The Wedding Planner

by Millie Criswell

  “Cute.”

  “She’s attractive enough, I guess.” Adam had always been intrigued by redheads. And she had the best-looking legs he’d seen in a very long time. Well-defined calves, shapely ankles. He adored the way her cheeks filled with color whenever she became embarrassed, which, judging by what he’d already observed, was often.

  “I meant the name of her business.”

  “Oh.”

  Adam squirmed restlessly in his seat, and Peter swallowed his smile. He hadn’t seen the man this distracted in a while. “What does Miss Baxter think of your plan to wed?”

  “From the peculiar way she was staring at me, my guess is she thinks I’m a first-class nut.”

  “You are known for your eccentricities, Adam. The woman sounds astute. And did you litter her floor with sunflower seeds, as is your usual habit?”

  Taking the handful of seed husks he was about to toss on the floor, Adam shoved them into his suit pocket and ignored the question. “Meredith Baxter is young and hopefully malleable. I don’t want someone who’s going to question my every decision. The most important thing is for me to gain permanent custody of Allison’s children. I don’t care if the whole world thinks I’m nuts. I’ll do whatever it takes, spend however much money is necessary, to adopt Andrew and Megan. I promised Allison I would.”

  And Adam never went back on a promise. The attorney was living proof of that. At fourteen, Peter’s parents had been killed in a car accident, leaving the young man virtually penniless. The Webbers’ lavish lifestyle and opulent house on the hill had been a facade for a mountain of debt and unpaid bills.

  Adam had convinced his father to take custody of Peter and see to his welfare and schooling. Allistair Morgan had never been a substitute father to Peter—he’d barely been a real one to Adam—but he had provided the monetary means for him to obtain a law degree. With the stipulation, of course, that upon passing the bar exam he would become the Morgans’ family attorney.

  The Morgans had a slew of business lawyers and financial advisors, but the shrewd old man wanted someone he could trust implicitly, someone who would look out for his children’s interests after he was gone. That someone had been Peter, and it was a role he performed with dedication and devotion.

  “I’m sure once Miss Baxter is apprised of the seriousness of your situation,” Peter said finally, “she will view you in a different light.”

  Staring out the window, Adam watched the bustling traffic below. Thinking another light needed to be installed in the intersection, he made a mental note to suggest it at the next meeting of the Morgantown Planning Commission.

  Frowning, he turned back to answer Peter’s question. “The woman’s a dreamer, a romantic. Besides, I don’t care if she approves of what I’m doing or not. I’m paying her to plan and perform, not to ponder and pontificate.”

  The attorney’s interest was piqued. Adam was usually nonplussed about most things. “Perhaps I’ll stop by your house tomorrow morning and take a look at this wedding planner firsthand. She sounds intriguing.”

  “Meredith Baxter is not your type, Webb. She’s a redhead, not a blonde.”

  “A redhead!” Peter’s smile turned mischievous. “I’ve always been a sucker for redheads. They blush so charmingly, don’t you think?”

  Adam didn’t know why, but for some reason Peter’s comment grated on him. “I don’t have time to discuss your taste in women. I’ve got more pressing problems at the moment.”

  Adam’s mood had been foul and erratic of late, which worried Peter. The man hadn’t had a date in six months; his sister’s recent death had only complicated matters. Aside from business meetings and obligatory social engagements relating to the charities he funded, and that damned model train set he fiddled with, he didn’t have much of a life.

  “Maybe your problems and your attitude would improve if you went out with a woman. How long’s it been since you’ve had sex? You live like a damn monk up there in that monastery you call a house. Engineer Adam must be running low on steam by now.”

  The gray eyes flashed annoyance. Adam hated being teased about his passion for model trains. His father had tormented him most of his adult life about his hobby. And he sure as heck didn’t like being quizzed about his nonexistent sex life. “My sexual needs are not a topic of discussion, not even with you, Webb.” Adam lowered himself onto a nearby chair. “So let’s drop it. Maybe if you channeled your sexual desire into your work, you’d get more of it done.”

