“Promise?” Her voice squeaked.
“Yes, I promise.”
“So where are you going to put these penguins?” she asked.
“I haven’t quite figured that part out yet, but I’ve got a couple of ideas and a few months to make it happen.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. How many penguins are you talking about?”
“Six. A nice half dozen.” My blood pressure notched up as I thought about it. There should be a few things in life that money couldn’t buy. Evidently a bridal party made up of penguins wasn’t one of them. According to the attorney, Munyon’s daughter had dreamed of her big day as a little girl. And been changing her mind ever since.
She’d started with a wedding on a private island in the Caribbean. But in the last month she’d shifted gears and now she wanted penguins. As the only daughter of a man with more money than God, she’d have exactly what she wanted on her big day, no matter how ridiculous it seemed or how much it cost.
Char let out a laugh. “I guess those summers you spent working at that marine life park are finally paying off. Where are you going to house half a dozen penguins?”
“I’m not sure yet. Know of anywhere nearby where there’s room for a huge wedding and space to set up a temporary habitat?”
“You know they’re putting up that wedding place over in Ido,” Char volunteered.
“Ido?” I asked.
“I don’t think I mentioned it, but Idont changed their name to Ido last year.”
“Why the hell would they do that?” The only thing Idont had going for it was Phillips Stationery and Imports. That place had been around for over a hundred years and was the backbone of Idont’s business.
“You remember Lacey Cherish?”
At my nod, she continued. “The Phillips family shut down the import business, so she went and turned the Phillips House into a venue for weddings and events. Got the whole town to rename themselves Ido. If you ask me, that girl’s got a few screws loose.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Business is booming. Although it’s a pain in the ass to try to get around town. She’s got a couple of weddings every weekend. Traffic can get pretty backed up along the highway.”
“What’s she doing with the warehouse?” I asked. If there was a place nearby that might fit the bill, it would save me days, maybe even weeks, of research.
“I don’t know. Storage, maybe?”
My first day in Texas, and things were already looking good. “Think we can swing by the Phillips place on the way home?”
“Sure, I’ll have Jordan keep an eye on her sisters when they get home from school. What do you have in mind?” Char asked.
“Just an idea. We’ll see.”
Zina
I hung another tablecloth on a hanger in the upstairs closet at the Phillips House. Lacey had been using the historic Victorian as a venue to host all kinds of events, although most of them were weddings. As I folded up the empty bag and slid it into the bottom of the antique armoire, tires crunched on the gravel drive outside.
I glanced out the window, surprised at the sight of a blue pickup truck. Usually prospective brides and grooms set up appointments directly with Lacey. I waited as a couple got out of the truck. The man and woman stood outside their vehicle for a moment, and then the man headed for the front steps.
Probably a couple looking for a wedding venue. I let the curtain fall back in place. The doorbell chimed as I made my way down the grand staircase to the foyer. I’d just hand them one of Lacey’s cards and get on with my day.
But then I opened the door. I wasn’t prepared for the sight of the man standing on the other side. Although, I wasn’t sure a woman could do anything to prepare for a man like him showing up on her doorstep.
He towered over me, just like he probably stood a head taller than most other men. Granted, I was on the shorter side since I’d inherited my height from my mama’s side of the family, along with my curves. His broad shoulders filled the doorframe, blocking out the light behind him.
But it wasn’t his height or his build that made me take a step back. It was his eyes. Somewhere between blue and green, they locked onto me, holding me mesmerized in their grip.
I cleared my throat and held tighter to the doorframe. “Can I help you?”
