Always the Designer, Never the Bride

by Sandra D. Bricker

  "Of course I will. I have family here, and friends."

  Is that what I am? Your friend?

  "And you."

  She smiled. "Well, you better not become a stranger . . . because you can be replaced, you know."

  J. R. chuckled as he draped his arm loosely around her shoulder. "Replaced, huh?"

  "Yep. There are ten thousand other Harleys on the road . . . a hundred thousand other guys who might just enjoy doing a little espionage."

  "You make a good point. I'll keep that in mind."

  She swallowed around the lump in her throat before asking, "So tomorrow morning?"

  "First thing."

  Before she could think of an appropriate reply, Russell leaned forward around Kat and asked them, "Want to set out on our trek?"

  J. R. nodded, and the four of them stood up and stepped out of the row to the white aisle covered in scarlet red rose petals. Audrey rested her hand on the back of the gold ladderback chair in front of her until J. R. offered his folded arm. She smiled as she looped her own through his.

  "So what are you thinking about the business deal with the bride?" he asked as they strolled toward the door.

  "I'm not sure yet. Lisette has a huge vision, and it makes me a little nervous."

  "How so?"

  "She's not involved in fashion. An undertaking like what she has in mind is massive under the best of circumstances. But without the expertise to back it up . . . I'm just not sure it's a good idea to dive into it with a complete novice and attach my name to it in good faith. Does that sound ungrateful?"

  "It sounds cautious. And there's nothing wrong with that."

  Audrey smoothed the narrow skirt of her dress. She hadn't been certain about the choice for Lisette's wedding, but it had been one of the last-minute extras she'd added to her luggage before leaving New York. Shimmering pale pink fabric overlaid with a deep plum lace; she remembered wondering where she might wear the dress, but it had turned into fashion kismet. Audrey loved when that happened.

  As she and Russell passed them, Kat adjusted the translucent cap sleeve that had turned slightly.

  "I'm afraid it will break Kat's heart if I decide it's not the right move. She was so excited that Lisette included her jewelry designs in her plans. I just don't know . . . you know . . . if it's right for me. But at the same time, I did ask God for an answer, and there was Lisette . . . On the other hand . . ." Audrey stopped herself and turned toward J. R. "Sorry. I'm normally a much more fun date."

  "Yes, I know," he said, and he tapped her hand where it rested on his forearm.

  "Sherilyn suggested I meet with Jackson and talk it over with him. I think I'll feel a lot better once I get his business perspective."

  "That's very good advice."

  "You think so?"

  "I do."

  "Careful, lad," Russell teased, turning around in front of them. "Saying 'I do' out loud at a wedding? You're playing fast and loose with your freedom, if you ask me."

  Kat playfully smacked his arm and giggled. "No one did."

  The Omni ballroom teemed with guests finding their way around white-on-scarlet linen draped tables set with fine bone china, tall rose centerpieces and shimmering crystal goblets. The uniformed wait staff appeared almost synchronized in their movements.

  "It looks like the front tables are the only ones with assigned seating," Kat told them.

  "The rest of us peasants can sit wherever we like," Russell teased. "It's every man and lady for themselves."

  Russell excused himself for interrupting a conversation in progress at a nearby table.

  "He's a force of nature," Audrey observed, and J. R. laughed.

  "You have no idea."

  "C'mon!" Russell called, motioning to them. "These chairs are open."

  Audrey inched around the table and sat down next to one of the guests already occupying it. She'd seen the woman at the ceremony, and she'd been wearing a beautiful wide-brimmed hat wrapped in copper tulle and silk flowers.

  "Where's your hat?" she asked with a smile.

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "Oh, I noticed the stunning hat you wore to the wedding."

  The elegant woman grinned. "It might have needed its own chair, so I took it upstairs and left it in my hotel room."

  "That's a pity. I'd have enjoyed meeting it."

  "Perhaps I can arrange an introduction later," she retorted, and they shared a chuckle.

  "It's vintage, isn't it?" Audrey inquired. "1930s?"

