Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
I t usually took a cup of coffee to get Amy feeling as if she could embrace the day. Today, she’d woken up energized. Today, she would be acting as a courier, giving Cassie information from each of the women. And she’d receive vital information from Cassie for her wedding.
But if she didn’t do this right, the whole wedding could fall apart. She might accidentally give a clue that had Cassie asking what was going on. Or she might not remember the information correctly. As that thought came to mind, she decided to record what she would call an interview with Cassie. And it truly was an interview because she’d truly have to write an article about this.
A sound at the kitchen door startled her. Tap. A pause. Tap, tap, tap. A pause. Then, another tap . She slowly opened the door to see what was going on. Paige stood outside.
“What’s with the weird knock?”
“I thought it sounded mysterious and in keeping with our spy mission.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “Come on inside.”
Paige glanced quickly to the left and then the right, now seeming serious. “I don’t think anyone saw me come here. I just wanted to drop off some ideas for wedding photos.”
“Paige,” Amy said in a low voice, “it’s okay for us to be seen together. It would be really weird if we weren’t seen together.”
Paige stilled for a moment and then laughed. “You’re so right.” She thrust a folded paper at Amy. “Since James is in on this, I asked him for suggestions. It isn’t much because so much happens on the wedding day, but it should give you something to talk about.”
She leaned closer. “Now I’d better get over to my shop. I have someone coming in about forty-five minutes. A couple for an engagement photo. They’re already engaged, but when they saw your article, they decided to have a more formal engagement photo taken. Her words were that they’d missed it with the proposal but could make up for it with the engagement.” She turned to walk away but turned back. “And they’re bringing her family dog with them. After seeing photos with animals, she said she wanted the dog in the picture. I hope that part goes well.” Paige went on her way.
Amy slowly closed the door. She had seen an increase in her website traffic, but helping other businesses mattered a lot to her. This was awesome. Helping her town—and her friends—thrive would be fabulous.
As she carried her coffee into the living room to sit down for a moment, Dexter started on his first shower song of the morning.
She took a big swig of the coffee for strength. “I want to help my town. But I really need a place of my own.”
The concert stopped, so she headed toward the bathroom. Now it was her turn to get ready—but music-free. As she approached her newspaper office an hour later, she found Scott standing outside. When she realized she was speeding up her pace to reach him, she forced herself to slow down.
He smiled widely at her. “I wanted to see if you needed anything today.”
Amy put the key in the lock and opened the door. “Did our mayor have a tight schedule for you again today?”
“She’s been busy working on things for the town and this wedding stuff. That’s kind of let me off the hook. But there is still a daily schedule attached to the front of the refrigerator with a magnet. It’s my option if I have nothing to do, so I always want to make sure I legitimately have something else to do. I’ll admit, though, that she’s started to put some things on there that are a little more interesting. She had a hike in the woods listed for today.”
Amy sighed without meaning to.
“Not something you enjoy doing?”
“Huh?”
“You sighed when I mentioned hiking.”
“I hadn’t even realized I’d done that. I’d love to have time to do things like going for a hike, but I’m too busy right now. I don’t mind, though. I love my work, and I’m enjoying being part of the wedding planning.”
“Maybe you could take an afternoon off later this week to do something different.”
Could she?
“I’ll only be here for another two and a half weeks, so if I’m going to go on a hike, it will have to be soon.”
His meaning reached her. Scott only wanted to hike with her. And . . . she loved the idea of spending that time with him. Amy felt as if a vice had clamped around her heart. She took a deep breath and then another to loosen up.
She hadn’t fallen for him. She was just getting used to having Scott around.
She went back to her usual defense against emotion toward him. Business. “I don’t have anything for you to do with the newspaper because I’m between issues. Maybe if you help me, we can go on that hike.”
“I’m game. But you just said you didn’t need help.”
“Wedding help.”
He took a step back. “What sort of wedding help?”
Amy laughed. “Don’t worry. We’re not looking for a substitute groom. We have a question about the marriage license, and we thought Micah could answer it.”
“Do you need to have a marriage license in the state of Tennessee before you wed?”
“According to Bella and Paige, the only two among my close friends who are married, you do.”
“Then I would be happy to help.”
“We’re in full spy mode here. Close the door when you enter to speak to Micah. No one else can be in the room. Not unless it’s Greg or one of the people who you’re certain is in on this. We can’t let anything slip. Cassie is far too observant.”
“Are you sure it’s safe to talk in here?” he said in a suspicious voice. He dropped his volume a notch. “What if we’re being . . . bugged?”
Amy grinned. “If someone has thought to bug my oh-so-boring newspaper office, they have far greater problems.”
