Chapter Eleven
A s soon as she reached the end of the hallway, Celeste took a deep, calming breath but couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, never mind ignore the body buzz summoned from being in Jack’s sphere, feeling the warmth of the skin on his neck as she’d adjusted the silky-smooth fabric of his collar, his eyes daring her to edge closer. She’d almost succumbed to the temptation and allowed herself to sink back into his arms, let his lips intertwine with hers. Her discipline deserved an award.
She retreated to the office, where she gave herself five minutes to regroup, fix her hair, and pep talk herself into making this wedding a social media sensation.
Focus , she willed herself. Every moment for the next eight or more hours demanded that she be at her best.
When she entered the great room, the officiant had just arrived and was organizing her paperwork at a table near the window, and the bottles of Veuve Clicquot were perfectly chilled and ready to tip into the waiting crystal flutes for the toast immediately following the ceremony. The jazz trio, a Keystone Ridge staple who were still playing weddings well into their eighties, were adding light background music as Kurt and the newest groomsman mingled with the other guests, awaiting the arrival of the bridesmaids, mother-of-the-bride, and the bride herself.
The nice thing about a small wedding was if they started a few minutes late or early, no one would mind. It felt relaxed and easy, unlike trying to ignore the force of attraction Jack was radiating from where he stood over by the fireplace. Celeste decided she’d better check on things upstairs to make sure there wasn’t any last-minute drama to attend to.
The door to what would be the newlyweds’ suite tonight was open, and Celeste approached slowly, listening for any bickering or harsh words or, worse, a full-on meltdown. But what she came across was a very tender moment between the bride and her mother as Victoria fastened a necklace around her daughter’s neck and then stood back, beaming with pride as Kassie fingered the delicate stone. “Thanks, Mom,” she murmured. “I love you.”
They embraced, and Celeste swallowed the small lump that had formed from witnessing something so lovely and pure. No matter how many weddings they hosted and how much bickering, drama, and disagreement that came up, there was always a moment that reminded Celeste why she loved days like this.
Kassie looked stunning. She wore a halter-style ivory silk gown with a delicate transparent crystal overlay that hung from her shoulders all the way down to where the fabric lightly grazed the floor and twinkled in the light like she was wearing little stars from head to toe. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun, allowing her pretty features, which the makeup artist had highlighted expertly with the “evening” look, to be the main event. The diamond necklace that she’d just been gifted pulled the look together perfectly.
“You look absolutely gorgeous,” Celeste said when it seemed appropriate to enter the room. She looked around at the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride, who also looked like they’d stepped out of the pages of a high-end bridal magazine. “What a beautiful necklace.”
Kassie adjusted the stone around her neck. “It was my mother’s,” said Victoria. “She gave it to me on my wedding day.”
Celeste braced herself for Kassie to make a comment about how that marriage had ended up, but instead she hugged her mother again.
“It’s perfect,” Celeste said. “You all look perfect. What a beautiful family.”
The bridesmaids wore pale green dresses in three different styles but all made with the same fabric, which glowed in an iridescent shimmery gold. Victoria was a picture of elegance in a long navy gown, accented with gold jewelry and a sizable emerald ring on her right hand.
Celeste nodded to the clock on the bedside table. “We’re about ten minutes out, if you think you’re ready,” she said. “I wanted to see if there’s anything else you need.”
“Just a selfie with you,” said Kassie. “You’ve been amazing!”
Celeste grinned. “Of course,” she said, joining the group as Kassie angled her phone and caught them all in the camera’s frame, the photographer quietly snapping photos in the background while stepping over the various clothing items, shoe boxes, and shopping bags that littered the room. Celeste made a mental note to return to the room during the reception and tidy up so that the newlyweds didn’t return to a complete disaster.
“Victoria, once we see you at the bottom of the stairs, Kurt will come and escort you to your seat. You’ll hear the beginning of Pachelbel’s Canon, then you two”—she nodded at Melissa and Siena—“will have your escorts as well. Kassie, your father will be ready for you at the bottom of the stairs. Good luck!”
Celeste left the women with the photographer to take some shots of them receiving their bouquets and rejoined the rest of the group in the great room.
