“Mama, this is a bed and breakfast.” Matti flashed a smile so genuine that I knew at once I’d have a hard time hating her. “That’s the idea, to make the rooms look lived in and quaint.”
“There’s got to be a five-star hotel around here someplace.” Her mother tossed her Prada handbag into a wing-backed chair.
“In Brenham, you mean? I’m sure there are, but we want to stay here, away from the paparazzi.” Matti reached over and put her hand on her mother’s arm. “It’s safer, Mama.”
“Safer, my eye. Did you see those stairs leading to the second floor? There’s nothing safe about this place. And that thing they call an elevator? You couldn’t fit two people inside of it. Not with luggage, anyway.” She gestured to two large bags with the Vera Bradley logo on them. “Kieren is waiting on us in the dining room, and I have a feeling he’s not going to be happy about this set-up at all.”
“Kieren is an unhappy soul, Mother. Haven’t you figured that out yet?” Matti put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him lately. I really don’t. He’s been so sour these past few weeks, I’m surprised he’s still willing to walk me down the aisle.”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed into slits and her voice grew tense. “Kieren Paul is the best thing that ever happened to you, and you know it. He’s the most renowned agent in Hollywood. Other women would kill to have him.”
Okay, I wasn’t sure how to take that last comment.
I opened my mouth to talk about wedding plans when Matti interrupted. “Jake should be arriving shortly.” She fussed with her hair. “He’s going to love this place.”
“It’s only a couple of miles from where he grew up,” I threw in. We used to pick dewberries in this field ages before they built the B&B. I would pack a picnic lunch, and we’d walk for hours. . .” My words drifted off as I realized that my reminiscing was probably not at all what Matti wanted—or needed—to hear. “Anyway, he’ll feel at home here, for sure.”
“I see.” Aubree gave me a penetrating gaze.
“I’m surprised he’s not staying at his mother’s place, though,” I said.
“Yes, well, we stopped by that woman’s. . .” Matti’s mother paused, then punctuated the word, “House.” She muttered something about how different it was from their place in Beverly Hills, but the anger rising up inside of me caused me not to hear the rest.
Matti put her hand on my arm, startling me back to attention. “We decided it would be best for Jake to stay here, in case the paparazzi showed up. His mom’s house is the first place they would go. Besides, he was a little concerned that his former fiancée—what’s her name again?”
“Brenna.” The girl he left me for. The one he insisted he was going to marry someday.
“Yes, Brenna. He was afraid she would show up at his mother’s house and play on her sympathies. Apparently she’s been in contact with Mrs. Bradford over the past few weeks.” She paused and shrugged. “Anyway, the Bed and Breakfast is the safest place. And we’re really far off the highway here, tucked away in the trees.”
“Of course. This is perfect.”
Matti and I settled into an easy conversation about the wedding, and within an hour and a half the plans were set, with the exception of a couple of things. We needed to find the perfect wedding cake, finalize plans for the flowers and locate the perfect alterations lady to tackle Mattie’s dress—an exquisite couture gown from a shop on Rodeo Drive. I’d never seen anything as beautiful.
We’d just finished up our meeting when the door swung open and Jake entered. I drew in a breath and willed my heart not to race. Matti rushed into his arms and he gave her a lingering kiss. I looked away, knowing those gorgeous eyes of his could still draw me in like a magnet, if I let them. Aubree, on the other hand, stiffened as soon as she saw them together and muttered something indistinguishable under her breath. She excused herself to her room to take a nap.
Matti lingered in Jake’s arms. “I missed you,” she whispered.
“Missed you more.” He planted a couple more kisses in her hair, then looked my way. “Brooke.” He nodded in my direction. “Thank you so much for doing this for us. I knew I could count on you.”
Yep, that’s me. Reliable Brooke, at your service.
We agreed to meet the following morning at nine o’clock, and I headed for home, my thoughts still tumbling madly in my brain. Hopefully I could stay focused on the wedding.
