Page 9 of Wisteria Winds
Her expression softened slightly. “That’s very admirable, though I must say it still is not what I envisioned for my daughter’s career path. You know, Danielle was on track for a very prestigious position at Columbia Presbyterian.”
He nodded, choosing his words carefully. “I know she was, and I’m sure she was exceptional at it because she’s exceptional here. But on Wisteria Island, she’s not just treating people’s symptoms; she’s caring for the whole person. She knows every single resident’s medical history, yes, but she also knows their favorite books and their grandchildren’s names. She knows their secret recipes.” He smiled. “I believe she would tell you that she’s found her calling.”
Before Cecilia could respond, they were interrupted by an older man with a jaunty bow tie and a tablet tucked under his arm. He couldn’t have been five feet tall.
“Bennett! There you are. I’ve been looking for you. Oh my goodness, you must be Danielle’s mama.” He thrust out his hand enthusiastically. “I’m Morty, wedding planner extraordinaire, and the island’s resident fashion guru.”
Cecilia shook his hand, amused by his energy. “Cecilia Wright. Wedding planner, you say?”
“Well… self-appointed,” Bennett clarified. “Morty has taken it upon himself to ensure that our wedding is ‘the most spectacular event in Wisteria Island’s history.’”
“Which ain’t saying much, considering we’ve never had a wedding here before,” Morty added with a wink. “But that means we’ve got to set the bar super high.” He reached up as high as he could and barely reached the top of Bennett’s head. “Dr. Wright, may I call you Cecilia? You simply must see my Pinterest boards. I’ve been gathering inspiration for weeks now.”
“Weeks? They haven’t been engaged that long,” Cecilia said, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, I mean, we could all see where things were headed,” Morty said with a knowing smile. “And now I understand you had some thoughts about a big New York shindig, but I assure you, what we’re planning here will be the most magical event you’ve ever attended. Beach ceremony at sunset, fairy lights strung through the trees. We might even put in a dance floor right on the sand.”
Bennett watched as Cecilia listened to Morty’s enthusiastic description. Well, all of Morty’s descriptions were enthusiastic.
“It sounds a bit unconventional,” Cecilia finally said.
Morty waved his hand without missing a beat. “Well, the best things usually are. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting with Dorothy Monroe about floral arrangements. Former movie star, you know,” he added in a stage whisper. “Absolutely fabulous taste.”
Morty hurried off, and Cecilia turned to Bennett with a bemused expression.
“Is everyone on this island so colorful?”
Bennett said, “Yeah, pretty much. That’s what makes this place special.”
“And Dorothy Monroe, the movie star, lives here?”
“Yes, she does,” Bennett said, shrugging his shoulders.
“Wow. Interesting. I have to say, I enjoy watching some of her old movies.”
They continued their tour, passing a small beachfront area where Bennett said they hoped to hold the ceremony.
“I can see why Danielle loves it here,” Cecilia said after a moment. “It is beautiful in its own way.”
“She does love it, almost as much as I love her.”
She studied him. “You know, Bennett, I’ve researched you quite thoroughly. You have very impressive business achievements, but what interests me the most is what you’ve done with your success. I know many rich people, and most of them don’t do philanthropic things, at least not to this extent. In this case, you truly put your money where your mouth was. The island, your charitable foundation… You really seem to care about making a difference.”
“I try,” he said simply. “My grandmother used to say that success is measured not by what you have but by what you give to others.”
“A very wise woman,” Cecilia nodded. “I still have my reservations about this island wedding idea, especially if that little fella is the one that’s handling everything, but I’m beginning to understand why my daughter chose you.”
As they headed back toward the cottages to prepare for going out to dinner, Bennett felt a small sense of victory. Cecilia Wright was a formidable woman, no doubt about it, but she clearly wanted what was best for Danielle—and his job was to help her see that he and Wisteria Island were exactly that.
Danielle smoothed her white sundress nervously while she waited for Bennett to pick her up for dinner. So far, her mother’s arrival had gone better than expected, but the evening ahead loomed with all sorts of potential pitfalls. Cecilia, in a casual island restaurant, was like setting a couture-clad cat among proverbial pigeons.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
“Ready for our big night?” Bennett asked when she opened it, looking as handsome as ever, wearing a navy blazer over a crisp white shirt.
“As I’ll ever be,” she said, accepting a kiss on her cheek. “How’d the tour go?”
“I think we made progress. Your mom seemed genuinely interested in the island, and of course, Morty ambushed us with wedding talk.”