All the men looked handsome in their suits, but when Celeste found Jack, perched on the arm of the large camel leather couch, the soft light from the fireplace flickering in his dark eyes, she took a sharp breath in. He was irresistible.
A clean shave accentuated the sharp line of his jaw, and his thick wavy hair was pulled away from his face and tucked behind his ears.
Despite her best efforts, she indulged in some revisionist history that had her kicking the door to his suite closed when she’d been fixing his suit, standing so close she’d been breathing in the pulse-quickening scent of his aftershave, reveling in the feeling of his gaze on her.
If she’d tipped her chin up ever-so-slightly, she knew he would have kissed her again.
The bride was about to make her appearance, but Celeste was having a hard time focusing on much else than what it would feel like to be alone with Jack again. Try as she might to dismiss his outdoorsy inclinations, there was something primal and strong about them at the same time. The fact that he could rock a suit like this was too distracting.
Focus. She stared so hard at her clipboard she was surprised she wasn’t boring holes through it. When she glanced up again, Jack was looking right at her, a sexy half smile dancing on his lips, his gaze dripping with desire, like he knew exactly what was playing out in her daydream and was picking right up where she’d left off to let the rest of it unfold in his mind.
She returned his smile, then tore her eyes away from his perfect face. She steeled herself. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll invite you to take your seats,” Celeste said to the group as the groomsmen and father of the bride moved to the back of the room and the jazz trio shuffled their sheet music for the traditional wedding procession.
Jeff stood by the window with the officiant, fiddling with his cuff links as he shifted from one leg to the other.
Celeste glanced toward the back of the room at Jack, who was chatting good-naturedly with Kurt. Apparently whatever he was saying was very funny. For someone who allegedly hated weddings, it didn’t seem like he was having such a terrible time.
When Melissa gave Celeste the signal from the top of the staircase, she nodded to the jazz trio. It was showtime.
The band started to play, and after Victoria took her seat, Melissa and Siena were escorted to their places by Kurt and Jack.
It seemed like every guest in the room had their phones out, capturing images of the bridal party and then the smiling bride as she took her father’s elbow, her eyes misty as he kissed her on the cheek. Kassie would have lots of photos to choose from.
Celeste and Jeannie moved to the space near the staircase as soon as the wedding processional had cleared the hallway. They wanted to be on hand if anything was required of them but far enough in the background that they weren’t intruding on the intimacy of the event.
The vows were repeated, a kiss was cheered, and after twenty minutes, Celeste was passing out flutes of champagne to a very happy bride and groom and their guests.
When Celeste approached Jack with the tray of drinks, he accepted a glass, then held it up in the air, tipping it toward her. “Cheers to you,” he said, the depth of his voice unleashing a cascade of shivers over her skin. “Seems like everything’s going off without a hitch.”
“Don’t jinx it,” she said, smiling. “We still have the whole reception for something to go wrong.”
“Excuse me, you two,” Jeannie said. She placed her hand on Jack’s elbow. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but are you ready for your close-up, Jack?”
Jack passed Celeste his flute and straightened his collar. He looked at her. “What do you think? Am I ready?”
You’re perfect , she thought, but she could only nod. Celeste watched as Jack joined the rest of the bridal party by the fireplace, the reluctant but appreciated and completely disarming interloper.
*
While the photographer directed the group, Celeste took the opportunity to go back to the kitchen to sit for a few minutes and give her throbbing feet a rest. She found Quinn at the table, with a cup of tea and a scone beside her as she worked on a sudoku puzzle.
“How’s it going out there?” said Quinn.
“We’ll have some good shots for you to post,” Celeste said. Wedding pictures were always popular, and Quinn was skilled in using hashtags to gain new followers. She poured herself a glass of water from the dispenser and joined her sister. “Just make sure you get the couple’s approval on everything first. And the photographer’s.”
“Of course. How’s Jack?”
“He’s fine, I think,” Celeste said. “I’ve agreed to have dinner with him tonight.” A totally stupid and irrational decision, but she couldn’t very well go back on it now that the bride and groom had arranged for a place for her at a table.