  “Is that what you’re doing? Using your work and your business as a substitute? Because let me tell you, Adam, old buddy, that’s not going to work. One of these days when you’re least expecting it—boom! You’re going to explode like a damn volcano.”

  Adam smiled condescendingly. “My, my, that is an interesting metaphor. It seems you and Miss Baxter have something in common. She likes to read torrid romance novels. I’m sure the eruption of a volcano has been used countless times to describe sexual climax in one or more of those lurid tales.”

  “Sounds to me like you’re the one who should be reading them, Adam. You might learn something. And you might be able to experience love and romance vicariously through the pages of a book, since you’re not performing it for real.”

  “You’re starting to sound like my mother, Peter, and that’s the deadliest of mistakes.”

  Peter was wise enough to know when he’d pushed too far, and from the dangerous expression on his best friend’s face, that time had come. “How is Lilah? Still exploring the mysteries of India?”

  Adam’s mother had left West Virginia shortly after her husband’s death six years ago to travel the continent. She had not seen fit to return, not even for her only daughter’s funeral, which was in keeping with Lilah Morgan’s personality. She’d always loved herself more than anyone else.

  Bitter at the slight she had shown his sister, Adam had also been relieved. He had no desire to see his mother, who would likely muck up the adoption proceedings with her histrionics, at any rate.

  “Yes, thank God! She’s still there. I just hope she stays away for the next three months, until we can get everything finalized.”

  Peter hesitated before bringing up the next subject, which he knew would bring pain to his friend. But he also knew there was no getting around it. Adam wanted to be apprised of any and all developments concerning the murder of his sister. “There’s been no word on Curtis Tremayne. The district attorney’s office doesn’t have any new leads as to his whereabouts, and the private investigator we hired hasn’t turned up anything yet. It’s as if he’s fallen off the face of the earth.”

  At the mention of his former brother-in-law, Adam’s eyes flashed quicksilver. He had warned Allison about marrying the handsome gold digger, but she’d fancied herself in love with Tremayne and hadn’t listened.

  Now she was dead.

  The bastard had strangled the sweet, lovely woman with his bare hands after beating her viciously beforehand. The sight of Allison’s battered body, when she was dying, had sickened Adam’s stomach and his mind. He would never forget what his sister had endured for the sake of love.

  The only good that had come out of Allison’s relationship with Curtis Tremayne had been their daughter, Megan, and son, Andrew. Adam had promised Allison on her deathbed that he would keep the children from Tremayne and adopt them as his own.

  “Hire more investigators. I want that guy found. It’s been three months since my sister’s murder, and we’ve had no justice, no closure. I want him to pay for what he’s done.”

  Peter scribbled on his notepad. “I’ll get right on it. Anything else?”

  “I want the media contacted about my plans to marry. You can coordinate your efforts with Miss Baxter. You’ve probably had more experience in dealing with the press than she has. Though she looks a damn sight better than you.”

  The good-natured lawyer grinned. “You want national coverage—Good Morning America, the Today Show?”

  Adam nodded. “I
want the world to know that Adam Morgan is looking for a wife.”

  “You’re going to make yourself a target for those who won’t agree with what you’re doing.”

  The tall man shrugged. “It’s a small enough price to pay to honor my sister’s last request, don’t you think? And I’ve got you and Miss Baxter to run interference for me.” Adam finally smiled. “I think the woman is up for the challenge. How about you?”

  Chapter Two

  Meredith might have been bearding the lion at ten, but the only thing growling this morning as she made her way up the flagstone walk to the mansion’s wide double doors was her stomach. She’d been running late and hadn’t had time for breakfast.

  Issuing a cease-and-desist order to her stomach, she sucked it in, tugged at the hem of her royal-blue wool suit jacket, checked her stockings to make sure they were run free—she wasn’t going to give that voyeur another reason to stare at her legs—and quickly admired her manicure: Wild Rose, and not a chip in sight.

  Let the cretin try to find fault with her today, she thought, smiling defiantly.

  Banging the heavy brass door knocker three times, she turned to survey her surroundings while she waited.

