Page 107 of Trouble Walked In

“Yeah.” Carter’s smile was fleeting, but it was there. “She’s a cheerleader.”

Carrie came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron. “Lizzie! Welcome back. I see the trip went well. Hey, Renic.”

“Carrie.” Renic smiled. “Seriously impressed with what you’ve all done here.”

“If you think this looks good, wait ’til you see the ballroom,” Carrie said. “The kids were up all night.”

“Where’s the ceremony this time?” Renic asked. “Seems too cold to sit outside.”

“It’s a small wedding, so we’re hosting the ceremony in the ballroom,” Lizzie explained. “Then the guests can move out here and the lounge for cocktails andhors d'oeuvreswhile we switch the room over to reception mode. It’ll be a little hectic, but doable. That’s why it needed so much decoration out here. I didn’t expect it to look like this, though. This is truly spectacular.”

She noticed Carter holding his head a little higher as she spoke. Debbie might have an eye for graphics, but she had a feeling the actual designer of this Christmas fairy tale was Carter. Maybe Debbie would help him realize his true talents, along with easing him past his crush on Lizzie. She made amental note to be sure Debbie was on the serving crew for tomorrow.

Mark gestured toward the ballroom door. “Go on in. We just need to finish up the walkway and the porch, then it’s all good to go.”

She walked hand in hand with Renic into the ballroom and stopped just inside the door to stare at the transformation. It was always a beautiful space, with old-world charm and rich architectural details that made it feel like a proper castle. But now it was so much more than that. It was a Christmas fairy tale, a romantic bower, and a childhood dream all rolled into one.

“Oh…my…goodness.” She breathed.

“My mother would die of jealousy right now,” Renic said. “She pays a lot of money for people to decorate her house, and it never looks as good as this.”

The fireplace on the far wall served as the backdrop for the ceremony, and it was the perfect picture of Christmas. Lush greenery wrapped with twinkle lights stretched across the mantle, and a large wreath covered in red ribbons and lights hung above it.

The fireplace was flanked by seven-foot trees fully decorated with winter white and red ribbons, balls, and bows. Elegant candles waited to be lit by the bride and groom after they made their vows.

A small stage for the violin quartet had been erected in the corner directly in front of the formerly damaged wall. It had been repaired while she was gone, and now nobody would know there’d ever been a water issue in this room.

The rest of the space was shaped with trees, foliage, poinsettias, and ribbons into a wonderland that belonged on a postcard, or maybe at the North Pole.

“The bride is going to be so thrilled.” Lizzie spun aroundto beam at the people waiting for her reaction.

The relief she felt at knowing they all had her back—that she hadn’t ruined anything by taking a little time for herself—couldn’t be contained. She dropped Renic’s hand to pull Mark, Carter, and Carrie into a group hug. “Thank you all so much. I couldn’t do this without you.”

“Why would you want to?” Carrie asked.

“And we wouldn’t be here without you,” Mark said. “We’re a team.”

Later that night,after all the last-minute touch-ups were done and family dinner was finished, Lizzie led Renic upstairs to the Rose Room to show him the repairs he’d paid for.

Carrie watched them go with a knowing smirk, which made her blush, but didn’t stop her determination. She’d been picturing Renic naked in that room for weeks, and she wasn’t about to let a little embarrassment stop her.

She opened the door and stepped inside.

“You’re leaving me here all by myself?” He followed her into the room, caressing her back as he passed.

She shut the door behind them. “It’s just for tonight.”

He raised his eyebrows. “One night? Planning on sending me to the Budget Inn tomorrow?”

A flash of guilt tickled her. “Not this time.”

“Good, because if you kick me out again, I’d rather sleep in the truck.”

She closed her eyes against the embarrassment. She still couldn’t believe she’d actually done that. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t very nice.”

“For a Southern girl, it was unspeakably rude. I’m pretty sure it qualifies you for honorary New York City citizenship.Still, it all worked out in the end.” Renic grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. His smile was teasingly playful, with a hint of hunger that made her pulse quicken.

She didn’t want to get distracted. Not yet. But it was hard to keep her mind on what she wanted to say when he caressed the back of her hand with his thumb like that. She looked down so that she wouldn’t get lost in his gaze and pushed the words out. “Della told me breaking up the group was all her decision, and that she let me blame you so I wouldn’t be mad at her. I’m sorry I stormed into your office that day, and I’m sorry for what I said. You didn’t deserve that. You didn’t deserve any of it.”

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