by Julie Benson
“That wouldn’t do. Daddy’s still mad we’re having the wedding this New Year’s Eve rather than next year. We have to remain on schedule, and everything has to come off to perfection, or he’ll kill me.”
Considering the hefty budget Mayor Timmons gave his daughter, she obviously got whatever she wanted, and McKenna doubted he’d kill her. Despite those thoughts, she rushed to reassure the nervous bride. “We’re actually ahead of schedule in terms of decisions and planning, even considering the extra time involved with the dresses.”
“He’s also concerned with Ginny’s absence. When we signed the contract, we weren’t told that you, rather than Ginny, would be in charge of my wedding.”
With the way Susannah emphasized you, McKenna received the message loud and clear. She and Daddy were ticked an assistant, rather than the company’s owner was handling the wedding.
Maybe Grace was right about getting out and meeting people. “I don’t know if Ginny knew she needed surgery when you signed the contract, and I’m sorry the fact has caused you and your father concern. However, Ginny has kept me apprised on every detail regarding your wedding. We also met before her surgery to specifically discuss your vision.”
Ginny also issued a severe bridezilla warning, saying you’d been given whatever you desired your entire life, often before you thought to ask. Mix the family’s money, your striking good looks, with your father being mayor, and she said you expected the world to bow to your whims, no questions asked.
“When was the last time you spoke with Ginny?”
“I updated her via email yesterday, but I assure you I have everything under control.”
“Daddy isn’t sure an assistant is capable of coordinating a wedding the size and importance of mine.”
“I don’t know how well it’s known around town, but I have years of experience in the wedding industry working—”
“As a personal assistant?”
“As a wedding planner.” McKenna met the haughty woman’s gaze head-on and listed her educational qualifications. “My previous job was with the most in-demand wedding planning company in Houston.”
Susannah crossed her arms over her full chest and tapped an elegant French manicured nail against her pale forearm. “Then why on earth would you accept a job as Ginny’s assistant in a little town like Wishing?”
Her hands clammy, McKenna’s mind scrambled to compose an appropriate response. How could she let her pride goad her into this discussion? What could she say? Certainly not the truth. “I’d advanced as far as I could with the company. When I heard of the job here, I researched Lucky Stars Weddings and Wishing. Both have untapped potential, and I want to be part of helping them grow to rival wedding venues in Dallas and Houston.”
Susannah eyed McKenna making her want to squirm. Anxious to change the subject, she glanced at the antique wall clock, then back at her client. “Maybe you should text Campbell to see if there’s a problem.”
“No need to do that,” came the throaty voice from the entry. “I’m here and look who I found when I drove up.” A petite brunette stepped into the office, her arm linked through Zane’s. Dressed in skinny jeans, stiletto heels, and a low-cut top that cinched below her breasts, she appeared more ready for a nightclub than meeting a wedding planner.
“You remember Zane, Susannah.” Campbell giggled and glanced at Zane with wide doe eyes and licked her lips. “Of course, you do. Who wouldn’t remember Zane?”
Oh, Lord. Could the woman be more obvious and high schoolish? Plastering her best I’m-a-professional-nothing-gets-to-me smile on her face, McKenna rose to greet the maid of honor. “Hello. You must be Campbell. Susannah has selected beautiful dresses.”
Campbell nodded in greeting, dismissed McKenna, and turned to Susannah. “Isn’t it fabulous to see Zane today since we haven’t talked to him since he came home?”
“I wouldn’t call Wishing home since I’ve lived in California for over ten years,” Zane said.
“I adore California,” Campbell said, her voice as dreamy as the look she leveled on Zane.
“We need to cut this reunion short. We have a bridesmaid’s dress to pick out,” McKenna said, attempting to take control of the situation.
“I’d love to hear about your life in California. I bet it’s so fascinating,” Campbell said, once again ignoring McKenna. “We should catch up. We could get the old high school gang together. Wouldn’t that be fun, Susannah?”
“Of course. I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk at the engagement party.”
