by Robyn Neeley
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine.”
“I am worried. I mean, here I flew all the way from California to see you, and you wouldn’t even introduce me to him. Is he in the mafia?” She kicked off her heels and stretched her legs across the coffee table. “He is, isn’t he?”
“Oh heavens, of course not. Why would you think such a thing?”
“Um … because you’re involved with a random guy you met on the Internet.”
“It’s a respectable dating site for those looking for love in their golden years.” Her mother’s voice rose.
“I’m sure it is.” Kate shrugged off the thought of her mother’s dating profile. “I don’t mean to upset you. Why don’t you come to Hawaii and stay with me for one week instead of three? You could come this weekend. We could tour the island together,” Kate suggested.
“I can’t. Jack and I are — ”
“Aha! His name is Jack! Now tell me his last name, and we’ll be all set.” She’d have Miles arrange for a background check immediately.
“All in good time. All right, honey. I’ve got to run. Jack has planned a splendid picnic in Central Park.”
“How romantic.” Kate’s sarcasm appeared to go undetected by her mother.
“I’ll call you tomorrow. Don’t forget to take your vitamins and eat three meals a day. You’re too skinny.”
“If you would just come here, we could eat those meals together.”
“Love you.” Her mother chirped.
“Fine. Ignore me. Love you back.” Kate clicked off the phone and frowned. Well, that’s terrific. Her mother’s living it up all over New York City with some guy named Jack who’s planning romantic picnics while she fantasized about a guy that she couldn’t prove was actually real.
She sighed. Maybe her mom had a right to be happy. Clearly she was enjoying the company of this Jack fella. Still, it had always been the two of them. She missed her mother. Her parents had separated when she was eight after years of fighting. She remembered the day her father left as if it was yesterday. The night before he had kissed her goodnight and promised he’d read her a bedtime story another time. The next morning she found her mother crying in the living room, clutching a crumbled letter.
Her father had left that night on a plane to Rhode Island to start a new life with his then secretary. Shortly after, her mom filed for divorce. She never quite forgave her father for abandoning them like he did. Even now, their relationship wasn’t strong.
While her dad remarried, her mother hadn’t found that special one to share her life … until now. Kate did want her mom to find love. She just wished she knew who this Jack was.
She stood, crossed the living room and slid open the door to the balcony. Stepping outside, she went over to the railing and peered down. Her gaze fell seventeen floors, landing on the most beautiful sugar sand beach and clearest blue water she’d ever seen. She took a deep breath. The salty sea air floated deep down inside her, filling her lungs. This was absolute paradise.
She had to be the luckiest wedding planner on the planet. Waikiki Beach was a dream location for anyone in her line of work. How did she get so lucky to have a career that required her to live on this beautiful island for the next three weeks? She hoped she could take full advantage and explore it.
She sighed. Who was she kidding? There would be no downtime to play tourist. Not with less than a month to plan an upscale beach wedding for one hundred people. Normally her clients agreed to a year — at the very minimum — for Kate to plan their perfect day. Not this time.
It was only this week that her agency, Tie Your Knot Wedding Consulting, had gotten the frantic call from Lauren Kincaid, daughter of California billionaire, Warren Kincaid. She and her fiancé wanted to wed in Hawaii at the end of August and would drop an exuberant amount of cash to make it happen.
Kate was used to dealing with high profile clients. Tie Your Knot had a clientele list that any Hollywood agent would kill for. Kate was their senior planner. Her weddings had been featured in magazines and publications all over the world.
She suspected Lauren might be pregnant. It would explain the urgency for quick nuptials.
Within days, her boss had cleared Kate’s calendar, reassigning her clients to the agency’s other three associates so she could devote all of her attention to planning Lauren’s wedding.
Miles was deployed to Honolulu immediately. Kate, on the other hand, had a pre-planned trip to visit her mother in New York City.
Her attempts to talk her mom into coming to Hawaii with her were futile. Fourteen hours after landing in the Big Apple, she boarded the plane for Hawaii.
