Chapter Nine
Harris/Grant Wedding Day Rundown
Morning:
· 6:30 a.m.: Begin prep coffee/mimosa/cinnamon bun trays for room deliveryx 14 rooms (+ floral arrangement on bridal suite & MOB tray)
· 7:30 a.m.: Floral delivery due (note—bouquets/boutonnieres to back fridge, calla lily arrangements to gallery for brunch tables, all others on fold-outs in kitchen—make sure to request emailed invoice)
· 8:00 a.m.: Tray deliveries to rooms, check brunch setup in gallery *signs out for GF/DF
· 9:00 a.m.: Extra coffee/tea/pastries in great room (bride provided playlist for ambient music through lodge—cued up on Spotify)
· 10:00 a.m.: Brunch
In the quiet of her kitchen, before heading to the lodge, Celeste clipped the four individual lists onto her clipboard, one for each segment of the day: morning, wedding prep, ceremony/reception, and takedown. She always kept itineraries in sections, on separate pages. One thing at a time. Having individual lists for each part of the day as its own compartment kept things from getting overwhelming.
The entirety of the itinerary for the wedding day was busy but manageable, and it all came down to having a detailed plan, with every minute carefully thought through in advance. Brunch would be served in the gallery, followed by optional activities: a local artist was coming to lead a watercolor lesson, Quinn was stepping in for Everett (who wasn’t running much of a fever anymore but was still fatigued and, according to Jeannie, acting like a real grump) to lead a hike around the periphery of Butterfly Lake, and Jeannie would keep the snacks and drinks flowing for anyone who just wanted to curl up with a book in front of the fireplace in the great room.
The bridal party would be getting ready in their separate spaces from about two o’clock on, ready for a sunset ceremony around six. Following that, it was cocktail hour and then dinner.
It was dark, cold, and quiet when Celeste left her cabin in the morning, desperate for coffee and bracing herself for a jam-packed day with hopefully minimal surprises. She stepped quickly down the path between her house and the lodge. The caffeine was necessary, but the crisp morning air was doing its job in jolting her awake.
Jeannie was sitting at the table with a coffee of her own when Celeste entered the kitchen. “G’ morning, Mom,” she said and kissed her on the cheek.
“You were up late last night,” Jeannie said. “I noticed your porch light was still on at midnight when I went to bed.”
“Bride issues. Crisis averted, though, I think,” she said and filled her insulated travel mug up with coffee from the carafe. She only had time to drink it over the course of the morning, so keeping it warm was essential.
“Oh dear,” said Jeannie. “Well, they’re already up. Victoria called down to ask for the forecast.”
“Don’t they have a weather app?”
She shrugged. “I guess they think we have special intel.”
“And?”
“Cloudy this morning but should clear up by noon.”
“Perfect,” Celeste said and took a sip of her coffee. With any luck, the backdrop to the wedding photos would be the perfect orangey light of the setting sun. Happy bride and groom. Smiles and goodwill…and all the likes on social media.
An hour later, Mariana had already delivered most of the trays for the second and third floors, but Celeste wanted to deliver to the bridal suite herself.
She was about to tap lightly on the door but pulled back when she heard heated voices on the other side of the door. She stood balancing her tray of warm cinnamon buns, a small carafe of brewed coffee, a pitcher of freshly squeezed juice and chilled champagne for mimosas, and a vase with a small bud arrangement picked from Everett’s greenhouse.
“He couldn’t even get it together to make it on time for his own sister’s wedding!” she heard Kassie wail. “He hates that I’m getting all the attention. And now he’s trying to ruin our day.”
Celeste grimaced. This sounded like a problem that not even cinnamon buns were likely to fix.
“There’s no way he did it on purpose,” her sister said. “He picked a stupid flight time, given how often he has to work overtime. But Kevin wouldn’t do this to hurt you.”
This was definitely not good. Kevin, the youngest sibling in the Harris family, was the only wedding guest who hadn’t yet arrived and was scheduled to land at the Calgary airport at noon and then be at the lodge by two p.m. at the latest, with lots of time to shower and get dressed. Celeste knew from Victoria and Gary that Kevin was a paramedic in Toronto, so maybe he was stuck at the scene of an accident or something. Something told Celeste that someone else’s emergency, however, did not trump Kassie’s wedding plans.
Balancing the tray, Celeste glanced at her watch. The wedding was only ten hours away. If Kevin could rebook on a flight out of Pearson Airport in the next hour or so, he might make it, but it wasn’t looking good.
She put on her best optimistic face and rapped on the door. Maybe some sugar and cinnamon would diffuse the tension at least a bit.
