Carol passed out the drinks and they all toasted their friend, then sat down to lunch. She quickly heated tortillas for everyone and they served themselves from the taco bar and salad, then took their seats.
“So what’s new?” Pallas asked. “I’ve been in an engagement fog. What have I missed?”
“Violet barely escaped being arrested by a hunky English guy,” Silver offered.
Violet rolled her eyes. “He had no authority to arrest me. Being a jerk is a form of free speech, so he did that instead.” She explained about the button mix-up.
“Did he apologize?” Natalie asked. “He needs to say he’s sorry.”
“Hardly. I’m sure he left town the same day. Good riddance.”
Carol thought about the accusations. Despite her sister’s defiance, she had to have been scared at the time. Or at least uncomfortable.
“I can’t believe he came all this way to confront you about the buttons.”
“Me, either.” Violet picked up her taco. “I’m sure he had business somewhere in the country. Maybe he was lining up tea franchises or something. And that’s enough about my crazy Englishman,” Violet said firmly. She turned to Pallas. “So, you’re putting on a Mitchell wedding.”
Pallas groaned. “Don’t remind me. I’m so nervous. I’ve never met Nick’s parents and this isn’t exactly how I’d choose to do it. At a wedding that I’m planning. What if something goes wrong? They’ll hate me forever.”
“Nothing’s going to go wrong,” Natalie said soothingly. “You always do a great job.”
As she spoke, she reached into her large tote bag and pulled out a square piece of purple paper. Her fingers moved quickly and in a matter of seconds, she’d created a small bird. When Pallas picked it up, the wings seemed to flutter.
Carol had no idea how Natalie did that. She took origami from fun to extraordinary. She created all kinds of creatures, made mobiles and origami sculpture. Her job at the gallery was more about paying for her art than because she enjoyed answering the phone.
Everyone had a talent but her, Carol thought wistfully. Violet with her buttons and eye for fashion, Natalie with her mixed-media pieces. Wynn designed posters and banners and everything that could be printed. Pallas created beautiful weddings. Even Silver, who owned a trailer that had been converted to a traveling bar called AlcoHaul made mixology magic at weddings and other events. All Carol did was take care of a bunch of animals. They were special and she was, well, not.
“Nick’s father is a famous artist,” Pallas said, setting the paper bird on her palm. “Everything I’ve heard says he’s really difficult. What if he hates me?”
“He’s not going to hate you,” Silver told her. “You’re too likable.”
“I wish.” Pallas turned to Carol. “Mathias told me he’d asked you to help him with the planning. You’re going to do it, right?”
Violet stared at her sister. “You’re helping plan the wedding?”
“Mathias asked me to, so I agreed. He says he wants a female point of view, but he has Pallas and Maya for that. I think of myself more as his emotional support animal.”
Everyone laughed, then went back for seconds on the tacos. When they were done eating, Silver pulled a tall bakery box out of her bag.
“Okay, I know this is really strange, but it’s cool, too. Tell me what you think.”
She opened the box from the bottom, pulling off the top and exposing what looked like several pink flowers in a flowerpot. Only the flowers were made from meringue, as were the leaves, and the so-called dirt was actually mini dark chocolate chips.
“The flowerpot is cake,” Silver explained. “The fondant icing can be in any color so it coordinates. The same with the flower meringue.”
Carol had never seen anything like it. Judging from everyone else’s look of surprise, they hadn’t, either.
“You could put these on the table,” Pallas breathed. “They’d be decorations and dessert. Tell me you have contact information.”
Silver pulled a business card out of her jeans pocket and handed it over. “Now let’s find out how great this cake tastes.”
She picked up a knife. Carol reached for small plates only to see movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned and saw a tail-wagging beagle racing toward them.
“Sophie,” she called as she rose and walked toward the bounding dog. “What are you doing out here?”
Sophie rushed toward her, then stopped at her feet. Carol crouched down and petted her. “Are you all by yourself? Where’s Mathias?” She scanned the area but didn’t see him anywhere. How on earth had Sophie ended up here?
“Did she escape?” Natalie asked with a sigh. “She’s good at that. Yesterday I couldn’t find her for nearly an hour. It turned out she’d crawled into an empty cabinet in the lunchroom and was curled up there, sleeping.”
“I don’t know where she came from,” Carol admitted. “Our fencing is designed to keep our grazing animals in, not small dogs out.” Sophie could have easily slipped through the slats or ducked under one of the gates. The bigger question was how she got out of Mathias’s place. That had to have been her starting point. There was no way she could have made it all the way here from town.
“Come sit by me,” Carol told the beagle as she returned to her chair.
Sophie followed her happily, then flopped at her feet. Carol kept her in place with bits of chicken and cheese. She kept trying Mathias on his cell only to be sent directly to voice mail.
Lunch broke up about twenty minutes later. They all helped with cleanup. Carol herded Sophie to her car, then stored the extra food in her trunk. No way she could trust the dog in the same space as leftovers. She doubted there was a plastic container made that was Sophie-proof.
“We’ll stop by my place first,” she told her canine passenger as they started down the road. “I need to put the rest of the lunch away, then we’ll head over to Mathias’s place and figure out how you got out. After that I have a meeting.”
