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Synopsis
In the vein of New York Times bestselling authors Susan Mallery and Kristan Higgins comes a women's fiction novel about moving forward and mending relationships after two sisters are torn apart by a devastating betrayal. Lately, just thinking about gowns and centerpieces makes her want to hide under the covers with her dog and a good book --one that doesn't include a romantic plot, thank you very much. Maybe it's because her fiance cheated. Or maybe it's because he cheated with her younger sister, Charlotte. Or maybe it's because her newfound reputation as jilted wedding planner isn't exactly doing wonders for her career. Charlotte knows she messed up. Big time. But she also knows something Kate doesn't-something that might bring them close again, if her sister will ever take her calls. But as time passes and silence grows, Charlotte begins to realize she can't hide from her problems forever, and that sometimes the only place to run is home. With the wedding only a week away, Kate expects a few surprises. But what she doesn't expect is to find herself believing...in the strength of family, and the possibility of finding love again.
Release date: June 13, 2017
Publisher: Forever
Print pages: 252
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One Week to the Wedding
Olivia Miles
Chapter One
If there was one part of her job that wedding planner Kate Daniels struggled with most these days, it was the dress fitting. She used to enjoy these appointments, finding it a true perk to sit in a beautiful, sun-filled boutique, surrounded by breathtaking gowns made of satin, lace, or tulle. What wasn’t to love other than the occasional meltdown of a bride who hadn’t had much success with that crash diet, or the long, patience-testing afternoon spent with a bride who tried on every dress in the store—twice—and still couldn’t make a decision? The wedding dress was the focal point of the entire ceremony, a symbol of hope and happiness and dreams that had finally come true.
Except not all dreams come true, Kate thought as she wrestled with the overstuffed silk pillow wedged behind her back. Her stomach roiled with bad memories, and she tried to stay focused on the reason she was here at all. Her best friend was getting married. She could have a good cry about her own misfortune when she went home, and if recent history proved anything, she probably would. But right now she would hold herself together, show her support, and not let her self-pity taint what should be a very special moment.
“Do you need any help?” she called out. It would be easier to make herself useful, assist with a zipper or buttons or a train. Anything would be better than sitting on this too-stiff velvet love seat, trying not to let her gaze drift too far to the left, where another bride was trying on the very dress Kate had chosen for herself not so long ago, her girlfriends fawning over her selection.
“I’m fine. I just…Well, let’s see what you think.” Elizabeth stepped out from behind the pink satin curtain of the dressing room wearing the classic strapless ivory ball gown she’d selected months back when William first popped the question to her, and despite the ache in her chest, Kate couldn’t help but smile.
“You look stunning,” she whispered. She had known Elizabeth since they were five years old and placed next to each other in Ms. Richardson’s kindergarten class, bonding over their love of Barbie dolls and their mutual affection for Ken. She had been there every step of the way that had led to this day. How many summer afternoons had been spent twirling in their mothers’ lingerie, clutching dandelion bouquets, Elizabeth’s reluctant younger brother bribed with candy into playing the groom, even though he always took off across the lawn before the vows were complete.
Elizabeth turned uncertainly in the gilded three-way mirror that anchored the small store. “I was planning on wearing my grandmother’s pearls, but now I think a necklace might be too much.”
Kate nodded her head in agreement. “They’re too formal for a beach ceremony. Besides, the gown speaks for itself.” And it did. Some ball gowns could be heavy or overly formal, but this one gave just enough of a nod to the bride’s classic style while still feeling summery and light. With its low back and subtle details near the waistline, it was perfectly pretty; there was no other word for it.
“I think you’re right.” Elizabeth scrutinized herself in the mirror and released a nervous breath. “I just want everything to be perfect.”
Kate smiled tightly. Every bride said the same thing. She’d said it herself at one time not so long ago.
She frowned. It felt like a lifetime ago. In fact, it felt like another person altogether. Some strange alternate reality where she was the blushing bride pondering menus and color schemes and the band list. Now she was back to doing it for other people.
“It will be perfect,” Kate said, standing up to fluff the back of the dress. “I’m seeing to it myself.”
“You know why I’m so nervous, don’t you?” Elizabeth turned to face her properly, her eyes clouding over as her mouth thinned.
Kate squeezed her friend’s shoulder, saying nothing. Elizabeth was still recovering from her first and only meeting with William’s family, which hadn’t gone very well. It had been a bit of a disaster, really, not that Kate would be saying that today. No need to bother with the wedding just a few days away!
“I’m sure it will be different this time,” she assured her, even though she wasn’t so sure about that. “They were probably just surprised is all. You and William hadn’t dated very long,” she pointed out, not that an engagement after six months was entirely unheard of, though it was quick. Six months to plan a wedding on the other hand…that was rushing it a bit, if anyone asked her.
“I’m just worried that they’ll come to town and make trouble. Especially William’s brother.” Elizabeth gave her a long look.