“Come in,” she heard.
She entered the room to find Kassie still in bed, the covers pulled up to her chest and under-eye patches framing her deadly gaze. The sisters, Melissa and Siena, were also wearing their matching monogrammed pajamas, the bright pink a stark contrast to the decidedly dark mood in the air.
“Happy wedding day, Kassie!” Celeste said, smiling widely and feigning innocence. “How did everyone sleep?” She scanned the room for a free space to deposit the tray, but every square inch was covered in makeup, hair products, iPads and phones and gift bags. “I brought you all something to snack on before brunch.”
Siena, the youngest of the sisters, moved her feet off the coffee table so Celeste could set the tray down. “Thank you,” she said, giving Celeste a look that translated to We might need more than one bottle. They could have as many bottles as they wanted after the ceremony, but Celeste was keeping everything stashed until then. No need for any more unnecessary drama.
“We’re a groomsman down. Apparently it’s freezing rain in Toronto and they’ve canceled most of the flights. And now the photos are ruined,” Kassie said.
Celeste silently wondered to herself if Kassie was at all concerned with her brother’s well-being, but she was going to go ahead and keep that thought to herself.
“The photos are going to be stunning,” Melissa said. “And we can take some more pictures after Kevin gets here.”
“But not at the wedding! I’m not getting hair and makeup again tomorrow just because Kevin couldn’t get his shit together. And now everything’s going to look unbalanced.” She pulled the covers up farther, but her glaring eyes were still visible.
“I can sit out the pictures,” Siena said with what Celeste detected was a bit of hope in her voice. Kassie glowered at her.
“What about your dad?” Celeste suggested. “Could he fill in the space?”
Kassie’s face looked like she had just suggested that they move the reception down to the bingo hall and serve hot dogs and drink boxes. “No. He’s, like, seventy. And his suit is a different color.” She looked at Melissa. “Pass me a cinnamon bun.”
The door to the room opened and Victoria entered. She paused for a moment and appeared to be steeling herself as though she were preparing for battle. “What are you still doing in bed? The hair-and-makeup team will be here any time for your ‘brunch look.’” She looked at Celeste and rolled her eyes. “Don’t you want to shower?”
“She’s upset about Kevin,” said Siena. “And it’s ‘morning glow,’ right, Kassie?”
“Well, we’re all upset about Kevin,” said Victoria. “But for goodness’ sake, it’s your wedding day. Get out of bed and enjoy this day your father and I have forked over a fortune for.”
Kassie glared at her mother. “Why is it always about you, Mom?”
Victoria’s stern gaze frosted over completely, and Celeste winced. She had to intervene. “I have an idea,” she said. “You may not like it, but…” The second the words left her mouth she regretted it. It was a ridiculous idea. And would likely be next to impossible to pull off. But Kassie was ridiculous too, so maybe it would fly.
“Well, what is it?” Kassie said.
“Do you remember the guide from yesterday? Who came to pick up the guys for the fishing expedition?”
“Who, the guy with the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate eyes? Um, yeah, he was pretty much unforgettable.”
“Well, your fiancé took a real liking to him. And…I think he’d fit into Kevin’s suit very nicely. What if—” She paused. “What if he came for the photos so that everything is as you want it for social media?” she said. “And then I can arrange for the photographer to return tomorrow morning to take some really nice family pictures with Kevin in them.”
What was she doing? There was no way Jack was going to agree to be part of a wedding-party photo shoot. He clearly hadn’t even wanted to touch a rehearsal dinner with a ten-foot pole. But Kassie had a glimmer of interest in her eyes, so she’d worry about that later.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, you and your social media,” Victoria scoffed. She looked at Celeste, her lips as tight as her bun was wound. “Have you ever worked with a bride like this?”
Celeste maintained a neutral expression. In the world of weddings, especially with a family like the Harris family, she was Switzerland, although inside she was definitely Team Victoria. “All I want is for Kassie to have the wedding of her dreams.” She looked at Kassie, who swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up.
“Get him,” Kassie said, as though having Jack come to their wedding to stand in for Kevin was as easy as booking one of his tours. She snatched her silk robe from the chair beside the bed. “He is a bona fide hunk. He’ll look perfect in photos, and I think I prefer him to Kevin anyway. I’m going to shower.” With that, she disappeared into the bathroom and slammed the door, leaving Celeste with Victoria and the bridesmaids, who were all giving each other the same look they’d probably given each other many times before this day.
“If you need anything else, please let me know,” Celeste said. She exited the room to the quiet of the hallway and stared down at her list.
