“Ahhh… how did I get out here?” I gave Amory a go-with-it stare. “Oh… Cruz! Welcome to Cedarwood. What a nice surprise.” I walked downstairs to greet him.
With his jet-black hair and exotic green eyes he was every woman’s dream, and coupled with the spiel he’d just given he really was the whole package. I couldn’t see Amory’s issue – he said he wanted her, and would do whatever it was she needed to keep their relationship going. Maybe she thought him sacrificing his desires was unfair.
“Thank God you didn’t tumble down the stairs! You might need to put another lock on your bedroom door to stop any accidents if you’re given to wandering around in your sleep.” He winked, my sleepwalking routine transparent as rice paper, and gave me a hug.
I gave him a toothy smile. “Yes, yes, an industrial-sized lock would be good. Can I make some tea?”
“If I’m not keeping you up?”
“Not at all! How about you go to the front parlor and we’ll bring it in? Amory, give me a hand, will you?”
He sauntered off and once he was out of sight I grabbed her arm and dragged her into the kitchen.
“What?” she hissed.
I folded my arms. “He’s driven all the way here to talk so you’re going to talk to him!”
“We were talking until some creepy stalker interrupted!”
I gasped. “I am not creepy!”
She gave me a hard stare. “It was a little creepy. You may as well have donned a set of binoculars.”
I whacked her arm playfully. “You would have done the same thing!”
She nodded. “But I would have been a lot more subtle!”
“OK, OK, you’re getting off track on purpose. Go talk to him and find out what he was going to say that night when you almost plummeted to your death.”
Leaning against the counter, she folded her arms, while I brewed chamomile tea and took the last of Georges’s Christmas cookies from the tin.
“I must admit, seeing him drive up to the house earlier was a jolt to the system. I didn’t expect him to follow me here. I could get lost staring into his eyes, and I need to keep my wits about me.”
I sighed. “So, why keep him at arm’s length?”
Her lip wobbled ever so slightly. “Self-preservation. I thought it might be better to make a clean break of it. There’s no getting around the baby thing. I can’t stop him wanting a family, it would be wrong to even try. Shouldn’t I let him go so he can find someone who does want the whole American dream?”
“Amory, the least you can do is let him talk without running away this time.”
“Yeah, I guess.” She took in a shaky breath and turned her glistening eyes to mine. “I just don’t want him to see the moment when my heart literally breaks, that’s all.”
“Why would he?”
“Because if he says that’s what he wants – a family – not now, not tomorrow, but in the future, I will have to say goodbye. And I love him, Clio. But I can’t change who I am. And it just isn’t right to stand in his way if he wants kids.”
“Oh, Amory, who knew you were really such a softie on the inside? Tell him that, show him how you feel. True love always finds a way. It does!” I said to her skeptical face before reaching out to hug her.
“OK,” she finally said. “Let me talk to him.”
I handed her a tray with tea things and watched her walk forlornly down the hallway.
If he wanted to start a family and Amory was adamant she didn’t want to be a mother, how on earth could they reach a compromise? Worry gnawed at me for my friend. I only hoped she’d be truthful with Cruz, and lay her soul bare. Only then could they move forward…
Chapter Twenty-Two
It was the day of the expo and I was jittery with nerves. Kai hadn’t been able to get back here in time to clear the chapel; clearly at such late notice it was impossible for him, so that cast a pall of angst over the day. Ned had said the brides could peek in, but how long exactly was a peek? Surely they’d want to pretend to walk down the aisle, to get a feel for it, but I worried about something happening, someone tripping, any little accident that would plunge me into hot water, because I didn’t have permission and that would veto any insurance. I knew the chapel was safe, that there were no tripping hazards, but it would be just my luck that a freak accident happened and I wasn’t sure it was worth the risk.
I’d snuck in there earlier this morning after the florist had placed flowers everywhere and taken a range of pictures, the fairy lights creating that perfect air of magic and romance against the rustic wooden pews and pulpit. Maybe I could get away with showing the brides pictures on the big screen in the theater room instead. Safety first and all of that.
