the tree. “Yes, of course,” she blurted, despite the clanging of an internal alarm.

Careful. Opportunities like this one come with strings attached.

“This might sound like we’re putting a lot on your shoulders, but your job will actually be a simple one. You’ll fill out the checklists, visit all the must-see locations, snap pictures for the magazine, attend weddings and, in general, give everyone the impression that you’re performing a detailed evaluation. In reality, you’ll only be taking a cursory look at the town. Needless to say, I don’t expect, or want, a glowing report. Do I make myself clear?”

“Perfectly.” Tara pressed her fingers together. Okay, so this might not be the plum assignment it had sounded like at first, but it was still a great opportunity.

“The real part of your job is a little trickier. Heart’s Landing has held the title for so long, it’s going to take something substantial to knock the town off its pedestal. That’s where your unique skills as an investigative reporter come in.”

Tara leaned forward, her nose for a story on alert.

“Your real purpose while you’re there will be to debunk the lies that form the very foundation of Heart’s Landing’s claim to fame. For nearly as long as the town has existed, rumors and whispers have circulated about the town’s founder. Not everyone is convinced he was the paragon of love and faithfulness people have made him out to be. I want you to dig into the history of Captain Thaddeus Heart and find out the truth about him.”

Tara sucked in a breath. Now this was the meaty kind of assignment she’d been hoping for.

“You’ve heard the stories, I’m sure. How the good captain supposedly loved his wife so much that he sailed home for her birthday every year. That he battled a hurricane in order to make port on time. Like we’re supposed to believe that.” Regina gave an indelicate snort. “Then, there’s the heart-shaped stones mounted all over town. Locals claim Captain Thaddeus personally chiseled them as birthday presents for his wife.” She examined one blood-red fingernail. “Rocks—how perfectly droll. That in itself speaks volumes about the true nature of his relationship with his wife.”

Looking up, she continued, “I’ve requested access to the captain’s logs and records. Everything you need to expose his story as nothing more than a fairy tale will be available to you. Think you can do it?”

“Of course, Ms. Charm. I’ll do my best.”

“You must know how important this is, Tara. Debunk this myth, and you’re on your way up in the world. Fail, and, well …”

“I won’t.” She didn’t need anyone to spell it out for her. Succeed, and she’d get that promotion she’d been angling for. She’d remain on staff at Weddings Today, have her own office, write the kind of stories she’d dreamed of writing. Fail, and, at best, she’d be stuck in the bullpen for the rest of a very short career.

From a drawer in her desk, Regina retrieved a business card and scribbled on the back. “Here,” she said, sliding the paper across the desk. “That’s my private number. This conversation stays strictly between you and me. You’re not to tell anyone—especially anyone in Heart’s Landing—about the true nature of your assignment.”

While Tara slipped the card into a pants pocket, her boss retrieved her reading glasses and slipped them on. Regina’s focus dropped to the pages she’d been examining when Tara had entered the room. “Be sure to get those collages to me,” she said without looking up. “Spend the next couple of days wrapping up your assignments in the office. You’ll need to take your company laptop, of course. Someone from the travel department will explain how to get reimbursed for your expenses—I’ll have them get in touch with you. You’ll catch the train on Thursday. No one in Heart’s Landing expects you until Friday, but that’s the point. Remember, you always get a more honest picture when you catch your subjects off guard.”

Tara stood. “I won’t let you down, Ms. Charm.”

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