Page 69 of Trouble Walked In

“I know. Still.” She reached out a hand toward Jacob. “It’s a real shame we didn’t know you first. I’m Shanna. Nice to meet you.”

Jordanna nudged Renic’s arm.

“Tonight’s the rehearsal dinner, right?” She said it loud enough to get the group’s attention. “After Jacob and I have a little chat, I’m sure we can work out something for tonight, if you’d like to hire him. It’d be a cozy little concert just for you.”

“That’s a great idea,” Renic said, keeping his tone light and bright. “Hey, Jacob, what do you think about celebrating our partnership with a small session?”

“Oh!” Shanna exclaimed. “That would be great! Will you? Please?”

Jacob ran a hand through his hair and grinned at the excited girl. “Sure. We can work something out.”

A man stepped forward. “How much is that going to cost?”

“Who cares, Daddy? I spent less on the dress so we still have money in the budget you gave me. And this would really make the whole weekend complete. Please?” She looked at her father with the sweetest puppy dog eyes Renic had ever seen.

The father of the bride grimaced, then nodded. “We’ll work it out.”

The bridal party erupted in cheers and excited chatter as they clustered around Jacob.

It was a sign of things to come, Renic realized. Five years from now, Jacob would be surrounded by an exponentially bigger crowd of fans, probably during his first tour.

He exchanged glances with Jordanna. From the look in her eyes, she saw the same future.

“Damn you.” She shook her head. “I’ll have to hire at least two more people for this. Just you wait.”

“It’ll be worth it.” He gave her a broad, unapologetic smile.

A movement in the doorway caught his eye. Lizzie and Della hovered just outside the door. He wondered how long they’d been standing there.

Lizzie gave him a small smile and a nod, and mouthed the words “thank you.” She must have been there long enough to hear the discussion.

Della gave her sister a long look and walked away.

Renic returned his attention to the budding star in the room. He was beginning to see that having Jacob here might have provided him with an unintended cattle prod. What must Della be thinking, seeing a new talent at the beginning of his career?

Hopefully, she’d realize how much she missed her own.

Chapter Seventeen

The Big Day, as Lizzie had it labeled in her binder, had been going so well that she was starting to feel a sense of doom creeping up the back of her neck. Something always went wrong. Always. Hopefully, whatever it was would be minor, like a broken vase or a missing tie, and not something major like a misplaced ring or a torn wedding dress.

It was three o’clock on Saturday afternoon, and so far nothing had exploded.

She didn’t trust it in the slightest.

Lizzie took her binder to the kitchen, expecting to hear about a disaster involving food or maybe an oven had died. “Everything going okay in here?”

Carrie and Della looked up from rustic wood serving trays filled with mozzarella and tomato bites that had taken over the island.

Della held a toothpick in her hand like a tiny spear. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Carrie placed a small piece of fresh mozzarella on her ownskewer with a delicate, deft hand. “Because she thinks it’s not a successful event until she gets to handle a disaster.”

Lizzie glanced around, feeling a slight rush of panic. She’d expected the cake delivery this morning, but with everything else going on she’d left it to Carrie to handle. “Where’s the cake?”

Carrie place her finished skewer on the tray in front of her. “It’s already in place in the ballroom on that big, six-foot table in the corner. Love the theme on this one. Simple and elegant. Just burgundy flowers, and no cheesy cake topper. I like it.”

Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, good. I don’t want a repeat of the last wedding.”

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