Every wedding Kate planned had some element of familial tension, and in this case, the source was rooted with the best man. Oh, she’d dealt with her share of unruly wedding party members—groomsmen who hit the bar a little too hard during the cocktail hour, bridesmaids throwing hissy fits over their ugly dresses, mothers-in-law showing up in white—and Alec Montgomery was no different, really. Though she hadn’t met him yet, she knew enough about him to know that he’d show up and play the role as dutiful brother. He and William were close, after all. And society weddings didn’t leave room for public outburst or noticeable drama.
No, that was usually left behind the scenes, she thought, chuckling to herself when she considered all she heard and saw.
She checked the row of satin-covered buttons on the back of the gown, making sure none were loose. “You’ll be so caught up in the excitement of the day, you won’t even notice he’s there,” Kate assured her, knowing this was true. People claimed they barely remembered their wedding days, that it was all a blur. That it was too surreal to capture. Too overwhelming in its emotion.
Kate released a soft sigh. Not that she would know firsthand. “I emailed with him a few times about the rehearsal dinner. He was very laid-back about the whole thing.”
“Probably because he was too busy to care,” Elizabeth said. She shook her head as she stared at herself in the mirror. “I’m still amazed he even agreed to come to town for the bachelor party tonight, what with how glued to that office he is.”
“Well, it’s a Saturday,” Kate said.
Elizabeth turned to face her. “So? That man works seven days a week. William used to, too.” Elizabeth tutted as she took her veil from the sales associate and set it on her head. “I know I sound dramatic, or like some anxious bride, but I’m nervous, Kate. He really doesn’t like me, I can tell. It’s like I’m not good enough for him, or something. It’s hard enough knowing your new family doesn’t like you, but given how he disapproves of William marrying me or, should I say, marrying into my average American family, I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
If it were any other bride, she’d chalk it up to high emotions, but Elizabeth was levelheaded and not prone to exaggeration. When she’d come back from Boston, weeping into her Chardonnay and recounted the chilly reception she’d received from William’s father and brother, Kate had known that there was no drama or enhanced details for the sake of telling a better story. Kate had seen the red flags then, braced herself for a time when William might call the whole thing off, but time moved forward and now she didn’t see that happening. William adored Elizabeth and their life in Misty Point. There was no reason to project her own disappointment onto her friend’s situation, even if there were some unsettling parallels.
“You’ve been watching too many of those reality shows again,” Kate said now, and a sharp pain hit her at the thought of their beloved weekly tradition of wine and bad television and endless laughter. They’d been doing that in some shape or form all their lives, really. It was soap operas and pints of ice cream as teenagers—two spoons, no bowls—and later coffee and tabloid magazines. Once they hit their twenties, and even lived together for a brief time after college, it was wine and dating shows.
Would that tradition end now that Elizabeth was getting married? Maybe not right away, but eventually…Elizabeth and William would want to start a family. They’d find other couples to hang out with. And Kate was single. Again. Maybe indefinitely. After all, there’d only been one real boyfriend in her entire life, and the whole town knew how that had ended.
“If you’re referring to the season where Tiana, who was kicked off in episode one and had to be removed by ambulance for her hysteria, returned for the final flower ceremony and hovered ominously in the background, hiding behind a rosebush, then, okay, maybe I have been a tiny bit swayed.” Elizabeth laughed, but she soon frowned again. “I mean it, Kate. I’m worried. I can’t stop thinking about the way Alec just stared at me through that entire dinner. He doesn’t like me.”
“Well, you’re not going to be best friends. It’s more common than you think.” Kate laughed nervously, wishing she could better disguise her growing alarm. There was no way that anything or anyone could upset this wedding. If that happened, Elizabeth wouldn’t be the only one in tears on Saturday. Kate would be crying all the way to the unemployment line. “It will be the happiest day of your life. I promise.”
Elizabeth looked unconvinced. “If you say so.”
“I do say so.” If she had any control over it, at least one of them would have the wedding day that she deserved. Kate turned her friend’s shoulders to face the mirror, admiring their reflection. “I still can’t believe you’re getting married,” she said, feeling that tug in her chest again.
“Me neither,” Elizabeth said, her tone laced with wonder. Kate recognized the sound of it—the disbelief that all your dreams could actually be coming true. That years of hoping and waiting were over. That you could be so lucky. That your entire future was decided, and bright.
It echoed the emotion Kate had felt once. She blinked quickly, then smoothed Elizabeth’s veil, trying to not think about everything that had happened instead.
An hour later, Kate triumphantly scratched the final dress fitting from her to-do list and said goodbye to Elizabeth, waving cheerfully from her perch on the cobblestone steps outside the bridal salon. She held her smile until her friend was safely out of sight and then fell back against the wrought-iron railing with a frown. For months she had obsessed over every detail of this wedding—right down to spending an excruciating amount of time holding various invitation samples to the light to determine the closest shade of pink to the bridesmaid’s gowns—but not everything, she knew, could be controlled. An inebriated guest, she could handle. A sniffling flower girl, sure. But a stubborn man who didn’t support the wedding? He’d require a tight leash.
And that was why she, as best friend, maid of honor, and wedding planner extraordinaire, was going to personally greet him upon arrival.