Now that she was in Honolulu, she was ready to work. With dozens of A-list guests and paparazzi, it was going to be a spectacular event. She had never planned a wedding in Hawaii.
Less than a month to plan wasn’t a lot of time. How on earth would they pull it off? She let her hands dangle off of the balcony. They would. She was the best in the business. At least that’s what Wedding Planners International called her, naming her one of “thirty over thirty” to watch this year.
A plane zipped through the blue sky, leaving a white streak in its wake. She laughed. That’s more of a trace than her mystery guy had left. She glanced at the numerous hotels along the beach. Could he be in one of them?
How nice would it be to run into him again? Fat chance. She’d never get so lucky. She loved her job but what was really missing was someone to share her life with. The nature of her work ensured that love was all around. The romantic proposals; the breathtaking venue selection; exquisite invitations; picking the perfect dress; writing heartwarming vows and discovering all the special nuances of the couple to make their wedding memorable. All in a day’s work.
Yet, when it came to her own love life, she seemed to always come up short. She knew she lacked the confidence that her married friends had. To put total trust in one man seemed impossible. She couldn’t risk getting hurt like her mother had.
Moving away from the balcony, she stepped back inside. Miles was meeting her in the lobby in one hour.
She showered and dressed hurriedly, selecting a simple green sleeveless dress that zipped on the side. Slipping on her nude pumps, she gave a quick thumbs-up to her image in the mirror. Perfect. Understated and professional. Early on she had learned that under no circumstances should the wedding planner upstage the bride, especially when meeting for the first time.
She shivered, thinking about the time a client hit on her during an informational meeting while his fiancée used the restroom. He had told Kate their marriage would be an open one.
Some grooms were absolute jerks. She sometimes wondered what the brides were thinking in saying yes. Maybe they were desperate to get married. She walked over to the coffee table and reached down. Picking up the champagne flute, she traced the rim with her fingers. Was her mystery guy one of those jerks?
“Probably.” She dropped the flute in the trash bin. “Even if last night did happen, he’s probably taken.”
Chapter Four
“Wow!” Miles let out a high catcall whistle from an aqua blue leather sofa in the hotel lobby. “You clean up well.”
“Thank you.” Kate took a seat next to him and ran her fingers through her hair. She normally pulled it back for client meetings, opting for a conservative, all-business look. Today she’d been inspired to do something different. “Do I look okay?”
“Marvelous. You never wear your hair down.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Does the mystery man you met last night have something to do with this new look?”
“Maybe.” She smiled. “The dress isn’t too much, is it?”
“I love the side zipper action you’ve got going on.” He touched the tiny fastener. “Very chic.”
“I know, right? Let’s hope I don’t spill anything today. I can’t afford to stain my entire wardrobe.” She caught Miles suppressing a laugh. No doubt his dirty little mind wandered somewhere completely inappropriate.
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“I thought you were going to bring down your white dress so I could have it dry cleaned for you?”
“Already taken care of. I called housekeeping. They picked it up an hour ago and said it would be ready this afternoon.”
Miles rolled his eyes. “You do know you have an eager-to-please assistant?” He pointed both of his thumbs toward him.
“Work assistant not personal one. Besides you have more pressing things on your plate for today. Speaking of which, did you arrange for an amenity to be sent up to our happy couple?”
“Sure did. Some tuxedo strawberries and a bottle of the hotel’s finest champagne will be delivered compliments of Tie Your Knot. They should get it sometime this afternoon.”
“Fabulous. They’ll love it.” Their clients always remarked how much they enjoyed the surprise amenity. It was the first of many signature Tie Your Knot special touches planned for the bride and groom.
She glanced around. Brightly colored tourists zigzagged in every direction. She was glad she decided to mix up her wardrobe for this trip. Back home, she tended to wear a lot of black. Miles was always telling her she needed to add more color to her wardrobe or move to New York City. “Shall we head to the restaurant?”