Quinn looked up, eyes wide. “Wait, you’re his date?”
“No, I think he just felt kind of obligated to stay for dinner. And he doesn’t really know anyone, plus there’s the extra place setting for Kevin and his girlfriend.” It sounded less ridiculous when she said it out loud.
“Well, you can’t wear that,” Quinn said, eyeing her suit.
“Why not? I’ve been wearing it all day.”
“Exactly. Go get changed,” her sister urged. “I’ll go check to see if anything is needed out there. And definitely go with that silver dress you bought from Revolve.”
Celeste considered. Her suit was very appropriate for work. But she had been wearing it since six a.m., and Kassie would probably prefer her in something a bit more formal if she happened to get in the background of any photos. “Fine. All right, thanks. I won’t be long.”
“Toodel-oo,” said Quinn, turning back to her puzzle.
Celeste left through the door off the kitchen, where the catering staff was unloading the last trays of hors d’oeuvres. Jeannie and Mariana were making some of the key parts of the meal, but a group this size required outside support.
The sun was just starting to set behind the tree line across the lake as she crossed the parking lot between the lodge and her cabin. Breathing in the cool, clean air had a steadying effect.
“Hope you’re not standing me up,” she heard from behind her. She turned to find Jack standing to the side of the building, car keys in hand.
“I’m just going to get changed,” Celeste said. “You look like you’re ready to escape. Are the photos already done?”
“They’re doing family photos now. Apparently I’m due back in five minutes.” He motioned to his truck. “Just grabbing my overnight bag,” he said. “If I’m going to have a couple drinks, I’ll take your mom up on the offer of staying in Kevin’s room. That bed looks like a dream.”
The idea of Jack staying overnight at the lodge ignited a rush of anticipation. Which was silly. They wouldn’t even be under the same roof. But the idea of him lingering for more than just a few hours, the possibility of stealing some moments alone together was exciting. But that couldn’t happen. She was his date, technically, but still needed to behave like the manager of this event that she was.
Time to change the subject from beds or sleeping or anything resembling being in a bed and not sleeping. She cleared her throat. “My mom is very appreciative of everything you’ve done over the past couple of days. Don’t be surprised if you start getting more calls in the coming weeks. We’ve got a pretty packed house. For the time being, at least.”
“You mean until they sell?”
“Yup,” said Celeste. She’d managed to forget about it for most of the day and now unease was creeping up again. But it wasn’t the time to dwell on the future. “Anyway, I’m going to get changed.”
“Not sure why. You look great to me,” Jack said, that same irresistible grin playing on his lips.
Celeste felt a flutter in her chest but quickly pushed it aside. “Thank you,” she said. “But I’ve been wearing this all day. And everyone else is so dressed up. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” She made toward her cabin again.
“Celeste,” Jack called.
She turned back.
His gaze held a magnetic intensity that sent a rush of heat creeping up her neck. “I meant what I said—you’re doing an amazing job.” With a wave and a lingering look, he closed the door of his truck and returned to the lodge, leaving Celeste just a little bit breathless and fully exhilarated.
It was nice to have someone validate her work. Her parents were always complimentary, but she often chalked that up to the fact that they seemed to think anything that their four daughters did was worthy of praise.
Hearing it from Jack, though, as someone who seemed to roll his eyes at weddings, felt really good.
In her room, Celeste changed into the silver dress Quinn had suggested. She added a pair of hoop earrings and slipped on a dressier pair of heels and reapplied her lipstick. She had a date. Sure, she was technically still working, but Jack was there because of her. And she wanted to look good for him.
She poured herself half a glass of white wine from her fridge and took a moment to sit at her breakfast bar and have a quiet moment to herself before rejoining the party. She always liked to take a minute or two during a busy event to sit and think. What was going well? What still needed doing? What undercurrents was she picking up on, and how could she get ahead of them?
The rollout of events was going perfectly. No need to worry about the food or drinks; Jeannie and Mariana had that under control, and Quinn and the caterers would be helping.