But first, she had a haunted house to visit.
* * *
Bree was sitting behind the counter of Rose in Bloom when Kate reached the end of Harbor Street, the main drag in their small Rhode Island town. Even before her fingers could reach for the handle, she watched as her cousin shot up off her stool and darted to greet her.
“Thank God you could make it,” Bree gushed, fumbling to turn the sign on the door to CLOSED.
“That’s what cousins are for,” Kate said with a smile.
“Well, I still can’t thank you enough. The thought of going into that house. Alone.” Bree shuddered as she turned the key on the shop door and dropped it back into the pocket of the denim jacket she wore every day from April through September. Even in the flower shop she owned and operated, she was rarely without it, claiming the refrigeration made her cold.
Now, though, the shivering had nothing to do with the warm summer afternoon temperature and everything to do with Bree’s paternal grandmother’s house.
“What are we checking on this time?” Kate asked as they walked down the block to Bree’s station wagon, a modern one, but still a purchase solely made for the sake of her flower deliveries.
“It’s not supposed to rain, at least not according to the five-day forecast,” Bree explained.
Kate climbed into the passenger seat. She could only hope that the weather held up until at least next Saturday. A hurricane could hit Sunday for all she cared. But for Elizabeth’s big day, the sun had to shine.
“I need to air the place out for a bit.”
“Does that mean in a few days you’ll be calling on me for a favor again?” Kate asked.
Bree gave her a pleading look. Even though she was older by a year, she had always looked up to Kate. And Kate had taken her under her wing, welcomed her into the fold, away from her brother and strictly boy cousins on Bree’s other side of the family. A rowdy lot from which Bree clearly needed saving.
Kate laughed. “Fine. You know I’m always here for you when you need me.”
Bree gave her a small smile. “And you know I’m always here for you, too.”
Kate looked away before she turned emotional. Bree, like Elizabeth, had always been there for her. And that was why today, her first Saturday off in more than a month, Kate was choosing to help both of them out rather than grab her towel and hit the beach.
Rose Callahan’s house was not far from the center of town, but too far to walk. Still, they arrived within minutes and, as usual, sat in the driveway with the talk radio that Bree preferred filling the car.
Finally, because time was a tickin’, Kate said, “So, ready to go in?”
Bree drew a long breath. “I wish I didn’t have to.”
“But it’s your house!” Kate exclaimed. She looked up at the beautiful Colonial, not quite old enough to be registered with the historical society, but full of history and charm all the same. Rose had kept the house impeccable, right up until the time of her death last fall.
Grumbling something under her breath, Bree released her seat belt and popped the handle on the car door. Kate hurried to catch up with her, knowing there was little sense in running in her heels, considering that Bree wouldn’t cross that threshold on her own.
Her cousin took her time fishing around in her handbag for the key, still kept on a crocheted ring most likely made by Rose herself. They’d discussed the fact that she couldn’t bear to put the key on her regular keychain just yet, back at the visit where they had to hurry over on a particular cold winter day to make sure no pipes had frozen and burst or anything else catastrophic that came with a mostly abandoned house.
“Have you thought any more about moving in?” Kate asked as she stared down at the half-dead perennials in the planters that anchored the front door.
“No. I can’t do that!”
“Because it would upset your cousins?” It had been a sticky situation, of course, when Bree, the only granddaughter of a woman who had borne six sons and never a daughter, was given not just the flower shop but also this house.
Bree said you could hear a pin drop in the room. If ever the boys had managed to convince themselves that somehow Rose wasn’t the favorite grandchild, the reading of the will was bitter confirmation of pecking order.
“Oh, they’re over it now,” Bree said tersely, leading Kate to think they were no closer than they’d been last Christmas, when apparently every Callahan had snubbed her vegetarian contribution of a butternut squash side dish.
Bree wrestled with the key and finally managed to jimmy open the door. “This thing is solid wood,” she said, giving it a sound knock. “Swells in the heat!”
“They don’t make them like that anymore,” Kate agreed, wondering if her own door was solid wood. She hadn’t considered it before—she’d simply fallen in love with the sunny front room and back stone patio—but now she had the sudden urge to check.
Maybe this was her problem. She didn’t inspect things closely enough…at least not when it came to matters of the heart.
They wandered into the hall, which remained intact, exactly as it had been the morning of Rose’s fatal stroke. Even her handbag still sat perched on the console, its zipper open, as if at any moment Rose herself would come around from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, to riffle through it for a stick of gum.
Kate would never admit it to Rose, but she wasn’t exactly comfortable in this house. Not when it was like this—frozen in time. No wonder Bree was too freaked out to deal with it herself.
Bree marched into the living room and wrestled with the window, finally managing to crack it a few inches. Without pausing, she marched back into the hall, brushed past Kate, and disappeared into the kitchen. From the sound of her grunting, the back windows were just as challenging.
“It really is a beautiful house,” Kate said, admiring the built-in shelves that framed the fireplace. “But I understand it would be hard to move in, with all the memories…”
That handbag! She had to stop staring at it! Was it open on purpose? Was Rose coming or going?
