The money they expected to make off this event would help them break even on their expenses and now that dream looked to be in peril. And whatever else was going on with the ranch, she feared she would learn today.
Everyone had worked so hard to make this bitch bridezilla happy and in the end, her own fiancé had ruined it.
“We’re not completely up a creek,” Tara said. “We have contracts. In the event of a cancellation, we’re still legally entitled to the full balance of our fees.”
But would they pay? That was the big question, and Samantha didn’t have the money from her inheritance to pay for some legal eagle to take them to court. And would Francesca’s family even care that they would spend every dime the inn was making taking her to court to pay up?
Samantha raised her head in a world-weary voice, she asked. “Do you really think it’ll be that easy?”
Tara sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Glancing around the barn, she sighed. “Everyone leave. You’re free to go.”
The employees stared at her with surprise, but one by one, they walked out.
Standing, she glanced at Tara. “I’ll inform Emily. They’ve been working on the food for hours now.”
When she walked into the kitchen, Emily and Ben were tasting one of the dishes. Emily held the spoon to Ben’s mouth and he groaned. “Delicious.”
She’d been watching the relationship develop between these two and she was happy for the both of them. Even jealous of the love she saw between them.
“Good morning,” she said, knowing she was going to break their hearts. They had worked so hard to make a menu out of the food they had on hand, not being able to get a food delivery.
Why did she feel like the universe was conspiring against her?
Emily jumped. She’d been just about to slide into Ben’s arms.
“Samantha,” she said and then she frowned. “What’s wrong? You look upset.”
“I am,” she said, tears swell in her eyes. “I’m so disappointed to tell you that the wedding has been called off.”
Emily’s mouth dropped open and Ben came to Samantha and put an arm around her shoulders. “Sit down and tell us what’s gone wrong.”
Samantha plopped onto a chair as Emily brought her a cup of hot tea. “Here, you look like you could use this.”
“Thank you,” she said taking a sip.
“What happened?” Ben asked.
For the next five minutes, she explained to them what Tara had told her. It just felt overwhelming after all the hard work everyone had done to make this wedding a success.
“I’m sorry, guys. I know how hard you worked to make this dinner and now it’s not going to happen.”
Emily and Ben glanced at one another and then back to her. “What are we going to do with all this food?”
She hadn’t even thought of that. There was no way it could go to waste and there was way more than even her family and all the employees could eat.
“Save enough to feed the employees. Our guests are all packing up right now and getting ready to leave. It seems the fiancé has already left. Cameron has left, and Bridezilla and her mother, after ripping Tara to pieces, are getting ready to climb into their big, fancy limousine and head to the Swiss Alps without paying us.”
A hiss came from Emily. “But they signed a contract.”
“And how long and how much money will it going to cost to wind its way through the court systems?”
Ben shook his head. “Everyone has worked so hard. Let’s have a big celebration of our accomplishments tonight. Complete with the big, beautiful wedding cake we designed.”
“Can I please smash some of that cake in bridezilla’s face?” Emily asked.
Samantha chuckled. “I would love to let you, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. She’d then sue you.”