“Can you set that up in the lobby, please?” I asked a man wheeling a light machine that would send shooting stars up and down the ceiling. Just one of the options our brides might go for. Some liked super-glitzy elements to their weddings, others more low-key options. We’d tried to cater to them all.
Amory walked into the room and clipped on an earring shaped like a Christmas tree as carols echoed around the room. This was going to be one beautiful festive day, even the sun was shining – making the freshly fallen snow glisten outside. The sleds were parked near the slopes, and hot cocoa would be waiting for anyone who wanted to sip as they walked around the grounds in the snow. The ice-skating rink surface looked like glass. Most of the brides-to-be wouldn’t want to participate in the winter activities outside, but we still wanted everything to look ready, as if they or their guests could head out for a fun-filled day at any time. Staging at its finest.
She said, “The florist has just finished the front salon and he’s on to the centerpieces on the tables in the ballroom. The place smells divine.”
I nodded as Micah came bouncing in, his full-wattage grin firmly in place. “What? What’s that face about?”
He flashed a piece of paper. “Kai managed to get a one-day approval from Old Ned. You may waltz your brides down the aisle today, if need be.”
Words froze on my tongue. “What?” I managed. “How? Ned wanted to inspect the chapel, didn’t he? And Kai, our registered builder, was supposed to be on-site…”
“Ned came out early this morning and took a quick look around. It helped that Kai had used Ned’s brother-in-law for the structural work. When Kai figured out they were related, he called Ned and explained about the quality of his tradespeople, and just so happened to mention his relative’s name, and how we’d probably use him for the renovations of the chalets if all went well with the bridal expo…”
I shook my head in awe. “God, he’s clever! So Ned won’t want his brother-in-law to lose potential future work at Cedarwood?”
“Bingo,” Micah said, grinning. “Ned still wants to meet Kai and go over it all with him properly, but you have one day to wow your brides. And for the record, I told him Kai was running errands and wouldn’t be in until later.”
“Wow, Micah. You guys are amazing. Thank you!” My stomach somersaulted with glee.
I read the document and smiled when I saw the loop and swirls of Ned’s signature. A one-day reprieve and just in time! Now I could get properly excited.
We went painstakingly through our list of suppliers, and where they’d set up their wares to show them in the best light. We hoped our brides would fall in love with the quality and detail and leave everything to us. A one-stop wedding shop.
“Canapés first up!” Amory said. “Then we’ll introduce them to our vendors.”
“Yes, and then we take them for a dance lesson in the great hall.”
“The instructor’s coming at eleven. Then they can wander the estate and check out the chapel before we regroup for lunch.” Whew, there was a lot for them to do and see.
“I hope we get some bookings after all this work.” I took another large gulp of coffee and marveled at both Amory and myself being out of bed and organized so early. Outside, Micah and Isla laughed as they finished festooning trees with fairy l
ights. They really were so in love, it was hard to look away. If only I could get Amory and Cruz to see past their differences too. I hadn’t seen Cruz as yet this morning, but his car was still parked out front with a thick layer of snow atop it so he was rattling around the lodge somewhere.
“We will,” Amory said, pulling me out of the thought. “The lodge looks stunning, and with the fires crackling and the ambient music drifting down the halls, what’s not to love?”
She was right, it did look amazing, but seeing as I’d invested the rest of my funds into the expo, I couldn’t shake the feeling this had been a bit risky. But if we could get even one booking it would all be worth it. Gambling was my new thing, it seemed.
A gaggle of suited men and women walked in. “It’s the orchestra!” I motioned for help from Aunt Bessie. She gave me a nod, and ushered them into the ballroom. Wearing a long red dress and fitted blazer, she looked every inch the glamourpuss she was. “Follow me, friends,” she said, “I’ll show you where to set up. Now, are any of you hungry? I make artisan donuts, you see, and I’ve squirreled some away just in case…”
I hid a smile. That woman could make friends with the abominable snowman, and not blink. It was inbuilt in Bessie to care about people, and most importantly feed them up.
