by Olivia Miles
What had she gotten herself into?
By the time Charlotte dropped Audrey off with the sitter and pulled into Kate’s driveway, she was already regretting her decision to go along with this charade. She took the brick-paved path to the addition behind Kate’s garage that housed their office, biding her time as she considered her next step.
She knew she was prone to being impulsive, it just came far too easily for her, but she had to tread carefully here. She couldn’t get Kate’s hopes up yet about this client, not if the entire plan could blow up by tonight.
Kate was tapping on her computer when Charlotte walked into the open office, hoping the worry didn’t show in her expression. Greg was not exactly thrilled by the discovery of Audrey, that much was clear, and she supposed she had sprung that bit on him. There was a very strong chance that he would find other arrangements today at the office.
She stopped, grinning a little easier. It was one thing to find another event planner. But another fake fiancée? One would have to be a complete idiot to go along with something like that!
Her brow pinched only slightly as she dropped her handbag straps onto the hook.
“There you are!” Kate said, looking more excited than usual. “If you have time this morning, I was hoping you might come with me over to the flower shop. Bree put together a few samples for my arrangements and I want your opinion.”
Charlotte blinked in surprise. Her sister wanted her input on her wedding? “I would love that!”
Kate scooted back her chair. “Great. We could leave now and grab a coffee on the way, if you’d like.”
Charlotte hadn’t removed her coat yet, and with a grin, she pulled her handbag off the hook and slung it back over her shoulder. “Your car or mine?”
They ended up in Kate’s car, with the plan that she could drop Charlotte back at the office on her way to a lunch meeting with a high-maintenance bride who called Kate at least twice a day in tears over some new crisis.
“Her latest is the concern over her maid of honor’s back tattoo. It seems she had no idea her friend had gotten one until she’d already decided on the dress.”
“Halter?” Charlotte ventured.
Kate looked at her sidelong. “Strapless. I told her no one would care, that all eyes would be on the bride and all that.”
The sisters exchanged a meaningful stare. Both knew that was a lame excuse, but what other hope was there?
“What did she say to that?” Charlotte asked as they approached the center of town, and the roads turned to cobblestone. Even though it was midmorning, the clouds were dense and the lampposts still glowed.
“She said that she cared. And from what I can tell, her feelings are the only ones that matter right now.” Kate pulled to a stop at the intersection. “Please don’t let me become one of those brides.”
“Oh, I won’t.” Charlotte laughed. “But I think you’ve dealt with enough bridezillas to know better.” She grew quiet, thinking of Kate’s upcoming wedding. Kate was yet to announce her maid of honor yet, but Charlotte could only assume that her best friend, Elizabeth, would be the chosen one. And that would be fine. Really it would. It would be…expected.
Of course, for Kate’s first wedding, Charlotte had been chosen as the maid of honor, but seeing how she’d handled that duty, she knew better than to hope for a second chance. But that didn’t stop it from happening every once in a while.
The sign for Rose in Bloom was still turned to CLOSED, but Bree was ready to greet them at the door, all smiles and excitement as she turned the lock and ushered them into the fragrant room.
Charlotte could still remember coming here every Valentine’s Day growing up. Her father made it a tradition to order their mother a dozen pink roses. “From the girls.” He’d wink, and Bree’s grandmother would smile back.
“Find a husband like this one day, dear,” she’d always say to Charlotte, and Charlotte would just nod politely, not understanding what she was agreeing to.
But now she understood. Now it was crystal clear. Find a good, solid, loving man. A man who thinks of his wife on Valentine’s Day. A man who takes his daughters on outings.
A man that Jake could never be. A father figure that Audrey would never have.
“Thanks for letting us come by early,” Kate said as she unwrapped her scarf. “I know you don’t open until ten.”
“I wanted to give you my undivided attention,” Bree said as she leaned over the counter and minimized her computer screen. Charlotte couldn’t be sure, but she could have sworn she’d seen Simon’s face in the top right corner. Catching her stare, Bree asked, “How’s our sweet Audrey?”