Just stop thinking about it, Kate.
“I can’t move in here,” Bree said firmly as she appeared in the hall again. She turned into the dining room and threw back the curtains.
“Of course. It’s hard to let go—”
“If I move in here, then what kind of message would that send to Simon?” Bree demanded, officially silencing Kate.
Kate stared at her cousin, hoping she wasn’t hearing what she thought she was hearing. Did Bree actually think that she and Simon had…a future?
“I think that would send a message to him that you are a smart, independent woman,” she said carefully.
But was that what Simon was looking for? Of course not! Simon was looking for a sweet, easygoing girl who went along with whatever he wanted, no questions asked. And unfortunately for her, Bree was currently that girl.
“I recently bought a house,” Kate pointed out.
“Yes, but you’ve given up.”
“I have not!” Kate blinked at the wall. Had she? Sure, she hadn’t gone on any dates in a year, but that wasn’t the same as giving up. She was busy. With other things.
Better things.
Christ. Maybe she had given up.
Bree shot her a pointed look. “He’ll never propose if he thinks I’ve made commitments that don’t include him.”
Kate pressed a finger to her forehead. There was a lot she could say in response to that, but she decided to pick her battle. “But you own this house. Outright. Why continue to pay rent when you could live here for free?”
Bree hesitated, but only for a moment. She shook her head as she flicked the metal latch on the window and reached for the handles. “I don’t think it sends the right message. Simon and I have been dating for almost a year. Now isn’t the time to do anything that would mess up our plans.”
“Oh.” Kate hadn’t realized that things had become serious with Bree and Simon. Last she knew, Simon had still refused to spend a Friday night with her cousin because that was “guys’ night.”
Bree set her hands on her hips. She was slightly out of breath. “I just…I just need to tread lightly.”
Kate counted to three, willing herself not to overstep. She could tell Bree that it was obvious that Simon was not thinking of rings or white weddings, but then she’d just be accused of being bitter. And maybe she was. Maybe Simon was a wonderful, devoted, adoring boyfriend worthy of her cousin’s affection.
And maybe the sun was blue.
“Are you seeing Simon tonight? Before the bachelorette party, I mean?” It was Saturday, but the festivities didn’t start until seven thirty.
“It’s his bowling league tonight,” Bree said, frowning. “He’s there all day.”
Ah, right. His Saturday activity. Co-ed league. Bree wasn’t invited. “Team only” was the excuse.
Kate opened her mouth to give a heavy dose of tough love and then shut it again. Some lessons just had to be learned the hard way. After all, hadn’t she overlooked the warning signs with Jake? The wandering eye, the disapproving family, the way they had drifted further and further apart at a time when they should have been coming together, planning their wedding?
Right. No more thinking about that. It was time to focus on the present. Not the past. “Well, I’ll help you with the upstairs windows, but then I have to get back to town. Elizabeth’s future brother-in-law is arriving for the bachelor party tonight, and I want to go over a few things with him beforehand.”
“The best man?” Bree’s eyes lit up. “Is he cute?”
“Why? Are you thinking of breaking up with Simon?” Kate asked hopefully.
Bree frowned. “Of course not! I was thinking of you.”
“Ha.” Kate shook her head as she reached for the banister rail. “I have enough to worry about without romance complicating matters.”
Chapter Two
It was a warm June day, and the downtown streets of Misty Point were filled with tourists milling around, browsing boutiques and antique shops and lining up at the ice cream parlor. Kate made a mental note to pick up a fresh mystery novel at the bookstore before heading home. These days they filled her spare time just fine—plenty of excitement but all the drama neatly resolved by the last page. And no romance. Definitely no romance.
A wave of salty sea air accompanied her as she tapped along the cobblestone road to the Beacon Inn. She’d personally seen to the out-of-town guest room reservations, and she knew the arrival times of the entire wedding party throughout the week. She couldn’t fight the satisfied smile that played at her lips when she reflected on her diligence. It was because of her attention to detail that she knew the best man was arriving from Boston this afternoon for the bachelor party, checking out tomorrow, and returning Friday with William’s father for the rehearsal dinner.
Take that, Meredith.
She knew what her boss thought of her these days. Meredith Smith had a comment for everything Kate did wrong lately but never anything she did correctly. Not long ago, Kate was a rising star at Bride by Design, and she was determined to remind herself—and her boss—that she still had what it took to succeed in this business.
And this wedding was her chance to prove just that. After all, the Montgomery name was a big one in Boston. She planned to submit photos from the event to a bridal magazine.
The Beacon Inn was an icon in Misty Point and the perfect introduction to their quaint Rhode Island beach town. Kate was confident that guests traveling from all over the country would be impressed with the panoramic Atlantic views and the sweeping front porch dotted with white rocking chairs. Hotel guests relaxed on deck chairs looking out at the iconic Misty Point Lighthouse or played croquet on lush green grass that stretched to the sea, where the waves silently lapped at the white sand. Seeing it now, Kate felt her heart swell with hope in place of nerves. This was going to be the most beautiful wedding she had ever planned. There was absolutely nothing for her or Elizabeth to worry about.
