Bride & Seek

by Samantha Chase

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Epilogue

  Another Epilogue

  Want to know more about Josie, Skylar, & Leanna?

  Here’s an excerpt from THE ENGAGEMENT EMBARGO

  Chapter 1

  Also by Samantha Chase

  About Samantha Chase

  By

  Samantha

  Chase

  Copyright 2021 Samantha Chase

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book, with the exception of brief quotations for book reviews or critical articles, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design: Kari March/Kari March Designs

  Editing: Jillian Rivera Editing

  Praise for Samantha Chase

  “If you can’t get enough of stories that get inside your heart and soul and stay there long after you’ve read the last page, then Samantha Chase is for you!”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie Shawn

  “A fun, flirty, sweet romance filled with romance and character growth and a perfect happily ever after.”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips

  “Samantha Chase writes my kind of happily ever after!”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Erin Nicholas

  “The openness between the lovers is refreshing, and their interactions are a balanced blend of sweet and spice. The planets may not have aligned, but the elements of this winning romance are definitely in sync.”

  - Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

  “A true romantic delight, A Sky Full of Stars is one of the top gems of romance this year.”

  - Night Owl Reviews, TOP PICK

  “Great writing, a winsome ensemble, and the perfect blend of heart and sass.”

  - Publishers Weekly

  “Recommend Chase to fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Well-written and uniquely appealing.”

  - Booklist

  Prologue

  “Good morning and thank you for calling Enchanted Bridal! This is Hailey, how may I help you?”

  Cammie Parker smiled at the sound of her former boss’s voice. “Hey, Hailey, it’s Cammie! How are you?”

  “Oh, my goodness! This is a pleasant surprise! I’m doing well, how about you?”

  It was funny how much she needed to hear a familiar voice right now. “Things are going well,” she said. “I’m calling because I have a favor-slash-opportunity to talk to you about.”

  “I’m intrigued,” Hailey said in that serene way she had.

  “You know when I left Enchanted, I wasn’t sure where I was going to land, right?”

  “Well, I knew you were moving back to the mountains to be closer to your family, after…um…”

  “Yes,” Cammie said, quickly cutting her off. “And I did, and I recently started working at a local resort here in Emerald Grove.”

  “That’s wonderful! Is it a rustic kind of lodge?”

  Cammie couldn’t help but laugh softly. “When I was growing up, it was a lot more rustic than it is now. It recently went through a fantastic renovation and they are rebranding and looking for ways to draw some attention to themselves.”

  “O-kay…”

  “Anyway, I got a job working with their events coordinator and I pitched an idea that she loved, but…it mostly hinges on you and the outcome of this conversation.”

  “Now I’m really intrigued.”

  Doing her best to not sound nervous, Cammie let out a long breath and silently prayed that Hailey and the girls at Enchanted Bridal would be open to what she was about to propose.

  “I suggested that we hold a bridal expo here at the resort,” she stated, and before Hailey could comment, she went on. “The plan is to have it be similar to the ones you would host–both at the new facility and the ones you participated in all over North Carolina and the surrounding areas. Our event space isn’t nearly as large as some of the ones you’re used to, but I thought it could still work. Apparently weddings are something we’re seriously targeting here at Emerald Grove and I figured if I could get you and maybe the girls from Meet Me at the Altar to come too, then I can reach out to local vendors for the rest.”

  And with another long breath, she waited for Hailey’s response.

  And waited.

  And waited.

  “Um…Hailey…?”

  “Sorry, I was just thinking it all through in my head a bit. When are you planning on this?”

  “I know it might be a little short notice, but…eight weeks,” she said hesitantly.

  “Hmm…not impossible,” Hailey replied thoughtfully. “And considering you’re talking a scaled-down version of what we normally do, I don’t foresee any problems.”

  “Plus, it’s really just the fashion show! I’m going to handle everything else. I swear!”

  “Cammie, it’s okay. Really. I don’t think we’ll have an issue. If anything…”

  “Since I was so familiar with the fashion show schedule after working with you for so long, I knew there wouldn’t be any conflict. But if it’s too short of notice, I can work with that. Nothing is finalized yet.”

  “I need you to do me a favor first,” Hailey said solemnly.

  “Anything.”

  “Breathe. I can hear it in your voice that you’re nervous.”

  “Maybe a little…”

  “Second, is there anything else you would like help with? I know you worked a lot of the shows with us, but you weren’t involved with a lot of the planning because we had it all down to a science.”

  While that was true, Cammie had watched everything that had gone on around her and paid attention to every detail. On top of that, she had done a lot of research on her own before pitching the idea of the expo to her new boss.

  “I appreciate the offer, Hailey, but I think I’ve got almost everything worked out.” Then she let out a small laugh. “But you should probably expect a couple of calls from me between now and then.”