Charlotte felt her heart swell at the mere mention of her daughter. “I think she’s really close to saying her first word. I hope it’s Mama.”
Bree tipped her head. “Don’t be disappointed if that’s not the case. From what I’ve heard, the first word out of baby’s mouth is usually—” She stopped herself, her cheeks reddening, and Charlotte looked uneasily at Kate, who was giving her a pitying look.
“I’m sorry, Charlotte,” Bree said pleadingly, and Charlotte brushed away the concern. She didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. She’d felt sorry for herself for long enough, and she only wanted to focus on the good things now.
“If Audrey wants to say Dada before Mama, that’s just fine,” she managed to say, but her pulse flickered when she considered the new man she was living with. Something told her Greg wouldn’t find that type of thing so cute. “She happens to have a toy dolphin called Dodo. And she loves him dearly.”
“The one I got for her?” Bree beamed with pride. “I must have an eye.”
“That’s what your grandmother always said.” Kate leaned over to smell a particularly beautiful Christmas arrangement. “Now, let’s see what you’ve come up with!”
Bree winked and disappeared into the back room. Beside her, Kate let out a nervous breath. Charlotte knew that Kate had chosen roses for her primary flower, but she had been torn between staying simple or going for something a little more elaborate this time, with a mixed winter bouquet.
As soon as Bree reappeared holding two arrangements, Charlotte knew exactly which one she would pick if it were her wedding. The one on the left was simple and modern, with a subtle mix of tightly packed white flowers. But the one on the right was breathtaking—with creamy ivory roses, winter greenery, and beautiful red berries.
“I have an opinion, naturally, but this is your wedding, your decision.” Bree winked at Charlotte and stared patiently at Kate.
Kate looked wistfully at both options, and for a moment, Charlotte wondered if she’d start getting picky and ask for a third, even though from what she knew, this was the final round on decision making.
“The winter bouquet,” she said with a smile.
Bree looked delighted. “Exactly what I would have picked!”
“Me too,” Charlotte chimed in. She made a mental note to call Bree later about the Frost party, if it wasn’t too late to get on the schedule. She’d have loved to talk to her now while she had her, but this was Kate’s moment, and besides, she still needed to see how the evening played out. There was still a possibility that Greg might reconsider things while he was at work. She swallowed back the nerves that threatened to ruin this moment and forced her attention back on the two women.
“These will look stunning against your dress.” Bree tucked a sprig of berries back into place. “Have you decided on the color for the wedding party?”
“Oh, that reminds me!” Kate set a hand to her forehead, but she was smiling excitedly as she turned to Charlotte. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something—”
“Yes?” Charlotte’s heart began to race as she waited for her sister to continue. Being asked to be maid of honor again would mean that everything was truly right between them, that all was officially forgiven and forgotten, and that they could in fact go back to the place they had been, before things went off track. She licked her lips, barely able to contain h
er emotions.
“Would Audrey like to be my flower girl? I was thinking we could put her in a wagon lined with flowers. She wouldn’t have to do anything, but I wanted to include her in the ceremony.”
Charlotte felt her smile slip before she bravely mustered one of the biggest grins she could offer. “She’d be honored.”
“Oh, I’m so excited,” Kate gushed. “Every last detail is finally coming together.”
Every detail, Charlotte thought. Except one.
* * *
Bree offered to drive Charlotte back to the office so Kate could go straight to her appointment. Her motive was purely ulterior, of course. They needed to go over some last-minute details for Kate’s shower this Saturday. And Bree was yet to get the details of Charlotte’s mysterious outing.
She hadn’t been gone long, just as she’d promised, but Bree wasn’t buying it. The pashmina. The boots. The sparkle in her eye. She was up to something.
“Should we go to Fiona’s for a quick lunch?” she asked, knowing that Charlotte could never turn down a trip to the tea shop.
