Page 9 of Save the Dance

Tara crossed the room, her hand extended. “I’m Tara Stewart from Weddings Today. I’m here to handle the magazine’s evaluation of Heart’s Landing.”

If she’d wanted to surprise someone, she couldn’t have planned it better. The frown on the woman’s face deepened. She darted from behind the desk to meet her guest halfway across the room. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.”

“I’m a little early.” Tara tried not to squirm beneath an intense once-over. Despite the fact that her hostess was just as informally dressed as she was, she wished again she’d had the chance to swap her jeans and cardigan for something a little more professional.

“Humph,” the woman said, folding her arms across her chest. “We were expecting Regina Charm.”

“You’ve got me there. I’m Tara Stewart,” she repeated. “Ms. Charm has been unavoidably detained in New York. She sent me in her stead.” Though she’d love to emulate Regina’s innate sense of style, Tara was pretty sure she could live in the Big Apple for the rest of her life without acquiring it. Still, she had to try. Imagining how the editor would react under similar circumstances, she aimed for a haughty tone. “I trust that won’t be a problem?”

The question dangled in the air for a long moment. At last, the woman’s mouth worked. As if it had never been there, the frown disappeared. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. You caught me off guard, that’s all. Wait till Jason gets a load of you. He’s gonna flip his wig.”

“Really?” Tara lifted her eyebrows.

“Forget I said anything.” Grinning, she shrugged. “Me and my big mouth—that’s one of the reasons they tuck me away in a back office. Mostly, I handle the bookkeeping and supplies for the Captain’s Cottage. I don’t get many visitors back here. I’m Evelyn, by the way. Jason is my cousin.” Evelyn folded her hands together and twisted her fingers. “So, how long have you been with Weddings Today?”

“About two years.”

Evelyn whistled. “You must be really good if they sent you instead of Ms. Charm. I’d like to have a job that sent me all around the country. I bet you meet a lot of celebrities, don’t you?”

The young woman looked so expectant that Tara hated to disappoint her. The truth was, her inbox provided the only contact she had with the models and superstars who graced the magazine’s covers. Unless she counted coffee runs—which she didn’t—this was her first assignment outside the office. A tidbit of information she definitely did not plan on sharing with Evelyn. “Not many. But I’m hoping that’ll change soon.”

“We get them here every once in a while. Last Christmas, the whole town buzzed when Karolyn Karter and Chad Grant showed up for her cousin’s wedding. You’ll probably meet her while you’re here. Jennifer Longely. Well, Bell now. She’s a nice girl. Different from what we all thought of her when she first got here.”

“How so?” She recognized the name from Regina’s notes. Her boss had thought there was more to that story, as well, and had told her to be on the lookout in case she caught wind of a juicy rumor.

“Oh, you know.” As if she realized she’d said too much, Evelyn retreated toward her desk. “I, uh, I should check Jason’s schedule to see if he’s in his office.”

Unwilling to push her luck by probing deeper into something that wasn’t at the top of her agenda, Tara let the matter drop. Karolyn Karter occupied a top spot on Hollywood’s A-list, but her appearance in Heart’s Landing was old news and definitely took a backseat to Tara’s current assignment. Besides, Evelyn’s openness and candor might come in handy. So far, everyone Tara had met in Heart’s Landing had been gracious and accommodating, almost to a fault. Evelyn made a refreshing, forthright change of pace. Under different circumstances, they’d probably be good friends.

While Evelyn fiddled with her computer, Tara took the opportunity to look around. It appeared that, unlike Alicia Thorn, her hostess-of-the-moment was a bit of a pack rat. Stacks of papers and files crowded every inch of the bookkeeper’s desk space. Cardboard boxes filled one corner of the small office. Like colorful tongues, swatches poked out of the sample catalogues that had been stacked along the walls and crowded the chairs.

“Looks like you’re in luck. Jason doesn’t have anything on his calendar. I’ll let him know you’re here … before I say something else I shouldn’t.”

“Sure. That sounds great,” she said, though she wished she could see Jason’s reaction first-hand.

Evelyn made the call. Then, leading the way, she headed for the office at the end of the hall. She didn’t wait for an invitation but crossed the threshold like a woman on a mission. “Jason, I’d like to introduce Tara Stewart from Weddings Today. Tara, my cousin Jason Heart, the owner of the Captain’s Cottage.”

