by Stacy Finz
“So it’s that way, huh?”
“It’s not that bad,” Sam admitted. “We have our good moments.” If only Emily knew. “He lost an employee today, so he’s being testy. I suppose we could at least sit together.” It made sense, since they’d probably be the only single people at the wedding, and since Sam was in charge of the seating arrangements she’d also make sure to put Lucky Rodriguez at their table. That way Nate could get to know Lucky better.
Emily’s lips tugged up in a sly smile. “I think it’s a great idea that you two sit together.”
“Don’t get any ideas, Emily.” Sam shook her head. “I better get going. Is there anything else you can think of that you need between now and the wedding?”
“I just need to pick up my boots. Other than that, I think I’m good. How did Brady do today?”
“Great. I have a good feeling about the guy. At first I thought he might be standoffish, but this morning he jumped right into the conversation. Seems like Nate likes him too.”
“Good,” Emily said. “I’d invite him to hang out with the Baker’s Dozen, but we’re all women. I don’t know if it would be weird for him.”
The Baker’s Dozen was a local cooking club and Nugget’s unofficial chuck wagon. Community potlucks, celebrations, funerals—you name it, they cooked for it. They also traded as much gossip as they did recipes when they met at the Lumber Baron kitchen for their monthly meetings.
Sam had sat in once or twice for that reason. That and the fact that they fed her.
“I get the feeling that if Brady felt weird about it, he would tell you. He seems pretty straightforward.”
“Should I invite him to the wedding?” Emily asked. “I know he hardly knows me, and Clay not at all, but I feel like everyone in town has been invited and that we’d be excluding him.”
“How about you just let him know that he’s welcome and leave it up to him?”
“That sounds good,” Emily said. “I’ll say something to him about it tomorrow during the breakfast service at the Lumber Baron. He’s meeting Rhys there to get the keys to the duplex.”
“Great. Then I’ll see you tomorrow and we can go over any last-minute details you think of tonight.”
“Thanks, Sam. I really don’t know how I would’ve done this without you.”
Sam gave Emily an air kiss on each cheek—a habit she couldn’t seem to break, even in Nugget—and went home. She didn’t see Nate’s car, but he usually parked it in the garage. Promising herself that she wouldn’t check every few minutes to see if he was home, she went into her house and scrounged through the pantry for something for dinner. Canned soup would have to suffice.
She made herself a bowl and ate in front of the TV. Midway through some reality show she couldn’t get into, the phone rang. She picked up, half expecting it to be her father.
“Did you hear about Tracy?” It was Lisa, her new Breyer Hotel best friend. “She just walked out. Didn’t even give Nate notice.”
“Nate told me,” Sam said. “What do you think happened?”
“Rumor is that he broke off the engagement and she was devastated.”
Everything sounded so much more intense in a Southern accent, Sam thought. “Yeah, I don’t think they were engaged, Lisa. According to Nate, they weren’t even seeing each other.” For some moronic reason she believed him.
“Do you think it has anything to do with that man she was slobbering all over from the Simpson Hotel Group? The one who looked as if he wanted to lick whipped cream off her boobs.”
Sam couldn’t help herself and laughed. “I don’t know. I’m sort of out of the loop here in Nugget.”
“Well, it’s all anyone here is talking about,” Lisa said. “Supposedly, Nate had Security escort her out of the Theodore.”
Ouch. That seemed rather harsh. Sam supposed it might be the appropriate move for someone who had been fired and might act out vengefully. But Tracy had quit. Why make a scene in front of all your other employees? It would make Nate look weak. But maybe Lisa was wrong.
“He didn’t say anything to me about calling Security,” Sam said. “Only that she quit without giving notice.”
“Are you planning to go for the job?”
Sam hadn’t even considered the idea. But given Nate’s reaction to her helping him pick up some of Tracy’s work, she didn’t think the position was on the table. At least not for her. “I hadn’t thought of it,” she told Lisa. “Are you?”
