She gathered up a couple of garters and guest books in case Starr hadn’t gotten around to that, either. “Would you grab the lavender toolbox in the storage room?”
“A toolbox?”
“Tricks of the trade.” And right now, she needed every trick she had up her sleeve to get through packing her gear with Will’s help. If it felt strange here in her own office, she didn’t want to think about what it would be like working with him in Lake Tahoe.
“What tricks would those be?”
“Sewing needles, thread, safety pins, first-aid kit, clear nail polish, hair spray, things like that.”
“You’re very prepared.”
“I have to be. My clients expect nothing less. I do my best to make sure their wedding day is the happiest, most perfect day of their lives.”
He stared at her with an odd look on his face. “A person’s wedding day is only the first of many happy days.”
Using all her willpower, she managed not to roll her eyes. “Wasn’t your wedding day your happiest day ever?”
Her question seemed to catch him off guard, but only for a moment. The sweet smile on his face made Kelsey swallow hard and remind herself he was already taken.
“Yes, it was the best day of my life.” The dreamy tone of his voice touched a place deep within her heart.
His wife was a lucky woman. Or would be, until the marriage unraveled and fell apart. They usually did. No doubt they hadn’t been married long or faced many bumps in the matrimonial road. “Told you so. Every person deserves a perfect wedding day, even your sister.”
Will stared at Kelsey. “You take what you do very seriously.”
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it.”
“So you’re a romantic at heart, too?”
“No, not at all.” She smiled at the ridiculous notion. No one she knew would ever call her romantic. “I’m just good at my job thanks to being organized and disciplined. Having a fail-proof checklist and my toolbox hasn’t hurt. But in all honesty, I’ve become one of the best in the industry without a romantic bone in my body. I’m more of a…realist.”
A realist, she thought, who knew the truth—there was no such thing as “happily ever after.”
GROUP CHAT #2
Kelsey hadn’t planned on texting her friends while she was in San Montico with Christina, but she wanted to let them know her itinerary had changed in case something went wrong or there was an emergency.
Kelsey:Hey, change of plans. I’m now taking a two-week detour before I head to San Montico.
Serena:What?
Jane:Where are you going?
Elle:Are you okay?
Kelsey:Remember that guy I mentioned? I changed my mind about doing his event. What’s one more wedding before my vacation, but the event is hush-hush. When I can say more, I will.
Serena:I hope you’re sure because you needed a break.
Jane:Please don’t overdo it.
Elle:Maybe the four of us can do a girls’ weekend this spring or summer. You’re still going to need a vacation at some point.
Kelsey:Oh, let’s plan on that. I would love for all of us to be together again.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sitting in the living room of Kelsey’s condo in Brentwood, Will tried to make sense of the woman who’d agreed to coordinate Faith’s wedding. Kelsey hadn’t said yes out of the goodness of her heart. She would be well paid and receive an exclusive contract to put on weddings at Starr Properties. But he’d seen her genuine concern over his mother’s condition. The tears in Kelsey’s eyes, the slight quiver of her lower lip, the crack of her voice.
