The air whooshed from Kelsey’s lungs. Oh, no. Was there a worse time to put her foot in her mouth?
She struggled for a breath and the right—appropriate—words to say. She could handle even the most awkward wedding situations, but this had left her speechless. Not wanting the uncomfortable silence to stretch any further, she settled for the most obvious yet overused sentiment. “I’m so sorry, Will.”
“Thanks.”
No pain in his voice, no anguish on his face, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Okay, his wife had died eight years ago, not eight days, but Kelsey felt about a quarter of an inch tall. From everything he said about love and marriage his heart still belonged to one woman and one woman only. “I hope I didn’t—”
“You didn’t.”
“I thought since you wore a wedding band…”
“It’s okay, Kelsey. Really.”
She nodded, trying to believe him and not wanting to say another word. Her brother would have a good laugh right now. Cade always called her Ms. Manners and teased her that she should write an etiquette book when she grew tired of designing weddings. So much for handling any situation with aplomb and ease.
The muted whine of the plane’s engine filled the cabin and kept the silence from becoming unbearable. Kelsey straightened in her seat and dug the toes of her black boots into the carpet. They must be getting closer to their destination. Yet each passing minute felt like an hour. She’d never heard Starr or Faith mention Will being a widower. They’d never even mentioned he’d been married. Questions about him filled Kelsey’s mind. She wanted to know the answers, but she didn’t dare ask.
Will appeared to be in his early thirties. If Sara was his soulmate and one true love, did that mean he planned to spend the rest of his days alone? Kelsey wasn’t sure whether his answer would make him the world’s biggest romantic or biggest fool. Surely, he must have loved Sara—must still love her—if her memory was enough for him. But Kelsey found it hard to believe anyone could love another person that much.
Will cleared his throat. “Once we arrive, we’ll head to the Lake Inn. You’ll have the use of one of our suites.”
“Thank you.” The edges of Kelsey’s mouth turned up slightly. “You must have been confident I’d come if you saved me a room.”
“Let’s say I was hopeful. Tonight, you can unpack and get settled in. We’ll have breakfast at my parents’ house and start work tomorrow.”
She hesitated. Her next statement required the right amount of tact.
“I appreciate your offer to help, but I’m sure the time it would take will be a huge inconvenience to both you and Starr Properties to spend the next two weeks working with me.”
He chuckled. “I appreciate your concern, but Starr Properties has been doing quite well these past few months without me working eighty hours a week. My staff knows how to find me if they need anything. And you know Faith. She’d kill me if I didn’t keep her informed about everything you were doing. Trust me, it will be easier if I’m completely involved.”
Easier for whom?
Faith, sure.
But what about Kelsey? A free-fall descent onto a parking lot might be easier to survive than spending the next fourteen days with Will.
No, she was simply overreacting. He’d caught her off guard. That was all.
Working with Will Addison wouldn’t be difficult. So what if he was interesting? Charming and handsome, too. But he was also a die-hard romantic. Kelsey wouldn’t want to touch a man like that with a ten-foot, make that a twenty-foot pole. Not even a slight flirtation appealed to her. She settled back in her seat and tried to convince herselfthat these next two weeks would be a snap.
The drive from the airport to Lake Tahoe’s North Shore passed without incident. Night had fallen by the time Will pulled his SUV into the parking lot of the Starr Lake Inn.
Kelsey climbed out. Falling snowflakes greeted her, clinging like confetti. Her breath hung in the chilly night air. She tugged the front of her jacket together to keep from getting too cold.
When she faced the hotel, the sight warmed her. She almost thought she was in the Swiss Alps instead of the Sierra Nevadas, except for the larger size of the inn. Despite its size, the hotel exuded charm with its horse-drawn sleigh waiting for passengers. Its gingerbread-trimmed balconies on each of the floors were movie-set perfect but better than any set designer could fabricate on a sound stage because this was real.
She walked next to Will. About twenty yards away from the lobby entrance, she noticed two men talking to a bellhop.
Kelsey froze. Every nerve ending went on alert. Garrett Malloy and Fred Silvers were reporters/photographers forWeekly Secrets,a cheesy tabloid that reported on celebrities with an almost stalker-obsessive slant. If the dynamic duo caught sight of Kelsey and put two and two together, all bets for an intimate, private wedding would be off. She tried to stay out of sight. “We have a problem.”
“Only one?” Will asked.
“No, two.” Kelsey motioned to the men standing outside the entrance to the inn. “Sleazy tabloid reporters,” she whispered. “They would kill for a scoop about Faith’s wedding.”
Will frowned. “I haven’t told anyone except my personal assistant. There’s no way they could have found out.”
The two men walked toward them. If they came much closer, they would see her. Kelsey couldn’t take the chance. She glanced at Will. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
