Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
With growing anxiety, Carissa followed Lanie through the bakery and out the door. I should never have trusted Max to keep a secret.
As soon as they were outside, Lanie crossed her arms and leaned against the building, clearly waiting for Carissa’s explanation. Carissa stopped, surprised by how much Lanie resembled her father in that moment. The way her eyebrows pulled down over her hazel eyes only added to the stark similarity between father and daughter.
Here goes nothing. “I’m sorry for lying to you about the band.” Carissa took a deep breath and launched into the story of what had happened. How she and Max had run into each other at Bea’s Diner and started talking about the expense, including whether there were places in the budget that could be cut.
“Your father offered to pay for the band outright, but I knew how you felt about him pitching in with the wedding. So we developed a compromise where he would only pay the difference, and…” She sighed. “We agreed not to tell you, which I acknowledge was wrong and unprofessional of me.”
“Why didn’t you come to me first?” Lanie asked.
“I suppose I hoped I could come up with a solution that would allow you to keep your dream band without going over budget. And when I ran into Max, it seemed like the best option, and I thought, since he was just paying the difference, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. He is paying for your dress and alterations, after all.” Carissa shook her head. “I realize now I was wrong. I’m sorry for not telling you the true cost and for going behind your back with your father.”
At first, Lanie didn’t say anything. She stared across the parking lot as if gathering her thoughts. Carissa braced herself for the consequences of her actions. While she didn’t fully understand why Lanie insisted on paying for the wedding herself when her father was willing to help, Carissa also understood that Max and Lanie had a complicated relationship. Besides, Lanie’s reasons didn’t matter. Carissa had betrayed her client’s trust, which was in direct contradiction to how she’d set up her business.
If Lanie fired her, she would understand. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that, though. And she promised herself she wouldn’t allow whatever was happening between her and Max to jeopardize her business relationship with Lanie.
Finally, Lanie took a deep breath. She looked calmer, and she even smiled. But Carissa didn’t let her guard down.
“I guess I can’t blame you for not understanding my insistence on not allowing my dad to pay for things. I don’t know that I’ve ever explained why we have such a turbulent relationship. The truth is it wasn’t always this way. Before my parents got divorced, I was very much a daddy’s girl. While his work schedule made it difficult for us to spend much time together, we relished the time we had.” Lanie’s expression darkened. “But after the divorce, he shut down emotionally. Steven and I were supposed to visit with him on the weekends, but half the time, he had to work. And when we did visit, he seemed to think he had to make up the lost time by buying us things.” She sighed. “Sometimes, it feels like that’s his solution to everything in his life—just throw money at it.”
Carissa’s heart went out to both of them. “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
Lanie shrugged. “Why would you? We’re not exactly known for talking about our feelings in the McAllister clan. That said, I’ve made a lot of progress with my therapist. She’s given me coping mechanisms to help me avoid lashing out at Dad every time he tries to throw money at a wedding problem, but it’s not easy.”
“Especially since he does it so often,” Carissa murmured, earning a laugh from Lanie.
“You have no idea.” Lanie sighed. “He means well, but sometimes, I wish he would listen to me.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, how much does the band actually cost?”
Carissa bit her lip. “Uh, around five thousand dollars.”
Lanie’s eyes grew wide. “No wonder you didn’t want to tell me.” Her face fell. “There’s no way we can afford that. Even if we tried to cut something like the floral budget, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Exactly. A DJ is only about a thousand, which is more in line with your budget.”
“I see.” Lanie ran a hand through her blond hair.
“At this point, it’d be cheaper to keep the band than to find an alternative.” Carissa kept her tone gentle but firm. “You’ll lose your deposit if you cancel now.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Though Lanie didn’t sound happy about that. “Please promise me you’ll come to Nate and me first about any future budgetary issues.” Lanie leaned against the brick wall of the building. “It’s times like these I wish I had my mom as a buffer.”
Me too. But Carissa kept that to herself. “I promise to be up front with you in the future about the costs of things.”
“Thanks.” Lanie pushed herself off the wall and opened the door. “Let’s gather the guys and get out of here. Want to grab some dinner?”