Still…better safe than sorry. She pushed through the large front door and stepped into the expansive lobby, helping herself to a piece of saltwater taffy at the front desk. A quick conversation confirmed that Alec Montgomery had not yet checked in, and with a lingering glance around the room, Kate marched back out onto the veranda and settled into a rocking chair. It creaked beneath her on the sand-worn floorboards.
With any luck, Alec would have a few m. . .
If there was one part of her job that wedding planner Kate Daniels struggled with most these days, it was the dress fitting. She used to enjoy these appointments, finding it a true perk to sit in a beautiful, sun-filled boutique, surrounded by breathtaking gowns made of satin, lace, or tulle. What wasn’t to love other than the occasional meltdown of a bride who hadn’t had much success with that crash diet, or the long, patience-testing afternoon spent with a bride who tried on every dress in the store—twice—and still couldn’t make a decision? The wedding dress was the focal point of the entire ceremony, a symbol of hope and happiness and dreams that had finally come true.
Except not all dreams come true, Kate thought as she wrestled with the overstuffed silk pillow wedged behind her back. Her stomach roiled with bad memories, and she tried to stay focused on the reason she was here at all. Her best friend was getting married. She could have a good cry about her own misfortune when she went home, and if recent history proved anything, she probably would. But right now she would hold herself together, show her support, and not let her self-pity taint what should be a very special moment.
“Do you need any help?” she called out. It would be easier to make herself useful, assist with a zipper or buttons or a train. Anything would be better than sitting on this too-stiff velvet love seat, trying not to let her gaze drift too far to the left, where another bride was trying on the very dress Kate had chosen for herself not so long ago, her girlfriends fawning over her selection.
“I’m fine. I just…Well, let’s see what you think.” Elizabeth stepped out from behind the pink satin curtain of the dressing room wearing the classic strapless ivory ball gown she’d selected months back when William first popped the question to her, and despite the ache in her chest, Kate couldn’t help but smile.
“You look stunning,” she whispered. She had known Elizabeth since they were five years old and placed next to each other in Ms. Richardson’s kindergarten class, bonding over their love of Barbie dolls and their mutual affection for Ken. She had been there every step of the way that had led to this day. How many summer afternoons had been spent twirling in their mothers’ lingerie, clutching dandelion bouquets, Elizabeth’s reluctant younger brother bribed with candy into playing the groom, even though he always took off across the lawn before the vows were complete.
Elizabeth turned uncertainly in the gilded three-way mirror that anchored the small store. “I was planning on wearing my grandmother’s pearls, but now I think a necklace might be too much.”
Kate nodded her head in agreement. “They’re too formal for a beach ceremony. Besides, the gown speaks for itself.” And it did. Some ball gowns could be heavy or overly formal, but this one gave just enough of a nod to the bride’s classic style while still feeling summery and light. With its low back and subtle details near the waistline, it was perfectly pretty; there was no other word for it.
“I think you’re right.” Elizabeth scrutinized herself in the mirror and released a nervous breath. “I just want everything to be perfect.”
Kate smiled tightly. Every bride said the same thing. She’d said it herself at one time not so long ago.
She frowned. It felt like a lifetime ago. In fact, it felt like another person altogether. Some strange alternate reality where she was the blushing bride pondering menus and color schemes and the band list. Now she was back to doing it for other people.
“It will be perfect,” Kate said, standing up to fluff the back of the dress. “I’m seeing to it myself.”
“You know why I’m so nervous, don’t you?” Elizabeth turned to face her properly, her eyes clouding over as her mouth thinned.
Kate squeezed her friend’s shoulder, saying nothing. Elizabeth was still recovering from her first and only meeting with William’s family, which hadn’t gone very well. It had been a bit of a disaster, really, not that Kate would be saying that today. No need to bother with the wedding just a few days away!
“I’m sure it will be different this time,” she assured her, even though she wasn’t so sure about that. “They were probably just surprised is all. You and William hadn’t dated very long,” she pointed out, not that an engagement after six months was entirely unheard of, though it was quick. Six months to plan a wedding on the other hand…that was rushing it a bit, if anyone asked her.
“I’m just worried that they’ll come to town and make trouble. Especially William’s brother.” Elizabeth gave her a long look.
Every wedding Kate planned had some element of familial tension, and in this case, the source was rooted with the best man. Oh, she’d dealt with her share of unruly wedding party members—groomsmen who hit the bar a little too hard during the cocktail hour, bridesmaids throwing hissy fits over their ugly dresses, mothers-in-law showing up in white—and Alec Montgomery was no different, really. Though she hadn’t met him yet, she knew enough about him to know that he’d show up and play the role as dutiful brother. He and William were close, after all. And society weddings didn’t leave room for public outburst or noticeable drama.
No, that was usually left behind the scenes, she thought, chuckling to herself when she considered all she heard and saw.
