Page 79 of Reckless Kiss

“Make sure you come and see me later this morning, Daisy Turner. I’d like to understand what your plans are for a career.”

“I’ll work it out with Bailey when a good time would be,” she replied.

Aunt Cynthia turned on her heel and went into the morning room.

“Try not to piss her off until I get the paperwork for the business. It’s in your interests too. Make sure you have a speech ready for when she wants you to tell her what you want to do when you grow up.”

“I bet she thinks we’re all kids and have no idea how to live alone, let alone do a skilled job on an oil rig.”

“Let’s eat. I need food.”

*0*

During breakfast, they managed to pry out of Bailey who the wedding manager was and where they could find him. It turned out that the manager didn’t live on the mainland at all but had an office in the town and lived a couple of streets away. Archer drove the buggy into town and parked up. Daisy speed-walked behind Archer, asking him to slow down.

“Grow longer legs,” he replied.

“Very amusing. That comment got boring when I was six.”

“I have a million things to do, so it’s jog next to me or have a piggyback.”

Archer could hear Daisy thinking through her options. Then, with a long sigh, he slowed his pace to walk side by side with his sister, who had dropped everything to come and help.

“I’m sorry, Daisy, for snapping. I’m worrying over a wedding that might not even take place. I know Aunt Cynthia is lying or withholding information. Did you see Bailey’s face when he had no option but to tell us?”

“I don’t know why he was so reluctant.”

Archer stopped outside the greengrocer and searched for the side door behind a moveable hoarding. Archer pressed the intercom while Daisy squeezed into the space next to Archer.

“How the hell are people supposed to find him with a giant cut out of a tomato in front of the door?”Daisy asked.

“I can’t imagine there’s much passing trade. His office might operate on an appointment-only basis.”

“That’s true. I wonder how many couples come over from the mainland to see Edward Hall?” Daisy asked.

Archer kept his finger on the buzzer after there was no answer the previous five times he pressed it.

“Are you looking for Stan?” Lucy said.

“Yes, Stan Myers, do you know where he is?”

“Fishing, probably. He will be at the end of the east causeway.”

“Thanks,” Archer said and placed his hands on Daisy’s shoulders to steer her out of the confined space.

The east causeway was a few minutes’ walk away, and to save time, Daisy jumped on Archer’s back. A lone man was sitting in a blue and white deck chair with a fishing rod in its holder. The line was out into the harbour. The man was fast asleep with his green bucket hat over his eyes. His fingers interlocked over his rounded stomach.

“He doesn’t look like a wedding planner,” Daisy whispered as they approached.

“No, he doesn’t.”

“Are you Stan Myers?” Archer called out, attempting to mimic a police officer.

He’d never seen a man move so quickly out of a deck chair before. Stan stood straight, pushed the hat to the back of his head, and squinted in the bright sunshine.

“Yes, I’m Stan. Who wants to know?”

“I’m Archer Turner, and this is my sister Daisy. We were informed that you run the wedding business up at Edward Hall.”

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