Page 16 of Cut The Cake

“That’s perfect for the library, although …” Alicia’s voice trailed off.

Jenny frowned into the other woman’s face. “Yes?”

“It’s just that, well, for a guest list that size, it wasn’t necessary for you reserve the entire cottage.”

Jenny took a sip of coffee to buy herself time to think of a good response. She liked Alicia and didn’t want the event planner to think of her as the kind of person who threw her weight around, someone who’d rent out an entire restaurant simply so she could enjoy her meal in peace and quiet. An expense that she, personally, could never, ever justify. Kay’s priorities, though, were different. From getting a facial to going out on a date, keeping the paparazzi at bay factored hugely in everything the star did. Still, Jenny couldn’t very well explain that to Alicia. Not without confessing the bride’s real identity. She took another sip as her answer became clearer. “It was my fiancé’s idea,” she said, shifting the blame to a man who didn’t exist. “He’s a very private person.”

“Men.” Laughing, Alicia shook her head. “Once, I dealt with a groom who went on and on about the cost of the wedding. Then, he wanted peacocks roaming the grounds during the reception. Peacocks!”

Alicia’s laughter warmed the empty spaces in Jenny’s heart. Her smile spread until it tugged at her eyes. “If I left it up to my fiancé, we’d be exchanging our vows on an island in Tahiti—just the two of us and the minister. But sharing our special day with family and close friends is as important to me as getting married in Heart’s Landing.” She took a breath. “I know we only snagged this reservation because you had a cancellation, but truthfully, I’ve dreamed of getting married here for so long that I’d be happy if we held the ceremony in the hallway.” She hesitated the slightest bit to make sure she got the name right. “Bob agreed, as long as we had the place to ourselves.”

“I think we can do much better than a hallway.” Alicia’s features softened. Her brown eyes grew serious. “Let’s take a tour of the grounds before you make your final decision. Then, we’ll walk through the house. You might find something you like even more than the veranda.”

With Alicia pointing out the pluses and minuses of each location, they spent the next hour or so driving around in a sporty little golf cart. Jenny had to agree with her host—the weeping willow trees by a small creek made the perfect spot for stunning photographs. A wind-swept spot overlooking the ocean was even more amazing, and she imagined standing on the rocky crag in a flowing gown, her veil swirling around her in the breeze. She eyed the immense tents workers were erecting in an open field where, according to Alicia, up to four hundred guests would dance beneath the stars at an upcoming wedding. She gaped at the space that was as perfect a place to get married as she’d ever seen.

“Well, what do you think?” Alicia asked.

Pressing her hands over her heart, Jenny tamped down her enthusiasm. Even on her wedding day—okay, especially on her wedding day—a mega-star like Karolyn had to look perfect. She’d never risk having the sun, wind, or even rain spoil her hair and makeup. More than a little disappointed that they couldn’t use any of the spectacular sites Alicia had shown her, Jenny motioned toward the house. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to see everything before I decide.”

“We have so many lovely spots in the cottage itself. I’m sure we can find the right one for you.” Alicia beckoned her back to the golf cart. “Wait till you see some of the rooms. You’ll love them.”

Abandoning the cart near the rear entrance to the mansion, they spent another hour climbing up and down staircases and peeking into rooms that ranged from a ballroom for three hundred to one of several elegant suites reserved especially for brides and grooms. At the entrance to the library, Jenny lingered on the threshold. No matter what gown her cousin chose, the room’s dim lighting and dark paneling would make the perfect backdrop. Without a second’s hesitation, she chose it for the reception.

With the locations settled, Alicia stood at the base of the stairwell. “Normally, I’d say we’ve made enough decisions for one day. However, since we’re working with such a tight schedule, and especially since you’ve had experience planning big events in your job, what say we tackle the table settings next? Are you up to it?”

At Jenny’s nod, Alicia steered them down the hall to a room she called “the linen closet.”

“This was once the butler’s pantry,” she explained, opening the door to a roomy space where floor-to-ceiling shelves lined the walls. “The family used to store linens and cutlery on the shelves and in the pullouts. Now, we house our samples here. What colors have you chosen?”

“Rose-gold and gray.”

“I think we can work with that.” Alicia pulled table linens in a half-dozen shades from the drawers. “See anything you like?”

“Each one is prettier than the last,” Jenny answered, though she had a tough time tearing her gaze away from a mauve-and-blue floral print she spied in one of the other drawers. At length, she selected a pinkish fabric she thought Karolyn would adore. A pale gray napkin and matching drape complemented the metallic threads in the table covering, which Alicia expertly arranged on a stand in the center of the room. From there, they moved on to silver, china and crystal.

“Have you decided on a menu?” Her back turned, Alicia pulled several items from a built-in cabinet.

The question sent a shiver of apprehension through Jenny’s chest. Getting an appointment with a caterer had proved more difficult than she’d expected. She’d spent hours flipping from one website to another without finding one that could meet her timeline, much less provide the stellar food Karolyn would expect. She looked up from the glass stem she’d been twisting. From across the small room, Alicia stared at her with a quizzical expression.

“I haven’t exactly found a caterer,” she confessed.

“Why didn’t you say so? Hang on a sec.” Alicia held up one finger and whipped out her phone. “I know it’s last-minute, Janet,” she said a moment later, “but I have a Heart’s Landing Bride here who needs your help.” After the briefest of pauses, she smiled. “Yes, a small wedding. Fifty or so guests. Four weeks from Saturday. You can?” She lowered the phone from her face. “Are you available for an appointment this afternoon?”

“I’ll have to shift some things around, but yes, definitely.” The thick knot in Jenny’s stomach unfurled.

Alicia struck a thumbs-up sign and resumed her phone call. “That’ll work. I’ll send her by this afternoon.” Once she’d disconnected, the event planner explained, “Janet is the executive chef at Food Fit For A Queen. They’re the best in town.” She scribbled an address on the back of a business card and handed it across.

A bit awed by how easily Alicia had averted a major wedding crisis, Jenny tucked the paper in her pocket while the coordinator continued sorting stemware as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. “Narrow or wide? Tapered or straight?” she asked, holding up a selection of glasses.

“Narrow,” Jenny answered, based on Kay’s preferences. “That one will be perfect.” She pointed to an elegant crystal flute quite unlike one she’d choose for herself.

For the next little while, she forced herself to ignore the uncomplicated patterns she preferred in favor of the intricately designed glassware and utensils that would appeal most to her cousin. As she made each choice, Alicia built the place setting piece-by-piece so that, by the time Jenny picked a gold-rimmed plate over one with a floral design, the entire arrangement was on display. Jenny had just snapped a few pictures for Kay when the event coordinator declared they’d done enough for one day.

“I can’t thank you enough for all your help,” Jenny said as they returned to the dining room. “My head is so full of information and we’ve made so many decisions, I think I might explode.”

Alicia chuckled. “It’s easier if you can spread the planning out over several months. We don’t have that option in your case, though.” She stood, her hands on her ample hips at the door. “So what’s on the agenda for this afternoon? A little downtime?”

As nice as that sounded, Jenny shook her head. “My schedule is jam-packed. From here, I go to Forget Me Knot Flowers. After that, Ideal Image said they could fit me in. If there’s time before I meet with Janet, I’ll swing by Moving Pictures to see if they can handle the videography.”

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