Tags:
Fiction,
Romance,
Contemporary,
California,
Family Saga,
Women's Fiction,
small town,
new york city,
runaway bride,
wedding,
society,
Distance,
mountain town,
recession,
sister,
Ex-Fiance,
Victorian Inn,
New Boss,
Permanent,
Engaged,
Watchful
back to the inn, Sam was giving a young couple a tour of the grounds. It sounded to Nate like they wanted to hold their wedding at the Lumber Baron and Samantha was showing them their options. He leaned against the porch railing to eavesdrop.
“If you decide on August we could hold the ceremony on this side of the property where you’ll have a magnificent view of the sun setting over the mountains,” she told them. “Then we can move the party to a big tent on the other side of the inn.”
The bride seemed to like that idea.
“What if the weather’s bad?” This from the groom.
“We’ll get a tent with sides that we can close,” Sam said. “As for the ceremony, we can move that inside. Given the size of your guest list it’ll be pretty tight, but we can make it work. Obviously, I can’t guarantee weather, but that time of year is a pretty safe bet.”
“I’m not worried about the weather,” the bride said. “My biggest concern is orchestrating everything—flowers, food, photos, music—from Sacramento.”
It was roughly three hours away, so not a bad question as far as Nate was concerned.
“That’s what I’m for,” Sam said. “I will help you find everything you need. We’ll pick a weekend when the both of you can come up—maybe you want to bring your parents—and I’ll set up back-to-back appointments for you with vendors that the inn has used and we are eager to recommend.”
Nate had to give it to her, she sounded polished, not at all pushy but assertive and knowledgeable. He suspected it was the old money upbringing. It bred confidence. His ex, Kayla, had been the same way. They’d go to parties in Cambridge and she would hijack the conversation, pontificating about the latest exhibit at the MFA or how Kayla’s bankruptcy law professor should be the next president—because she was that brilliant. That had been nearly a decade ago. But even today, Nate remembered Kayla working a room like a royal. Confident. Gracious. Charming.
And poisonous as a snake.
It looked like the wedding kids were ready to sign a contract. Nate watched as Sam ushered them into her office. She must’ve sensed his spying because she shut the door practically in his face. Impertinent woman.
“Excuse me.”
Nate turned around to find a beefy man with a florid face, wearing a baseball cap that advertised a brand of pro-rodeo gear Nate had never heard of. Not that Nate knew a lot about rodeo gear. “Can I help you?”
The man examined the lobby, stuck his head inside the guest parlor with its grand fireplace, and seemed pleased with what he saw. “I was wondering if you have a vacancy for the night.”
Nate looked around for Andy, who had the uncanny knack of never being around when you needed him. He was supposed to be working the reservation desk when Sam had clients. Nate planned to give the kid a good talking-to.
“Let me see,” Nate said, clicking through the computer. It had been a while since he’d checked in a guest. “How many nights would you like to stay, sir?”
“Just tonight. I have an appointment in the morning with Lucky Rodriguez.” He said it like Nate would automatically know who Lucky Rodriguez was. He didn’t.
“Is that so? Looks like we can accommodate you, Mr. . . .”
“Danvers. Rick Danvers.” He pulled a credit card from his wallet and slid it across the counter.
Nate asked for an ID and noticed that Mr. Danvers had a Florida license. Didn’t get too many Floridians up in the mountains.
“Is there a place to eat around here?”
Nate started to tell Danvers about the Ponderosa, but Sam and the wedding couple came out of her office.
Sam saw Nate fumbling with the computer and said, “I’ll take care of that.” She flashed Danvers a kilowatt smile. “I’ll be right with you, sir.”
The guy did a visual lap over that clingy dress of hers, lingering on her breasts, and seemed more than happy to wait. He pretended to thumb through a tour guide—Maddy kept a