Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
She wasn’t sure they were going to make it.
Ariel finished her meeting with the event manager and slumped against the wall after leaving the office. Felicity had put on her fake smile, assuring Ariel they would do everything they could. Then she’d started talking about acts of God and their contract and how this was an impossible situation, one they would make the best of, but that they couldn’t guarantee anything.
Her mind had turned red at that, and she’d stood up, telling the woman the company needed to find the leak ASAP. She then outlined the plan they had in mind to dig out the mud and resod the field—with some of their own guests!—pointing out that the resort probably had another wedding the following week, right? They wanted to take care of this problem as quickly as possible, or they were going to have another irate wedding party and a blast of terrible reviews.
Felicity’s mouth had thinned, but she’d picked up the phone and called the irrigation company again, demanding an emergency crew. Then she’d called maintenance. When she’d finished, she’d told Ariel they would bring in extra people to help, but the wedding party’s assistance was welcome.
You betch your ass it was.
When she and Sherlock reached the cottage, she was jittery from not eating. Entering the cottage, she stopped short at the sight awaiting her. Dax was having a mint julep with one of her favorite people ever.
She gave a cry and ran across the room. “Jeffrey!”
He thrust his copper cup at Dax and stood up quickly, looking dashing like usual in a spring blue suit with a lavender Hermès scarf around his neck. Her arms were around him moments later, Sherlock giving him a nudge of greeting as well.
“I took an earlier flight, sensing you might need some support since it’s been worse than we could have imagined. From what Captain Hotpants told me, I’m glad I did.”
She smelled the familiar scent of the leather and citrus soap he bought from some boutique men’s store and felt her heart trip in sheer joy. “You’re the best! The absolute best!”
“Damn right I am.” He pulled back and touched the ends of her hair. “I know you sent me a photo of your hair, but seeing it in person, I adore it! It’s so Myrna Loy on you.”
“Why, thank you.” She hugged him again because she was so happy to see his beloved face, those deep brown eyes framed by emerald green Gucci glasses and his short layered hair combed back in perfect waves. “Now, I need a drink. I’ve been remiss with my flask.”
“We’ll work on that.” Her brother took her hand and led her over to the kitchen table where an empty copper cup sat. “I made a pitcher of mint juleps after hearing about the mud pit extravaganza out back. Help yourself. They’re in the fridge. Then we’re about to get serious.”
Ariel watched him walk toward his Louis Vuitton duffel bag, which he’d treated himself to this past Christmas. Pulling out the pitcher, she watched Dax rise and cross to her. As she poured herself a drink, he leaned in and kissed her cheek, whispering, “I’ve finally met someone related to you that I like.”
She beamed, her heart doing its happy little Jeffrey dance. “There’s no one like him.”
“You two have that in common.” Dax added a sprig of mint from the side tray and finished off her drink with a wink. “Drink up. Your brother has a surprise for you.”
“It’s for all of us really.” Jeffrey brought his duffel over to the table. “Ariel, sit. You look ready to fall down. We’ll have to give you something to eat too. Now, given how things were going, I went the extra mile. Originally, I was only going to bring some sage sticks to burn, but honey, it sounded like we needed more this time. Because you’re going to get the house of your dreams, which was already rightfully yours I might add?—”
“Let’s not go there right now, Jeffrey.”
“Yes, let’s not go there,” Dax agreed, not at all surprised Jeffrey would have known about this insanity.
They traded a look. “Oh, I love having an anger partner in this, but for your sake, Ariel, I’m holding it in and focusing on the positive.” He unzipped the bag and pulled out the first item, his brown eyes twinkling. “Rabbit feet for luck. Party pack.”
She eyed the giant bag of white feet he set on the table, laughing. “You think you got enough?”
He shook his head as he handed Dax a white foot, which he stuck in his pocket. “Not even close, baby sister, but it was the biggest size they had. I thought we might hand them out at the wedding for all the guests to shake in the air—birdseed isn’t going to do anything. With all the new bad luck Dax was telling me about—mud oozing out of the very ground like Tiffany opened a portal to mud hell—we might need to add one to everyone’s welcome bag. Tell them to walk around in the moonlight while chanting invocations to the wedding gods under the moon. Next up.”
He drew out two large Mary candles and handed one to her and then Dax, who was chuckling steadily now.
“We’ll light these now and won’t blow them out until Tiffany throws her bouquet and rides off into the sunset with her hot pilot hubby.” He dug into the bag and brought out a lighter and set the flame to the wick. “May our blessed Mother bring this wedding about with ease and grace.”
