Page 15 of Cut The Cake

Her breath caught in her throat. How long had she been dreaming of coming here? She’d probably been ten or twelve the first time she’d seen pictures of Heart’s Landing in a bridal magazine her aunt had brought home from a beauty salon. While Kay had oohed and aahed over the hairstyles and insisted on trying out every makeup tip in the Features section, she’d instantly fallen in love with the house and the gardens described as “the perfect destination for a summer wedding.”

At the time, she’d agreed. Seeing the cottage up close and personal, she was even more impressed. From the widow’s walk atop the mansard roof to the tall black shutters at the windows, right down to the thick green hedges surrounding the white masonry walls, the house countless brides had chosen to marry in was even better than she’d imagined it. Better than in the photograph she’d tucked under her pillow each night until the glossy paper had literally disintegrated.

A whisper of regret stirred in her chest. Now that Kay would get married here first, it rubbed a little bit of the shine off her own dream of a Heart’s Landing wedding. It wasn’t quite as bad as asking Santa for a pony for Christmas and finding a stuffed animal under the tree, but just the same, it hurt.

She doused her misgivings by drinking in the scents of freshly cut grass and the flowers that grew in thick clumps beside the path. She’d still find her Prince Charming one day. She’d still have her own wonderful wedding, maybe even at the Captain’s Cottage.

When she was ready, she headed up the curving sidewalk that led to the main entrance. As if reminding her that she’d come to the Captain’s Cottage to make all the arrangements for her cousin’s wedding instead of her own, her heels clicked hollowly on the brick pavers. The portfolio filled with plans for Kay’s wedding, not hers, hung limply from her shoulder. She straightened the strap.

At the main entrance, she stepped from warmth and sunshine into the cool recesses of a house that had been well-loved throughout its long history. At the entry to the dining room, where she and Alicia had agreed to meet, she paused to soak in the ambience. A long, gleaming cherry table stretched practically the length of the room. Though it had once provided ample seating for Captain Thaddeus Heart, his wife, and their children, the family had most likely followed the custom of the times and relegated the younger children to the nursery for meals.

Jenny smoothed one hand over her dress. Had the Captain’s wife felt lonely, sitting alone at her end of the table while her husband sat so far away? She gave her head a little shake, glad that dining customs had changed over the years. Under an immense painting of a sailing ship, coffee urns stood atop the sideboard. She helped herself, then settled in at one of the four smaller tables that filled each corner of the room. She’d barely pulled the plans for Karolyn’s wedding from her portfolio when a soft throat clearing drew her attention to a woman in a black suit.

“Jennifer Longley?”

“That’s me,” Jenny answered, though her response wasn’t necessary.

Assured and cheery, Alicia Thorn strode toward her table and introduced herself. “It’s so nice to meet you. Did you have a good trip? When did you get in?”

“I flew into Providence yesterday afternoon and drove down.” Jenny’s smile deepened as she recounted details of her trip. “I hadn’t ever been in this part of the country before, so I followed the scenic route along the coast.” Rather than bore Alicia with a lengthy description, she stuck to a straightforward, “It was beautiful.”

“I like that drive, too.” Alicia smiled dreamily. “I haven’t done that in a while—my job here keeps me too busy. But it’s definitely on my bucket list once I retire.” Her eyes crinkled. “What good is life if we don’t enjoy it, right?” She flipped one strand of well-salted dark hair over her shoulder. “So tell me a little bit about yourself, Jenny. What do you and your fiancé do when you’re not hip-deep in wedding plans?”

“I’m the assistant to the president of a corporation on the West Coast,” Jenny said, bending the truth only the tiniest bit by failing to mention that, in addition to sitting at the helm of several companies, Karolyn was at the top of Hollywood’s A-List. “I keep track of my boss’s schedule, do whatever I can to make her life run smoothly and efficiently.” She paused. “Some of what I do is probably similar to your job here. The events I plan run the gamut from birthday parties to fundraisers.” She enjoyed that part of her job so much that she’d often thought of opening her own event planning business one day.

Alicia’s smile deepened. “It sounds like we have some things in common, then. There are so many moving parts to a big celebration. I always hold my breath a little until everything finally comes together on the big day.”

“That’s the part I like the most,” Jenny agreed. She shifted in her seat. She could probably learn a lot from Alicia.

“And your fiancé? What does he do?”

She gave herself a little shake. This wasn’t the time or the place to dream about her future. She had to stay focused. Taking a breath, she repeated the story she and Kay had crafted. This time, though, she used the same name she’d given at the bakery the day before as she pulled plans from her portfolio and spread them on the table. “Bob is in investments. He wanted to be more involved in this, but he’s tied up in a merger right now. He’ll fly in the day before the wedding.”

Alicia nodded, as if Bob wasn’t the first groom to opt out of the wedding preparations. “Are you all settled in? You’re staying at the Union Street B&B, aren’t you? Are Marybeth and Matt treating you well?”

The interest in her well-being was yet another difference between her hectic life on the West Coast and the unhurried pace of Heart’s Landing. Jenny met Alicia’s probing gaze and smiled warmly in return. “They couldn’t be nicer. And it’s so calm and peaceful there, the perfect home-away-from-home.”

“Are you enjoying this weather? It’s a little different from what you’re used to in California, isn’t it?”

Jenny’s focus drifted to the window. On the other side of thick, wavy glass, the leaves on a pear tree rippled in the breeze. “The humidity is taking some getting used to, but I like how it makes everything so green. And the flowers,” she gushed. “I’ve never seen so many beautiful flowers.”

“We’re a little spoiled with all the greenery. Especially here at the Captain’s Cottage. Except for the dead of winter, something’s always in bloom. Right now, our roses are just beginning to open.”

“I’ve seen pictures. They’re spectacular.” She closed her eyes for a minute, imagining herself in a white dress, surrounded by red blossoms.

“How many guests did you say?” Alicia glanced up from a map of the cottage. “Oh, fifty—that’s right. Have you thought about holding the ceremony on the veranda?”

Had Alicia read her mind? Jenny tipped her head. “That would be perfect.”

“The roses should be at their peak in another four weeks. That spot will make a stunning location for your wedding.”

My wedding.

As if a cloud had passed over the sun, some of the light went out of the day. She and Alicia weren’t thinking along the same lines at all. A heaviness pressed down on her. She hated the pretense, cringed at the thought of keeping secrets from the woman who’d shown such an interest in her welfare, but she didn’t have a choice. She’d promised to keep her cousin’s famous name out of the wedding plans. Breaking away from Alicia’s probing look, she referred to her notes. “I was hoping you’d suggest exactly that.” She smiled past the ache in her heart. “With one of the smaller rooms as a backup plan. Just in case it rains.”

“Either the library or our smallest ballroom would make a wonderful site for your reception. If your guest list is a bit larger, I can suggest any number of other locations.”

“No, that’ll work. We’re expecting fifty guests, max.”

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