  "It is. Good eye," she replied, and she seemed surprised that Audrey recognized it. Leaning toward her, she revealed, "I have an addiction."

  "I'm pretty sure there's a secret handshake for people like us."

  "You too?"

  "Afraid so." Extending her hand, she said, "Audrey Regan."

  "Really," the woman commented over their handshake. "The wedding dress designer."

  Audrey inhaled sharply. "Yes!"

  "Riley Eastwood," she told her with a grin. "The designer cast-off."

  "Riley Eastwood?" Audrey exclaimed. "It's such a pleasure to meet you."

  Riley glanced down at their clasped hands.

  "I'm sorry," Audrey said with a chuckle, dropping the handshake.

  "Lisette's dress is a stunner," Riley said. "Really beautiful work."

  "Thank you so much!" Audrey said with a sigh. "That's . . . I mean, I'm really sorry it didn't . . . you know . . . but . . ."

  Riley touched her arm and smiled. "I'm just not in touch with the curvy woman. You obviously are, and I think what you were able to do for that silhouette is phenomenal. As I watched her walk down the aisle, I was actually a little in awe."

  Audrey had to find her breath. "Thank you."

  "I'm not saying I didn't want to scratch your eyes out for a quick minute," she teased, "but seriously. She looks stunning."

  Audrey's hand jerked to her heart, and the beat pounded against it. "She's a beautiful woman. She wore the dress well."

  "Still," she said, rolling both hands. "I salute you."

  Audrey could hardly contain herself as she turned to J. R. and exclaimed, "Riley Eastwood just saluted me."

  "Audrey?" Riley said, angling toward her. "Is that Russell Walker with you?"

  "That's the last of it," J. R. announced, and he dropped three suitcases to the bed in the guest room.

  It wasn't hard to figure out which of them belonged to Audrey. The large rectangular bag and the smaller round one, both upholstered in pink plaid with pink leather trim and chocolate brown ribbons dangling from the handles, screamed Audrey Regan.

  "This one's Kat's," she said, cluelessly confirming his suspicions as she picked up the red one. "It goes in the office."

  "It's going to be a tight fit around here," he observed. "You ready for that?"

  "I think the larger question is whether Caroline is ready for it," she replied.

  J. R. felt his resolve tank in a big way when she turned around and smiled at him. "I guess it's time I hit the road," he said anyway.

  Her expression diffused into unabashed disappointment, and her full red lips took a downward dip at the corners. She pushed back her waves of platinum hair, clicked her tongue, and thumped her denim-clad thigh with her fist. "Okay then."

  Almost against his own will, J. R. opened his arms to her, and Audrey walked right into them. With her head nestled into the curve of his neck, she wrapped her arms around his waist and groaned sweetly.

  "I can't believe I'm telling you this," she said. "But I'm really going to miss you."

  "Color me astonished," he commented.

  "Yeah. Imagine how I feel."

  J. R. laughed and kissed her hair.

  "Will you keep in touch?" she asked him.

  "Audrey. Even if you weren't living with my brother's pregnant wife, you would still hear from me now and again." She muttered something that he couldn't discern. "What was that?"

  She looked up at him, those remarkable amber eyes wide and misted with sincer
ity. "Please be careful on the road, J. R."

  "I will."

  "And wear your helmet."

  "I always do."

  "Oh, that's right. It's me who doesn't," she realized with a giggle. "Well, zip your jacket and all that."

  "Will do. And you do the same."

  Without a trace of warning, Audrey slipped her arms around his neck and rushed forward into a kiss. Almost before he could respond, she withdrew, reeled around, and scurried out of the bedroom.

  "Take care, J. R.," she called back to him.

  "Don't be nervous. Jackson is a really level-headed businessman. He's agreed to hear you out and tell you what he thinks."

  Sherilyn's warm smile almost put Audrey at ease.

  "Go on in. Just show him what you have on paper, and see what advice he has."

  "This is just so out of my comfort zone," she admitted. "I'm a creative type. I can handle business decisions on a small scale, but this is just . . ."