  “Anything you need, I’m here to help.”

  “Thank you,” she said as relief washed over her. “So far I’ve only pitched the idea. Once I have more of the details finalized, I’m going to present it again and then hit the ground running.”

  “I’m sure your boss will love it. Email me the details and what you’d like from us, and I’ve got the date on my calendar. You said eight weeks so that would be…the weekend of the seventeenth, right?”

  “Exactly. It will be an all-day event, so you’ll definitely want to come in the day before. I’ll set up a block of rooms for you and the models and get that information over to you too.”

  “Perfect.” She paused. “And you’re also reaching out to the girls at Meet Me at the Altar?”

  “Definitely. I know I don’t know the girls there personally, but I know their reputation. Plus, I remember you praising them.”

  “Oh, they’re wonderful! I only wish we had met them before they set up their offices. I would have loved to have them here with us.”

 
“You have so many amazing businesses in the complex with you already,” Cammie said with a smile. “And who knows? Maybe somewhere down the line, you’ll join forces and have some sort of mega complex!”

  Hailey groaned. “I don’t know if I could stand any more construction!”

  They both laughed before Cammie spoke again. “I know you’re all several hours from here, but I felt like you’re both the absolute best at what you do and I can personally–or somewhat personally–vouch for you. The last thing I want is to bring in vendors who don’t know what they’re doing. Maybe next year I’ll have more time to interview and research, but as long as you don’t mind the drive…”

  “We’re used to it. And if Josie, Skye, and Leanna aren’t convinced it’s worth the travel, I’ll give them a call. You know how persuasive I can be.”

  That made her laugh because there was no one more persuasive than Hailey James-Pierce.

  Well, except maybe her mother.

  Judith James was the woman who started Enchanted Bridal so many years ago, but it was Hailey and her three business partners who turned it into the premiere bridal business in the southeast.

  “I know you can, and if I need you to call them, I’ll let you know.”

  “Okay, now that we have business out of the way, how are you doing? How is it to be living back in the mountains?”

  “I’m enjoying it more than I thought. Things have been so hectic–I had to find a job and a place to live…”

  “I thought you were staying with your parents?”

  “Um…yeah. That didn’t last. But I did find a great little house to rent, so everything’s good now.” She glanced at the clock and realized it was getting late and she still had another dozen or so calls to make.

  “Say no more,” Hailey said with amusement. “I love my parents, but I don’t think I could ever live with them again.”

  “Exactly.” She paused. “Listen, Hailey, I am so excited to be working with you again, but I really need to go. Tons of calls to make and I’m sure you’re busy, too. I promise we’ll catch up when you’re here.”

  “Sounds good, Cammie. And thanks for thinking of us!”

  “Well, you are the best of the best! And thanks again. I can’t wait to get things started!”

  After saying goodbye, she hung up and let out a happy little sigh. This was going to be good for her. The opportunity to head up such a big event and have it run smoothly would ensure that her boss would be impressed with her.

  “Nothing can stop me now!”

  Little did she know those would be her famous last words…

  1

  Eight fifty-seven in the morning and Cammie Parker was already running late.

  As she quickly made her way across the massive lobby of the Emerald Grove Resort, she prayed no one would stop her. This was her first chance to head up a planning meeting and it would not be cool to be late.

  Eight fifty-nine.

  Quickly turning a corner, she sprinted down the hall and stopped at the door to the offices. Taking a deep breath, she ran a hand over her hair–which was thankfully pulled back in a sleek ponytail–and opened the door.

  “Good morning,” she said and cursed how breathless she was.

  The receptionist, Anna May Massey, looked up from the front desk and smiled. “Good morning!” Then she studied Cammie for a moment. “You okay?”

  What was the point in lying? “I was running a little late and pretty much sprinted here from my car.”

  Standing, Anna May laughed. “Well, take a minute to catch your breath, and then we’re meeting in Dixie’s office at nine-fifteen.”

  Cammie watched as Anna May walked away and almost sagged with relief. She wasn’t late–not really–and she had a few minutes to pull herself together. Working at the resort was a bit of a dream come true. Not only because of the timing, but because she had lived not far from it since her sophomore year of high school–and before moving to Raleigh several years ago–and Emerald Grove was a place that always called to her. And now, here she was!

  Grabbing a bottle of water, she quickly took several sips and began to cool down. The opportunity with Dixie Cruz couldn’t have come along at a better time. And after a rough patch in her life that she’d love to forget, it seemed like things were finally going her way.

  At nine-thirteen, she took her seat in Dixie’s office. Anna May was already in there, and after saying hello to Dixie, she swiped her tablet screen to pull up the agenda.