She checked the row of satin-covered buttons on the back of the gown, making sure none were loose. “You’ll be so caught up in the excitement of the day, you won’t even notice he’s there,” Kate assured her, knowing this was true. People claimed they barely remembered their wedding days, that it was all a blur. That it was too surreal to capture. Too overwhelming in its emotion.
Kate released a soft sigh. Not that she would know firsthand. “I emailed with him a few times about the rehearsal dinner. He was very laid-back about the whole thing.”
“Probably because he was too busy to care,” Elizabeth said. She shook her head as she stared at herself in the mirror. “I’m still amazed he even agreed to come to town for the bachelor party tonight, what with how glued to that office he is.”
“Well, it’s a Saturday,” Kate said.
Elizabeth turned to face her. “So? That man works seven days a week. William used to, too.” Elizabeth tutted as she took her veil from the sales associate and set it on her head. “I know I sound dramatic, or like some anxious bride, but I’m nervous, Kate. He really doesn’t like me, I can tell. It’s like I’m not good enough for him, or something. It’s hard enough knowing your new family doesn’t like you, but given how he disapproves of William marrying me or, should I say, marrying into my average American family, I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
If it were any other bride, she’d chalk it up to high emotions, but Elizabeth was levelheaded and not prone to exaggeration. When she’d come back from Boston, weeping into her Chardonnay and recounted the chilly reception she’d received from William’s father and brother, Kate had known that there was no drama or enhanced details for the sake of telling a better story. Kate had seen the red flags then, braced herself for a time when William might call the whole thing off, but time moved forward and now she didn’t see that happening. William adored Elizabeth and their life in Misty Point. There was no reason to project her own disappointment onto her friend’s situation, even if there were some unsettling parallels.
“You’ve been watching too many of those reality shows again,” Kate said now, and a sharp pain hit her at the thought of their beloved weekly tradition of wine and bad television and endless laughter. They’d been doing that in some shape or form all their lives, really. It was soap operas and pints of ice cream as teenagers—two spoons, no bowls—and later coffee and tabloid magazines. Once they hit their twenties, and even lived together for a brief time after college, it was wine and dating shows.
Would that tradition end now that Elizabeth was getting married? Maybe not right away, but eventually…Elizabeth and William would want to start a family. They’d find other couples to hang out with. And Kate was single. Again. Maybe indefinitely. After all, there’d only been one real boyfriend in her entire life, and the whole town knew how that had ended.
“If you’re referring to the season where Tiana, who was kicked off in episode one and had to be removed by ambulance for her hysteria, returned for the final flower ceremony and hovered ominously in the background, hiding behind a rosebush, then, okay, maybe I have been a tiny bit swayed.” Elizabeth laughed, but she soon frowned again. “I mean it, Kate. I’m worried. I can’t stop thinking about the way Alec just stared at me through that entire dinner. He doesn’t like me.”
“Well, you’re not going to be best friends. It’s more common than you think.” Kate laughed nervously, wishing she could better disguise her growing alarm. There was no way that anything or anyone could upset this wedding. If that happened, Elizabeth wouldn’t be the only one in tears on Saturday. Kate would be crying all the way to the unemployment line. “It will be the happiest day of your life. I promise.”
Elizabeth looked unconvinced. “If you say so.”
“I do say so.” If she had any control over it, at least one of them would have the wedding day that she deserved. Kate turned her friend’s shoulders to face the mirror, admiring their reflection. “I still can’t believe you’re getting married,” she said, feeling that tug in her chest again.
“Me neither,” Elizabeth said, her tone laced with wonder. Kate recognized the sound of it—the disbelief that all your dreams could actually be coming true. That years of hoping and waiting were over. That you could be so lucky. That your entire future was decided, and bright.
It echoed the emotion Kate had felt once. She blinked quickly, then smoothed Elizabeth’s veil, trying to not think about everything that had happened instead.
An hour later, Kate triumphantly scratched the final dress fitting from her to-do list and said goodbye to Elizabeth, waving cheerfully from her perch on the cobblestone steps outside the bridal salon. She held her smile until her friend was safely out of sight and then fell back against the wrought-iron railing with a frown. For months she had obsessed over every detail of this wedding—right down to spending an excruciating amount of time holding various invitation samples to the light to determine the closest shade of pink to the bridesmaid’s gowns—but not everything, she knew, could be controlled. An inebriated guest, she could handle. A sniffling flower girl, sure. But a stubborn man who didn’t support the wedding? He’d require a tight leash.
And that was why she, as best friend, maid of honor, and wedding planner extraordinaire, was going to personally greet him upon arrival.
But first, she had a haunted house to visit.
* * *
Bree was sitting behind the counter of Rose in Bloom when Kate reached the end of Harbor Street, the main drag in their small Rhode Island town. Even before her fingers could reach for the handle, she watched as her cousin shot up off her stool and darted to greet her.
“Thank God you could make it,” Bree gushed, fumbling to turn the sign on the door to CLOSED.
“That’s what cousins are for,” Kate said with a smile.