McKenna stared at Susannah. For a bride who’d come in panicked over the timeline, she’d lost those worries since Zane arrived.
“I suppose you’ve heard I’m getting married.” Susannah waved her hand with her two carat, pear-shaped diamond in his direction. “People are so excited for me. Every time I tried to make my way to you, someone stopped me to ask me about the wedding.”
“Congratulations. Wow, Susannah, that’s some rock. I wish I had my sunglasses.”
McKenna bit the inside of her cheek in frustration but forced her muscles to relax. “We need to move on to why you two are here today, picking out the bridesmaids’ dress for the wedding.”
“You’d like Garrett, Zane. We met at college when his frat, Pi Kappa Alpha, invited the Chi-Os for a mixer. It was love at first sight.” Susannah beamed almost as brightly as her ring. Then she continued, saying her fiancé was a corporate lawyer in Dallas’s most prestigious firm and on track to be the firm’s youngest junior partner.
Ignoring the urge to jump in front of the other women and wave her arms like the airport guy guiding the plane to the gate, McKenna counted to ten. Take control. You’ve dealt with far more difficult clients. But no more suggesting. Be firm, but sweet, and don’t give them an option to refuse. “Ladies, I have everything set up, including a light snack and iced tea. Follow me.” McKenna waved a hand toward the door, waiting for the women to follow.
Instead, Campbell placed her hand on Zane’s broad chest and smiled at Susannah. “I thought Zane could stay and give us a man’s opinion. After all, I need something amazing since the governor will be there.”
McKenna gasped, but quickly covered her reaction with a cough. After this morning’s episode of The Bachelor, Wishing, Texas, no way would she let Zane join them. Not simply no, but not-while-birds-still-fly no. The image of Campbell twirling and spinning in front of Zane, trying to entice him appeared in her mind. And what if Susannah chose a dress based on Zane’s input and received negative feedback on it at the wedding? Today could come back to bite McKenna in the behind.
No matter how much chaos there is around you or inside you, don’t let it show.
Intent on nixing the idea, McKenna said, “Between his own work responsibilities and checking on Ginny, I don’t think Zane has time to help.”
When Susannah’s brows furrowed and Campbell glared, McKenna rushed to correct her misstep. “Not that Zane wouldn’t like to help. I’m sure he would, but his first priorities are to his job and Ginny.”
“And I don’t want to get in the way of important wedding decisions.” Zane flashed Susannah and Campbell a blinding smile. “We’ll talk about getting together soon, though.”
McKenna bit her lip to keep her mouth from hanging open. Who was this pleasant, smiling man and why didn’t he work here every day? His tone was warm, lacked the sarcasm she’d grown familiar with, and he was backing her up.
“But I need your opinion, Zane,” Campbell whined. “This wedding is so important. You wouldn’t want me being embarrassed wearing a hideous dress in front of the governor, would you?”
McKenna swallowed her groan. As if any wedding planner with a day of experience, an ounce of talent, and any self-respect would let a bridesmaid walk down the aisle in a hideous dress.
Susannah crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a hard stare at her maid of honor. “Campbell, my taste is excellent, and I selected these dresses.”
“I’ve seen the dre
sses, and they are all fabulous,” McKenna added, hoping to avoid trouble between the pair.
“Then it’s more important we get Zane’s opinion because all the dresses may look so wonderful on me, we can’t decide.”
“Then I’ll make the decision,” Susannah snapped.
“But I have to wear—”
“Ladies, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.” McKenna’s chest tightened over a brewing girlfriend fight. The minor ones ended with hurt feelings, while the worst led to destroyed friendships and a new maid of honor. Yikes, the stuff wedding planner nightmares were made of. “I’m sure you two won’t have trouble selecting a dress. Most times the bride and attendants know the right dress when they see it.”
Please let that be the case today.
Campbell snuggled closer to Zane, and McKenna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She’d seen newlyweds show less public displays of affection. She strolled to the door. “Susannah, Campbell, I have everything ready in the bride’s dressing room. Follow me.”