Actually a teleconference with Maya to help plan her wedding.
“Let’s see, if you’re Elaine’s little girl and Maya is marrying one of her sons, then she’s your what? Aunt-in-law? Sister-in-law?”
Sophie barked and Carol laughed. “Yes, family relationships are complicated.”
So were boy-girl ones, she thought as she drove toward her house. If only Mathias were slightly less attractive. Or not so interested in sexy bridesmaids. If only she were special enough to capture his attention with wild plumage or gorgeous fur.
She paused, realizing she’d slipped into an animal metaphor, which was okay, as long both she and Mathias were animals in that metaphor. Because if she walked in wearing feathers or some kind of animal skin she was pretty sure he wouldn’t think she was much more than frighteningly insane. Still, it would be nice to be one of those sultry, sophisticated types he seemed to favor instead of just herself.
She pulled into her driveway and quickly unloaded the leftovers, then continued her journey to his place. Sophie jumped out of the car and led the way to the front door.
Carol knocked but there was no answer. She tried the knob and it turned easily, so she let the dog in and followed Sophie.
“Mathias, it’s Carol. I brought your dog back.”
There was no answer, but that was hardly a surprise. The house was huge and Mathias could be anywhere.
Sophie barked, then started down the hall. Carol went with her, through the kitchen and out toward the sunroom where she knew he often sketched.
Sure enough he sat at a big drafting table by the window overlooking the animal preserve.
She took a moment to study his broad shoulders and short, dark hair. He had a pad of paper in front of him. His hand moved, creating more quickly than the eye could follow.
“Hey, Sophie,” h
e said absently, reaching down to rub her ears. “You just wake up?”
“No, she just got home.”
Mathias turned to stare at her. “Carol. Hi. Did I know you were stopping by?”
“I’m not stopping by. I’m returning your dog. She was out on the savanna.”
He dropped the pencil and frowned. “She couldn’t be. She’s been here with me. We came back here and I let her out to do her thing, then closed the back door.” The frown deepened as he stood. “I know I made sure the door latched.”
They walked to the back of the house where a door stood open. Mathias closed it and checked the lock, then turned to Sophie.
“Now you’re scaring me.”
She wagged her tail.
“Maybe she’s like those dinosaurs in Jurassic Park,” Carol teased. “She’s learning how to open doors.”
“This dog is going to take over the world.” He glanced at his watch. “Come on. We have a meeting at Weddings Out of the Box. I’ll drive.”
Because they were going together? Maybe on the way he would turn to her and express his undying lust. They could pull to the side of the road and...
Carol held in a groan. The side of the road? That wasn’t exactly romantic. She couldn’t even fantasize creatively.
“I have no idea why you want me at the meeting,” she said as he clipped a leash onto Sophie’s collar and led the way to his car. “You’re creative enough for ten people. As for the female point of view, Pallas and Violet will both be there. You really don’t need me.”
Mathias held open the passenger door. For a second, when their eyes met, she would have sworn she saw...something. A flash of...
No, she told herself firmly. That was just wishful thinking. Mathias was a charming, sexy lover of one-night stands with beautiful, sexy, out-of-town bridesmaids. To believe anything else was to be a fool.
“You’ll be the voice of reason,” he told her.
“Great. I’m the stern, maiden aunt. How wonderful.”
She snapped her seat belt into place, then patted her lap for Sophie to sit on her. The beagle obliged, then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, as if saying she was liked. Not exactly a declaration a girl could dream about, but at least beagle love didn’t ever break your heart.
CHAPTER SIX
“I’M THE MATURE voice of reason,” Carol said drily as she sat next to Violet in Pallas’s office at Weddings Out of the Box. “I’m not sure why anyone thinks that’s necessary. I’m here to help with Maya and Del’s wedding, but now I have a purpose.”
“Because you didn’t before?” Violet asked with a laugh.
Violet had come prepared with pen and paper. Unlike her sister, Violet was in on the meeting to offer creative suggestions. Pallas was terrified at the thought of putting on a wedding for her soon-to-be in-laws—especially on short notice. While she was happy to support her friend, Violet honestly didn’t get the problem. Pallas had organized dozens and dozens of weddings and they’d all been lovely events. There was no reason to think Maya’s was going to be different.
Mathias, brother of the groom, was also in on the planning meeting. Pallas typed on her computer and seconds later a pretty, green-eyed blonde appeared on the screen.
“Hi, everyone,” she said with a wave.
Pallas made introductions. Maya greeted them all, then said, “Mathias, Del says hi.”
“Hi back.” Mathias leaned toward her. “If he’s so interested in brotherly love, why isn’t he part of the meeting?”
“Because it’s six thirty in the morning and he was up late with clients.” Maya held up a cup of coffee. “Besides, I have a lot more opinions about our wedding than he does.” She wrinkled her nose. “So far his contribution consists of ‘I want cake.’”
“There’s going to be cake,” Pallas assured her. “Not to worry. Do you have the information I sent you?”
“I do and I’ve looked over it.” Maya shuffled several pieces of paper. “You’re very thorough, which I appreciate. I know there isn’t much time.”