***
The next morning I arrived at the B&B just in time to see Jake getting into his car. He looked my way and sighed. “I hate to do this, but I’ve been called to Austin.” He started the engine, door still ajar. “I’ve got a meeting at the Capitol.”
Matti leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You won’t be too long?”
“No, the meeting ends at one. I’ll have to turn down the ringer on my phone, but will check it to make sure I don’t miss a call from you.”
After his car disappeared around the curve in the road, Matti looked my way and sighed. “I guess that’s what it’s going to be like after we’re married. He’s so busy. Of course, I am too.” Her expression brightened. “So, what do you have planned for us today? I can’t wait to get started.”
“We’ll need to stop off at the wedding facility so you can look it over and talk to me about décor. From there we’ll need to order the cake. I know a great place in Austin, one of the best in the country, in fact. I’ve called ahead, so they can slip us in the back door.”
“Sounds perfect. Mama’s coming with. Do you mind driving?”
“Not at all.”
Minutes later we were all piled into my SUV. As we pulled out onto the road, I caught a glimpse of a man—probably in his late 40’s—walking alone.
“What in the world is Kieren doing?” Matti asked.
I slowed the car to get a closer look at him. Nice physique. Thinning hair. Handsome face.
Aubree rolled down her window from her spot in the backseat. She leaned out and waved him down. “Kieren? Are you headed somewhere? Do you need a ride?”
He pointed to his cell phone. “Reception was bad in there. Had to get out and stretch my legs, anyway.” His gaze lingered on Matti. “You ladies go on without me. I’ve got things to take care of on this end.”
“Sure we can’t convince you to join us?” Aubree asked.
“No, I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m negotiating a new deal for Matti.” He gave her a tender look. “One I hope you’re really going to like.”
“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the wedding, Kieren. We talked about this. No work while we’re here, especially not on my big day.”
“No work for you,” he said. “We never said anything about me working. Besides, I enjoy what I do. It keeps me. . .distracted.” He shrugged and turned back to the phone, which prompted Aubree to roll up her window and let out a huffing noise. I peered into my rearview mirror and noticed the tight expression on her face.
Undaunted, I pointed the car in the direction of the Festival Institute, which was down the road about a quarter mile. It was all I could do not to let my emotions get the best of me as we strolled the grounds moments later, taking in the ornate facility.
“Oh, Brooke, this is amazing.” Matti turned in a circle, as if trying to take it all in. “Even more interesting than it looked online.” She paused. “So, what do you think? Should we hold the ceremony inside, or at the chapel out back?”
“The Edyth Bates chapel is amazing,” I said. “And the plaza outside is eclectic and conversational. I really think you’ll like it. Want to go take a look?”
“I’d love to.” She linked arms with me and chatted all the way to the chapel.
I gave her the grand tour, and Matti fell in love right away. Even Aubree seemed duly impressed. Go figure. Perhaps I’d won her over, after all. Or maybe she was finally getting used to the idea that this wedding was moving forward, with or without her enthusiasm.
We made our way to the plaza and
Matti gasped. “I couldn’t have imagined it any better than this. This is perfect.”
“Yes, I. . .” I let my words trail off. No reason she should know the hours I’d spent planning my own reception in this space.
Something—or, rather, someone—distracted me off in the distance. I could have sworn I saw someone hiding behind one of the statues. I released a slow breath, praying the paparazzi hadn’t caught up with us. After several seconds, nothing happened. I chalked it up to my overactive imagination. Likely, I’d seen a shadow.
We walked up the hill to the top of the plaza then looked down. Just as I turned to head back to my car, I saw something moving off in the distance once more. I gasped as I saw a tall slender man with thinning hair behind the one of the statues. Kieren?
“You okay, Brooke?” Matti asked.
“Oh, um. . .yeah.” Should I mention that I’d seen him? Would it freak her out? Or, had she asked him to come along to keep an eye on things for her?
I laid my concerns aside and ushered them back to the car, ready to make the drive to Austin. As we zipped down Highway 290, Matti and I spent the time getting to know each other. Who knew I’d end up having so much in common with one of America’s leading ladies? Other than falling for the same guy, anyway. Aubree remained silent, though I heard the clicking of her cell phone as she sent text messages back and forth to some unknown person.
