Dakota glanced up and caught him staring.
Clay smiled. "Do you know what you want?"
"I think I'm just going to go with an omelette. You?"
"Bacon and scrambled eggs. Guess we're both in the mood for simple. Mind ordering for me? I need to use the little boys' room."
She cracked a smile. "Sure. How do you want your coffee?"
"Today, black."
"That makes two of us." She stretched.
Clay went to the bathroom. When he came back, Dakota's head was resting on her arms on the table. He walked over to her side of the booth. "Dakota?" he whispered.
She didn't budge.
"Dakota?" he asked a little louder.
Nothing.
Clay slid off his jacket, put it around her shoulders, and sat back in his spot. He glanced out the window and then pulled out his phone and logged into his social media profile. There were a bunch of posts asking if he had broken up with Lauryn. Clay was bad about checking in regularly, whereas Lauryn never seemed to pull herself away. Sure enough, when he looked at her profile he saw that she had changed her status to "single" the very day they broke up.
After a few minutes he'd responded to all the posts, confirming the news, and had also updated his own status. Before he could even close the app he had several messages from female friends. He sighed and shook his head, not even bothering to open them. Hopefully, soon enough he'd be able to once again have "in a relationship" in his profile.
Clay closed the app and saw he had new email messages. One was from his mom asking why he hadn't told them he'd broken up with Lauryn.
"Sometimes I hate social media," he grumbled and sent his mom a quick update on his life.
A thirty-something waitress with her hair pulled into a ponytail arrived with their coffees. She tilted her head toward Dakota. "Want me to wake her?"
He shook his head. "Let her sleep. She needs it."
"Okay. You want anything in your coffee?"
"Nah, I'm good. Thanks."
"A-okay. Your food is almost ready. Oh, and by the way, you two are adorable together."
Clay grinned widely, unable to stop.
The waitress winked and walked over to another booth.
He sipped his scalding-hot coffee and brought his attention back to Dakota. She was even gorgeous when she slept. He couldn't keep himself across the table from her any longer. He set his coffee down and scooted next to her, practically sitting on the edge of the seat.
She stirred, but didn't wake.
Clay leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Good morning."
Dakota bolted upright. "Oh, I'm so embarrassed."
He put his arm around her. "You have no reason to be. You're just tired. Have some coffee." He nudged the little white cup closer to her.
She reached for it and the jacket slid off one shoulder. Dakota looked back and forth between him and the coat and pulled it up. "You didn't have to."
He shrugged. "You seemed cold, and I like the way it looks on you."
Dakota smiled. "Thanks. I like it, too."
They held each other's gazes for a moment before the waitress came by with the food. Dakota scooted over, giving him room to sit comfortably.
The waitress gave them each their plate and slid Clay's coffee over to him. "Can I get you two anything else?"
Clay glanced over at Dakota. "I've got all I want."
"Me, too," Dakota said.
Twenty-Five
The busy, exhausting days turned into weeks as Dakota worked long hours in preparation for Charlotte's wedding. She and Clay had no time for any dates, as work ended up filling every day. She'd tried convincing him to take weekends off, but he wouldn't let her handle everything alone.
The only thing they'd managed to do was sneak away for a meal a few times. It was for the best, since she still didn't want to date anyone she worked with. It was just a matter of letting Clay go, and that was a subject she'd managed not to bring up—not that there had been any time.
Finally, the day of the wedding arrived. As tired as she was, Dakota woke before her alarm. Excitement ran through her. All the work and long hours had come down to this.
She got up, set the coffee maker, and got into the shower. Her mind raced—there were a million added details that Charlotte had thrown their way over the last few weeks.
Regardless of what happened—if this wedding led to many more big name clients or not—this day would prove to be the most unique event Dakota had ever hosted. As of the previous night, everything was set to go off without an issue.
Clay had helped her go over everything, not once or twice, but five full times. They were set, and nothing had been overlooked. Even the bride and groom were already in town, ready to show up at The Chateau bright and early. And Dakota was set to meet them an entire hour before they were due.
She put on her new outfit—she'd purchased one just for the occasion—and hurried downstairs. She made the perfect cup of coffee and sipped it, finally feeling relaxed. After all the time spent getting ready for this huge day, it was here at last. By the time she went to bed that night, it would be behind her.
Dakota bustled around the house, sipping her coffee the whole way. She'd set everything out the night before, and it was all there waiting for her.
Once she was ready to go, she finished her liquid sunshine and made another in a to-go cup. Before long, the car was loaded. As she drove to work, Dakota felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. Since before she'd received that first call from Charlotte Pemberley, actually.
Then next week, she and Clay would discuss what worked and what didn't, and come up with a project list just for big name clients. Once that was set, she would talk to him about going out together… and where he would work next. It made her heart flutter, but she couldn't think about that now.
Charlotte's wedding. That was all that mattered today. Dakota and Clay would give her the wedding of her wild and crazy dreams.
The parking lot at The Chateau was empty. A light dusting of snow covered the ground. It had stuck nicely to the grass and dirt—exactly how Charlotte wanted her outdoor wedding.