Pallas flinched, as if the reminder of putting together a wedding in three weeks was physically painful. Violet wanted to be supportive, but it was tough not to laugh. Pallas always did this—she got so invested in her clients’ events that she suffered way more than they did.
“We can do this,” Violet said soothingly. “It’s going to be great. Pallas mentioned you already have your dress, right?”
“I do.” Maya held up a picture of a mermaid-style lace-covered gown with a sweetheart neckline. It was elegant and beautiful.
Pallas typed on her tablet. “Having the dress is huge. With that and the venue, we should be fine. Do you have a theme in mind?”
Maya’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”
“I sent ideas in the materials.” Pallas held up a brochure. “That’s what we do here. Themed weddings. Cowboy weddings, Roman weddings, under-the-sea weddings.”
“Maybe something from Lord of the Rings,” Mathias offered.
Carol poked him in the arm. “You’re supposed to be helping.”
“I think Del would look great dressed up as a hobbit.”
“Let’s stay focused,” Pallas murmured. “Maya, what were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. Something pretty. Elegant. I don’t want anything with hobbits. Can’t we just do a regular wedding?”
Pallas bit her lower lip. “That’s a fairly broad category.”
A statement that probably had Maya confused. Violet would guess the bride was picturing a regular kind of wedding, but the venue she’d chosen specialized in everything from pirate weddings to black-and-white Regency extravaganzas. Pallas would automatically be thinking how to make things unique while Maya seemed to want conventional. It would have made more sense for Maya and Del to go to a more traditional venue in town. She wondered if they’d chosen Weddings Out of the Box because Nick was engaged to Pallas. Or maybe the tight time frame was the driver. Pallas had a spot because of a cancellation—it was possible no one else in town could have fit them in.
“I have an idea,” Violet said as she smiled at Maya. “Tell me what you think about this. An elegant princess wedding. Simple, beautiful, classic. As if Grace Kelly were getting married today.”
“I like that,” Maya said immediately. “I like that a lot.”
Pallas visibly relaxed. “Me, too. I can picture exactly what I’d suggest.” She reached for a huge three-ring binder.
“I just picked up some new linens,” she said, flipping through the pages. “Here they are.” She held up a picture of a sheer table runner edged with lace.
“Those are beautiful,” Maya breathed, leaning close to her computer screen. “I love them.”
“Me, too. Great. There’s so much we can do. I’m thinking a lot of glass on the table. Maybe mirrors under clear bowls of flowers, with short, pillar candles in glass holders. Or maybe we’ll alternate clear bowls and silver bowls.”
Carol leaned close to Violet and lowered her voice. “Look at you, solving the problem.”
“I defined the wedding, nothing more.” Although Violet had to admit, she was feeling a little smug. “Pallas is used to making weddings about something.” She used her fingers to make air quotes. “Pretty is going to freak her out.”
Maya and Pallas were talking about fifty miles an hour. Carol shook her head. “I so could be cleaning stalls.”
Mathias leaned close. “You have to be the only woman on the planet who would rather clean up after cows than talk weddings.”
Violet guessed he meant the words to be teasing, but she saw her sister flush and wondered if Carol had taken it wrong. Before she could say anything, she felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if she were being watched. She glanced up and saw Ulrich standing in the hallway. He didn�
�t speak but when their eyes locked, he nodded politely.
“What on earth,” she began, then stopped as everyone turned to look at her. She felt herself flush, which she hated and was so Ulrich’s fault. “Um, excuse me,” she said as she came to her feet and walked into the hallway.
She stopped in front of him and put her hands on her hips. “What are you doing here?”
“I came by to have a word.”
Her attention split neatly in two. Part of her brain—the sensible part—was annoyed and wanted to tell him she had a whole bunch of words she could use and none of them would be approved for listening by anyone under the age of eighteen or with delicate sensibilities. The other part of her paused to notice how dreamy he looked with his chiseled features and dark blond hair. Oh, the suit was nice, too. Tailored, probably custom from that fancy street in London.
Her sensible half won. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “And I don’t mean on the planet or even in this country. What are you doing here, in my friend’s business? Are you following me? Stalking me? Last time you threatened me with all kinds of scary law enforcement. Now it’s my turn. Explain yourself or I’ll be on with 9-1-1 in a heartbeat.”
Ulrich’s stern mouth turned up at the left corner, as if he were trying not to smile. “I went to your shop. You’d left a note on the door saying where you were. I will admit, despite Americans claiming to speak English, we do occasionally have a bit of verbal confusion. Did I misunderstand?”
Damn him! Violet really wanted to stomp her foot, but knew that would only hand him more of a win. She settled on tossing her head.
“That note wasn’t meant for you,” she said as icily as she could, then remembered everyone in the room just behind her.
They were all watching intently, even Maya, who looked wide-eyed with interest.
“This is fun,” the bride-to-be said and waved. “Hi. I’m in China.”
Ulrich smiled. “Lovely to meet you.”
“Thank you.”
Violet grabbed his arm, which could have been a mistake. Her fingers closed around very impressive biceps. Ulrich might wear a suit, but he wasn’t a guy who sat around all day.
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