“So, I have a question,” Matti said after a pause.
“What’s that?” I flashed a smile.
“I’d like to know more about that Brenna girl. . .the one Jake was engaged to a few years ago.”
“Ah.” A shiver ran down my spine at the mention of her name. “She was Jake’s girlfriend right after we broke up. Not exactly my first pick for him.”
“You didn’t like her?”
I paused, and chose my words carefully. “She latched onto him when Jake and I were still dating. And she practically pushed him through the whole election process. Every time you saw him on television, there she was, right next to him.”
“She liked the attention?” Matti asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t really know. I just know that she kept pushing him harder and harder. I honestly think she saw him as a contender for the White House someday.” I looked at Matti to make sure I hadn’t overstepped my bounds. “Why did you ask about her?”
“She was interviewed in The Scoop, a gossip rag in Hollywood. I didn’t really care for some of the things she had to say about him. About us.”
I’d never really trusted Brenna, but didn’t know if I should mention it now. No point in stirring up trouble.
We arrived at Sweet Sensations a short time later and made our entrance through the back door to avoid being seen. Hiding from possible paparazzi unnerved me a little, but Matti seemed to take it in stride. Aubree’s behavior struck me as odd—she barely said a word. The shop owner ushered us into her office, where she led us through the process of choosing the perfect cake. I was stunned when Mattie decided to go with Italian Cream cake. No way! Just what I would have picked. Looked like we really did have a lot in common.
Just as we were wrapping up, Aubree glanced at her watch, and then rose. “I have a sudden urge to do a little shopping of my own. I’ll meet you back at the Bed and Breakfast in a few hours.” She paused. “And don’t worry about coming to pick me up. I’ll call for a cab.”
Matti looked surprised by this announcement. “What kind of shopping, Mama?”
Aubree wrinkled her nose. “I’m not happy with the mother-of-the-bride dress I picked out in L.A. Since we’re in a decent-sized town, I might as well search for a new one here. Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” Matti gestured to the cake. “You like this four-tiered one, right?”
“It’s fine.” Aubree pursed her lips. “Anyway, you girls can wrap up without me?
“Okay.” Matti looked perplexed, but didn’t say anything else.
We walked outside, still chatting. To my right, a voice called out Matti’s name. Then a camera snapped. Then another. And another. At once I began to tremble.
Matti paled. “No. Not again!”
“Matti, are you in town to visit with Jake Bradford?” one of the reporters called out. “We heard he’s in meetings at the Capitol all day.”
“No comment.” She put her hand up. I reached up and grabbed it, then pulled her toward my car. We climbed in and took off, heading the opposite direction from Round Top, just in case we were being followed. By the time we got back to the B&B, I felt sure we’d lost them.
***
The following morning I met with Matti at nine o’clock. I found her in tears, with Jake seated nearby. She took one look at me and passed the Austin Statesman into my hands. I could hardly believe my eyes as I read the headline: The Buck Stops Here for Conservative Texas senator.
The photo underneath showed Jake with a beautiful young woman. At first glance it appeared they were holding hands. A closer look revealed the truth. They were exchanging money. The story stunned me, particularly the part where Jake was accused of handing money to a prostitute. I looked his way, horrified.
Jake paced the room. He finally stopped and turned to face us. “Matti, I don’t know what else to tell you but the truth. What they’re saying about me is completely untrue. I was coming out of a meeting at the Capitol and saw that woman drop some money on the sidewalk. I reached down and picked it up, then gave it back to her. How was I supposed to know she was a. . .a. . .” He raked his fingers through that gorgeous brown wavy hair of his. “And the paparazzi just happened to be there? C’mon, now.”
I rose and took a couple of steps away from them. “I should go now.”
“No, Brooke, please.” Matti’s eyes riveted into mine. “I. . .I need you to stay.”