Campbell, still wrapped around Zane, pouted, and squeezed his arm. “After all we meant to each other, surely you can do this tiny thing for me?”
After all we meant to each other? Zane and Campbell had a history? As in they were involved, but now weren’t? Exes? The potential for disaster ratcheted up a notch. Out of nowhere the song “All My Exes Live in Texas” played in McKenna’s head.
She’d lost her mind.
“I’ll make it worth your while, but if you can’t do this for me—”
Campbell’s threat hung in the air. I will find a way to make you pay. Dread twisted McKenna’s stomach.
“I guess I can spare a little time,” Zane said.
What? Had Zane lost his mind, too? What happened to backing her up? Why would he do this when he’d said he wanted nothing to do with client meetings?
And she’d thought she could take control? She wanted to laugh. Taking charge of anything with Zane around seemed as likely as her controlling the Texas weather.
With Zane’s desertion, she was outnumbered three to one. No matter what strategy she employed she’d lose. A good wedding planner knew when to cut her losses. Nothing to do now but minimize the damage and survive.
She should ask Ginny for a raise. Today she deserved combat pay.
Forget that. This was Zane’s fault. She’d take payment out of his hide.
*
McKenna’s stiff posture told Zane he was as welcome as a wet dog at a society party. He hadn’t wanted to stay either, but he knew Campbell. In her spoiling-for-a-fight mood and the way she’d dug in her heels, continuing to defy her would unleash Hurricane Campbell. Easier and safer for everyone in her wake if he conceded.
No big deal. He’d smile, make a couple comments, and be done in thirty minutes tops. After all, how long could it take to try on a few dresses and pick one?
When he’d first run into Campbell in the parking lot, his interest flickered, but she’d dampened his attraction with her clinging and whining. The fact that boredom and desperation rolled off her in waves had killed it Amazing how messy divorces changed folks.
Once in the bride’s dressing room, he sat on a dainty love seat next to Susannah. Tiny sandwiches and little cakes rested on Ginny’s china plates on the coffee table in front of them along with a pitcher of sweet tea and glasses. Zane felt like a scraggly tom cat in the middle of a fancy cat show, an all-female one.
Campbell sashayed to the rack of tan-peachy color dresses beside a slatted wood room divider.
“Isn’t the color gorgeous, Campbell?” McKenna said. “Susannah’s chosen blush champagne paired with white and silver for the color scheme. For a New Year’s Eve wedding, I think it’ll be stunning.”
Zane tried to tune out the women talking about how else Susannah would incorporate her color scheme. Who wanted to waste their New Year’s Eve at a wedding? Not him. Why did a bride have to ruin a perfectly good holiday and football night? From the color scheme, they chatted back and forth about whether to eat or check out dresses first.
Ridiculous. It wouldn’t take him and his buddies a minute to decide. You hungry? No. Me neither. We’ll eat later. Done. Issue settled. But women made every discussion as hard as finding hair on a frog.
Beam me anywhere but here, Scottie.
After deciding to eat later, McKenna told Campbell to select a dress to try on, but instead of simply grabbing one that became a huge decision, too.
“Do you have a preference, Zane?” Campbell asked, her voice husky and her eyes dreamy.
What had he gotten into? “Doesn’t matter. Whatever you choose will look great on you.”
Campbell grinned, selected a dress, and headed behind the screen. While she changed, McKenna poured sweet tea for Susannah. When she held the glass out to the bride-to-be, Susannah shook her head.
“Do you have anything more celebratory?”
McKenna stilled. Her eyes widened for a second before her chest expanded as she breathed deeply. Boy, the woman could pull it together fast.
“What did you have in mind?” McKenna asked, her voice pleasant and even.
“Do you have champagne?”
“We keep some in the kitchen.” McKenna smiled, excused herself, and returned minutes later with a bottle and two glasses. He almost chuckled. Leave it to McKenna to take charge and decide he wasn’t having any, but he didn’t mind. A bottle of Shiner, he could go for, but champagne wasn’t his thing.
“You want me to open it?” he teased, unable to resist.
