her pen above the pad and waited.
Cade leaned back against his chair and closed his eyes. His deep, assured tone compelled her attention.
“She’s a perfectionist. She’d want every detail to be taken care of. So do I. I don’t want any surprises on that day. I want it beautiful, elegant but not stuffy. I want the guests to enjoy themselves, to feel welcome. I particularly don’t want ordinary.” He opened his eyes. “I want memorable. Does that help?”
“It’s a place to start. Any idea when she’ll hold her wedding?”
His eyes flickered open. “For now, the date’s up in the air.”
Another glitch.
“When will she know?”
“Probably not until a few days before it’s to be held.”
Sara frowned. This was getting weirder by the moment.
“Mr. Porter, we need your sister present for at least one consultation.”
“Not possible.”
“But it sounds like you want to have everything planned without having a set date.”
“That’s exactly what I want. A church ceremony seems obvious.”
“Unless the wedding comes during a busy season like Christmas when we would have to book ages ahead.” Sara set her cup aside, troubled by his plan.
She was pretty sure she could do this—on her own, without help. She had the skill, the ability. It was simply a matter of applying her brain to the problem and then coming up with a solution. But was it right to do it all without the bride’s involvement?
“What about a park setting? Then we wouldn’t need to book ahead.”
His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t answer.
“Weddings in a place that holds meaning for the couple can also be charming. Is there some place special to your sister and her fiancé?”
Cade seemed not to hear her because he suddenly leaned forward, holding her gaze with his own.
“If it was you, would a church wedding be your choice?”
“No.” She avoided his gaze.
“Why not?”
“I’m not the church-wedding type.” Sara wasn’t about to tell him how long it had been since she’d stopped talking to God. “Listen, Mr. Porter—”
“Can we please agree that you’ll call me Cade?” He was doing that charm bit again, and he hadn’t moved a muscle.
“Cade,” she complied, pretending a coolness she didn’t feel. “My preferences are not the issue here. I must talk to the bride to get her feelings on things.”
“She’s leaving it all to me.”
His fast response ramped up Sara’s inner warning system to red alert. She looked him straight in the eye, just the way Winnie had taught her.
“Does your sister even know you’re planning this wedding?”
“Not yet.” Cade’s smile dimmed. “It’s a surprise.”
Sara squeezed her eyes closed, barely stifling her groan.
“I’m guessing you don’t think that’s a good idea?”
“I think it’s a terrible idea. I have never known a bride who didn’t want to play an active part in her own wedding.” Sara glanced away, counted to five. When she looked back, his eyes waited for her. Their gazes locked. “Tell me the truth.”
“She wants to elope,” he rasped, his voice drained of its rich timbre. “To go somewhere no one knows her and take the most important step of her life.”
“Then surely—”
“She’s so fixated on getting married she can’t see how much she’ll regret her decision later. But I know exactly how much she might need those memories in the future.” His ominous tone told Sara Cade’s own personal reasons were figuring into his decision to organize this wedding.
She recognized that he was probably smarting from his sister’s decision. Maybe he felt left out. Maybe he’d been goaded into circumventing what she wanted by their parents.
Whatever his reason, Sara was the last person to help Cade Porter plan something his sister didn’t want. She had too much experience with interfering families and the pain that came from resisting their strong wills.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Porter. I can’t help you with this wedding.” Sara rose, picked up her purse. “If you still want Weddings by Woodwards, I’ll select another planner. But my advice is to talk to your sister, really listen to what she tells you. Then abide by her decision.”
“But—”
Sara ignored his frown, determined to make him understand.
“You want your sister to treasure happy memories of her wedding day?”
“Of course!”
“That won’t happen if every anniversary she’s reminded that you forced something she didn’t want. She’s entitled to have her own dream—even if it isn’t your dream.”
He couldn’t know she was speaking from experience.
“But—”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you. Goodbye.”
For a fraction of a second, one thought held Sara immobile.
She was going to disappoint the family.
Again.
Chapter Two
“Wait!”
Cade ignored the curious stares of the other coffee-shop patrons. He needed Sara Woodward. He needed Weddings by Woodwards, needed their expertise and their clout. But more than that, he found himself not wanting this small delicate woman to think badly of him.
And she did.
Her prickly tone, the frost edging her voice, the sharp snap of her consonants—Sara Woodward had pegged him as an overbearing ogre, forcing his sister to bend to his demands.
“You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Will you please hear me out before judging me any further?”
Sara debated for a moment, nodded once then took her seat.
Cade smiled.
“Thank you. I can imagine what you think, Sara. But if I couldn’t, your