From across the room, Aubree rose and began to pace. “How could you do this to us, Jake?”
“Do this. . .to us?” He turned to face her. “I didn’t do anything. This whole thing is a huge setup.”
I kept waiting for him to tell the snooty mother-of-the-bride off, but he did not.
Three things I knew about Jake Bradford: 1). He was drop-dead gorgeous. 2). I’d seen women take advantage of him in the past. 3). He didn’t have it in him to do anything devious.
Matti clearly wasn’t as confident. “So, what are you saying, Jake? That you were set up? Is that what you want me to believe?”
“Yes.” He took her hand and gazed into her eyes. “You have to believe me. Even a criminal is innocent until proven guilty.”
Matti released a lingering breath. “We have to get back to work. If I stay busy with wedding plans, maybe this will just blow over.”
A wave of compassion washed over me. “I’m going to pray that the truth comes out. God has a way of shining His spotlight on things to reveal what needs to be revealed. Now, if you’re ready, I’ve made a ten o’clock appointment with the alterations shop in Brenham.”
We made the short drive to A Stitch in Time, and Ming Xu met us at the back of the shop, then snuck us inside. Matti disappeared into a dressing room and came out a few minutes later, dressed in the exquisite gown.
I couldn’t help but gasp. “You look like a princess.”
“Thanks.” She smiled and gave a little twirl. “Harry Winston is sending a diamond necklace and earring set. Can’t wait to see them.” She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. “I just hope Kieren doesn’t freak out that it’s a traditional dress. He’s so. . .” Matti released a breath. “Anyway, I hope he likes it.”
“Why does he care about your dress?” I asked.
“He cares about everything. Always has. Too much, actually.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Probably five years or so. He’s been with me from the very beginning, before I ever got a bit part in that first movie. I couldn’t have made it without him.”
“Right.” I paused, choosing my words carefully. “He seems very. . .protective of y
ou.”
“Oh, he is. He’s kind of like a father figure to me, I guess you could say. And we butt heads a lot, but I adore him.”
“He’s happy about you and Jake?” I asked.
She sighed. “You had to ask me that?”
“I’m not trying to be nosy. I’m just curious.”
“He says he’s looking out for my career. You know how liberal people in Hollywood are. Jake’s a conservative senator.” She sighed. “Even my own mother doesn’t like his politics.”
“Really?” I filed that information away for future use.
“Kieren is all about appearances. He thinks it will take awhile for my fans to adjust to the idea that I’ve fallen in love with someone so far away from the Hollywood scene and so far away from the liberal West Coast norm.” Her eyes brimmed with tears and she whispered, “But I do love Jake, Brooke. And I know that our love will overcome any obstacles.”
Well, amen to that. Despite my earlier reservations, she’d now completely won me over.
Ming Xu finished up the alterations and we prepared to leave. I dove into a lengthy chat about our upcoming visit to the florist, but something outside of the window distracted me. I stopped talking mid-sentence. Peeking through the glass, my gaze fell on a familiar woman standing near a lime green Volkswagen.
“Brooke, what is it?” Matti joined me, squinting as she looked through the blinds. “Do you know her or something?”
I drew in a deep breath, turned and shook my head. “Uh huh. That’s Brenna Cole.”
Matti gasped. “How in the world would she know we’re here?”
“I have no idea, unless maybe she followed us or something.”
We high-tailed it out of the back door and managed to elude Brenna, though my nerves were a jumbled mess all the way back to the B&B. Once we arrived, I picked up the newspaper to read that article once more. So many things about it bothered me.
As I glanced once again at the photo of Jake and the woman, something new jumped out at me. Off in the distance, parked at the curb. . .a Volkswagen with what appeared to be a woman seated inside. Of course, in a black and white photo, I couldn’t tell the color of the vehicle, but I had my suspicions. Brenna Cole was in that car. Had she also arranged the set-up with the prostitute? Only time would tell. One thing was for sure. . .I didn’t just have a wedding to plan, I had a mystery to solve.
Texas Weddings (Books Five and Six) Page 16
