“All right then. Here’s the schedule.” I ran through the timeline of events, starting with the arrival of the wedding party and ending with the fireworks we’d arranged to go off as the bride and groom departed the next night.
Chyna nodded along, adding a comment here and there until we reached the end of the itinerary. “Looks good. I have to say, I had my doubts about this place, but you and your boss came through.”
I didn’t bother to set the record straight that Lacey was not, in fact, my boss nor was I employed in any way, shape, or form by the town. What mattered was that the next two days were the happiest, most joyful days of the lovebirds’ lives.
Chyna cleared her throat. A tall man in dark jeans, cowboy boots, and a straw Stetson appeared at the entrance of the tent.
“Tad, darling.” Chyna floated down the aisle, her hands already reaching for his. “Come in, let me show you what I’ve done to create your daughter’s dream winter wonderland.”
“Who’s this?” Tad smiled at me. “Are you one of Chyna’s helpers?”
Before I could answer, Chyna beat me to it. “She’s local staff.”
“In that case, well done.” Tad held his phone out. “My daughter just sent me a text of the limo y’all sent to pick them up. I’ve gotta say, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
I clutched my hands together. I didn’t want to look.
“Genius.” Chyna’s excitement made her voice vibrate.
Kirby had revamped the hearse into a convertible limo with a clear dome on top. It looked just like the popemobile I’d seen on TV. The new white paint job sparkled. I bowed my head. I couldn’t wait to tell Lacey that Kirby had come through for us.
“Let me show you around. Zina, can you find the man who trained the penguins? Tad’s going to want to see a demonstration. They are, after all, besides the bride and groom, the main attraction.”
“Sure, let me see what I can do.” I exited through a flap in the back of the tent while Chyna prattled on about all the plans she’d put into place. Lacey might not mind sharing the spotlight with the presumptuous wedding planner, but it irked me to the core to hear the woman claim responsibility for all the hard work we’d put into the event.
Didn’t matter now. I fired off a text to Lacey to set her mind at ease. The only thing that mattered was getting through the next two days.
Alex
I had just secured the penguins when Zina entered the warehouse.
“Where have you been? Mr. Munyon’s here. He wants to meet you.” She reached for my hand and twined her fingers with mine.
I’d usually welcome her touch but with everyone dumping demands on me, I was feeling the stress of the culmination of weeks of preparation and not even Zina’s presence seemed to make me feel better.
“Yeah, of course. Just wrapping up and getting the penguins settled. Where is he?”
“In the main tent. I was going to go check on the food for the rehearsal dinner up at the house. Want me to come with you?”
I shook my head. “I’ve got it.”
“Have you officially turned down his offer of employment yet?” She clasped her hands around the back of my neck and rose to her tiptoes. “He doesn’t look like the kind of man who likes to be refused.”
I pulled her against me as I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I figured I’d wait until the wedding was over. Don’t want to rock the boat, right?”
“Good call.” She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck.
I could have stood there for hours, lost in her touch, the way she looked up at me with love and hope and the promise of a future in her eyes. But that wouldn’t get me through the next two days. “I’ll see you up at the house later?”
“Later.” She let her hands slide down my body before she turned away. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Luck was something I’d been without for a very long time. If ever there was a time I could use it, today was that day.
I entered the tent where the ceremony would be taking place. A few of the townspeople were making last-minute preparations. Chyna and Mr. Munyon stood at the front of the tent, where the bride and groom would say their vows.
“Here he is.” Chyna sprang toward me, a huge smile pasted on her lips. “Tad, I’d like you to meet Alex Sanders, your penguin handler.”
Tad thrust his hand forward. “Nice to meet you, Alex.”