“Okay, I’ll get right on the wedding license mission. Do you need me to do anything else?”
Did they? She did need to take care of cake flavor testing. “Do you know if Greg’s working today?”
“He is. I think he said something about getting off at four this afternoon.”
She explained about the cupcakes. “A taste test would probably be safest in his car. At home, Cassie could knock on his door and potentially overhear you. Especially if he left a window open. And this time of year is awesome for leaving windows open.”
“I’ll call him to set up a meeting.”
“Before you do that, let me call Simone to make sure she can have another set of cupcakes ready. As to the other choices we’re offering Cassie, I honestly don’t think he will care about the colors, and he definitely can’t see her wedding dress.”
Scott got an impish—and adorable—expression.
Where did that thought come from?
“Could there possibly be two sets of these cupcakes? I may need samples so I understand the situation well and can report back correctly.”
Amy laughed. “I hope Simone made enough. I’ll call right now. No, wait. I can’t call. That’s against the rules.” She paused. “But I’m asking about something I’m picking up today that Cassie will know about. That would be okay, wouldn’t it?” She felt like the situation was spinning around her and becoming a complicated web.
Scott stared at her. “You do realize that this is a wedding and not an event about creating world peace?”
Amy took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “You’re right. It’s just that I want the whole wedding to be perfect, and I don’t want to be the one to blow the secret.”
“It will be. You’re doing a great job. All of you are. I’ve never seen anything like this, to be honest.”
Amy picked up the phone and called Simone. When she answered, Amy said, “I’ll be picking up those cupcakes for the tasting soon. I wondered if you could do another two sets for me to share with a couple of men I know.”
Silence greeted her as Simone processed her words. Finally, she laughed. “I can see the need for that. I’d be happy to put together two more sets. I baked enough so that isn’t a problem.”
They ended the call. “Good news. I got you a sweet deal.” Amy grinned. “I’ll pick up enough for you two and drop them off here before I go to Cassie’s house.”
“Then I’m on my way to see a lawyer about a marriage license. Words I hadn’t expected to say today.” Grinning, he left for his assignment.
With Scott now on assignment, the room felt empty. She pushed that thought out of her head because she didn’t want to need anyone in the room with her. She was a one-woman show for the foreseeable future. And she ignored the voice that said it was Scott’s presence she missed, not just another human’s.
Amy checked her watch and saw she had an hour before she needed to be at Cassie’s, so she gathered what she needed. Her digital recorder, a notebook and several pens, the fabric swatches, and the photo plan. A quick stop with Bella and then Simone would bring it all together. In short, she was a wedding planner today, a career she’d never anticipated and didn’t particularly want. Amy put all those things in a tote bag she thought would also be large enough to hold the cupcakes and headed toward Bella’s Brides.
When she arrived there, she found Bella busy with a bridal party, but her assistant April met Amy near the door and handed off a package to her with a questioning expression. Amy leaned closer and whispered, “It’s for an article I’m writing. It’s a secret, though.”
April nodded. “That’s what Bella said.” Her confusion about the situation was apparent, but Amy couldn’t explain it to her.
As Amy walked away, she thought about the current situation. She was now fully immersed in weddings. After her failed relationship, this would be laughable if it didn’t come with so much stress.
She crossed the street to Simone’s and went inside, thankfully finding the room empty of everyone except Simone. Even the door to Nick’s kitchen next door was closed.
“I made sure I didn’t have anyone else in here with me this morning. I have found someone in town who is wonderful with decorating, and I’m training her. But not on the spy days.” Simone grinned.
Amy couldn’t help but smile back. “This is all very strange, isn’t it?”
“Agreed, but we’re going to make this happen for Cassie.”
Simone set four plastic containers on the counter, each holding four cupcakes, with two decorated in shades of pink and yellow.
“Pretty!”
“Thank you. I wanted to do all of them in pink and yellow, but since those are Cassie’s favorites, I thought it might tip her off. It would be helpful if you could take notes on the decor in addition to the flavors. Speaking of that, I think I have some she’ll enjoy.”
She tapped one container. “I labeled every flavor right above it. You have a raspberry cupcake with lemon frosting. There’s white cake with lemon curd filling and raspberry frosting.” She looked up at Amy. “Cassie loves the lemon raspberry combo, so I included options.” She tapped the top of the container. “This one would be more difficult to do in her colors, but it’s a chocolate cupcake with a toasted marshmallow frosting topped with crumbles of graham crackers.”
“A s’mores cupcake!”
“Exactly. I have a feeling that will go over well with the guys.”
“ I love it.”
“Last but certainly not least, because it’s one of my personal favorites, is a chocolate cupcake with cream cheese filling and fudgy chocolate frosting.”
