Page 6 of White Wedding
She pulled up the list she’d refined over the past three years, containing the best-reviewed caterers in San Diego and Riverside Counties. But a quick perusal of the names confirmed her deepest fears. She’d tried all of them.
She marched across the hall to the shared office occupied by her boss, Lindsay—the senior event planner for Blackwood Cellars—and her assistant, June. Since Lindsay was out on leave, June had commandeered her giant desk. At the moment, she was wading through a messy pile of paperwork.
Victoria popped her head in the door. “June? Do you have a minute?”
June blinked, owl-like, through oversize glasses and ran her hand through her mop of graying curls. For someone who helped organize high-profile events, she often wore the frazzled look of a woman skirting the edge of chaos. But she was also the type of employee who’d work extra hours, make endless calls, and give up her social life if the situation called for it. Which it frequently did.
“Thank God you’re here.” June set down a sheaf of papers atop a teetering mountain of files. “I’m trying to get a handle on the Holiday Open House in two weeks, and it’s killing me. I don’t know how you did it last year.”
Simple. Victoria had put in hours of work and turned down a slew of activities. But she’d given her father exactly what he wanted. Slavish devotion, nothing less. “I can run through all the details with you later. Right now, I’m in crisis mode.”
“The Cavendish-Macalister wedding?” June said. “I’m not one to judge, but that Missy is a piece of work. Like one of those reality show gals. What’s she done now?”
“She was so demanding that Heather quit yesterday. Which means Blue Willow won’t be catering the wedding. The only decent caterer available on short notice is a Mexican place in Escondido. Tres Hermanos.”
“Then you’re in luck. I had dinner there a few months ago, and the food was out of this world. I had this red snapper that was to die for.”
The food wasn’t the problem. But Victoria couldn’t share her true reasons for wanting to strike Tres Hermanos from the slate. “It definitely got rave reviews. But what are the odds of Ben being on board with Mexican food, given his aversion to spice and his ultra-bland palate?”
She remembered the blunder she’d made when she surprised him by planning a date for them at an upscale Indian fusion restaurant. He was less than appreciative, enduring the meal in sullen silence, then blaming her when he suffered indigestion.
June wrinkled her nose. “Clients like him are the worst.” She gave Victoria a contrite look. “Sorry. I know he was originallyyourfiancé, but…”
“It’s fine. I just need a couple more caterers. For backup. Can you find Lindsay’s master list?”
“Hoo boy. I can try. Give me fifteen minutes, okay? I’ll drop it by your office.”
“Thanks. I’ll look for my notes from last year’s open house. I’m not sure if I’ll have time to review them with you today, but we can go over them on Monday.”
* * *
By the endof the day, Victoria had set up tastings with two more catering companies. Though neither place was highly ranked on Lindsay’s list, they’d both received decent reviews from the clients Victoria had spoken to. But she saw her options dwindling after joining Ben and Missy for the first two tastings on Saturday morning. Their disdain for the food was so evident it made her cringe in shame. She’d been around rude clients before, but their behavior took things to another level.
She arrived at Tres Hermanos first and waited for them outside. When Ben’s BMW pulled up, she watched as he escorted Missy out of the car. She was petite and delicate, with a fluffy mass of strawberry-blond hair and wide, innocent-looking eyes. Like a princess who needed rescuing. But her looks were deceiving because under the fluff and the sweet smiles, she was a demanding pain in the ass.
She flashed Victoria one of those smiles as she leaned on Ben’s arm. “I know you’ve been trying your hardest, but I hope this place is better than the last two. I feel like this morning has been a complete waste of time.”
“Artful Parties wasn’t that bad,” Ben said.
Missy poked him in the shoulder. “Oh, you. It was uninspired, and you know it.”
He ruffled her hair playfully. “You know I can’t handle too much spice, sweetheart.”
“But it was so dull. Boring chicken. Boring potatoes. Boring vegetables. What kind of an impression would that make on our guests?”
Victoria plastered on her biggest, fakest smile. “Shall we go inside?”
She led the way, shivering as a gust of wind kicked up. Normally, when she accompanied couples on weekend tastings, she dressed casually, but today she’d opted for her business armor—a dark blazer, matching pencil skirt, and heels. Now she wished she’d worn a coat, since the weather was unusually chilly for December in Southern California.
Rafael had instructed her to come to the building at the back of the restaurant, where the catering kitchen and offices were located. A young Latina woman led them into the private tasting room. Unlike the dark, dreary conference rooms at Blackwood Cellars, this space was invigorating, its ocher walls enhanced by colorful oil paintings and hanging glass lamps that resembled stars. At the center of the room stood a large oak table, covered by a crimson runner. A stack of matching linen napkins was placed off to one side, next to a ceramic vase, filled with red amaryllis flowers.
The woman brought them a pitcher of ice water and glasses, as well as plates and cutlery. A minute later, Rafael walked in, pushing a cart laden with food. Victoria took a deep breath. The mingled scents of chilies, garlic, and cumin made her mouth water.
“Good morning. I am Rafael Sanchez, the youngest member of the Tres Hermanos Catering Company. Please, feel free to call me Rafael. I’ve prepared eight types of appetizers and five entrees, and I’ll be serving you samples from all of them. Does that sound all right?”
His demeanor was courteous and polished. No hint that that he and Victoria had once been lovers.Thank God. She could only imagine Ben’s furious reaction if he learned the truth.
Rafael caught her eyes. “Miss Blackwood, would you like to try the food as well?”