Next to me, Amory was immaculately dressed in a chic pant suit, her hair and makeup flawless, but I detected shadows under her eyes not even Max Factor could disguise.
With the chapel issue sorted for the moment, I could breathe easier, so I took Amory by the arm and led her to the corner for privacy. “Are you OK?”
She gave me a tight-lipped smile. “Sure, sure. Just a little tired.”
“Don’t lie, Amory. You don’t always have to be the girl who is together all the time, you know.” It was one thing pretending to be someone else at work, slipping on a different persona, but another to do it to your best friend.
She widened her eyes. “Well, you know me. Game face on. Big day and all.”
“No one is here to see your game face except me, so don’t worry about it for now. Just tell me what’s going on.”
She thrust her hands into her pockets, and slid her gaze away. “We stayed up late, too late, and went around in circles until words were just sounds, and had no meaning. Not my best idea when we’ve got such a busy day ahead of us.”
“So where did you leave it?”
“At a crossroads. What would you do, Clio, if you were me? To ask him to stay with me and sacrifice actual living, breathing, blue-faced, screaming babies would be the epitome of selfish on my part. And he doesn’t understand that my letting him go is being selfless. Sure, I could say, ‘Great, you’re giving in to me, perfect,’ but that’s not fair. And what if ten years down the track he hates me for it?”
What a mess. I suppose I hadn’t thought of the future, and whether he would feel robbed by not having the family he’d dreamed of. “There must be a compromise. There must be!”
She lifted a brow. “Can you tell me what that might be and then we’ll both know.”
I bit down on my lip. “I… umm… I’ll have to think on it.”
“Darling, don’t worry. Let’s get to work, yeah?” With a quick peck on my cheek, she turned on her heel, and met more musicians clutching instruments and standing wide-eyed by the entrance of the ballroom.
Click-clacking her way to them in her heels, she smiled – ever the professional. “Welcome, I’ll show you where to set up.”
I waved them off, clipboard pressed tight against my chest. Bridal expo day had well and truly arrived and with it a cast of people at the lodge, all vying to get their wares set up to display to our brides.
Through the window, snow drifted down as the orchestra started warming up, playing hauntingly beautiful Christmas carols. The wedding-dress designer caught my eye and pulled out a stunning white sheer satin gown and dressed a mannequin. The gown fell to the floor in delicate drapes, and I let out a gasp of delight as the small diamond beads twinkled under the lights. It was the kind of dress fairy tales were made of.
The florist was preparing the display of luscious bouquets and arranging them on tables. Some were seasonally themed, with white roses, pine cones and red cranberries, tied off with thick golden ribbon. My favorite was a posy of periwinkle, violet and lilac flowers, lilies, and something else I didn’t recognize. The different hues of purple were spellbinding and drew the eye.
The florist, a robust, spectacle-wearing man walked to me. “Clio, these are for you.” He handed me a bouquet of pale pink peonies.
“For me?”
He smiled and pointed to a card attached. “From a friend.”
I thanked him and he went back to arranging the centerpieces. I took the card, wondering who had sent me flowers. I tried to remember the last time anyone had, and came up blank.
Clio,
I hope the bridal expo goes off without a hitch. Have I told you yet that I’m glad you came home? Life was never really the same after you left. Looking forward to that dinner whenever you’re free.
Timothy x
Life was never really the same? But he got married and had a family about three minutes after I was out of sight! I’m sure I wasn’t on his mind one little bit. I didn’t hold any grudge or strong feeling about it – we’d been so young, really. But still, he had moved on fairly quickly and it wasn’t something I was likely to forget. Would something bloom between us if I just let go and lived for the moment? The same niggle bothered me. Kai. Even if nothing happened with him, would it be fair to date Timothy when secretly my heart beat a double rhythm when I thought of my Australian surfer yogi?