Amy licked her lips. “They all sound fabulous. What if she doesn’t like any of them, though? Do you have a Plan B ?”
“I can always have more flavors, but we’d have to work to come up with a reason for you to be there again.”
“You’re right. Let’s hope she chooses one of these.”
Simone motioned to the end of the container with the raspberry-lemon duos. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to have winners with these two.” She shrugged. “But I’ve been wrong before. I was sure one couple would choose a strawberry filling for a cake based on everything they’d told me in advance and the paperwork I have all my couples fill out.”
“Obviously, they didn’t. What did they choose?”
“I’m still surprised by this one. Pralines and cream. The woman told me she didn’t want a cake that was too sweet. But she chose what’s basically pecans in crushed-up candy. And with chocolate frosting, no less.”
“Is it hard to find flavors someone wants?” Amy wondered if her task was going to be more daunting than she’d first realized.
“Usually, it’s simple.” Simone snapped her fingers. “I listen, and I put the flavors in front of them. I know Cassie very well, and these are her favorite flavors. And the chocolate is for Greg because I’ve seen him eat a lot of chocolate cake.”
Amy tucked the cupcakes into her tote bag. She’d need to get two of these to Scott. Avoiding texting after Mrs. Brantley’s dire warnings, Amy called Scott instead.
“Amy?” He was justifiably surprised by her call since she had only texted him, never called.
“I wondered if you could come by the newspaper office.” She checked her watch and picked up her pace when she saw she needed to arrive at Cassie’s in the next ten minutes. “At about two.” That would give her plenty of time for an interview that was sure to run long. They had a lot to talk about and cupcakes to eat.
“Sure. I’ll meet you over there. Is this for the project we’re working on?”
“Definitely. I have what we talked about earlier. I know you’ll be able to help me with this.”
“See you then.”
She arrived at Cassie’s house a couple of minutes early and went around to the back as everyone did in Two Hearts. She tapped on the screen door.
Cassie let her inside. “I’m excited about this new article. Even though you didn’t have many subscribers when you started the paper, I think the first articles you did were helpful. The newspaper is doing better now, so we should see even bigger results.”
Amy felt a moment of guilt because she wasn’t here to help Cassie’s business but instead to grill her for details about a wedding she wasn’t expecting. Then she realized she’d be helping all the businesses she mentioned, which made her feel good. She wasn’t just a spy—she was a spy with a purpose.
“Where do you want to sit? The kitchen table where we can have a cup of coffee? I have some cookies from Emmaline. Or the living room where it’s more comfortable? We could even go into my office if you want more formality for an interview.”
“I choose the kitchen. And I’ll definitely take that cup of coffee, but you don’t need to get the cookies out. Simone sent cake samples for you to test for her part of the article, so I have a snack for both of us.” Amy pulled out the two containers and set them on the table.
Cassie stared at her sugary bounty. “I would have happily shared. You’re leaving me with four whole cupcakes?”
“It is a bit much, isn’t it?” Amy smiled. “Maybe you can have Bella come over later in the day. It seems baby likes sweets.”
Cassie laughed. “I know she’s trying to control that, but I have seen her with pie at Dinah’s more than I usually would.”
They sat down with coffee and forks.
“She must have chosen these colors because she knew you were coming here. They’re my favorites.”
Amy’s heart threatened to beat out of her chest. “They are pretty.”
Cassie seemed to have moved on from the colors to tasting, so Amy willed her heartbeat to slow. Amy told her the first cupcake’s flavor, and they each took a bite.
Amy sighed. “Mm. This is amazing. I love raspberry and lemon together.” Remembering her job, she asked, “How about you, Cassie? And I want your own opinion. I know you’re the wedding planner, but I also want this to have a personal touch.”
Cassie savored the bite. “It’s been one of my favorites forever, so I’m not surprised she sent that flavor. This one’s the winner.”
Amy laughed. “We better keep going. The next one is also raspberry and lemon.”
Cassie raised an eyebrow as she stuck a fork into it and took a bite. “Oh my goodness!” she groaned around the bite. “This is probably the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Amy had to agree. Simone was a master of flavors, and her cakes were always moist and wonderful. Amy got out her notepad and a pen. “I’d better take notes. I thought this would be simple, and I could say the first one would be the one everybody loves.”
“It’s never that easy with Simone. They’ll all be amazing. But she outdid herself on the one with a lemon curd filling. It’s such a bright pop of lemon with the raspberry.” Cassie started to dip in her fork for another bite. Amy reached out and stopped her.
“We’d better wait and try all of them. Then you can go back for seconds.”
“That’s a good plan, or I may have so much sugar that I don’t even want to taste the last one by the time we get there.”
