I focused on straightening a tray that did not need straightening. My hands needed something to do.
“I could never eat something this rich,” she added lightly, glancing at the pastries I had cooling for the luncheon. “But it looks beautiful.”
I felt the familiar pinch behind my ribs when the popular girl looked down on the plump girl. The instinct to explain and to justify myself.
“It’s for the guests,” I said instead.
She laughed softly. “Of course. I skipped breakfast. I like to stay clear-headed on days like this.”
Lucy passed behind me with a stack of linens and paused just long enough to take in the scene.
“Carly,” Lucy said neutrally.
“Lucy,” Carly replied smoothly. “You look busy.”
“I am,” Lucy said, and kept moving.
I was grateful. Lucy didn’t back down from confrontations and I disliked them immensely.
Carly turned back to me. “Is James Elmen here yet? Braxton told me he was here and I just had to come meet him. I have all his cookbooks and my personal chef is a wonder for following his recipes."
“He arrived a few days ago,” I mentioned.
Her smile brightened. “Wonderful. I have all of his cookbooks. My chef practically memorized them when they came out.”
I wondered, briefly, whether the man she admired existed anywhere outside glossy photos and well-lit studios. Before I could respond, Braxton appeared in the doorway, coat half-buttoned, hair still slightly damp from the cold. His face softened when he saw me.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Morning,” I replied.
Carly turned toward him immediately.
“Braxton!” she exclaimed. She moved forward to kiss his cheek and received a kiss in return. “I’m glad I caught you early so you can give me a tour of all the changes the Bennets have managed to achieve at the inn. Plus, I do so want to see the set up for the wedding. It must be very small and cozy, like a micro wedding.”
I tried not to fume at the words. It was a perfectly respectable mid-sized wedding.
“I didn’t expect you this early,” he replied with a smile.
“Has the baker brought the cake yet? I would love to have a glance at it before the wedding. I’m not planning to stay since I wasn’t invited and crashing an event is tacky,” Carly sweetly remarked.
“Jane made the cake,” Braxton proudly stated. “It’s beautiful.”
Her gaze flicked between us.
Braxton stepped closer to me without seeming to notice he was doing it. “Jane has been an integral part of making this wedding happen.”
“That doesn't surprise me,” Carly said, studying us. “She seems very… steady.”
The word settled heavily.
Braxton smiled at me. “She’s more than that.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest before I could stop it. I hated how easily that warmth could be unsettled.
Carly said nothing, but I saw the shift. The way her attention sharpened. The way she took inventory of the space between us.
“I was hoping to meet James,” she said eventually.