“So long as it’s only an hour,” Charlotte said. “I have a lot of paperwork to do, and I don’t want Kate to think I’m slacking off.”
“Isn’t that one of the perks of working for a family member?” Bree joked, but the look Charlotte flashed her was stone serious.
“I wouldn’t take advantage of Kate like that.”
Bree was momentarily startled. “No. Of course not. I meant…It was just a joke.”
“I can’t joke about things like that. Not with everything that’s happened.” Charlotte was frowning now, and Bree felt like a heel.
“You don’t mean you still worry about things? Seems to me you guys are just fine. You’ve both moved on. Kate’s getting married…”
“This wedding has to be perfect,” Charlotte said.
Bree hesitated. That sounded like more than just wedding planner talk. “It will be perfect. And so will the shower. Let’s go have some food and discuss it.”
She grabbed her coat from the back room and locked the door behind her. The girls walked in silence for the four blocks to Fiona’s Tea Shop. Bree decided she would wait until the order had been placed and the tea served (the owner, Fiona, could be a little too chatty, usually when you least wanted her to) before digging for information.
But as they opened the door to the shop, Bree spotted her friend Colleen standing near the hostess stand. Colleen’s face transformed into one of sheer relief at the sight of her friends, and she quickly joined them.
“I was just talking with my mother.” She gave them a meaningful stare, and Bree could tell that through her smile, her teeth were gritted. “She has a delightful young man she’d like me to meet.”
“Cute as a button, he is,” Fiona said from behind her daughter. “Redhead with freckles. Skin as white as snow.”
“You hear that?” Colleen quipped, her eyes sparking.
“I’d marry him myself if I could,” Fiona finished.
Beside her, Bree could feel Charlotte’s shoulders begin to shake.
“Maybe you should pursue him yourself then, Mother,” Colleen said, brightening. “You’ve been on your own for ten years now. As you always say, time’s a tickin’!”
Bree tried to think about something terrible, like puppy mills or Simon having lunch with the gossipy receptionist at his office, but it was no use. She felt her laughter release through her nose in a strange, strangled snort. “Let’s get the table by the window,” she said hurriedly, grabbing Charlotte by the elbow.
“I’ll join you!” Colleen announced, following close at their heels. She waited until they were settled at their favorite table near the window, the one that lent a perfect view of Harbor Street and had high, velvety soft wing-backed chairs clustered around a pedestal table, to whisper, “Thank you for coming along and saving me. She was just about to pull out her phone and call him herself when you came in.”
“Maybe he’s cute,” Charlotte offered. She unbuttoned her coat and shrugged it from her shoulders.
Colleen raised an eyebrow. “Red hair and freckles. I suspect he has a brogue, too.”
“Your mother just misses Ireland,” Bree told her.
“Well, she’s welcome to move back!” Colleen said.
“Aw, now, you’d miss her if she left,” Charlotte said with a knowing smile.
After a beat Colleen picked up her menu. “Fine. You’re right. I would. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t drive me crazy.”
“Don’t worry. Someday you’ll be married and then she’ll be off your back,” Bree said as she studied her options.
“More like then she’ll be after me for grandchildren. She’s not shy with that as it is, you know. And I’m not even married!” Suddenly Colleen’s face flushed. “I’m sorry, Charlotte. I didn’t mean it like that. I just—”
Charlotte slanted her a glance. “No apology needed.”
The girls decided on their order—forgoing traditional lunch fare for the standard tea tray of scones and finger sandwiches.
“So, what’s new with everyone?” Colleen asked, and Charlotte seemed especially evasive, Bree noticed.
“Nothing new here,” Bree offered. “How about with you, Charlotte? You’re working full-time for Kate now, right?”
“Only for the month,” Charlotte said. “I’d love to keep the hours, but I know things slow down after the holidays.”
“Well, she’ll need you to cover for her while she goes on her honeymoon, right?” Colleen asked.
Charlotte seemed to brighten at this. “We haven’t discussed that yet, but yes, maybe.”