Taking my cell, I hastily sent Timothy a thank you text back, avoiding any talk about the dinner invitation.
This was why I loved work. Being busy gave me the ability to shelve any man dilemmas and focus on the task at hand. I found a crystal vase and took the bouquet to my office. That done, I went back to the ballroom and checked off my list.
Every vendor was accounted for, set up and ready to go. Isla and Micah had the activities organized. Aunt Bessie was getting her donuts out of the van and ready to serve… so what was I missing? I’d forgotten something, I could feel it.
I wandered around the tables we’d set up in different themes, lifting champagne flutes, checking for smudges. The cutlery was lined up perfectly, reflecting prisms of light from the chandeliers. Georges would serve canapés as soon as the guests…
Georges! Normally he’d be singing and bellowing in the kitchen, foodie scents wafting down the hallway making my mouth water, but I hadn’t seen him arrive yet. I dashed down the hall to check. The kitchen was empty, not a pot on the stove and, more worryingly, not a sign of Georges. Snatching up the phone I called him, picturing the worst – a car crash, the roads were slippery this time of year. My heart was in my throat by the time he answered on the third ring.
“Hi, Clio, did you get my message? I’m sorry to let you down like this, but I couldn’t say no. You understand, don’t you?”
Blood drained from my face as I checked my watch. Three hours until our brides were due and my chef was telling me he wasn’t coming. Trying to halt the erratic beat of my heart I said, “What message, Georges? Where are you?”
He groaned. “I left a message on your cell late last night.”
“Saying what, Georges? You’re supposed to be here!” I couldn’t keep the desperation from my voice.
“I was offered head chef position aboard a private cruise ship. I had to say yes, Clio. I realize the timing isn’t great…”
Just then Cruz walked into the kitchen, pointing to the coffee machine. I nodded, not sure whether he was asking permission or if I wanted a cup. My head was swimming with panic.
“Georges,” I said, trying to keep anger from bubbling up. “Please tell me you’re on your way here, and not en route to the bloody Mediterranean!”
I was met with silence. “Georges, I have a group of brides arriving in three hours, and you’re MI
A. Please tell me I’m imagining this. Please.”
“Sorry, Clio. Part of the deal was that I had to leave immediately. You know how much I need this.”
It was all I could do not to scream, but I knew Georges’s catering business was floundering in Evergreen. Still, did he have to leave the day of the expo! “Where am I supposed to find a chef, Georges, with three hours’ notice!”
I could fix anything under pressure, but finding a chef in Evergreen with a three-hour deadline was a little too much, even for me.
The click-clack of Amory’s heels rang out as I tried to steady my voice. “Clio,” she hissed, “where the hell is Georges?” I pointed to the phone.
“Bessie can help,” Georges said. “And most of the canapés are made, they just need to be plated.”
I blew out a breath. There was nothing I could do. He was gone and yelling wasn’t going to help. I tried my best to sound excited for him – I loved Georges and he really did deserve a break like this. I just wished it hadn’t happened on the day of the expo. “OK, Georges, well good luck with the cruise. I’m sure you’ll be great.” My words may have sounded clipped but I’m sure he understood why.
“I really am sorry, Clio. I didn’t want to leave you in the lurch.”
“I know, don’t worry about it.” I rubbed my temples. “Look, I have to go!” I just wanted to end the call and solve the chef problem.
I hung up, and turned to Amory’s pinched face. “What the hell? Where is he?”
“He’s not coming!” I said, my voice rising.
“What!” she shrieked.
“He took a job on a cruise ship and he’s already in transit. He left a message on my cell last night, he reckons, but shoot, Amory, what the hell are we going to do?”
Amory slapped her palm on the bench so hard the coffee cups rattled together. “How could he do such a thing?”
“I know… but where are we going to find someone this late?” I moaned. I pictured myself tackling the kitchen, and blanched. Why was I so hopeless in the culinary arts?
Winter at Cedarwood Lodge Page 20
