the part. I must say, it’s nice to wear something other than my gardening gear and workboots.”
I smiled at her and turned to Micah, who was rubbing his hands together. “Micah, I hate to ask because of your beautiful clothes, but can you light the fire in the honeymoon suite so Isla can take them for a tour before lunch?”
“Sure.” He kissed Isla’s cheek and I turned away discreetly while they did the lovey-dovey goggle-eyes. For some inexplicable reason, the wedding march played in my mind, followed closely by a vision of Isla getting ready in a suite upstairs, her mother arranging her veil, tears filling her eyes at the sight of her beautiful daughter about to marry the man of her dreams… oh, she’d make a stunning bride…
“Clio?”
“The tiara…”
“Clio?”
I blinked. Did I say that aloud? I made a mental note to research the kind of tiara that would suit Isla; something elegant, classic, not too blingy…
“Clio?”
I shook myself. “Sorry, was lost in thought about… weddings.”
She frowned. “Right, well, it’s the day for it. What should I do?”
I checked my watch. “Can you help me with the gift bags? We can set them up in the lobby to hand out before they leave.”
We worked flat out for the next couple of hours until tires crunched on the gravel out front. They were here!
“Isla, can you tell Cruz we’ll need the first lot of canapés in twenty minutes?”
She nodded and glided away.
Amory raced over, her face shining with happiness. Outside, car doors shut with a bang and high-pitched chatter filled the air. This was always the best part of an event, the moment all of our hard work came together, and our guests arrived, wide-eyed with awe.
Our brides entered the lobby, wearing big smiles. Amory and I stood next to each other and shook their hands one by one. We went into wedding and event planner mode, and spent time greeting each bride, handing out name-tags to ensure everyone felt at home and important, before Isla ushered them into the ballroom where they let out gasps of delight at the wedding beauty displayed before them.
Suave Micah appeared carrying a tray of canapés. He winked and strode into the ballroom, but not before we snagged a Moroccan lamb cigar, a crispy deep-fried morsel of perfection. Discreetly wiping crumbs away, I said, “Wow, that guy can cook.”
Amory raised a brow. “Wait until you try his South American dishes.”
Would I get to try them? Maybe he’d stay around for a while. I did need help for Christmas Eve and the fancy dinner party I envisaged hosting for my friends. Not to mention the guests who’d booked in after New Year…
“What’s my lipstick like? No crumbs stuck to me?”
“Fine, fine. And mine?” Usually we stayed well away from the food at our parties, but being the boss had its advantages. We were merely doing quality control, right?
“Let’s mingle.”
Moving with the group of brides, we took them from table to table, highlighting the ways in which their weddings could be spectacular and, more importantly, unique to them if only they held them here.
One of the more outspoken of the brides, a Texan named Barbie, grabbed my arm and ushered me to one side. “How quickly can you get a wedding organized?” With her bouffant blonde curls and twangy accent she was impossible to miss. Even lowering her voice, she drew the eye of the other brides.
“How quickly do you need it?” I wasn’t going to shoot myself in the foot by saying a timeframe that didn’t suit. I needed a booking, and just hoped the approval for the chapel came through in time.
Noticing she was being watched, she bundled me further away, and whispered. “Is January too soon? February at a push?”
It was December! When would we get a client who wasn’t in a hurry? What if the chapel approval took six months? Amory must have overhead, as she gave me a desperate look and mouthed say yes! Wasn’t that my own advice – say yes, always? Worry about the finer details later?
I managed a jittery smile. “Sure, we can do it for February, as long as you choose local suppliers as much as possible.”
She patted her belly. “Time is of the essence, you see.”
Ah! “There’s something very special about the fact your baby will attend your wedding, whether anyone knows or not.”
She gave me a genuine smile, one that reached her eyes. “I hadn’t thought about it like that before. The jellybean will be our guest of honor, and you’ll be one of the few who knows about him or her…”
“Did you have any themes in mind? Color combinations…”
“Vintage grandeur. Think Gatsby. The jazz age. That kind of thing.”
I wanted to shriek! Vintage grandeur would suit the lodge and show it off in its best light. Did I risk taking the booking without approval? She hadn’t confirmed yet, she’d only enquired about timeframes, so instead I focused on making her fall in love with the lodge. I waved Isla over. “Would you like to see the chapel? It has the most glorious stained-glass windows, and we can decorate it to suit the jazz era…”
“I’d love to,” she said, and I made introductions and asked Isla to take Barbie on a tour. “Don’t forget to visit the honeymoon suite,” I said. “It’s spectacular.”
Another bride walked over exclaiming about the canapés. “Is this the same chef you’ll use if we book Cedarwood as a venue? Please say yes!”
Amory answered: “Yes, Cruz can be requested, definitely.”
I held my breath. She hadn’t asked him, and surely this bride would insist on knowing it was in fact Cruz in the kitchen on her wedding day.
Just then, Cruz walked in carrying a plate of sweet canapés. “Let me introduce you?” Amory gave her a saccharine smile. “Cruz, this is Ebony, she’s enquired whether you’ll be the chef if she hires Cedarwood for her nuptials.”
Without missing a beat, Cruz nodded. “That can easily be arranged.”
They were totally on the same wavelength, and interpreted what the right answer would be. My heart just about exploded that they’d say yes, knowing it would help sway her decision. We’d worry about the practicalities of it later. Worry later, Clio! Smile and schmooze and do your job!
“Great,” she said, beaming. “Let’s talk dates.”
Amory said, “Follow me, Ebony. Can I get you a glass of champagne while we chat?”
Two potential bookings! I wanted to jump for joy until I remembered the damn approval certification. I needed Kai and I needed him here fast.
At the florist’s table, a trio of women stood chatting away, exclaiming over prices. I’d told the vendors