“Speaking of her wedding, do we have any more details on the guest list?” Now it was Colleen’s turn to look evasive. She took her time stirring her spoon around her tea.
Charlotte shot Bree a knowing look. Bree bit back a sigh. Colleen could do a lot better than Matt, not that she wouldn’t love to see her brother settle down with someone as wonderful as her friend. But Matt wasn’t the settling-down type. And Colleen needed to accept that.
“I think Kate is still waiting for the rest of her RSVPs to come in.” Changing topics, she asked, “When is Kate going to decide on her bridesmaid dresses? She’s cutting it close, even for a rush order.” She hoped that Kate knew better than to put them in something poufy or peach. “It’s not like Kate not to have everything on schedule.” But then, she was so busy handling other people’s big events right now that she was letting Charlotte handle an account as big as Frost, after all…
“She hasn’t even decided on the wedding party yet,” Colleen pointed out. She looked at Charlotte. “Has she?”
Charlotte seemed to wither in her chair. “Not that I know of.”
“Well, we can ask her on Saturday,” Colleen said with a shrug. “She probably just forgot to mention anything until she decides on the dresses, and I saw the J.Crew wedding catalog peeking out of her handbag the other day—maybe she’s going for something we can all wear again. Wouldn’t that be nice? Of course, I’m sure we’re all in the party.”
Like last time, came the unspoken thought in the group.
Fiona came around to the table, a beautiful silver, three-tiered tray in her hands. Bree immediately felt her spirits perk when she noticed the cookie selection at the very top—something Fiona put out only during the month of December.
“I added extra scones for you girls. And clotted cream.” Fiona winked.
“Thanks, Mom,” Colleen said.
“Of course when I was single, I watched every morsel that touched my lips,” Fiona continued, patting her apron patiently as silence fell over the table. “Wanted to look my best. Never knew when Mr. Right was going to walk through the door.”
She pursed her lips and glanced at her daughter for what felt like eternity before giving them all a warm smile and turning to greet the customers who had just come through the door.
The girls stared at each other for a few seconds before burs
ting into a fit of laughter.
Colleen applied a liberal amount of clotted cream to her scone and took a hearty bite. “I like my food. I’m a baker, for crying out loud. And I am not going to apologize for that.”
“Good for you. And I like your curves,” Bree said, sometimes feeling like she resembled a teenage boy when she stood next to Colleen.
“And Mr. Right will like your curves, too,” Charlotte said.
Colleen’s expression turned wistful, and Bree knew what she was thinking. She was wondering if Matt liked curvy women. Well, the answer to that was that Matt liked all women. And he would have made the moves on Colleen long ago, if he wasn’t afraid that Bree would murder him.
Suddenly, Bree had an idea. “Charlotte, is that client you met with single?”
Charlotte added an extra lump of sugar to her tea. “I don’t know.”
“What’s he like?” Okay, it was an odd question, a random question really, but Charlotte was up to something. Bree was sure of it.
“Oh, corporate guy. Corporate party.” Charlotte shrugged, but she struggled to make eye contact.
Interesting.
“A boring suit then,” Bree said, watching Charlotte thoughtfully.
“No, he’s not—” Charlotte stopped, catching herself. She rearranged the silverware a few times, adjusted the napkin in her lap.
“Perhaps he might be a good match for Colleen,” Bree pressed.
“Oh, no. Contrary to what my mother wishes, my career is coming first these days,” Colleen said, but Bree just ignored her and gave Charlotte a patient stare. The girl was hiding something, and just like when they were little and Charlotte had managed to stuff two brownies she didn’t intend to share into the pockets of her overalls, Bree was determined to get it out of her.
“Oh. I don’t think he’s looking to date just now.” Charlotte frowned at her plate. “But before I forget, I might need your opinion on some arrangements for a party he’s planning.”
“Anytime,” Bree said casually as she reached for a cucumber sandwich. She’d let things drop for now, but something told her she’d be learning more soon enough.