Carissa shook her head. “The cake samples were pretty filling, and I’ve got a lot of work to do for other clients.” She followed Lanie into the bakery. Nate was waiting for them on the other side of the door. “I’ll be scheduling your dress fittings soon, and we’ll have another tasting at the caterer, but otherwise, we’re in a good place. Let me know if you need me in the meantime.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Carissa,” Nate said as he slid an arm around Lanie.
“See you later.” Carissa grabbed her things from the table and spun on her heel, determined to put as much distance as possible between herself and Max.
“Wait!” he called, but she didn’t turn.
Her pace quickened when she heard his heavy step behind her, and she practically ran to her car. But she wasn’t fast enough. As she reached her door, he put a hand on her shoulder.
“Hey, stop. We need to talk.”
She whirled around and glared up into his stupid handsome face. “Haven’t you said enough? Why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut?”
At least he had the good sense to look chagrined. “I’m sorry. It slipped out.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “What did Lanie say?”
“She asked that in the future, I talk to her about the budget and leave you out of it.” A feeling of satisfaction swelled in Carissa’s chest when Max looked as if she’d slapped him. “And I promised to alert her to any more of your shenanigans.”
“ My shenanigans?” Max retorted. “You weren’t exactly refusing my offer to pay the difference. We were in on this together.”
She hated that he was right, but she wasn’t about to admit that. “Be that as it may, I thought I could count on your discretion. Apparently, I was mistaken.” Without another word, she sidestepped him and opened her car door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
“We’re not finished here.”
“I have nothing further to say to you.” After climbing into the driver’s seat, she reached for the door, but he blocked her from closing it. “Please let me leave.”
Although he stepped back, he put his hand on the door. “I’m sorry for getting you in hot water with Lanie. I didn’t mean to mention the band, but if it’s not clear, her happiness is important to me.” His head dipped, and for reasons she couldn’t explain, her heart went out to him. “I don’t want her to settle for less than she deserves.”
Carissa sighed and leaned back in her seat. “I understand that. Your heart is in the right place, Max, but your methods could use some finessing.”
He raised his head with a wry smile that took her breath away. “Ya think?”
Her lips twitched, but she fought to keep the grin off her face. “Maybe try asking your daughter what she wants and how you can help, then actually listen to her response. There might be more you can do that doesn’t involve solving her problems by throwing money at them.”
His eyebrows pulled together as he appeared to consider her words. “That reminds me. I wanted your opinion on a wedding present for Lanie and Nate. I’ve been working on carving designs into the nightstands in the garage, but Nate has a fully furnished house. I don’t want to give them something they don’t need.”
Her earlier aggravation evaporated as she imagined Lanie’s face on receiving such a beautiful gift. His thoughtfulness also surprised and touched her. Perhaps there’s hope for him after all.
“Are you kidding? I can’t imagine a more wonderful gift than something you made with your own hands.” Impulsively, she sat forward and cupped his cheek. “I bet she’ll love it.”
His expression changed as he leaned into her hand. An emotion she couldn’t place stirred in his gaze before it dropped to her mouth. Her heartbeat picked up its pace as she struggled to keep breathing.
Is he going to kiss me? More importantly, did she want him to? She blinked at the thought and dropped her hand. As quickly as it’d come on, the moment passed, and Max shifted away from her car.
“Have a good night,” he said, his voice hoarse.
Her stomach flipped, and she hurried to close her door. As she drove away into the sunset, she could no longer ignore the attraction between them, but she had no idea what she was going to do about it.
“So, you’re planning a June wedding?” Carissa began typing notes into her computer. So much for Sunday being a day of rest. “Have you booked anything yet, like the venue for the ceremony or the reception?”
“Not yet,” the quiet voice on the other line replied. “We got engaged last week, and I’m already overwhelmed.”
“No worries. That’s what I’m here for.” Keeping her voice professional, Carissa clicked over to her calendar. June was already almost full, but she could squeeze in one more bride. “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch your name.”
“It’s Meredith.”
Moving the phone to the table and putting it on speaker, Carissa frowned. The woman sounded like she was barely eighteen, but then, most young people sounded like children to her.