“I’m too new.” Lisa was only slightly newer than Sam. And the Belvedere was much larger than the Lumber Baron. “You were so good at the bridal expo and you’re so refined that I bet you can talk your way into the job if you want. Plus you’d be a much nicer boss than Tracy.”
“I’ve never been a boss in my life,” Sam said, leaving out the part that this was her first job, period. “What about Randall? He’s been with the company a long time.”
“I don’t think he wants the responsibility. The job requires a lot of OT. As sweet as your little inn is, don’t you want to come to the city? I would think it’s lonely there being a single woman.”
Sam loved the Lumber Baron, but being the event planner for the entire Breyer operation . . . It seemed like a dream job. She shook her head. When the heck had she become so ambitious? “Don’t you think Nate will bring someone in from the outside?”
“Maybe, but why not start lobbying for the position?” Lisa said. “You don’t know until you try. He likes you, right?”
Sam was pretty sure he liked kissing her. But as far as the job, she had no idea. Half the time he treated her like she was the world’s biggest flake. “Mm-hmm,” was all she said.
“Then throw your hat into the ring,” Lisa insisted.
“I don’t know, Lisa. I like it here and I have a lot of plans for the Lumber Baron.” Which she couldn’t even get Nate to sign off on. “Are you sure you don’t want to go for it?”
“Positive,” she said. “Call me tomorrow and tell me what you decide.”
Sam said she would, knowing full well that no matter what she decided, Nate wouldn’t give her the job. He’d made it clear that he thought she was a dabbler, and he’d want someone he considered “serious.” And experienced. Someone like Tracy.
“Well, look how well that worked out for you,” she muttered to herself while taking her soup bowl to the sink.
Unable to help herself, she peeked outside the window, looking for signs of life at Nate’s house. All his blinds were closed, so she couldn’t tell whether he was home. And she had no plans to ever go over there again. Not after the last time, when he told her that he was attracted to her physically.
But everything else about you is wrong.
In his lame way, he’d tried to make up for it by giving her the royal treatment at the Theodore. But the hurtful words still stung. They reminded her too much of Royce’s.
The next morning Sam arrived at the Lumber Baron to find Emily and Brady in the kitchen. For a guy who wasn’t supposed to start until next week, he’d become a permanent fixture at the inn.
“Good morning,” she greeted. “Coffee ready?”
Brady poured her a mug. “Will you bring one to Nate?”
“He’s here already?” Typically he went over to the Ponderosa first.
“Yep,” Emily said. “And he’s not a happy camper. Apparently, that employee you told me about yesterday left everything in a shambles.”
“Uh-oh.” Sam grabbed the other mug and started to carry it to Nate’s office.
“Hold on a sec,” Brady said, and handed her a plate with a slice of coffee cake. “You better bring him this too.”
Sam managed to juggle both cups of coffee and the cake and used her foot to knock on Nate’s door. “I come bearing gifts.”
He opened up and took one of the mugs from her. “Thanks.”
She put the plate on his desk and took a seat, uninvited. “Heard Tracy left you in a pickle.”
“That’s an understatement. All her files
on upcoming events are a joke—no status updates, no nothing. I don’t know what she’s been doing the past few months, but I’d like to wring her goddamned neck.”
“Did you really have Security throw her out of the building?”
“No, of course not. Only an idiot would do that.”
“That’s the rumor,” she said.
He cocked his eyebrows. “Since when are you in the pipeline? I threatened to have her escorted out. It was a joke. But she probably told some of the employees I really did it.”
“Why did she leave in such a huff?” Sam asked.
“I don’t know, I can only speculate.”
“Speculate away.”
“She didn’t want to do the bridal expo—thought it was beneath her. She was having problems with the organizer of the city’s annual opera gala. I’ll grant you the woman is high maintenance, but that’s Tracy’s frigging job. Nabbing this event is huge for the Theodore—lots of San Francisco’s movers and shakers attend this thing. To make matters worse, Tracy was fighting with the Theodore’s chef about the gala’s menu.” Nate let out a sigh. “And I guess I wasn’t fanning her ego enough.”