  “Okay, let’s start by looking at our upcoming calendar. We’ve got six events in the next two weeks,” Dixie began.

  “Six?” Cammie asked. “But...how…?”

  “You’ll get used to the pace,” Anna May said with a smile. “Although I’m sure it’s only going to get busier now that the resort is done being under construction. I know a lot of people are just dying to come in and look at it all and see for themselves! I’ll bet…”

  “Anna May,” Dixie interrupted with a bit of a snap. “May I continue?”

  Cammie had to hide a smile. In the last month she had learned that Dixie was extremely task-oriented while Anna May tended to constantly run off on a tangent.

  It made for some interesting conversations.

  “And you don’t worry, Cammie,” Dixie added. “We’re not just going to throw you to the wolves.”

  “Thank God,” she sighed and then relaxed.

  “Except for the expo,” Anna May chimed in. “I know we haven’t talked a lot about it yet, but it already sounds a bit overwhelming! I’m sure you could teach us a thing or two where that event is concerned!”

  Dixie let out a loud sigh and then went on. “First up is our Friday night wedding - second time around for both, only two attendants and two dozen guests for dinner. We could almost do that one with our eyes closed.”

  “Agreed,” Anna May said.

  “We’ll follow that up Saturday afternoon with the Malcolm-Charles wedding. More traditional - four attendants, fifty guests for lunch. No weird requests, so I think we’re good there too.”

  Everyone nodded and checked off their lists.

  “Saturday night is the Briggs-Davies event,” Dixie continued. “High-maintenance bride, uninterested groom, bitchy mother of the bride.”

  Cammie looked up and saw she was the only one who seemed dismayed. As if sensing her apprehension, Anna May reached over and patted her hand. “You’ll get used to it. We have to be brutally honest with one another on these things. And we keep that brutal honesty here behind closed doors. It makes it all run smoother.”

  “Are... are all the events filled with…”

  “Drama?” Anna May finished for her. “Yes. It goes with the territory. Some events…”

  “Like the Malcolm one…” Dixie supplied.

  “Are a breeze. Then you get the Briggs group in here and you have to wonder why they’re even getting married when divorce is so clearly in their future.”

  Cammie found the whole thing a little disenchanting. Weddings were supposed to be a beautiful event - a happy event - and yet the business end of it was totally…not.

  Anna May patted her hand again and smiled. “You’ll get used to it. Trust me. We don’t take these things lightly, but after a while, you begin to see the signs and…”

  “It’s hard to keep your observations to yourself,” Dixie said with a sympathetic smile.

  Rather than respond, Cammie just nodded. “Got it.”

  They went down the list of the Sunday events before letting Cammie take the floor to discuss the expo's plans. It felt a little strange to be the one taking the lead on this, but she’d done so many of them with Hailey and the girls at Enchanted over the last two years that it was like second nature.

  Once she was done, they went over the two small events scheduled for next weekend–an engagement party and an anniversary one. Neither seemed overly complicated.

  Next on the agenda were the appointments with prospective couples wanting to book a destination wedd
ing with them. Cammie followed along as Dixie read off the list, and then she gasped and choked on her own saliva.

  “Oh my God, Cammie! Are you all right?” Anna May cried as she jumped up.

  Both women surrounded her, patting her on the back, pouring her a glass of water as she tried to catch her breath. It took a few minutes, but when she was finally able to breathe again, she looked at Dixie in dismay. “I’m sorry, did you say Van Wilkinson-Cameron wedding?”

  They nodded. “Do you know them?”

  “You could say that,” she murmured and quickly drank a little more water.

  “I’m sensing a story…” Anna May said quietly, retaking her seat.

  She nodded. “Six months ago, I was supposed to be the next Mrs. Cameron.”

  “You were going to be Cammie Cameron?” Dixie asked. “I think you dodged a bullet.”

  “Oh, believe me, the name wasn’t the only thing I dodged.” Cammie hated even thinking about what a mistake she almost made, but with all eyes on her, she knew she couldn’t avoid telling the story. “I dated Preston for two years…”

  “Preston?” Dixie said with a laugh, but quickly cleared her throat and her expression went neutral. “Sorry. Go on.”

  “He was so traditional. Very respectable and polite. The perfect gentleman.”

  “Boring,” someone murmured.

  “That too. But at the time, I was able to look beyond it because he was studying to pass the bar exam and I thought once he was settled in at a law firm, he’d relax a bit.”

  “Um, sweetie? Lawyers don’t normally relax,” Dixie commented, sitting back down behind her desk.

  “Learned that one, too,” Cammie said, sighing. “Anyway, we got engaged after a year together and we were planning our wedding. Everything was set - the church, my dress, the catering hall…”