“Well, Meredith, I do have an opening for June. If you’d like to meet in person with your fiancé so we can discuss logistics, I’m happy to get started right away.”
“Oh, really?” The high-pitched voice let out a squeal that reminded Carissa of a dog whistle, and she was glad she’d put the phone down. Even from the table, the noise made her wince.
Once they’d agreed on a date and time to meet, Carissa assured Meredith she would send over the details in a reminder email, then she hung up the phone. Sagging against her chair, she stared at the ceiling. Another quick wedding? As much as she loved new business, she hated short engagements. Steven and Rose had planned a wedding over two years, and she’d relished spending that much time with them. It’d given her a chance to really get to know them and what they wanted. In contrast, Lanie’s wedding seemed to age Carissa by the day and not just because of the weird dance she and Max found themselves in.
Any new clients are better than no new clients , she reminded herself. But shorter engagements made her job that much harder and added unnecessary stress. Venues and vendors booked up well in advance, which left few options for those who wanted to get married quickly. Besides, part of her wondered if she wasn’t funneling clients to Steven so he could act as their divorce attorney. While she wasn’t aware of many clients who had gotten divorced a few years after their marriage, there were enough to almost make her lose faith in the whole idea of love... at least for the new generation.
With a sigh, she pushed away from the table to grab a glass of water before diving back into her proposal. She’d been working diligently on it all morning before the latest call, and she returned to it with renewed purpose. Maybe once she had a few corporate events under her belt, she could be more choosey about what weddings she worked on in the future. Being in high demand would be nice, and it would allow her to focus on events she actually wanted to do instead of working with whoever happened to call that month.
A few hours later, she’d created a decent first draft of her three event ideas, but she couldn’t decide how to present them. Should she start with her favorite then go through to the one she liked least? Or was it better to start with expectations low so she could wow them at the end? She drummed her fingers on the table. Humans had short attention spans. It might make more sense to end with the option she hoped they would choose, to keep it fresh in their minds.
She glanced at her watch and was surprised to find she’d lost the whole day. I’ll work on my slides tomorrow. Though it was late in the afternoon, she needed to go to the grocery store before it closed.
After compiling a small list of items, she rushed out the door. Sundays in Cedar Haven meant everything closed early, and she had just over an hour to get her shopping done. The store was empty save for a handful of people at checkout. She needed to hurry.
She grabbed a cart and headed to the produce section. The other problem with shopping so late on a Sunday was that everything was picked over from the weekend rush. Perhaps she should have waited until the following day, when things would be restocked, but she had several appointments with her brides, and a presentation to finish.
Her aggravation grew with every aisle she went down. She was about halfway through the store, and they were missing a quarter of the things she needed. At that rate, she would have no choice but to make two shopping trips during the week.
“This is ridiculous,” she grumbled as she searched for her favorite spaghetti sauce and then her second-favorite one.
“I’ve heard spaghetti sauce described as many things,” a voice said behind her, “but ridiculous is new.”
She spun around and flushed as her eyes met Max’s. His amused expression did little to help her bad mood.
“They’re out of everything I need.” She waved the sauce she’d picked up, the generic store brand that always seemed overly salted. “That’s what’s ridiculous.”
“Ah, I feel your pain. I should have gone out this morning, but it slipped my mind.” He shrugged. “It just means another trip later this week.”
“Some of us don’t have that luxury,” she muttered. Her next item was chicken broth, which, mercifully, was well stocked.
“If you want, I’m happy to pick up whatever you can’t find when I come back.”
Her eyebrows shot up. Max McAllister was offering to do her a favor? “I wouldn’t want to put you out.”
“You wouldn’t. I’ve already accepted I’ll be back here soon. It wouldn’t be any trouble to pick up some things for you.” His lips curved into a genuine smile, which caused her heart to flutter.
Though she tried not to, she found herself returning his smile. “I must admit, it’s tempting to accept your offer. I’ve got so much going on this week, I’m not sure when I’d have time to come back.”
“Then accept it.” He gave a playful shrug. “After all, bringing you groceries is the neighborly thing to do.”