“In other words, you weren’t paying enough personal attention to her?”
He threw his arms up. “I told you before, Sam, there was nothing going on between us.”
“But she would’ve liked there to have been?”
Nate just shrugged. “I can’t tell you what went through the woman’s head. All I know is that I’m screwed.”
“Are you planning to hire a new corporate event planner?”
“Yeah. Eventually. First I have to figure out where we’re at on the opera gala and all the other events she was in the midst of planning.”
“What about me?” Sam blurted.
“For the position?” He gaped at her. “You’re kidding me, right?”
God, could he be any more condescending? She didn’t know if she really wanted the job. She certainly didn’t want to give up the Lumber Baron. But the more Nate said no, the more she wanted to push for it. “Let me prove myself by cleaning up the mess Tracy left.”
“You already bored with the Lumber Baron?” He took a bite of the coffee cake and watched her reaction.
“No. In fact I would combine both jobs. Fiscally, for you it would be a win-win.”
“The Theodore alone is a full-time job, Sam.”
“Not if I had a partner.” Sam thought she and Lisa could do it together.
“So basically I would still be paying two salaries. And that would help me fiscally, how?”
“You just don’t want to give me a chance.”
“Sam, this is the first job you’ve ever had and you’ve only been here six months. Why don’t we wait to see if you make it to your one-year anniversary before I give you a promotion? And for the record, being head event planner for all of Breyer Hotels would be one hell of a promotion.”
Deep down inside she knew he was right. But he just seemed to have so little faith in her and she didn’t know why. Everyone else thought she was doing such a good job.
“You’re the boss,” she said, and started to get up to leave, feeling deflated.
“Hey,” he said. “Let me ask you something.”
“What?” Maybe he’d changed his mind about letting her at least help him sort out the shoddy records Tracy had left behind. She’d love to sink her teeth into that gala. In New York she’d been on both the opera and symphony fund-raiser committees.
“You think it would be okay if I brought a date to Emily and Clay’s wedding, even though I originally told them I’d be coming solo?”
“It would be incredibly rude,” she said, knowing full well that Emily and Clay wouldn’t mind, since they’d invited the entire county. “I can’t believe you’re a leader in the hospitality industry if you have to ask a stupid question like that.”
Sam walked out and it wasn’t until she was halfway down the hallway that she heard him laughing. He’d been testing her. The creep.
Chapter 17
There were no hysterics or bridezilla moments on Emily and Clay’s big day, just a cow that had somehow managed to break loose and trample everything in its path in its exuberance to make a feast of the flower garlands that had been strung along the rows of shiny white chairs.
Clay’s sons, Justin and Cody, quickly rounded up the bovine. Now all they had to do was damage control. Sam persuaded the florist to bring more flowers and she and the boys spent the morning reconstructing the boughs.
“It’s a good thing Emily didn’t see what happened,” Cody, Clay’s youngest, said. “She would’ve gotten Dad’s shotgun and killed that cow dead.”
Perhaps tomorrow Sam would find humor in a cow running amok through her event. She could safely say that in all the outdoor events she’d planned in Greenwich, there had never been a livestock incident. But there was a first time for everything.
“How does this look?” Justin held up one of the garlands.
It certainly wasn’t as professional as the florist’s, but she’d had another event to rush off to, so their improvisation would have to do. “It looks fantastic, Justin. Who knew you had such a talent with flowers?”
The boy turned red. “Hopefully no one will notice the difference,” he said, eyeing the ones still intact that the cow hadn’t gotten to.
“They won’t,” she said. “The guests will be too focused on the handsome groomsmen.” She winked at Justin. “You guys should get back to the house and get dressed. I’ll handle the rest of this.”
After making the remaining repairs to the boughs, she checked on the caterers to make sure they were setting up in their allotted spots. Lo and behold, Brady had shown up and was directing the bartenders.