“The third one’s a s’mores cupcake.”
“Whenever there’s a campfire, Greg is making s’mores, so this would be his pick. But I love chocolate too.”
Amy had a hard time not saying anything or even making notes. Scott would take care of the Greg input.
“This cupcake is delicious. Simone toasted the marshmallow on top. And those graham cracker crumbs . . . This is one hundred percent a s’more. I can’t believe how difficult she made this decision.” They each drank a couple sips of coffee between bites. Amy pointed at the last one. “This one sounds crazy good. It’s a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and a cheesecake filling.”
“Cheesecake? Simone’s been holding out on me because I’ve never had this kind.” They each put their fork in and took out a bite. Cassie closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair. “Oh, my goodness. Rich, dark chocolate with creaminess and a little tang from cheesecake. This is genius.”
Cassie stared at the box in front of her. “And I’m supposed to choose one I love? Is that what everybody’s going to do for the article?”
Amy quickly thought over her reply. “You’re my first interview with the cupcakes. This is much more difficult than I expected. Why don’t we choose two and call them the flavors of summer? How does that sound?”
“Still difficult.” Cassie laughed. “I love them all. I would happily recommend any of these to a bride.”
Amy hated to push in any way because she didn’t want to give any signs to alert Cassie about their plans. “If I were to choose for my own wedding—not that I’m getting married anytime in the foreseeable future—I would pick the s’mores and the lemon curd.”
Cassie laughed. “I know the article needs a choice.” She bit her lip and stared at the baked good in front of her. “I think I would also pick the lemon curd one. And—ooh, this is hard. I love both the chocolate and s’mores. They’re each a little bit different. I think maybe—ooh! I just don’t know.”
Grinning, Amy made a note. “That actually may be fun in the article. You nailed down the lemon between two that were similar, but the others were so awesome you couldn’t choose.”
“I like that. And it wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the first lemon one. The second one edged it out slightly. As a wedding planner, I might suggest either the chocolate or the s’mores and have a third flavor, something simple. Maybe white cake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles on top. Kids love plainer things like that. Some adults do too.”
Amy made notes. “This is exactly what the article needs. Advice from an experienced wedding planner.” And what the planners for Cassie’s wedding needed even more.
“That would be lovely at any wedding.” As Amy was about to ask about the decoration on the cupcakes, Cassie said, “And they’re all pretty, but I think I’d personally avoid the one with the traditional rose on it. I prefer the other design. And I like the soft yellow and pink over the brighter version.”
Perfect.
“What else do you have in store for us today? Cupcakes are going to be hard to top.”
Amy had almost forgotten she had her other mission. “First, let’s look at summery wedding dress sketches.”
Cassie frowned. “But everyone will have already made plans for their summer weddings.”
“It felt funny to mention fall or winter in an article when summer is just beginning. Do you know what I mean?” Amy thought she’d done an excellent job of subterfuge. In the end, maybe she had missed her calling and should look into espionage as a career.
“I see your point. As I think about it, wedding dresses can change somewhat by season, but someone might wear a sleeveless one in December or long sleeves in July.”
“And you do get some elopements, don’t you? People who come to you at the last minute for a wedding?”
“More than you would expect. Some people don’t want the big fancy wedding with all the long planning involved. They just want a beautiful ceremony, and they don’t want to wait. You’re right. This could be great for bringing in business this summer.”
Amy laughed. “Then here are Bella’s sketches.”
When Cassie saw the drawings her friend had done, she exclaimed, “These articles will be so much fun!”
Amy had to agree. The idea had been born out of a need to plan the wedding, but she had a feeling her readers would love this. It definitely would be something to put on her website that strangers could find and read. They may even need to do something like this seasonally.
Cassie flipped through the sketches. Bella had provided seven. “Just as with the cupcakes, I love everything Bella does. Going with the summer theme, I think I’d avoid the ball gown because that’s too much fabric for a hot day, and we have a lot of people who come to Two Hearts for an outdoor wedding.” She pushed aside the mermaid-style dress too.
“Not that one either?”
Cassie frowned and seemed distressed for the first time since they’d been talking. “I had that style before. I must tell you, it wasn’t easy riding a motorcycle wearing that.” Her smile returned. “I choose this one as a favorite.” She tapped a fit and flare. It had narrow straps, a fitted bodice to the waist, and then it flared out to a flowing skirt. “That would be beautiful for a summer wedding.”
“Can I say it’s your personal favorite and not just the wedding planner speaking?” Amy held her breath, waiting for the reply. She hoped she hadn’t pushed too much.
“Definitely my choice. And the same one I’d choose as the planner. Bella went over and above with these.”
Amy agreed. And Cassie would be stunning in that design.