Miles sprung up. “You’re going to die. This place serves the most scrumptious papaya coconut cake.”
“Oh?”
He nodded and patted his stomach. “I’ve had four pieces since I checked in.”
“Sounds delicious.” She studied her assistant’s long and lean physique. Where did he store any cake?
“Save room for dessert.”
That wouldn’t be hard. She had never met a piece of cake she couldn’t eat, which was a good thing given the amount of wedding cake she tested regularly. It was company policy to taste test wedding cakes before making top three recommendations to clients. A job everyone in her office enjoyed.
They crossed the lobby and headed into the adjoining restaurant. Their hostess immediately greeted them with two purple and green orchid leis. Her name badge read Iolani. “Aloha.”
“Aloha,” Kate repeated, letting the woman put the lei around her neck. “We’re meeting Lauren Kincaid. Has she arrived?”
“Right this way.” She motioned for them to follow her.
“Thank you.” Kate leaned into Miles. “How many leis are we going to get today?”
He laughed. “There’s only one that matters.”
She swatted him playfully as they followed their hostess through the dining room and outside to the back terrace. The area was crowded with lunchtime guests at two-, four- and six-top tables that were sprinkled throughout the wide deck.
Kate inhaled the salty sea air. She loved ocean-side dining in California. She had a feeling she’d love it even more in Hawaii.
Perhaps this would be a nice location for the rehearsal dinner? It certainly would be easy for the guests to get to. Plus, it always helped with any unforeseen hotel negotiations if she could float additional business their way. She made a mental note to have Miles set up a meeting with the sales person and chef for tomorrow.
“Hello! You must be Kate!” A striking woman with long, straight blonde hair waved frantically. Oversized black sunglasses covered her eyes. “I’m so happy to finally meet you both. I’m Lauren.” She stood and threw her tanned arms around Kate, nearly knocking her over.
Kate hugged her back, struggling to maintain balance. The way Lauren acted, nearby patrons might have thought this was a reunion among friends and not a first-time meeting.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Kate motioned to Miles. “This is my assistant Miles Payne.”
“Miles!” Lauren’s smile widened and she went in for another bear hug. “I can’t tell you both how relieved I am that you will be planning my wedding.” She sat back down. “Let’s get a round of cocktails to celebrate!” She motioned for the waiter. “Do you guys like piña coladas?”
“We’re so happy you selected Tie Your Knot. We’re going to make sure your wedding is fabulous,” Kate said, taking a seat.
“When daddy told me that your company could do it on such short notice I nearly died.” She turned to the waiter. “Four piña coladas, please.”
So much for the theory that Lauren was pregnant. Kate suspected the fourth drink was for the MIA fiancé.
Lauren slid her sunglasses on her head. “Where was I? Oh, yes.” She patted Kate’s hand. “Janet told us you were the rising star of her company and that we were in very good hands.”
Kate smiled and looked over at Miles. He was deep in his nonverbal assignment, studying every inch of Lauren as she had asked him to. Not that it was a hard job, even for a gay man. With her long shiny blonde hair and hourglass figure, accentuated by the tight royal blue dress she had on, she was absolutely gorgeous. Now that her eyes were no longer hidden, it wasn’t hard to see their color rivaled that of the ocean.
Kate looked down at her lap. Even if she had chosen to wear her sexiest outfit, she didn’t hold a candle to Lauren. Fine by her. It all but guaranteed the fiancé wouldn’t have a wandering eye. Speaking of which … Where was he?
“Will the groom be joining us?” Kate asked and buttered a piece of bread. It should calm her growling stomach.
Lauren nodded. “He’s on his way down. You know how men are with planning their wedding. Can’t be bothered.” She picked up a menu and flipped it open. “He had a conference call with his father. They’re working out the details to announce a big company merger.”
Kate studied her menu. So Drew was a businessman with his own family money? That’s good. It didn’t surprise her. Rich types tended to stick together.
