Page 1 of Purrfect Planning

Prologue: Two months earlier

CHAPTER 1

Aspen

“I’m telling you, Princessa. This wedding is killing me. I can’t take anymore surprises.”

A soft “mrrow” tilts my lips. My snow-white, giant feline sits at my feet and watches me wrestle with a recalcitrant daisy in the floral arrangement on one of the dozen tables that we’ve got set up.

“I know, I know.” I nod my head at my pet’s insistent cat chatter. “It’s fine. I’m just a little stressed.”

After all, I’m trying to win the biggest contract of my life and I can’t help feeling that I’m sinking under the weight of all my expectations.

My fledgeling business is doing well but it’s not going like I’d hoped. I don’t have lines of customers out the door. Even though this is my home and has been my whole life, there are bigger options close by in other towns.

Starlight Bay is bustling tonight though. The lights in the grotto of the town hall are twinkling cheerfully. I built this little slice of paradise in the large, business-like room since the boathouse was already being used by another wedding and this ceremony was kind of last minute.

Princessa winds through my feet as I run back and forth fixing the small site. I didn’t want to do this here but there was just no other option available right now. I thought about the vineyard but in December? Not gonna happen. The weather isn’t good enough for outdoor weddings right now. And Christmas is such a mess for this kind of thing.

I wasn’t even sure that we’d get this done. I should be breathing a sigh of relief but I’m not. And it’s all because of Harmony Rise. The singer’s wedding is being planned in this area since she’s a local girl but nobody knows where and she doesn’t have a wedding planner yet. It’s in a month on the tenth of March.. Mostly because she’s in-between commitments right now. But it’s important to me for many reasons.

I’ve put in to get the contract for this amazing opportunity. It would be my biggest wedding by far and my new business needs this infusion of notoriety and cash.

I only started my business last year after my mom died. I moved back home after college and took over at my mom’s store when she got sick. But it was already running in the red and I barely managed to make it survive past her death from cancer.

My heart still twists when I think about her frail body when they carried her out of her home, where she elected to receive hospice care and pass away with dignity in her most-loved space. I supported her every second of the day.

And now I’m rudderless.

I was tired and I gave up. I didn’t want to get up every day and not take care of her. Didn’t want to think about her not being with me. She’s all I had left. I’ve got no siblings. She had none. My father ran away and left us ages ago and I don’t know a blasted thing about his side of the family except that they hated my mom. That was enough to tell me that I wanted nothing to do with them.

I knew she wouldn’t like the way I was retreating though. She wanted me to get on with my life after she passed away. She wanted me to find joy in every minute of the day.

I close my eyes and smile mistily. “Honey, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Don’t sit here and think about me every day. That would make me so sad. Go out there and live every day like it’s the best day of your life. Find someone to love and to love you back like you deserve. Have your own children and raise them up to be just like you, my love. Because I don’t think I could ever have dreamt when you were born how wonderful you’d be and how much I would love you.”

A singe tear trickles down my cheek and I brush it away hastily, opening my eyes and glancing back and forth, studying the almost-finished room.

I didn’t receive much money from mom’s estate and the sale of the business but it was enough to finally live my dream. I love weddings. Love the hope and the culmination of the beginning of new lives, new dreams and new families. It’s an amazing feeling to be there to share in their joy.

I’m not sure if Mom would love it since it keeps me so busy that I haven’t even bothered going on a date since college. That’s definitely not what she hoped for me but I’ve got time. I’m only twenty-seven years old. Still plenty of time to find the man of my dreams and have the family that I’ve always yearned for.

The clerk of courts comes running in the room. “Hey! Have you checked the weather lately?”

“No!” My head pops up at the panic in her voice. I juggle the flowers I’m still messing with and pull out my phone, groaning when I see the weather alert at the top. “Oh, shoot! A northwester moving in? That wasn’t forecast here.”

“The storm changed directions at the last minute. It’s now forecast to hit here within the hour. I’m not sure your bride andgroom are going to make it in. The judge is stranded at her cabin. So even if they do, she can’t marry them.”

I run my fingers through my hair. “This is a disaster! I can’t believe this is happening!”

The clerk runs out of the room, hollering, “I’m heading back home after I stop and get some water. They’re not sure how long this is going to last. I suggest you send your people home and get home yourself.”

I nod my head and call for my people. “There’s a storm coming. I’m going to call the bride and groom because the judge can’t make it. We’ll have to reschedule this when the storm is passed and I’ll have to make arrangements with the wedding party. I’ll let your bosses know about this but I think for right now…you should all head home. I know some of you have long drives to other towns and this doesn’t look good. I’m so sorry I didn’t keep a better eye on things. I’ll make sure that you’re paid for your time today. Y’all have done a fabulous job and I couldn’t be more proud. Thank you! But get home to your families and be safe!”

Everyone scrambles out of the room, dropping whatever they’re doing and within minutes the empty room echoes with receding footsteps and banging doors.

I sigh and glance around, running my hand frantically through my long, mousy brown hair. I pick up my phone to make the call to my bride and groom and hopefully salvage this mess.

CHAPTER 2

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