9 a.m. , she scrawled in the margin. Pray for a miracle.
She was a master of details, but this was a stretch. Now she had some magic to perform.
*
Jack groaned in relief as he flopped back onto his couch. Bodie leapt up and occupied the spot beside him as he flicked on the television and found a basketball game. He took a sip of his coffee and scratched Bodie’s head with his free hand.
He’d gotten up and done a hard workout that morning at the gym and was happy to have a free day with nothing to do but flick between the news and sports and order takeout.
He thought about Celeste, back at the lodge, and how her workday was likely just beginning. The group had been a lot of fun, despite the small matter of the flasks, but he’d seen way worse, and they’d been mostly sober by the time he’d brought them back.
Celeste had been a big part in the success of the day. The river never disappointed, and any time they brought home a decent catch he felt like he’d done his job, but when they’d arrived back for lunch to see the feast that Celeste had put out and how she’d made it look so nice even though they’d been wet and muddy and not at all looking like a group prepared for fine dining, he’d been wowed. It was amazing how that moment had elevated the rest of the day, and Jack could tell the group had been impressed.
And then there was the kiss, electric and exhilarating. A moment that had been on replay since she’d slipped back into the lodge’s foyer and he’d sat in his truck for a minute, unable to suppress the grin that had spread across his face. The warmth of her embrace still enveloped him, and he knew the inevitable was happening: He was falling for her.
As if his daydream about her prompted Celeste to think of him, his phone started to buzz on the couch beside him with her name on the call display, and his heart skipped a beat, anticipation coursing through him like a current.
“Hey,” he said. “How’s it going over there?”
“We’re just about to serve brunch,” Celeste’s voice came through, her words laced with a hint of something unspoken, stirring something in him. “So, I won’t keep you long. But you were a real hit yesterday. The guys had a great time.”
“It was a lot of fun,” Jack said. “Is anyone in the doghouse?”
“Actually, I think the bride and her bridesmaids might have been more buzzed than the men, to tell you the truth,” she said. “So, I apologize for overreacting. Thanks again for all your help. You were amazing.”
He appreciated the compliment, but was there something a bit over-the-top about the effusiveness of her words? “No apology needed,” Jack said. “And happy to help. Let me know if you need anything else.” He’d be more than happy to help Celeste again. And the association with the Butterfly Lake Lodge could be a new source of revenue. They’d already sent an e-transfer with the agreed-upon fee and a nice tip, which he appreciated.
The line was quiet for a moment. “Funny you ask…” Celeste said. “But, uh, ever considered a side hustle in modeling?”
Jack scoffed. “Oh yeah, definitely. I had an agent there for a while, but I was only getting offered contracts for Calvin Klein underwear ads, and I’m a bit on the shy side.”
The line went quiet again. Celeste cleared her throat. “I’m not kidding, actually. The last groomsman’s flight was canceled, and he won’t make it here until lunch tomorrow, if he’s lucky. The bride is—how do I say it?— particular about having a balanced bridal party in her wedding photos.”
“Uh-huh,” Jack said. “Explain to me how I fit into this equation?”
“Come to the wedding?” Celeste said. “Even just the ceremony and pictures? Pose for a few photos and eat some dynamite hors d’oeuvres and be on your way before dinner?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Why would they want a stranger in their wedding photos forever?” While he was eager to see Celeste again, if there was anything he hated almost more than weddings, it was posing for pictures.
“They liked you, Jack! And like I said, the bride is…particular.”
“And I hate weddings.”
“Please?” Celeste said.
“No.”
“I’ll come fishing.”
“Now I know you’re desperate.”
“I will. I’ll experience everything so I can recommend you to more guests.”
“You wouldn’t already?”
“Hah,” said Celeste. “I want to be able to speak with authority.”
“Well, unfortunately I don’t have a suit.” There. If the bride was as particular as Celeste was making her out to be, he figured she wouldn’t want him there in his khakis and a sweatshirt.
“What kind of man doesn’t have a suit?”
“The kind that likes having an excuse not to attend fancy events.”
“Well, lucky for you, Kevin’s suit was shipped here, and I think you’re around the same size. And I’ll make you another batch of that stew.”
He felt his defenses chipping away. It was less about the promises she was making and more about the sweet, slightly breathy sound of Celeste’s voice and the idea of her needing something from him that was too much for him to fight against. That addictive brush of her lips against his and the promise of maybe more.
“Please, Jack?” she said, and he was done.
“Lucky for me, huh?” Jack said, squeezing his eyes shut and flopping back onto the couch. Where was his willpower? Any iota of good sense? “Fine. What time?”