“Well, I still can’t thank you enough. The thought of going into that house. Alone.” Bree shuddered as she turned the key on the shop door and dropped it back into the pocket of the denim jacket she wore every day from April through September. Even in the flower shop she owned and operated, she was rarely without it, claiming the refrigeration made her cold.
Now, though, the shivering had nothing to do with the warm summer afternoon temperature and everything to do with Bree’s paternal grandmother’s house.
“What are we checking on this time?” Kate asked as they walked down the block to Bree’s station wagon, a modern one, but still a purchase solely made for the sake of her flower deliveries.
“It’s not supposed to rain, at least not according to the five-day forecast,” Bree explained.
Kate climbed into the passenger seat. She could only hope that the weather held up until at least next Saturday. A hurricane could hit Sunday for all she cared. But for Elizabeth’s big day, the sun had to shine.
“I need to air the place out for a bit.”
“Does that mean in a few days you’ll be calling on me for a favor again?” Kate asked.
Bree gave her a pleading look. Even though she was older by a year, she had always looked up to Kate. And Kate had taken her under her wing, welcomed her into the fold, away from her brother and strictly boy cousins on Bree’s other side of the family. A rowdy lot from which Bree clearly needed saving.
Kate laughed. “Fine. You know I’m always here for you when you need me.”
Bree gave her a small smile. “And you know I’m always here for you, too.”
Kate looked away before she turned emotional. Bree, like Elizabeth, had always been there for her. And that was why today, her first Saturday off in more than a month, Kate was choosing to help both of them out rather than grab her towel and hit the beach.
Rose Callahan’s house was not far from the center of town, but too far to walk. Still, they arrived within minutes and, as usual, sat in the driveway with the talk radio that Bree preferred filling the car.
Finally, because time was a tickin’, Kate said, “So, ready to go in?”
Bree drew a long breath. “I wish I didn’t have to.”
“But it’s your house!” Kate exclaimed. She looked up at the beautiful Colonial, not quite old enough to be registered with the historical society, but full of history and charm all the same. Rose had kept the house impeccable, right up until the time of her death last fall.
Grumbling something under her breath, Bree released her seat belt and popped the handle on the car door. Kate hurried to catch up with her, knowing there was little sense in running in her heels, considering that Bree wouldn’t cross that threshold on her own.
Her cousin took her time fishing around in her handbag for the key, still kept on a crocheted ring most likely made by Rose herself. They’d discussed the fact that she couldn’t bear to put the key on her regular keychain just yet, back at the visit where they had to hurry over on a particular cold winter day to make sure no pipes had frozen and burst or anything else catastrophic that came with a mostly abandoned house.
“Have you thought any more about moving in?” Kate asked as she stared down at the half-dead perennials in the planters that anchored the front door.
“No. I can’t do that!”
“Because it would upset your cousins?” It had been a sticky situation, of course, when Bree, the only granddaughter of a woman who had borne six sons and never a daughter, was given not just the flower shop but also this house.
Bree said you could hear a pin drop in the room. If ever the boys had managed to convince themselves that somehow Rose wasn’t the favorite grandchild, the reading of the will was bitter confirmation of pecking order.
“Oh, they’re over it now,” Bree said tersely, leading Kate to think they were no closer than they’d been last Christmas, when apparently every Callahan had snubbed her vegetarian contribution of a butternut squash side dish.
Bree wrestled with the key and finally managed to jimmy open the door. “This thing is solid wood,” she said, giving it a sound knock. “Swells in the heat!”
“They don’t make them like that anymore,” Kate agreed, wondering if her own door was solid wood. She hadn’t considered it before—she’d simply fallen in love with the sunny front room and back stone patio—but now she had the sudden urge to check.
Maybe this was her problem. She didn’t inspect things closely enough…at least not when it came to matters of the heart.
They wandered into the hall, which remained intact, exactly as it had been the morning of Rose’s fatal stroke. Even her handbag still sat perched on the console, its zipper open, as if at any moment Rose herself would come around from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, to riffle through it for a stick of gum.
Kate would never admit it to Rose, but she wasn’t exactly comfortable in this house. Not when it was like this—frozen in time. No wonder Bree was too freaked out to deal with it herself.
Bree marched into the living room and wrestled with the window, finally managing to crack it a few inches. Without pausing, she marched back into the hall, brushed past Kate, and disappeared into the kitchen. From the sound of her grunting, the back windows were just as challenging.
“It really is a beautiful house,” Kate said, admiring the built-in shelves that framed the fireplace. “But I understand it would be hard to move in, with all the memories…”
That handbag! She had to stop staring at it! Was it open on purpose? Was Rose coming or going?
Just stop thinking about it, Kate.
“I can’t move in here,” Bree said firmly as she appeared in the hall again. She turned into the dining room and threw back the curtains.
“Of course. It’s hard to let go—”
“If I move in here, then what kind of message would that send to Simon?” Bree demanded, officially silencing Kate.
Kate stared at her cousin, hoping she wasn’t hearing what she thought she was hearing. Did Bree actually think that she and Simon had…a future?
“I think that would send a message to him that you are a smart, independent woman,” she said carefully.