  The house sat atop a hill and overlooked the city below. The view was spectacular, she had to admit. The grounds were as well manicured as the man who owned them. The acre front lawn was as green as a piece of crushed velvet, unusual for this early in spring, and didn’t have one unsightly weed growing in it. Not that weeds would dare grow in Adam Morgan’s lawn.

  Giving silent thanks that she didn’t have to mow such a monstrosity, she smiled at the thought of her own postage-stamp-size yard, which suited her to perfection. She had more weeds than lawn, and what wasn’t taken up with weeds was covered with flowers of every sort imaginable.

  Flowers were her passion. She wondered if Adam Morgan had any passions, besides sunflower seeds, that is. It had taken her almost an hour to vacuum the carpet after he’d left yesterday. She knew now what Gretel had felt like following the breadcrumb trail.

  Glancing at the plantings of white and red begonias lining the drive and front walk, she shook her head in dismay. Anyone with half a brain knew it wasn’t wise to plant begonias until after Derby Day, which wasn’t until May, and usually after the last frost. Not that such a thing mattered to Adam Morgan, who had more money than God, and probably wasn’t the least bit bothered by such trivial matters. No doubt he had an army of gardeners who took care of such things.

  Glancing at her watch to find that it was now five minutes after the hour, she frowned and banged the knocker again, harder this time, wondering why old houses never had doorbells. She was about to make an off-color comment about the rudeness of having been kept waiting, when the door was thrust open by the scowling man himself.

  Adam Morgan didn’t look at all happy to see her; the feeling, she could assure him, was mutual. “You’re late, Miss Baxter. I abhor lateness. It’s a sign of a disorganized mind.”

  The attack was so sudden she didn’t have time to ponder why his maid or butler hadn’t answered the door. Drawing herself up to her five-foot, five-inch height, which barely met his chin, she responded, “For your information, Mr. Morgan, I was not late. I’ve been standing on your porch for a full five minutes waiting in the cold for someone to answer my knock.

  “And while we’re on the subject, I would think someone with your resources could afford an intercom system, or, at the very least, a working doorbell.”

  Tossing a handful of sunflower seed husks into the potting soil of one of the tall, spiral holly bushes flanking the massive front door, he stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “A doorbell in a two-hundred-year-old historical house? I don’t think so, Miss Baxter. Aside from the fact that it would look incongruous to have something so modern as a doorbell cluttering up the facade, it would ruin the exquisite stone—stone my great grandfather quarried himself and hauled up this hill on a wagon.”

  His voice was filled with such passion when he spoke about the mansion that Meredith’s earlier question was now answered: apparently the house ranked right up there with sunflower seeds. Admirable.

  “My housekeeper had an emergency and had to leave. If you’re cold—” He stared at her chest, as if he could sense that her nipples were puckered, making Meredith extremely grateful she wore a suit jacket.

  Not bothering to reply she followed him into the walnut-paneled study, where a fire burned cheerfully in the grate. The only cheerful thing about the room, she noted. The colors were somber and restrained, much like the man himself. The burgundy velvet drapes matched the two Queen Anne chairs flanking the fireplace. The leather-bound volumes lining the shelves, though attractive, and no doubt expensive, didn’t add much in the way of relief. It was obvious the antique furnishings had been designed for looks not comfort.

  Seating herself on a straight-backed chair fronting the impressive mahogany desk, she reached into her portfolio and pulled out an assortment of wedding invitation samples and cake photos, spreading them out on the leather desktop. “These are just samples, of course. I have others, if none meet your needs.”

  What would meet Adam’s needs, or rather who, was seated directly in front of him. Meredith Baxter, with her bow-shaped, kissable mouth and a figure that conjured up X-rated thoughts, was an incredibly sexy woman. And as Peter had so succinctly pointed out, he hadn’t been with a woman, sexy or otherwise, in a very long time.

  “You’re frowning, Mr. Morgan. Is there something the matter? As I said, I have other samples I can show you.”