Dakota smiled as she pulled up to the front door. She unloaded her car and parked. Birds chirped and the sun shone, warming her despite the chilly air. Spring was on its way. Could things get any more perfect?
She got everything inside and then wandered through the building making sure everything was as it needed to be. After a few minutes, people started piling in. The florist, chefs, additional caterers, Dakota's staff, and finally, Clay. He seemed as invigorated as Dakota felt.
He walked over to her with a big smile on his face. "Today's the big day."
"Can you believe it's finally here? I couldn't have done it without you."
"We make a good team."
"That we do." Dakota sipped her coffee. "Have you heard from Sarah or Charlotte yet?"
"Not since last night. Sarah said the bridal party had a pretty wild night. Hopefully, they make it in time."
"If I have to drive to the hotel myself and drag them over here, I will."
"I'd like to see that," Clay teased.
Her heart skipped a beat. She had to let him go as soon as possible. It was torture keeping herself at a distance when he was right there. It would be so easy to throw herself into his arms and gaze into his eyes all day.
"Let's start setting up the chairs outside." She cleared her throat.
"So soon?" he asked.
"It's supposed to be clear and sunny all day. We'll be fine."
They grabbed the folding chairs from storage and set them up outside on the snowy ground.
Clay looked around the courtyard when they were done. "It looks good, but why do I feel like we're forgetting something?"
"The tiger-orange faux fur chair covers, designed specifically for this wedding."
"Oh, right. I don't know how that could've slipped my mind. We should put those on right before the guests arrive, shouldn't we?"
/>
Dakota nodded. "Right after we've warmed them."
"That's right! Okay, what's next? Do we hang the—?"
Squealing and shrieking came from inside.
"Sounds like the bridesmaids are here," Dakota said. "We'd better get them set up in the bridal room." She followed the laughter until she found them. They all had dark bands under their bloodshot eyes. It was a good thing she'd hired extra makeup stylists for the day.
She counted the girls, but came one short.
Charlotte.
"Where's the bride?" Dakota asked, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.
"She's not here?" asked Tayla, the maid of honor. She twisted her pink and purple hair around her finger.
The other bridesmaids jumped in, talking over each other.
Clay whistled, piercing Dakota's ears.
Everyone stopped talking.
"One at a time," Clay said. "When was the last time you saw Charlotte?"
"I blacked out last night." A girl with half her head shaved held a temple. "She was there then."
"She was gone when I woke up," Tayla said. "I thought she was already getting ready."
"Maybe she's doing yoga on the beach," said a bridesmaid wearing a bright green fedora and dark shades.
"Yeah," Tayla said. "That's how she centers herself."
Clay turned to Dakota. "What should we do?"
"I'll get these ladies set up in the bridal room. You call Charlotte."
"You got it." Clay pulled out his phone and walked away.
"Where's Sarah?" Dakota asked.
The girls all shrugged.
"Haven't seen her, either," Tayla said.
Stress squeezed Dakota's chest and moved up toward her throat, threatening to choke her. So much for her blissful, stress-free day. She should have known better.
Dakota forced a deep breath and a smile. "No worries. They're probably working on last minute preparations. Follow me."
She led them to the enormous bridal room, where thankfully, all the dresses, shoes, and everything else they would need were.
"You ladies make yourselves comfortable. I'll send in the makeup artists and hairstylists."
They all shrieked and giggled as they ran into the room.
Pressure squeezed all around Dakota's head. A missing bride and assistant. This was going to be fun.
She grabbed her phone and texted the hair and makeup artists. There was no time to hunt them down. She found Clay. "Did you get ahold of Charlotte?"
He shook his head. "She's not answering. I left a message and texted her."
Dakota's breathing constricted. "Nobody knows where Sarah is, either."
"They've got to be together, right? Doing some kind of bridal ritual?"
"I'm going to call Sarah." Dakota dialed Sarah's number while heading for the kitchen. The head chef gave her a thumbs-up, indicating that all was going well in there.
At least everything else was going according to plan. Maybe Clay was right. Charlotte could be doing something she hadn't mentioned to anyone. Acupuncture, a facial, or any number of things to get ready for her big day. She hadn't managed to do anything else according to the book, so why would today be any different?
Sarah's number went to voicemail.
"Hi, Sarah, this is Dakota. Everything is underway here at The Chateau—other than the fact that no one has heard from Charlotte or you. If you could call either me or Clay, that would be really helpful. Thanks!"
Aria ran over to Dakota. "The bridesmaids want to dig into the wine."
"Already?" Dakota exclaimed. She slapped her forehead. "No, that's for the reception. I'll send someone for coffee, but they can't touch the alcohol."
"That's what I thought. I'll run to the nearest coffee stand unless you need me for something else."
"No. Thank you."
Aria gave her a reassuring smile. "Charlotte will show up. She's probably meditating with the Tibetan monks that are in town. I saw them sitting in a park on my way here."