  "Enormous!" Sherilyn finished for her. "And an enormous opportunity stands the chance of providing an enormous blessing, right?"

  "I suppose."

  "Breathe a minute. Then go in and talk to Jackson. He's wonderful."

  Audrey obediently drew in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. As she slowly released it, Sherilyn tugged on her sleeve before leaving her standing there alone outside of Jackson's office.

  "Are you ready for me?" she asked, peeking in at him. "Susannah isn't out here."

  "She's running an errand with Norma this afternoon," he replied. "Come on in, Audrey."

  Tucking the yellow pad of notes under her arm, she crossed the office and sat down across the desk from him, wondering how to get the conversation underway. Jackson handled that for her.

  "So tell me about this business dilemma."

  "Okay." She took a deep breath. "Your friend Curtis's daughter came up with an idea . . ."

  It took her thirty minutes to unroll the whole thing, and Jackson didn't interrupt her once. Leaning back in the leather chair, his elbows propped on the arms and his hands folded, he simply listened. When she was finally through, Audrey groaned and laughed.

  "So that's it. What do you think?"

  "Well," he said thoughtfully. "A few key questions come to mind, but I'm sure you've already asked them yourself. What is Lisette's background in business? And even if she's wellequipped to start a business, does she know anything about the bridal industry? Also, where is the capital coming from? Is it her investment, or is it her father's? And where does he play in all of this?"

  "Yep," she said with a smile. "Those are my questions, and a few more."

  "Let's just start with one issue at a time," he suggested. "Why don't you tell me your gut feeling about this. Not what your logic tells you, but what your gut tells you."

  "My gut is in knots," she admitted.

  "Because it's such a big change?"

  "No." She thought it over for a moment then felt confirmed. "No. Not at all. I'm ready for a big change. I mean, my business has been suffering for a while now. I just can't seem to make a go of things. And I really don't like New York much at all, so I'm open to a move. It's just that . . ."

  Jackson smiled. "Now we're getting to the heart of it."

  ". . . I'm a designer, you know? And a very specialized one at that. I want to focus on design. Building a broad business like this one from the ground up doesn't really get me as excited as

  . . . panic-stricken."

  "There's your answer."

  She frowned curiously.

  "Everything else aside, Audrey. Are you passionate enough about this idea to change your whole life to pursue it?"

  She knew the answer, but she didn't say it out loud.

  "It's just that Kat has her heart set on it. And I really want to be excited about it with her, I really do. I just can't get past the thoughts of how massive the undertaking really is. Starting from a completely empty warehouse with no inventory or equipment or . . ." She paused and released a low growl. "My granny used to tell me all the time that the secret to finding happiness in your work is finding that one thing that you're really good at, and then doing that one thing to the very best of your ability. I'm really good at just one thing, and that's only a tiny slice of what Lisette has in mind."

  "Here's what I can tell you from my own experience," Jackson said. "My late wife dreamed of owning this place when it was just a small local business. She had this whole vision of making it into a wedding destination hotel. After her death, I bought it thinking I could honor her memory by chasing her dream. And it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I entered a field where I had no experience. Everything went wrong, and I had no idea what I was doing. If it hadn't been for my sisters, and then God dropping Emma into the mix, I would have run for the hills."

  Audrey chuckled. "But you stuck with it, and it eventually turned into something really spectacular."

  "Yes. Through very little fault of my own." Jackson leaned forward and looked into Audrey's eyes. "I wouldn't trade the things this place brought into my life. And I have no doubt that you can do whatever you set out to do. But look, I didn't take the easy road. It was costly, and it was painful, and it literally took a village of people to drag me and this place to our feet. I don't recommend taking on that kind of endeavor because Kat needs it or Lisette wants it, or any other reason outside of your personal passion and commitment to it. Does that make sense?"

  She nodded. "It does."

  "I'm not telling you that it's a mistake to try something really big and altogether new. I'm just telling you it would be a mistake if you're not completely convinced, deep down in your soul, that it's the path you're meant to take."