“Uh-huh.” She crossed her arms on the handle of her cart. “We’re not actually neighbors, though.”
His face broke into a broad grin. “Details.”
She studied him as she considered his offer. It would help her a lot, but the last thing she wanted was to be indebted to him. “Does your delivery service include no-contact drop-off, or do I actually need to answer my door?”
“Hmm.” Tapping his chin, he stared at the ceiling. “I wouldn’t want to risk any of your perishables going bad. It’s best if I not only confirm you’re home but carry the groceries in for you.”
A laugh bubbled up in her throat. “Are you planning to put them away as well?”
“That one might cost you.”
Is he flirting with me? “Ah, there is a fee for your services.”
He winked, and her breath caught in her throat. “Not for pickup and delivery, but putting them away, well, that’s asking a lot. I mean, I don’t even know where you keep all your items. It’d take me a while to figure it out on my own.”
They had moved closer to each other, and the warmth from his body poured over her in waves. She tilted her head back to get a better look at him, and his gaze drifted to her mouth. For the second time in a week, she wondered if he might kiss her.
“So,” she said, her voice breathy and soft. “Are you expecting a tip, or is it included in the cost?”
His expression changed, and his eyes filled with hunger. “My terms are negotiable.”
She pursed her lips. “Fine. What’s your starting offer?”
“Have dinner with me,” he blurted out.
Did he… Did he just ask me out? She swallowed, but Max looked as shocked by his question as she was.
“I mean, er—” He stared at his feet, avoiding her gaze. “Not like a date, exactly. More… a meal, uh, between friends?” His voice rose on the last word like a question.
The yes was on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated. Besides the fact that she and Max could hardly get through a conversation without bickering, he was her client’s father. Her number-one rule was not to mix business with pleasure. And she’d already jeopardized her relationship with Lanie once because of Max. Although, he’d said it would be as friends…
“It may sound crazy,” Max continued when she hadn’t responded, “but I feel like we’ve been getting along better, and well, I, uh, don’t get out much, as you can imagine.” He chuckled nervously. “Besides, I’m sure it would take a load off Lanie if we were friends, and you keep saying we may find we have more in common than we think.” He shrugged. “Why not find out?”
The idea of getting to know Max both thrilled and terrified her. Her attraction to him seemed to grow each time they met, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to resist acting on it if they were alone together. On the other hand, he had a point. If they could discover more things they had in common, they might butt heads less often. And once the wedding was over…
Don’t go there. Allowing herself to even consider Max in that way would only make it that much harder to keep things between them strictly platonic.
Before she could answer, someone came down the aisle. She took advantage of the interruption to search for the next item on her list, a box of wheat pasta. But her emotions were all over the place, and she couldn’t seem to focus. Just when she was about to give up, he bent beside her and pointed.
“Is that what you’re looking for?”
After grabbing the box, she stood and stared at him. “How’d you know?”
Moving around her, he plucked her list from the seat of her cart. “I read it right here.” His eyebrows pulled together. “Though I can’t say I’m much of a fan of brown pasta.”
Despite the chaos swirling inside, she laughed. “It’s good for you.”
“If you say so,” he said, clearly unconvinced.
“I-I need to go,” she said, turning her cart in the opposite direction. “They’re going to close soon.”
“Carissa.” The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine.
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Let me think about it.”
He opened his mouth, then he nodded. “All right. Text me with what you can’t find, and I’ll stop by the store on Wednesday.”
With a tight smile, she hurried out of the aisle. Thankfully, the next one was empty, and she leaned against her cart while taking deep breaths.
What is this man doing to me? The way he made her feel like some lovestruck teenager. The last time a man had made her feel that way was…
“Chuck,” she whispered, surprising herself. But that was crazy. What she and Chuck had was that incomparable, soulmate, once-in-a-lifetime love. She’d considered herself lucky to have found it once, but there was no way it could happen twice, right? And especially not with someone like Max McAllister.
As she finished her shopping and checked out, she kept expecting to run into Max again. But he must have left, because she saw no sign of him in the store. Her emotions swung between relief and disappointment. She only hoped she would have an answer to his invitation by the time he showed up on Wednesday.