Relief swept through Dakota. "You know, I bet you're right. That sounds exactly like the thing she'd get distracted by. You're the best. Which park?"
"That one with the dragon-shaped climber."
Dakota kissed Aria on the cheek. "I can't thank you enough."
"Actually, I could use an assistant."
"Consider it done—next week."
Aria's face lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah. I've got to get going." Now she'd have to find an assistant for both her and Aria, but she didn't care. Not as long as she found Charlotte meditating with the monks.
Dakota found Clay speaking with the florist. "I'll be right back."
He arched a brow. "Do you need any help?"
She shook her head. "I think I know where Charlotte is. I'm going to run over and check. I'll let you know if she's there."
"Where?"
"Meditating with some monks."
"Oh, good call. I'll bet you're right."
"I'll call you either way." She spun around and rushed for her car, darting around a plethora of people who blocked her path at every turn. The conversation was so loud, she could barely hear herself think.
The cold, crisp outdoor air was as refreshing as the silence. She took deep breaths as she headed for the park. Meditating with the monks didn't sound like such a bad idea. She could sure use some calming down.
Dakota slowed as she approached the park. Red and yellow robes went as far as she could see. She pulled into the parking lot and scanned the meditators. Unless Charlotte had shaved herself bald, she wasn't there.
She groaned and looked over the crowd again, slower this time. Maybe she'd missed Charlotte. She still didn't see the bride or her assistant.
This couldn't be happening. Did she have a runaway bride on her hands? What if Charlotte had gotten cold feet? Dakota struggled to breathe normally.
She pulled out her phone and sent Clay a text.
Heard anything?
No.
Going 2 keep looking.
Let me help.
Dakota sighed. Maybe having him there would be better.
OK. Headed over.
Did Charlotte say anything about chimpanzees?
Dakota had to read the last text twice.
What?!
A monkey trainer just arrived. For the wedding.
Tell Marina to deal with it. I can't.
OK.
On the way over, Dakota slowed to glance inside every coffeehouse and restaurant she passed. She couldn't see Charlotte in any of them.
She rushed inside once she parked. The Chateau was even busier than before. She managed to find Clay hanging orange and white feathers in the reception hall.
He handed his bag to someone else and headed over to her. "Still haven't found her?"
Dakota shook her head. "Let's keep quiet about this for now. Everything else is going according to plan."
"Let's take my bike. It'll be easier to get around. Where do you want to look?"
"I'm out of ideas." She frowned.
"Well, she has to be somewhere. All the cars are accounted for, so we know she didn't drive back to Seattle."
Dakota's stomach tightened. "Don't say that."
"I said she's not there."
"Still, I don't want to even think about her having feet that cold."
Twenty-Six
Dakota wanted to pull her hair out, but sitting behind Clay on his bike made that impossible. They'd gone through town twice already, and not only had they not found Charlotte, but no one else had seen her, either.
Sarah had finally called, saying she was still in the hotel, frantically calling everyone she could think of who might know where Charlotte went. She hadn't had any more luck than Dakota and Clay.
It seemed that Charlotte didn't want to be found.
They were headed back to The Chateau. Dread gripped Dakota down to the very core. She didn't want to have to admit defeat and tell everyone that there would be no wedding.
This was a hundred times worse than the snowstorm that had forced them to postpone two weddings. Charlotte's wedding couldn't be redone on a different day. The entire building was reserved for her, and everything was set to go. They had ceremonies booked through most of the next year, and not a single day where it was empty for nearly a year and a half.
Everything was a complete disaster. It couldn't have been worse—not if she'd dreamed up the worst possible situation.
Clay slowed the bike to a stop and pulled off the road.
"What's going on?" Dakota asked.
"I see someone on the far side of the bay. It kind of looks like her, don't you think?"
"Where?"
Clay pointed to a wooded area. Dakota squinted and strained her eyes. She could barely make out the sight of someone's silhouette. How had Clay managed to see it while driving?
"Think that might be her?" he asked.
"Maybe."
"How do we get there?"
"It's private property. We'd have to take a dirt road."
"Are you up for it?" he asked.
"If we stand any chance at it being her, we'd better take it." She gave him directions to the private road.
Clay pulled back out into traffic and easily found the path. He slowed as they turned onto it and went down the bumpy trail. Dakota held onto him even tighter until they finally came to a stop.
She climbed off, removed the helmet, and shook her hair out. The air felt even colder so close to the water. She glanced around for the person they'd from the other side of the bay.
The woman sat on a rock, staring at the water. She looked just like Charlotte.
Dakota handed the helmet to Clay. "I think that's her."
Clay put everything in the trunk and squinted his eyes at the woman. "Let's hope, because I don't know where else to look."
They crept over to the mystery woman. She remained focused on the water. It wasn't until they almost reached her and gravel crunched underfoot that she spun in their direction. It was Charlotte.
Her eyes widened and her expression showed recognition and shock. "How did you find me?"
"It wasn't easy," Dakota said, trying to keep the annoyance from her voice. "Are you okay?"
Bayside Evenings Page 16