“Figured you could use a little help,” he said. “Plus, Emily’s a good egg and if I butter her up enough, maybe she’ll give me her recipe for those sweet rolls she makes.”
Sam was just happy to see him. Brady knew a lot about catering and that’s where her expertise was the weakest. “I’m thrilled you’re here.” She handed him one of her diagrams. “This is the setup for the food. You want to take charge of that?”
“I’m on it,” he said, and herded a group of cooks to a row of barbecues and smokers.
She headed to the reception tent. At her direction, the tables had all been set beautifully. The floral tablecloths made the whole tent pop, and the topiary centerpieces were whimsical and fresh.
Donna found Sam talking to the leader of the string quartet while the rest of the musicians warmed up for the reception. Clay had hired a country-western band. They were unloading their equipment.
“Emily wants you to see her dress,” Donna said, and then whispered, “That’s code for champagne time.”
They walked together into the house, where Emily had turned the main floor guest room into a bridal suite. Pam, the local yoga instructor, Maddy, and Harlee sat on the bed, sipping bubbly while Darla put the finishing touches on Emily’s hair.
“You look amazing,” Sam said, taking in the bride from head to toe. Because it was both Emily and Clay’s second marriage, she’d forgone the traditional train and veil. “Seriously, you’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”
“Check out the boots.” Emily stuck her feet out. “They’re something, aren’t they?”
“Oh my God, they’re fantastic.”
“That Tawny knows what she’s doing,” Donna said, and handed Sam a glass of champagne. “Drink up, girl.”
Sam took a quick sip. “I’ve gotta get back out there and make sure the trains are running on time. You look like you’ve got everything handled in here.”
“Sam, will you do me a favor?” Emily asked. “Will you check on Clay and the boys? They’ll probably need help with their boutonnieres.”
“Absolutely.” Before Sam left, she gave Emily a peck on the cheek and could’ve sworn that the bride misted up. “You okay?”
Sam knew that, more than anything, Emily
wished her daughter could be here.
“I’m about as good as it gets,” Emily said, beaming so bright that the room lit up like sunshine.
“I’ll go check on the men. See you out there.”
Sam climbed the stairs to the master bedroom and knocked on the door. “You guys decent?”
“Come on in,” Clay hollered.
He and the boys were dressed in dark suits with string ties. All three wore cowboy boots with the McCreedy Ranch brand.
“Who did your boutonnieres for you? Emily thought you’d need help.”
Clay pointed at Rhys, who sat sprawled in a chair and said, “I’m good for something.”
“How’s it going out there, Red?” Clay peeked out the window at the lawn below.
“We’re good to go. So far, no glitches whatsoever.” She looked over at Justin and Cody and put her finger over her lips.
“Emily okay?” he asked.
“She couldn’t be better.”
“Donna getting her tanked?” Clay’s lips quirked up.
“They’re just having a little pre-wedding champagne. Can I get you fellows something?”
“We’re good,” Clay said, and looked at his watch. “Should we come down now?”
“Sure. The guests should be arriving soon. I’m planning to do a last walkthrough, so I’ll see you in a few.”
“Hey, Red, you’ve done a great job.” He pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you for making this easy for Emily.”
“I loved every minute of it,” she said, then dashed down the stairs and quickly conferred with Brady, who had the food and beverages under control.
Sam checked off the remainder of her to-do list as she circled the lawn. Then she took a second to lean against a tree to readjust her sling-backs. Next time she’d be sure to wear more comfortable shoes. These were killing her, though she had to admit that they made her legs look good. Long and lean.
The valets had already started transporting guests in horse-drawn carriages from the parking area.
Originally, Emily had argued that the carriages were a little kitschy for her taste, but ultimately they decided that the horse-drawn carts beat using vans or small tour buses. She saw Nate alight from one of the carriages in a suit and a pair of Oakley sunglasses that made him look like a movie star. Hugh Jackman. She pretended not to notice him and went back to looking busy.