“Not on your life.” A grin played at her lips. “Or rather not on my life.”
He chuckled. Maybe McKenna possessed a sense of humor after all.
“What am I missing?” Susannah asked.
“A cork went haywire on me at AJ’s party. That’s how McKenna got hurt.”
“Ready?” Campbell called out. “I don’t want anyone to miss my entrance.”
Zane flinched. There was Campbell’s desperation for attention again. His easier and safer way out wasn’t looking as good.
“All set,” McKenna said, and Campbell stepped out wearing a dress, with a V-neck and tiny straps. Two small rows of ruffles ran from her chest down the front. Above the knee, a slit started. She strolled across the room, stopping in front of him, and twirled. Then she spotted the bottle in McKenna’s hand. “Champagne. What a fantastic idea.”
McKenna opened the bottle without mishap and poured the ladies a glass.
“You’re not having any, Zane?” Campbell asked.
“I’m a beer guy.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.” The passionate invitation in Campbell’s eyes told him champagne wasn’t the only thing she meant.
Geez, he didn’t mind a little playful flirting. Hell, he might consider it his favorite sport, but with three women in his grandmother’s business, while Campbell tried on bridesmaids’ dresses for her best friend’s wedding, Campbell’s obvious seduction ploys felt wrong. Even a confirmed bachelor like him knew this should be about the bride and not Campbell getting a date.
Talk about weird. Who’d have thought he’d think that?
After a few sips of champagne, glass in hand, Campbell shimmied to the three-way mirror a few feet away. As Campbell preened, she craned her neck this way and that to catch glimpses of herself from various angles. “I’m not sure about this one.”
“What aren’t you sure about? Is there something you don’t like?” McKenna asked.
Campbell took a long drink of champagne. “It’s the ruffles. What do you think, Zane?”
McKenna tossed him what he interpreted as a don’t-you-dare-say-a-word look before she turned to Susannah. “Susannah, it’s your wedding,” McKenna said, emphasizing the word your as if the other two people in the room might have forgotten. He hadn’t, but he couldn’t vouch for Campbell. “What do you think of this dress?”
“I think the ruffles are a little much, too.”
“Then we cross it off the list.” M
cKenna’s voice filled with authority as she turned to Campbell. “On to the next one.”
Danged if Campbell didn’t march back to the rack, grab another dress, and scoot behind the screen. Zane couldn’t help but admire the way McKenna accomplished the feat.
The next dress had a round neckline and stopped below the knee with a small slit on one side. Her glass now empty, Campbell held it out for McKenna to refill, and then took another long drink. “I don’t like this one at all. It’s frumpy.”
When McKenna asked for Susannah’s opinion, she said, “I think it’s too informal for what I have in mind.”
“How formal are you thinking? Black-tie? Because if you are, then you should choose a floor or ankle length gown,” McKenna advised.
“Definitely black-tie with the governor coming.”
McKenna nodded in agreement. “Campbell, don’t bother trying on the other mid-length dresses.”
Great news. Four down. He didn’t want to think about how many to go.
When Campbell changed and returned, she said, “The next time Garrett’s in town, Zane and I should go out with you two.”
“That’s an excellent idea.” Susannah turned to him. “I’m sure you and Garrett will hit it off. He’s visiting at the end of the month.”
Double date with status snob Susannah, her fiancé, and needy Campbell? He’d rather stay home and watch Downton Abbey. “I don’t know if I’ll still be in town, but we’ll see.” Then having had his fill of this fashion show, he added, “As fun as it’s been, I need to check on Ginny and return to work.”
Susannah said something about understanding, keeping in touch, and hoping he could get together with her and Garrett. Zane nodded, mumbled sure that sounded good, and stood to leave. Whatever, but get me out of here.
“You may understand, Susannah, but I don’t,” Campbell snapped, her words slightly slurred as she stormed toward him. She must have downed those two glasses of champagne on an empty stomach for her to get buzzed so fast. “Zane, you promised you’d help pick out the right dress, but now you’re backin’ out.”