Ariel was already wiping tears from her eyes but laughed harder when he drew out a vial of holy water with a label indicating it was from Chartres. He sprinkled it around the candles and then flicked some her way and then at Dax, who jumped back, laughing so hard he was wheezing.
“My God!” Dax could barely get the words out. “I could have used your help before I went on dangerous missions.”
Jeffrey patted him sweetly and winked. “I’m available anytime, Captain Hotpants. Now, let’s see what else we have. Palo santo sticks. The smoke is clearing like sage but very warming, the woman at the metaphysical shop told me.”
He lit two, making Ariel sputter as she tried to drink her delicious mint julep through the smoke.
He pulled out a couple of white and purple sachets and handed one of each to her and Dax after he carefully put down the sticks in a bowl. “Lucky stones, I’m told. The woman said to me, and I quote, ‘Keep them on you at all times to ward off the curse.’ She was a font of information.”
She met Dax’s dancing eyes. He didn’t look like the stressed soldier who’d gazed at the mud pits and flexed his muscles earlier, and she didn’t feel like she wanted to throw up anymore. That was Jeffrey for you. “What else did this font of spiritual wisdom sell you?”
Digging into the bag, he brought out a packet of dried flowers. “We’re to tuck these under the bride’s pillow to encourage love and happiness.” He picked up the vial of holy water again and flicked some on it with his usual aplomb.
“I’ll let you tuck that under Tiffany’s pillow,” she told him, taking another fortifying drink of her mint julep as Dax handed her a power bar with a grin. “Thank you.”
“Ah…” Jeffrey hugged himself. “He’s already feeding you. I knew it! When I saw your picture, Captain Hotpants, my hands started tingling, and that’s always a sign?—”
“That someone’s going to get lucky,” she filled in. “Jeffrey has an inner ‘get laid’ meter.”
Her brother cut her a glance. “I like to call it my divining rod. But I digress. I stopped short at the voodoo stuff. Scares the bejesus out of me. But this last one I could not be without. I think Dax will agree with me.”
Leaning over conspiratorially, he pulled out a thumb-sized dark object. “It’s a lucky piece of wood. I was like, how have I gone my whole life without it? Here, Dax, I got you one.”
Dax slapped Jeffrey companionably on the back. “Jeffrey, I hate to tell you, but my wood is already plenty lucky.”
Ariel put her hand over her mouth to cover another giant chortle. “I can personally attest to that,” she said through her laughter.
Jeffrey pursed his lips and gave Dax a speculative gaze. “I’ll bet. Well, my dears, there ends my contribution.”
When he bowed elegantly, Ariel clapped, and Sherlock gave a happy bark. “Oh my God! Jeffrey, you are the best.”
“You know it.” He retrieved his mint julep and Dax’s and held it out to him. “A toast. To surviving another Deverell wedding and getting Ariel her house.”
She met her brother’s dancing eyes before locking gazes with Dax. Amusement flickered in those gorgeous green orbs. Her world felt perfect. She wanted to bar the door and keep everything else out.
“To all that.” She toasted Jeffrey first and then Dax.
They all drank for a moment before Jeffrey set his cup down. “Ariel, let’s go see mud pit central. I’m going to light some sage and bring the holy water. You two grab your drinks.”
They were out the door moments later, making quite the image, no doubt—Jeffrey carrying a sage stick, the acrid smoke trailing behind them. She and Dax holding hands, Sherlock trotting beside them.
When they reached the disaster site, Jeffrey’s sharp intake could probably have been heard in the state capital two hours away. “Heavens, I don’t think sage and holy water are going to work.”
She was already depressed, seeing the endless yards of oozing brown. “So what’s next?”
He didn’t hesitate. “A virgin sacrifice?”
Dax barked out a laugh before biting it off.
Ariel snorted as she swept her hand around the resort. “Good luck with this crowd.”
“Right.” Jeffrey opened the vial of holy water and started sprinkling. “I should have bought the family-size option.”
When he wandered off, stepping carefully because of his leather loafers, Dax’s hand came around her waist. “See. We have muscle, and we have a spiritual guide.”
Jeffrey upended the last of the holy water and made the sign of the cross with a bow of his head.
Another reluctant laugh escaped her lips. “Maybe we need a Tibetan bowl next. How do you feel about chanting? I heard it in Bali. It was supposed to do good things…”
They both started laughing so hard they were wiping tears.
“God, we’re a pair, Stephan.”
He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Elizabeth, from where I’m standing, it all seems pretty perfect.”
She leaned her head into his side.
Funny, that’s how she felt too, despite it all.