But was that what Simon was looking for? Of course not! Simon was looking for a sweet, easygoing girl who went along with whatever he wanted, no questions asked. And unfortunately for her, Bree was currently that girl.
“I recently bought a house,” Kate pointed out.
“Yes, but you’ve given up.”
“I have not!” Kate blinked at the wall. Had she? Sure, she hadn’t gone on any dates in a year, but that wasn’t the same as giving up. She was busy. With other things.
Better things.
Christ. Maybe she had given up.
Bree shot her a pointed look. “He’ll never propose if he thinks I’ve made commitments that don’t include him.”
Kate pressed a finger to her forehead. There was a lot she could say in response to that, but she decided to pick her battle. “But you own this house. Outright. Why continue to pay rent when you could live here for free?”
Bree hesitated, but only for a moment. She shook her head as she flicked the metal latch on the window and reached for the handles. “I don’t think it sends the right message. Simon and I have been dating for almost a year. Now isn’t the time to do anything that would mess up our plans.”
“Oh.” Kate hadn’t realized that things had become serious with Bree and Simon. Last she knew, Simon had still refused to spend a Friday night with her cousin because that was “guys’ night.”
Bree set her hands on her hips. She was slightly out of breath. “I just…I just need to tread lightly.”
Kate counted to three, willing herself not to overstep. She could tell Bree that it was obvious that Simon was not thinking of rings or white weddings, but then she’d just be accused of being bitter. And maybe she was. Maybe Simon was a wonderful, devoted, adoring boyfriend worthy of her cousin’s affection.
And maybe the sun was blue.
“Are you seeing Simon tonight? Before the bachelorette party, I mean?” It was Saturday, but the festivities didn’t start until seven thirty.
“It’s his bowling league tonight,” Bree said, frowning. “He’s there all day.”
Ah, right. His Saturday activity. Co-ed league. Bree wasn’t invited. “Team only” was the excuse.
Kate opened her mouth to give a heavy dose of tough love and then shut it again. Some lessons just had to be learned the hard way. After all, hadn’t she overlooked the warning signs with Jake? The wandering eye, the disapproving family, the way they had drifted further and further apart at a time when they should have been coming together, planning their wedding?
Right. No more thinking about that. It was time to focus on the present. Not the past. “Well, I’ll help you with the upstairs windows, but then I have to get back to town. Elizabeth’s future brother-in-law is arriving for the bachelor party tonight, and I want to go over a few things with him beforehand.”
“The best man?” Bree’s eyes lit up. “Is he cute?”
“Why? Are you thinking of breaking up with Simon?” Kate asked hopefully.
Bree frowned. “Of course not! I was thinking of you.”
“Ha.” Kate shook her head as she reached for the banister rail. “I have enough to worry about without romance complicating matters.”
Chapter Two
It was a warm June day, and the downtown streets of Misty Point were filled with tourists milling around, browsing boutiques and antique shops and lining up at the ice cream parlor. Kate made a mental note to pick up a fresh mystery novel at the bookstore before heading home. These days they filled her spare time just fine—plenty of excitement but all the drama neatly resolved by the last page. And no romance. Definitely no romance.
A wave of salty sea air accompanied her as she tapped along the cobblestone road to the Beacon Inn. She’d personally seen to the out-of-town guest room reservations, and she knew the arrival times of the entire wedding party throughout the week. She couldn’t fight the satisfied smile that played at her lips when she reflected on her diligence. It was because of her attention to detail that she knew the best man was arriving from Boston this afternoon for the bachelor party, checking out tomorrow, and returning Friday with William’s father for the rehearsal dinner.
Take that, Meredith.
She knew what her boss thought of her these days. Meredith Smith had a comment for everything Kate did wrong lately but never anything she did correctly. Not long ago, Kate was a rising star at Bride by Design, and she was determined to remind herself—and her boss—that she still had what it took to succeed in this business.
And this wedding was her chance to prove just that. After all, the Montgomery name was a big one in Boston. She planned to submit photos from the event to a bridal magazine.
The Beacon Inn was an icon in Misty Point and the perfect introduction to their quaint Rhode Island beach town. Kate was confident that guests traveling from all over the country would be impressed with the panoramic Atlantic views and the sweeping front porch dotted with white rocking chairs. Hotel guests relaxed on deck chairs looking out at the iconic Misty Point Lighthouse or played croquet on lush green grass that stretched to the sea, where the waves silently lapped at the white sand. Seeing it now, Kate felt her heart swell with hope in place of nerves. This was going to be the most beautiful wedding she had ever planned. There was absolutely nothing for her or Elizabeth to worry about.
Still…better safe than sorry. She pushed through the large front door and stepped into the expansive lobby, helping herself to a piece of saltwater taffy at the front desk. A quick conversation confirmed that Alec Montgomery had not yet checked in, and with a lingering glance around the room, Kate marched back out onto the veranda and settled into a rocking chair. It creaked beneath her on the sand-worn floorboards.
With any luck, Alec would have a few m. . .
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One Week to the Wedding
Olivia Miles
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