The one thing she might need to do was to find a subtle way to suggest to Kassie to express her thanks to her parents, not just in a speech but toward the end of the night. She heard it all the time from brides and grooms that the day flew by so quickly that they barely had a chance to think, and while there were some people who Celeste could tell would be able to think about others in addition to themselves on this kind of day, Kassie wasn’t one of them, and she knew how much it would mean to Victoria and Gary.
They were footing the bill, a substantial one, and while all parents just wanted to see their children happy, everyone liked feeling appreciated.
Aside from that, she made a mental note to ensure the bridal party’s water pitchers were topped up at their tables and not to forget the engraved sterling-silver cake server that the lodge always gave as a gift to the married couple to cut their cake.
She also had to keep her head on straight around Jack. He was altogether too handsome, and after the wedding, Celeste needed to turn all of her attention back to her accounting course and her job search. This silly crush couldn’t get in the way of that.
She checked her appearance once more in the mirror, fussed with her hair a bit, then went to join the reception.
The twenty-four guests were enjoying cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres in the great room, which was glowing with the rich orangey light from the setting sun over the lake, casting the shadow of the mountain peaks.
You look great! mouthed Quinn from across the room, where she was replenishing the napkins. Celeste straightened her shoulders. She felt good. And being a guest at the Butterfly Lake Lodge instead of an employee was kind of nice too.
It didn’t take long for her to spot Jack standing by the fire again with what looked like a scotch on ice, conversing with the father of the bride. Celeste plucked a drink from one of the waiters’ trays—the themed cocktail of the evening, which was called Orchard Catch, a nod to the place where Kassie and Jeff had met while berry-and-apple picking. It was made with fresh strawberries and elderflower liqueur topped with sparkling wine. She took a sip, and as Jack caught her eye from across the room, he gave her a slight smile that unleashed a kaleidoscope of butterflies in her stomach.
She was about to cross the room to join him when Kurt appeared beside her. “Cheers,” he said, holding up his wineglass and giving her a wide grin. “You guys did a bang-up job with this wedding.”
Celeste forced a smile. “Thanks,” she said. “Much appreciated.” When she glanced back at Jack, he was watching her with that sexy lopsided grin. Save me , she willed him. But he knew just as well as she did that it wasn’t his place at this party. She was a host, and she could take care of herself.
“So, you worked here for a long time?” Kurt said.
How original , Celeste thought.
Kurt launched into an introduction to himself and his life. He was a journalist for an online entertainment publication who’d gone to university with Jeff. He played pickleball and was into vintage cars.
“I’ll have to introduce you to my sister Quinn,” Celeste said, noting a flash of disappointment in Kurt’s expression. He was handsome, and aside from being a tad self-centered, he ended up being a decent conversationalist, and any other time Celeste might have been okay to spend the evening talking with someone like him, but tonight she felt Jack’s presence like a firm pull, and it was a real effort to focus on Kurt and his questions.
She kept Jack in the corner of her eye as a couple of the other guests joined his conversation. He was telling a story, and the small group around him were all ears.
When it felt like an appropriate break, Celeste excused herself from Kurt. “I’m going to check on the kitchen,” she said, even though Jeannie had taken over and urged her to have a nice evening. “If you haven’t tried the feature cocktail, you should give it a try. It’s amazing.” Before Kurt could respond, she smiled and made her exit, congratulating herself on how smooth it was. No one would call Celeste McCarthy rude.
When she walked by where Jack was still holding court, she gave him a quick wave, and he responded with a lift of his glass and that familiar, irresistible tilt of his lips that always seemed meant just for her. With a surge of warmth blooming in her chest, Celeste continued to the kitchen, where her mother was overseeing the catering staff. Jeannie stood in the doorway, blocking her entry. “How’s it going in here, Mom?”
“Good. And you don’t need to worry about a thing. I don’t know about these Yorkshire puddings,” Jeannie said under her breath. “But look at you!’” She stepped back and looked Celeste up and down. “Honey, you look gorgeous!” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure that Jack has noticed too.”
“Would everyone leave me alone about Jack?” Celeste said.
“Go back to the party. Everything’s under control in here.”
