Page 56 of Cut The Cake

Chapter Seventeen

In the conference room of the Captain’s Cottage, newscasters chattered on the television mounted on the wall behind Jenny. Leaning away from the table, she stretched. It hadn’t taken as long as she’d expected to settle into a routine. Grasp the handles. Shake a fresh bag open. Layer enough tissue into the bottom to cushion the wine bottle. Wedge the candy in beside it. Top with more tissue. Tie the whole thing off with a ribbon. Voila! Ten down, another two hundred forty left to go.

She stiffened as footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor in the hallway. Voices rose above the comforting noise of the TV. Seconds later, she laughed at herself. Did she honestly think a band of pirates had invaded the Captain’s Cottage? That might have happened in Thaddeus’s day, but not now. Most likely, it was just another bridal party gathering for their wedding.

Except, Karolyn had rented the entire mansion for the weekend. So why were throngs of people roaming the halls?

At a knock on the door, her heart rate doubled. She brandished a wine bottle like a club. “Who is it?”

Rather than replying, the new arrivals took their lives in their hands. The door sprang open.

When a familiar face filled the gap, Jenny lowered her would-be weapon, but she didn’t try to hide her confusion. “Mildred? What are you doing here?”

Lines around the florist’s eyes crinkled. “I—we—heard you had quite the project on your hands and could use some help. I brought extra scissors.” She stepped into the room.

“We brought wine.” Ashley crossed the threshold on Mildred’s heels.

“And glasses.” Brandishing a stack of paper cups, Alexis joined her sister.

“I brought my curling scissors—they make great bows.” Cheri edged past the twins.

“Janet sends her regards.” JoJo aimed an ever-present camera at the stacks of supplies. The shutter clicked. “She wanted to come, too, but she’s up to her eyeballs in prep for tomorrow’s festivities.”

“I brought my boss.” Alicia crowded into the room that had rapidly filled with people. “He’s pretty good at lifting and toting. If you need anything moved, he’s your man.”

“I’m Jason,” said a tall, dark-haired stranger who bore a striking resemblance to framed portraits of Captain Thaddeus Heart. “Just point me in the right direction.”

“Nice to meet you.” She would have said more, but her mouth stalled as Nick joined the throng.

“Sustenance.” He lowered a brownie-laden tray to one of the empty tables.

Heartache, fresh and bright, stabbed Jenny’s chest. She drew a ragged breath and turned to the people who’d opened their hearts to her while she’d been in Heart’s Landing. “What are you doing here?”

“Everyone in town knew you’d planned on having your wedding party put together the favors for your guests tonight,” JoJo explained as she lined up for her next shot. “When we heard their flight was delayed, well, we couldn’t let you handle all this by yourself.”

Touched, Jenny pressed one hand over the place where her shattered heart thudded. She could hardly believe these people—people she hadn’t even known four weeks ago—would rush to help her. “You’re doing this for me?”

Jason’s head bobbed. “We always go the extra mile for a true Heart’s Landing Bride.”

“All our brides,” Alicia corrected. She aimed a stern look at her boss.

Jenny barely had time to wonder what Jason meant before Nick clapped his hands together.

“These bags aren’t going to stuff themselves, folks. Let’s get started.” He shot her a pointed glance. “Jenny, what’s first?”

She swept the crowded room. As many changes as she’d thrown at them over the past few weeks, no one in this room owed her a thing. Yet they’d given up a big part of their day to help her out of a jam. And she had no doubt that Nick had arranged the whole thing. She shot a grateful smile at the man who’d broken her heart. Warmth spread through her when his lips curled up in return. Glad that they were at least on speaking terms, she fought back the sting of tears as she addressed the group. “You don’t know how much I appreciate you being here tonight,” she began. “I never thought—”

“Hush now,” Mildred interrupted. “We’re just helping out a friend. You’d do the same for any one of us.”

“I would.” Jenny blotted her eyes. Karolyn and Chad had found better things to do on the eve of their own wedding, but she could count on the friends she’d made in Heart’s Landing. And they could count on her.

“Too much talking!” Ashley declared. “Let’s get to work before everyone breaks out their hankies.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Alexis pulled the cork from a wine bottle and poured cabernet into paper cups.

Within minutes, the group formed an assembly line of sorts. The room filled with the sounds of crinkling paper, the snip of scissors, and the lively chatter of friends, old and new. Deciding she couldn’t let their sacrifice go unrewarded, Jenny found an excuse to slip away long enough to place a discreet call to Bow Tie Pasta. Pleased to free up more tables on a busy weekend night, the maître d’ agreed to deliver half the food Jenny had ordered for the rehearsal dinner to the Captain’s Cottage and send the rest to a local soup kitchen.

By the time she returned to the conference room, the evening news had ended. On the TV, the hosts of an entertainment show expressed shock and horror at the breakup of one of Hollywood’s longest romances.

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