  Pushing the material back to her, he shook his head. “Just use your own judgment, Miss Baxter. I don’t really care what the cake and invitations look like. Those are trivial matters for the female mind.”

  Meredith bit the inside of her cheek, reminding herself of the ten thousand dollars sitting in her bank account.

  “The only requirement I have is that the date be set for Saturday, June 21. I want the invitations printed immediately.”

  “But—” Was the man insane? Duh!

  “No buts about it, Miss Baxter. I have a deadline to meet. We both do, as a matter of fact.”

  “But you don’t have a bride. How can you possibly set a date for the wedding without a bride? Certain details have to be decided, and—”

  “The wedding plans will proceed. I’m sure you’re going to need every bit of the time allotted to pull this off. You have less than twelve weeks to finalize everything.”

  Realizing that she would probably be fired for what she was about to say, Meredith plunged ahead anyway. “Making wedding plans without a bride is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. I naturally assumed when you laid out your ridiculous scheme that you intended to find the bridal candidate first, then proceed with the arrangements. I can’t plan a wedding without a bride. It just isn’t—”

  Ignoring her protest and pointed opinion, and without revealing so much as a flicker of the annoyance he felt, Adam moved from his desk to the floor adjacent to where Meredith sat and proceeded in his expensive designer suit to execute a series of sit-ups.

  At the man’s outlandish behavior, Meredith’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Mr. Morgan!”

  “I think better when I’m exercising,” he said nonchalantly, as if everyone in America exercised in an Armani suit. “Care to join me? It gets the blood pumping to the brain.” It also afforded one an excellent view of long, silky legs, which got the blood pumping elsewhere.

  “In your case I don’t think it’s working, or else you wouldn’t have made such a stupid suggestion.”

  Adam paused, then sat up, hugging his knees as he gazed into her earnest face—a face he was growing more attracted to with every passing moment. “I think you’re forgetting who is paying for all this ‘stupidity,’ Miss Baxter. If I want to hold this wedding the day after tomorrow with a chimpanzee for a bride, I will.

  “You’ve been hired to plan and execute, not to give opinions, unless they�
�re asked for. I don’t recall asking, do you?”

  Meredith cursed inwardly as a flush crept over her cheeks, and she tried to keep her temper under control. The man was totally infuriating! He deserved to marry a chimpanzee. Preferably one who smelled bad and had large teeth.

  Adam rose to his feet at the same time the study door opened and Peter Webber entered. The lawyer, who’d overheard the tail end of their conversation, smiled widely at the outspoken woman. Meredith Baxter didn’t sound the least bit malleable. In fact, she sounded quite the match for the irascible millionaire.

  “Don’t let Adam intimidate you, Miss Baxter. He’s very good at it, you know.”

  “Meredith Baxter meet my attorney, Peter Webber,” Adam said, performing the introduction. “Or should I say former attorney? I’m thinking of making a change.”

  Peter smiled, not at all bothered by Adam’s remark. The millionaire threatened to fire him at least once a week, sometimes twice. He had yet to carry out his threats.

  “Nice to meet you. I understand we’ll be working together on the media coverage.”

  He held out his hand, and Meredith took it, deciding in that instant that she liked Peter Webber. He was tall, very good-looking in an Ivy League sort of way, and he appeared to be a whole lot nicer than his client. The twinkle in his blue eyes said he didn’t take Adam Morgan too seriously. But then, who in their right mind did?

  “I’m looking forward to it, Mr. Webber.”

  “Call me Peter, or Webb. I’ve never been one to stand on ceremony.”

  “Me, neither. It’s Meredith.” Though she directed her comment to Peter, she was staring directly at Adam, who looked decidedly ill at ease, and not at all pleased that she and his attorney were hitting it off so well.

  “You may call me Adam in private, Miss Baxter. But I’d like you to maintain the formalities in front of the press corp and when in the presence of my staff and business associates. At those times business protocols should be maintained.”

  “I’m all for keeping our relationship strictly business, Mr. Morgan, so you needn’t worry I’ll cross the barriers you’ve erected.” She turned her back on the mogul, as if his concerns didn’t matter at all.