It took everything in her, but Celeste did her best to keep things on simmer during the dinner, even between the second course and dessert, when she looked across the table to find Jack’s eyes undressing her unabashedly. She pulled from a deep well of restraint to pretend not to notice and instead make small talk with Uncle Jasper, who was seated next to her.
Jack didn’t give up easily, though. After dessert, when he moved his leg against hers under the table, the feeling of his silky suit brushing up against her bare skin was more than she could take, and she’d had to excuse herself to the washroom to cool off, her pulse thrumming as she tried to maintain her composure.
*
The rest of the wedding unrolled with the characteristic clockwork perfection that the Butterfly Lake Lodge was renowned for. Shortly after eleven, after sparklers and a final dance, the bride and groom bid farewell to their guests to return to their suite. Celeste, Quinn, and Jeannie did a sweep of the great room to extinguish candles, pick up any remaining glassware, and offer one last round of refreshments to any guests who were still awake.
Of course, the guests were free to stay up as long as they wished, but Jeannie was more than ready for bed, and Celeste wouldn’t be far behind.
When she went to check on the puzzle room, she found Jack sitting in a leather chair, flipping through the pages of the Agatha Christie novel he’d pulled out the other day. He’d taken off his tie at a certain point and the top couple of buttons of his shirt were undone, and impossibly, he looked even more handsome than before.
He looked up when she entered, his eyes lighting with warmth. “My hands are clean,” he said. “I promise to return it in perfect condition.” He held up his hands as proof.
“We’re not too precious about it,” said Celeste. “Books are meant to be read.”
Jack’s lips turned up slightly. “Great work today,” he said. “You might have me changing my mind about weddings.”
She smiled back, keeping to the edge of the entrance as though getting too close to Jack would allow the superpowered magnet of attraction between them to remove any and all of her willpower. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
“Something tells me you’re going to have no problem at all finding a job if it doesn’t work out here,” he said, then tried to cover up a yawn. “The bed in that room looks pretty inviting right about now.” He stood up and placed the book back on the shelf.
“Get some sleep,” Celeste said. “And get ready for breakfast in the morning.”
“I’ll be up and out of here before you wake up, probably,” Jack said. “I’ve got to get home to walk Bodie.”
It was probably for the best that he was disappearing at the crack of dawn, as though he’d never been there, but a pang of disappointment hit her.
Celeste walked with Jack to his room. The hallway was empty, and the only sound was the din from the great room, where someone had gotten a game of gin rummy going. “Well, good night,” she said.
In the dim light of the hallway, Jack turned to face her. “’Night, Celeste,” he said.
She sensed hesitation in his voice. Was he waiting for her to do something?
“Good night, Jack,” she said again and made a move back toward the office.
Before she could leave, she felt his fingers interlock with hers, his hand tugging her toward him softly. She looked up to see his eyes burning with desire.
“I shouldn’t—” She stopped, her protest dying on her lips as she met his smoldering gaze. She took shallow breaths in, but she couldn’t move away.
“You don’t have to explain yourself,” Jack said, the low timbre of his voice making her quake. He moved his face closer to hers and spoke quietly into her ear. “I just needed to tell you how beautiful you looked tonight. And how impressive you are. That’s all.” He pulled away slightly and kissed her hand, and it was so smooth and gentlemanly she thought she might explode. She was melting into a puddle on the floor. “Good night, Celeste.”
“Wait,” she whispered. She drew in a sharp breath as her mouth parted slightly and felt his hand move to the nape of her neck, drawing her in closely as he kissed her softly. She closed her eyes, every gentle sweep of Jack’s lips awakening every nerve ending in a delicious thrill.
When the sound of chanting came from the great room, Celeste pulled back. “I’d better go see what’s going on,” she whispered between shallow breaths.
Jack’s eyes flickered with desire. “I can come—”
“It’s okay,” she said. “You get some sleep.” She needed him. Badly. But she also needed to think this through. “I’ll see you Monday, right?”
Jack swallowed, then nodded. “You bet. G’ night, Celeste.”
After his door clicked shut, she leaned up against the wall for a moment, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath in.
Monday was two days away. She’d finish this wedding, then take some time to think things through before falling into what felt like it could actually be something real.