Page 14 of Save the Dance

“Unless there are heirs, the estate will pass to the town of Heart’s Landing. I assume they’ll continue to run the Captain’s Cottage as a wedding venue as long as it breaks even.”

An awareness in Jason’s gray eyes mirrored her own growing concern. How long the estate remained profitable would depend in large part on her opinion of his home town. The weight of that responsibility pressed down on her as they descended to the second floor, where the sound of a vacuum buzzed through a closed door.

“It sounds as though they’re almost finished with your rooms. That’s good. I’d hate to inconvenience you any more than necessary.”

“Please. It hasn’t been a bother. I’ve enjoyed the chance to get familiar with the Captain’s Cottage. You make a good tour guide.”

At the compliment, a slight pink flush crept up Jason’s neck. “I’ve given you our largest apartment, the Azalea Suite. I hope you’ll be comfortable there, but if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“If I could get the Wi-Fi password, that’d be awesome.” She prepared to write it down.

The rosy tinge on Jason’s neck crept an inch higher. He frowned. “We don’t offer service up here. Just downstairs. You’re welcome to use the dining room or the library anytime you’d like. Both of those have a more than adequate signal.”

No internet service in her room? That seemed odd, and she told him so.

Jason opened the door to a nearby suite. The first room featured a plush sofa, low lighting, and a wet bar. Beyond it, a wide sleigh bed stood in a luxuriously appointed space. “Brides use these rooms to prep for their weddings. After the ceremony and reception, the newlyweds spend the night. We took a lot of surveys before we eliminated TVs and internet service on the upper floors. Our couples consistently didn’t want their brand-new spouses to get lost online. If they absolutely have to have service, they use the hotspot capability on their smartphones.”

The explanation made sense, though she’d wished she’d known about the restrictions ahead of time. If she had, she would’ve upgraded her phone before she left New York. She’d been hoping for a desk where she could spread out her work without worrying about someone barging in on her and reading her notes. A place of her own. Behind a door, preferably one with a sturdy lock. The lack of service wasn’t a dealbreaker, though. She’d make do. She’d just have to be careful not to leave her work out where anyone could stumble across it.

For a while, she and Jason wandered up and down corridors, poking their heads into suites that bore the names of flowers and had decor to match. The smallest, The Tea Rose, made up for its size with sumptuous furnishings. Gold-and-pink brocade topped the antique bed. Flocked print covered the walls. Airy and bright, it had a decidedly feminine appeal.

Stargazer lilies adorned the next apartment. Opulent purple asters, another. She tried to keep track of the number of massive claw-foot tubs but lost count somewhere after six. Each bath had been outfitted with heated towel racks and an array of lotions and perfumes, all the comforts of a five-star hotel.

“I’d be happy to stay in any of these. They’re so spacious and inviting,” she told her host. The grateful smile she received in return sent an unfamiliar shimmy through her middle.

On the ground floor, Jason treated her to a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to put on a big wedding. From the covered awning that promised to shield vendors and their wares from the weather to a wide incline that led to a roomy staging area, no detail had been overlooked. An Aga cook stove stood alongside the latest in kitchen gadgetry in an immense kitchen where the gleaming granite countertops and racks of copper-clad kettles would make her dad green with envy. She opened a pantry door and stared at shelves that were better stocked than some grocery stores.

“How does anyone make a sandwich in a place like this?” she asked. Which of the forty drawers of cutlery and tools held knives and forks? How would she ever find a loaf of bread?

Jason must have noticed her consternation. “Not to worry,” he assured with his usual, unflappable charm. “Sweet rolls and two kinds of breakfast casseroles are served in the dining room each morning. We put out sandwiches and fruit at noon, cookies and snacks in mid-afternoon. Our brides can bring in their own caterers or use ours. We have a full-time chef on our payroll and at least one cook on duty around the clock.” He smiled. “You wouldn’t believe how many middle-of-the-night requests we fill for strawberries and whipped cream. If you want anything special, all you have to do is ask.”

Judging from the size of the pantry and the side-by-side Sub-Zeros she’d spotted in the kitchen, Tara doubted she’d ever go hungry.

They moved on, peering into a series of rooms that could handle wedding parties ranging from an intimate gathering of immediate family to stately affairs for three hundred or more. Each had its own unique features. A hand-carved mantle in one. A breathtaking view of the ocean in another. On the veranda, the scent of roses floated thickly between wide columns covered with climbing vines. Just as she’d thought, the larger of the two ballrooms was being prepped for a party.

“A cocktail hour in your honor. Most of the local business owners will attend. They can’t wait to meet you. It’ll serve as the kickoff for the next ten days. Tomorrow night at six.”

She mentally noted the time. Glad she’d packed a few dressy dresses, she nodded.

They ended up at the library, where leather-bound books crowded a small table. “The Captain’s journals and ship’s logs,” Jason explained.

Her fingers itched to begin leafing through them. As much as she’d enjoyed her tour of the Cottage, as much as she’d found Heart’s Landing—and her host—to be utterly charming, she couldn’t afford to let personal feelings stand in the way of doing her job. Her career rested on Regina’s orders to debunk the romantic myth of Captain Thaddeus. Unless she wanted to scrap any possibility of getting ahead at Weddings Today, she had to do what she’d set out to do.

“Mind if I stay here for a while?” she asked.

When Jason readily agreed, she settled down at one of the tables and took the first journal off the pile. Sure she’d find exactly what she needed in the old ship’s logs, she began reading.

Chapter Six

“You say this Tara person showed up a full day ahead of schedule? Why is she here? For the preliminary legwork or something?” A potent mix of disbelief and shock swirled in Greg Thomas’s voice.

“It sounds as though she’s handling the entire review.” With the phone pressed against his ear, Jason flicked one end of the pen lying on his desk. Tip, clicker, tip, clicker. The pen spun in a dizzying circle.

“Ms. Charm, when will she arrive, then?”

“I don’t think she’s coming.” Jason resisted the urge to sigh. In the past fifteen minutes, he and the mayor had covered this ground twice already.

“At all?”

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