Chapter 18 #2
“Well, no one ever said she was the smart twin.”
“I think it’s nice that you don’t give her shit about it all the time.”
“She’s so fucking stubborn that she’ll just set her feet even deeper if I mention it.”
“I guess you got the brains, and she got the beauty and stubbornness?”
“Exactly!” Dylan agreed, but he knew his sister was just as smart as he was.
Hell, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he probably thought she was even smarter than him.
“I wanted to find some time to talk to her alone before today, but this past week has been a roller coaster of things to do and places to go. I was up half the night making sure everything was ready.”
“And she will appreciate every minute of work you put into it.”
“Speaking of work, have you seen what they did out front yet?”
“No, I came in through the back.”
“Come on. You’ll be just as amazed as I was, I’m sure.”
◆◆◆
HOLLY HAMILTON-HARRIS
“Holly, this place looks amazing!”
I smiled as I turned around to face Thea Conner, the woman who had been my mentor for years before I took over her position and purchased the company from her family.
It made me so proud to see the joy on her face at how the meeting hall that was once a rustic blank canvas had been converted to an elegantly colorful venue for Bella’s wedding reception.
“As soon as Cora and her team finish the flowers, we’ll get everything tidied up, and it will be ready for the guests,” I assured her.
Thea gave me a hug and held my arms as she pulled back and said, “Bella is going to be so happy with everything you’ve done. You’ve worked so hard on this!”
“I had plenty of help. Between Bella, her assistant, and Bernadette, there were almost too many ideas to sift through.”
“But you found a way to pick the best ones and meld them together. The colors she chose are perfect - for the venue, the season, and Bella’s personal style.”
The main color Bella had chosen was purple, so her attendants were wearing all different shades, from lavender to aubergine. However, she asked Zoey to grow flowers in shades of dark rust to the palest pink and everything in between.
Those choices made the most perfect centerpieces and, of course, would be stunning on the gorgeous cake that Janis had created.
“Why is Janis still here? Shouldn’t she be getting ready?” Thea asked.
“Rain helped her make a schedule, and I think she’s actually got a few minutes to spare. All of the other women are at Bella’s getting ready right now. Once they start getting dressed, Janis will meet them at the house where Opal will give her a quick updo while Reina puts on her makeup.”
Dylan Conner and Dixie Dean walked out of the kitchen, and I smiled when I saw the look on Dixie’s face as she looked at what we’d created in the large hall.
“Rain made a schedule for Dylan, too, but all he has to do is put on his tux,” I mentioned as Thea slowly turned around to take everything in.
There were still people milling around to make sure each tablecloth was set perfectly and the cloth draped in the middle wasn’t taking up too much space, while others finished setting out the lanterns with battery-powered candles.
“It’s the perfect balance of rustic charm and elegance. You’ve done a wonderful job, Holly!”
“Thank you! I’ve done more weddings than I can count, so I should be an old pro at this point, but I felt the heat to make it more gorgeous than ever with photographers coming to document the wedding for the magazine and all of the people from out of town who probably expected something basic and backwoods. ”
“The fact that you’ve known her since she was a girl probably has something to do with it, too, I’m sure.”
“Could be. Bella and I became very close when she was working with me, and we’re still good friends, so it made this a true labor of love.”
“I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so I’m going to go. I need to get home anyway to make sure my brood is on schedule, but I just had to come see it before everyone gets here.”
I gave Thea another hug and then walked across the room to check in with Janis, Dylan, Dixie, and Cora.
“What can I do to help?” I asked.
Janis tucked one last flower into the colorful design she and Cora had arranged on the cake and then took a step back to study their creation before she said, “I know what you can do.”
“I’m available for whatever you need.”
“Punch me in the face, knock me down, chip a tooth, do something!”
I barked out a laugh and asked, “Everything is going too well, isn’t it?”
“Tell me it doesn’t feel strange to you,” Dixie insisted.
When I shrugged, she said, “I need a catastrophe, or I’m not sure I’m doing my job.
A broken oven, a ruined tray of canapes, something!
At the last wedding I catered, we were four hours behind schedule because there was a gas leak in the building, and we had to be evacuated. ”
“I did the flowers for a wedding last month where a bitter cousin of the bride put salt in all of the vases so the flowers wilted before the reception started.”
“What a bitch!” Janis exclaimed in horror. “Did the bride kick her ass?”
Cora giggled before she nodded and said, “She did!”
“Dylan, do you have any horror stories?” I asked.
“Other than the usual mechanical failure at the worst time possible? Not really, but everything I’ve heard you guys say has cemented my decision to let my manager handle the catering and the people so I don’t end up in the loony bin or jail.”
“Weddings are a test of my patience,” Janis admitted.
“What patience?” I asked at the same time as Dylan.
Janis frowned before she said, “I was going to say that the best part of doing them was working with you, Holly, but nevermind.”
An alarm started to sound, and Janis pulled her phone out and looked at it before she said, “I’ve gotta go!”
“I should go too,” Dylan said before he looked back toward the kitchen over his shoulder and then turned to Dixie. “Let me show you . . .”
“Get out of here, Conner. This isn’t my first rodeo, big guy. I’ve worked with you enough to know how you do things. Even if I hadn’t, your employees will be overseeing mine like the evil minions you’ve trained them to be.”
Dylan smiled at Cora before he said, “Thanks, brat.”
“Y’all go get beautiful, and we’ll button things up here before we get ourselves refreshed before the ceremony,” I ordered. “I’ll see you guys in a bit.”
“It’s almost showtime,” Janis said as she and Dylan walked toward the front door.
“Do you have an alarm set to go off when this shit is finished?” Dylan asked.
“You know I do.”