The figure behind the desk rose with a smooth grace. Tara got a quick impression of a man with the same regal bearing as his impressive ancestor. Nor did the familial resemblance stop there. Tall and muscular, Jason Heart towered over her own five-foot-six-inch frame. A thick mop of jet-black hair barely brushed his shoulders. High cheekbones similar to the ones in the portrait in the foyer led to a sharply angled jaw. She extended her hand and stared up into slate-gray eyes the color of the sea beneath a cloudy sky. A touch of vertigo hit her when his palm grasped hers. It passed just as swiftly as it came when, after giving her hand a firm shake, his fingers dropped from hers.

“Welcome to Heart’s Landing and the Captain’s Cottage,” Jason said. “We’re very glad to have you here. Although you’ve caught me a bit flat-footed. I must admit I’m confused. We were told to expect Ms. Charm. Tomorrow. Has there been a change of plans?”

“I told Evelyn that Ms. Charm has been unavoidably detained in New York.” Tara darted a glance at the woman, who lingered nearby. “That’s not entirely true.”

“No?”

Two sets of eyes stared at her, but Tara had practiced what she’d say during the long train ride. “No. See, the thing is, Ms. Charm didn’t want her own experiences in Heart’s Landing to influence the town’s chances in the contest. She was afraid that coming here again so soon after her breakup might stir up bad memories. She sent me to take a fresh, in-depth look at the place, but don’t worry. Since Heart’s Landing has consistently emerged as the magazine’s top pick for ten years running, this visit is more a formality than anything else.” She shrugged. “As for my early arrival, that’s entirely my fault. My last project wrapped up sooner than expected, and I’d been so looking forward to the trip that I thought I’d just pop on up. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Bright intelligence gleamed in Jason’s gray eyes. Tara couldn’t be sure he’d accepted Regina’s excuse, but he definitely wasn’t buying the reason for her sudden appearance for a second and had the self-confidence not to care whether she realized he was on to her or not. “Of course, you’re missing out on all the pomp and ceremony of the formal greeting party we had on tomorrow’s agenda. And our mayor, Greg Thomas, will be disappointed that he wasn’t on hand to welcome you himself. He’s planned a tour of Heart’s Landing for you tomorrow. With the packed schedule we have planned over the next ten days, he and his wife went out of town for the afternoon. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for now.”

She could think of worse ways to spend the time than in the company of a man who reminded her so much of his swashbuckling ancestor, though it seemed like a far more prudent plan to keep her distance from someone who literally upset her equilibrium. She tugged on the hem of her wrinkled T-shirt. “I’d love the opportunity to freshen up after the long trip. Do you think you could have someone show me to my room?”

Jason’s lips thinned. “We’ll have so much going on over the next two weeks that we gave most of the staff the day off. There’s only a skeleton crew on duty today. As I mentioned, we weren’t expecting you before tomorrow.” The skin around his mouth tightened. “I’ve pulled two of our best workers off their other tasks and told them to prepare your suite, but it might be several hours before they finish. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.” All gracious apology and sorrow, he ducked his head.

This was exactly the kind of snafu Regina had told her to be on the lookout for. Tara supposed this was the point where her boss might have pitched a hissy fit and checked one of the many negative boxes on her judging form. But, as much as she wanted to please the executive editor, Tara wasn’t Regina. Jason’s well-mannered explanation had touched a soft space in her heart. She couldn’t condemn him for not having everything ready when she’d sprung her arrival on him without any warning. Given the popularity of the Captain’s Cottage, she should probably be thankful her room was available at all.

“There’s a fully stocked salon reserved for our brides on the first floor. No one’s using it right now, so you’re welcome to it. As for the rest of the day, I can offer you several options. It’d be my honor to escort you into town and introduce you to a few of our more prominent shopkeepers. Or give you a tour of the Captain’s Cottage. Or, if none of that appeals to you, the dining room is at your disposal. You’re welcome to work in there.”

Thanks, but no thanks on that last one. She’d spent most of the train ride doing research. The prospect of sitting at a table and poring over her laptop when there was so much to see and do around Heart’s Landing seemed like a perfect waste. On the other hand, if they’d planned on showing her about town the next day, throwing another monkey wrench in the plans might raise too many eyebrows.

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