She reached for her drink and took a sip. The creamy coconut mixture slid down her throat. It was going to be hard to abide by her rule of only drinking half of any alcoholic beverage in front of clients. She wanted to be polite, but Miles and she had a long afternoon ahead. She didn’t need a buzz.
Lauren continued, “Drew and I have always dreamed of a Hawaiian wedding. We met here.”
“Really? On vacation?” Kate leaned in. There could be many romantic ways to tie their “cute meet” into the wedding.
Lauren nodded. “Yes, spring break. We were sophomores in college. It was a wild weekend. Neither of us remembers much of it.”
Then again, maybe not. So much for their cute meet. Kate chose her words carefully. “Well, exchanging vows at the place you met is very romantic.” She picked up her glass. A couple more sips wouldn’t hurt.
“My dream location would be Maui.”
“Not Waikiki?” Miles asked.
“Daddy wants us to have the ceremony here on account of all the business we do with this hotel. I think Drew wants it to be here too. It doesn’t m — ” She jumped up. “Here’s my man. Hey, Baby, we were just talking about you. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to join us. Come meet our wedding planners.”
Kate stood and turned to greet the fiancé. Her eyes widened. Standing next to Lauren with his arm tight around her waist was Drew — as in Drew from the plane who kissed her into another orbit and then let her nestle in his chest for ten hours — Drew.
Something cold and wet seeped through her dress and she gasped.
Miles handed her his napkin. “There goes another one.”
Was this really happening? Kate knew she needed to say something quick. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you again.” She blotted her dress. “I can’t believe how clumsy I am.”
Lauren arched her eyebrow. “Again? You two have already met? When?”
Drew grinned. “On the plane ride over. We were in the same row. It’s nice to see you.” He extended his hand. “What a small world, eh?”
“So small.” Kate nodded meekly.
“It’s Kate, right?”
“K-a-t-e.”
“Sorry?” He took a seat next to Lauren, resting his arm around her. “Kate and I didn’t talk much.”
He did not just say that? Of course we didn’t because your to
ngue was jammed down my throat. “No we didn’t,” she agreed. “I slept most of the way here.” In your arms, asshole.
Lauren motioned for their waiter. “Let’s decide what we want. I’m starving. Baby, I got you a drink.”
They ordered and a short time later their meals arrived. Kate picked at her grilled mahi-mahi salad while listening to Drew and Lauren recount every detail of their courtship. They had been together for nine years and had recently bought a mansion in Pacific Palisades. Drew ran the west coast operations for his family’s business. He didn’t seem interested in sharing much about what he did for a living.
Kate tried her best not to stare at Drew. Nine years. Why hadn’t they pulled the trigger and gotten married sooner? Surely Lauren wanted to be Mrs. Drew Cannon.
She knew why. He didn’t want to get married. Even without her inside knowledge, all the signs were there. Lauren wasn’t pregnant; she was desperate. If she forced Drew into a quick wedding at the place they met, she’d have a ring on his finger before his tropical hangover subsided.
“So that’s our story.” Lauren gazed over at Drew. “He saved me from entering a wet T-shirt contest, and I knew he was the one.”
He leaned in and nuzzled her nose with his. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
Kate knew she’d be knocked over any minute from the wave of nausea forming inside her. How could he pretend that he didn’t make out with her last night? She looked over and noticed Miles’s drink was untouched. She could use another.
Lauren planted a quick kiss on Drew’s lips. “We should go. My parents are arriving this afternoon.” She stood. “You know what? Why don’t you two join us for dinner? Drew’s br — ”
“We can’t,” Kate interjected. There was no way she was going to spend any unnecessary time watching Drew and Lauren swoon over each other. She’d rather bathe in hot lava. “We’ve got dinner plans with a potential caterer for your reception.”
“That’s wonderful.” Lauren nudged Drew. “What did I tell you, Baby? Kate is a pro.”
Drew chuckled. “Spare no expense.”