  Audrey sighed and collapsed back into the chair.

  "I have a buddy who can help you with working out the logistics of things. He's a consultant for new business ventures, and I'm sure he would be willing to sit down with you and map it all out. But first I recommend you take a few minutes to breathe."

  "Ha! That's what Sherilyn said, to just breathe."

  "It's good advice. Breathe. Relax. Pray. And wait. Don't make a move of any kind until you're convinced it's the right one."

  "Thank you, Jackson."

  "Hey, I don't pretend that this is any great service I've provided here today, Audrey. But it's the best advice I've got."

  "And it's more than I had when I walked in."

  "That's something then, right?"

  Jackson's warm smile put Audrey at ease. She had no doubt that she would be reacquainted with the former anxiety at some point but, for that moment, she would concentrate on just following the best advice she'd been given.

  She would breathe.

  "Here you go. Can I get you anything else?"

  "No. Thank you."

  Audrey creamed the cup of hazelnut coffee and absently stirred it for much longer than necessary, allowing the slight breeze to caress her harried thoughts. The last time she'd taken a table in the courtyard, she and J. R. had been together.

  Macaroni and cheese.

  She'd been craving comfort food that night. Picking up the chocolate-dipped cookie from the plate in front of her, she realized comfort came in all forms—so many of them edible.

  Audrey looked up. A patch of blue sky hid behind the tree branches, and a cottonball cloud ambled across the view. She'd really fallen in love with this place in the short time since her arrival.

  Short time. Long on activity.

  So much had happened since that day she'd climbed out of the taxi and walked through the front doors of The Tanglewood Inn. She'd expected to stay a couple of days. Carly and Devon would get married, and she would return to New York to pack up her life. The road had taken a few hard twists, but there she was again . . . thinking about the unrelenting future.

  "Hello, dear."

  Audrey dragged her attention from the shimmying leaves overhead.

  "Have you been waiting long?"

  She chuckled, more out
of surprise than amusement. Emma's elderly aunt had taken the chair across from her.

  "Hi, Sophie."

  "Those look divine," she said, her attention focused on the plate of cookies.

  "Help yourself."

  "I have such a sweet tooth."

  Her captivating smile warmed Audrey somehow, and she couldn't help returning it as Sophie chose a flower-shaped butter cookie and demurely bit off one of the petals.

  "Is he joining us?" she asked Audrey.

  "Who?"

  "Your young man."

  Audrey realized she meant J. R. She'd forgotten that they'd met the day of Jackson's birthday party, and Sophie had taken quite a shine to him.

  "Oh, no. J. R. has left town."

  Sophie thought that over for a moment. "I'm so sorry to hear that, dear. You must miss him horribly."

  She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "You know," she admitted with a smile, "I didn't expect to miss him this much, in fact, but I really do."

  "There, there," the woman said, and she reached across the table and consoled her with a pat to Audrey's hand. "He won't be away for long."

  "I'm afraid he will, Sophie. He's gone home to Santa Fe. He has a life there."

  "Nonsense." She grinned at Audrey as she plucked another cookie from the plate. "That's not home. It's just one stop on the road back to you."

  A little flutter inside her chest drove Audrey's hand to her heart.

  "You might help him along though," Sophie advised. "You might give him a little incentive to put the pedal to the metal."

  "Like what?" She felt silly for asking, but not silly enough not to wait with hope for the answer.

  "A man who wanders just needs a little purpose. He's like a bumble bee. He'll light if the right flower calls his name."

  Audrey giggled and squeezed the woman's hand. "You're a very uplifting person, Sophie. I'm glad to know you."

  "Well, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other even better," she declared. "I've seen all of your movies, you know."

  "My . . . movies?"

  "Aunt Soph, what are you doing?" Emma asked, scurrying toward the table, shaking her head. "Audrey, I'm sorry. I got tied up on the phone."

  "It's fine," she said. "Your aunt has been giving me some wonderful advice."